An interview with director Gints Zilbalodis, who created the film 'Away,' in which the solo filmmaking experience overlaps with the protagonist's solo journey.
The film '
Away movie official website
https://away-movie.jp/
Director Gints Zilbalodis, who answered the interview questions
GIGAZINE (hereinafter, G):
According to your official website, you 'started making anime at the age of 8,' but what kind of anime did you make at first?
Director Gints Zilbalodis (hereinafter, Gints):
When I was a child, I did really simple things, like making things out of Lego or plastic, or drawing flip books on the edge of a notebook. Then I used early versions of FLASH. I finally got serious when I turned 15 (laughs), and that's when I started making short films with proper stories. Animation allows you to freely depict fantastic worlds. There are no restrictions like there are in live-action, so you can control everything from the background to the subtle expressions of the characters, and it's a medium that suits me, a control freak who wants to have everything under control (laughs).
G:
'Away' is a film without dialogue from beginning to end, and it gives the feeling of actually traveling or exploring. Is this the director's image of travel, or is it something that reflects his/her own experiences?
Gintz:
One of the reasons for the lack of dialogue is that by cutting out the dialogue, we can create a richer expression through camerawork, music, and sound.
And there are certainly parts that were inspired by my own experiences. There is a sense of 'this is what it feels like when I'm traveling' and a sense of being reminded of myself when I'm standing alone in the vastness of nature. I also think it expresses the feelings I have when I'm making my own work. Wandering alone on a deserted island overlaps with making a film alone. So I think it's a very personal film to me (laughs). There are all kinds of animals that appear and they're all in groups, but the boy continues his journey alone.
G:
When the director was asked about making everything by himself at the talk event 'Making of Away' at the 6th New Chitose Airport International Animation Film Festival, he gave three reasons: 'Small budget,' 'Creative control,' and 'A way to learn different skills.' Was there anything new that you did in this film, or any skills that you gained?
Gintz:
One is that I made the music myself. I had never done that before, so it was a new experience for me. The other is that I made a feature-length story. Unlike short films, I feel like I learned what is needed to keep the audience entertained. It was a very challenging task.
G:
I see.
Gintz:
Also, technically, I was able to use real-time rendering for the first time, which helped me to save time. If I hadn't done that, I think it would have been difficult for me to create a feature-length film like this by myself. Another thing I learned was how to do marketing and distribution. I feel like I finally understand how to get a lot of people to watch my film, so I think I'll be able to do that in advance when I do my next work.
Gintz:
In that sense, it's great that I was able to gain a lot of confidence. The thing I was most afraid of was that if I worked with other people, I wouldn't know how to respond when they asked for instructions. I think I was able to overcome that and prepare for my next work. I've been self-taught, so I felt like this film was a film school for me. After all, the best way to learn is to try things yourself. I would definitely recommend this method to everyone.
G:
The official website of the film includes a comment from the director saying, 'I am truly happy that the film will be released in Japan, a place that has inspired me so much.' At the talk event mentioned above, you mentioned Studio Ghibli's works and 'Future Boy Conan' as anime that influenced you, and games such as 'Journey,' 'INSIDE,' and 'Shadow of the Colossus.' What is it about Japanese works that inspires you as a director?
Gintz:
Western anime is often aimed at children, but Japanese anime is made for a wide audience. Recently, such works have been appearing in the West, but Japanese anime seems to have a long history of works that are not aimed at children. Also, while mainstream works tend to have similar stories in the West, Japanese anime has a wide range, including entertainment, emotional works, poetic works, and works that allow you to enjoy the atmosphere. I also like how the storytelling is not rushed. There are 'pauses' to take your time and enjoy the scenery at hand, and I like how the tempo emphasizes the 'movement' by incorporating such variations in speed and speed.
When I watch Studio Ghibli's works, I feel that there are parts that are inspired by European culture and cities. The unique Japanese perspective is added to these works, which then take flight again to Europe and other parts of the world. It's fascinating to see the exchange of ideas and cultures.
When you think about it this way, the world is a small place, and it's stories, cultures, and concepts that connect it all. I think anime in particular has a timeless universality.
G:
The director said that the reason this film is divided into four chapters is for three reasons: 'to acquire funds,' 'to concentrate,' and 'to serve as a safety net in case production collapses halfway through.' What was the biggest crisis or the most difficult thing during production?
Gintz:
I had spent a year or two of my life on it, and I couldn't quit now (laughs), so I wasn't like, 'It's hard, I can't do it anymore,' but I was determined to complete it no matter what. There was a crisis where I lost a file and had to recreate it. However, when I started to recreate it, I tried various things and it felt like a rehearsal, but I learned a lot and was able to choose 'this is important, this is not important,' so I was able to create something better. All good in the end (laughs).
Other than that, there weren't many 'difficult' aspects. However, with 3D, various technical problems come up that need to be solved, and I'm not interested in that... I enjoy adding music and sculpting, but it was a bit painful to have to spend time on things that I don't enjoy.
There is also the pain of 'turning 0 into 1'. With a blank sheet of paper in front of you, 'Now, what should I draw?' Animation has infinite possibilities, but on the other hand, that can be a curse. Sometimes you find yourself in a state where you have no idea where to start. But drawing and creating something is such a fulfilling experience. Also, although you spend more time on animation than on constructing a story, it was important to first know what you want to say and make the story good. If the script is no good, you won't be able to come up with creative solutions later on.
G:
There are a series of unpredictable scenes, but I heard that there are no storyboards for this film. Do you have any difficulties with keeping everything in your head?
Gintz:
Yes... I think this production style suits me (laughs). Since I don't have a team, I can make things without storyboards or storyboards. I don't have to explain to anyone else, 'This is how I want to do it.'
Gintz:
The interesting thing about 3D animation, and the great thing about its freedom, is that you can go back and redo anything. It's not so easy to say, 'Let's put the camera here after all,' or 'Let's use this angle,' when it's hand-drawn, but with 3D animation, you can adjust the background and lighting at the same time. Each process affects the others, so even when you want to 'put the light like this, so let's frame it like this, and change the camera position here,' because you're working alone you can be flexible. I don't think it would have been possible if I had a team.
G:
Last question: What kind of work will your next album, 'Flow,' be?
Gintz:
Based on the previously released short story 'Aqua,' it's about a cat who's afraid of water.
Gintz:
One day, the place is flooded by a great flood and he has to overcome his fear of water. He gets on a boat, but he is also afraid of other animals. It doesn't go well... This is the story of that conflict. This work will be made by a team, so I think it will be a projection of the feelings I myself will have, that 'it's hard to work with other people' (laughs). Like 'Away,' it is an animated adventure film with no lines. However, the scale will be larger, and the pictures will be more refined and interesting. I'm currently writing the script and concept art, and I think it will be completed in a few years, but I'm looking forward to it myself.
G:
I'm looking forward to seeing 'Away' in theaters. Thank you for today.
Continued
'Flow,' which was mentioned at the end of the interview, won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature at the 97th Academy Awards.
Animated film 'Flow' made with free open source 3DCG software 'Blender' wins Academy Award for Best Animated Feature - GIGAZINE
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