In the era of digital technologies, which can be used to show almost everything on screen, traditional animation seems to be fading into obscurity. However, there is still an interest in the unique atmosphere created by manual techniques. In recent years, we have observed the resurgence of some of the oldest methods of bringing things to life in front of the camera, while stop motion animation returns to its former glory.
We spoke with Paulina Zacharek, the creator of StopMoLab aimed at consolidating the stop motion community and looking for new talented creators from all over the world.
Karol Szafraniec: MOMAKIN is an institution that brings animators and the international production market together, thus allowing them to make their mark globally. The initiative StopMoLab, which you launched, originated as part of MOMAKIN. Could you please tell us something more about this project as its the main author?
Paulina Zacharek: StopMoLab is a training programme aimed at those who are starting their careers as stop motion creators. Its international character is surely worth emphasising, due to the fact that nowadays animated films are most often co-produced globally. Stop motion is a niche within the niche, which means that this multinational component is highly important. There are so few animation specialists that most of them keep bumping into each other during larger productions. StopMoLab has been launched for the people that dream of creating such content and already have some basic skills in this area, i.e. a grasp of the technique, film school diploma and some experience in working on various productions. Our goal is to help them navigate the market.
KS: What is the current state of this industry?
PZ: Due to its niche character, there are few professionals and strong competition, so it is not easy, that’s for sure. It is also worth bearing in mind that there are no schools that could provide one with education in this field. Stop motion is usually taught in a broader context, for instance at the animation departments of universities. Nothing wrong with that, of course, but at times the programme fails to capture what makes this technique so unique. And so there are only several people, films, as well as educational institutions. On top of all that, stop motion specialists are all spread around the world. It would be great if they could meet.
The structure of the industry is another matter to consider. It is a design-based business , and rarely do people manage to keep afloat large studios specialising in this technique – only a few places like this are currently in operation. As a result, producers tend to recruit professionals from all around the world, them often being freelancers who now have to find their place in this sort of collaborative reality. We don’t want them to lose hope as they really need a lot of faith in their skills and determination to survive in this market. A lot of the very experienced industry figures, with whom we were in touch, wanted to quit in the beginning and felt they couldn’t make it, so we need to look after and guide those who are just starting out.
Nowadays, stop motion is enjoying a renaissance of sorts, as these types of films are made more often and are appreciated more. In addition, it is the oldest and most traditional animation technique that blends seamlessly with new technologies, which means that it could be approached from various angles and adapted to one’s own style. You just need to be able to take note and advantage of that. And if you do, then you can participate in the business on your own terms. Stop motion creators can have successful careers not only in the cinema industry, but also on TikTok, where they could use their skills for all sorts of content. They can work on TV series or small productions, which are basically made at home owing to the possibilities of modern technology. As you can see, there is a lot of room for artistic manoeuvre and plenty of questions arising for a soon-to-be animator e.g. what type of productions do they wish to be involved in? Do they want to become a director or work for someone else? This is where we come in with a helping hand.
KS: You also deal with the very important topic of green filming…
PZ: We are the very first ones to do so within this industry, in fact. Green filming in the context of stop motion is an uncharted territory as opposed to feature films and 2D or 3D animation, which have recognised it to some extent. However, it is still absent in our community. The guidelines for environmentally friendly production are yet to be formulated. The business itself uses loads of often harmful materials, after all. These directives need to be put in place. Otherwise, stop motion features will need to adopt the rules applied to motion pictures and other types of animation which they wouldn’t be able to comply with.
KS: You are right, stop motion has recently gained a lot of popularity. Three films of this animation style are nominated for this year’s Oscars, including Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Pinnocchio.’ What is more, this technique has a long-standing tradition in Poland. Where does your keen interest in this craft come from? StopMoLab is not your only initiative dedicated to this subject. MOMAKIN also co-organizes the Animarkt Stop Motion Forum.
PZ: MOMAKIN was founded in Łódź by my colleagues and I, who were also born in this city. It is the capital of stop motion animation in Poland and the location of the legendary Se-ma-for Studio, which won two Oscars among other recognitions. We used to work in this studio right before it was closed. Afterwards, a lot of excellent specialists from the company, including animators and puppet makers, who have had a wealth of experience in their fields and really knew what they were doing, decided to stay in Łódź. We came to the conclusion that we needed to bring everyone together and create an institution that would help them find jobs, not just in the country. We wanted to keep the stop motion tradition alive – it is such a valuable and marvellous thing, after all. With all due respect to other types of animations, our craft is kind of magical. We are dealing with authentic objects with tactile materiality. There is no need to create the space artificially as it already exists in the form of a film set with real decorations. Animators put all these objects in motion thus bringing them to life, and they do so splendidly. For instance, while watching the Oscar-winning ‘Peter & the Wolf,’ produced by the Se-ma-for Studio, one can see how the story is told, how the characters express their emotions with material objects, movement and sound. It is very moving. When I first got a sneak peak into this kind of production process and experienced first-hand this peculiar tension between an object and an animator bringing it to life, I sensed this medium was amazing to work with. Although MOMAKIN is open to other types of animation too, stop motion and puppet animation resonate with us the most. That is where the idea for Animarkt came from. The event is meant to bring the international stop motion community in Łódź together. It is an homage to the tradition that explores new possibilities for development. The idea for StopMoLab was actually born during Animarkt, when we interacted with many young creators who attended lectures and workshops. We quickly noticed that they are in dire need of support and direction from more experienced people in the field.
KS: Instructors from all over the world are teaching classes at StopMoLab. They specialise in various stages of stop motion films’ production and engage in different formats both in the mainstream and the avant garde projects. These are some of the biggest names in the industry that have worked on some of the most acclaimed productions (directed by Del Toro, Wes Anderson, Tim Burton or the award-winning films by the Se-ma-for Studio). How did you manage to form such a team? Was it difficult to convince them to participate in the project?
PZ: They weren’t particularly difficult to convince. Time was more of an issue. Both in the first and the upcoming edition the courses are taught by the best of the best. The community is very dispersed yet small, pretty much everyone knows each other. They are all eager to seek out the next generation and pass them the baton. These days you can use almost every material imaginable to create stop motion animation, the medium offers a vast array of possibilities, allowing for a deeply creative and multifarious approach to the same subject. As a result, every creator has their own individual set of experiences and ideas that they want to share with the world. Stop motion creators, such as puppet makers, often have a great knowledge of chemistry, physics, and materials science. They are incredibly well-versed in many subjects and open to new solutions and fresh ideas. This kind of exchange maintains continuity in the scene that keeps teeming with energy and creativity. Besides, there is often a lack of experts on film sets, not enough puppet makers, animators and other trained professionals. Therefore, this type of consolidation allows to easily train new artists and engage them in genuine projects at a later stage. This industry urgently calls for new people, hence even the greats agree to take part in our initiative. Melanie Coombs, the co-producer of Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Pinocchio,’ initially said she had no time, however eventually found a slot in her schedule and gave a lecture to the members of StopMoLab with absolutely no problems. Meeting students is extremely important to them.
![Wojciech Siejak, "Zawsze chciałem być psem. Nawet nieładnym" ["I always wanted to be a dog. Not even a nice one"]](https://static.contemporarylynx.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Wojciech-Siejak-1-1024x576.jpg)
Wojciech Siejak is an animator and director of animated films. He specializes in computer animation and combining it with traditional artistic mediums. He graduated from the Faculty of Animation and Intermedia at the University of Arts in Poznań. His project “I’ve always wanted to be a dog… Even a hideous one” nominated for a Grand Prix in the 42nd edition of The Maria Dokowicz Competition for the Best Diploma of the University. He works as an Art Director at Pigeon Studio in Cracow, where he develops his skills on a daily bas
KS: How would you sum up the first edition of StopMoLab? Is the format based on the online or on-site meetings?
PZ: StopMoLab is a nine-month programme divided into three sections. Our entrants are split into five groups: production managers, animators, puppet makers, scriptwriters and art directors. Each group takes part in different classes of each section. The skills category focuses on craft and technical abilities that are taught mainly in Łódź. Our first-edition participants came to the city twice: in July and November 2022 when we organised the hands-on courses. They learned very specific skills and did assignments supervised by the masters. In the meantime, they took online classes dealing with the nature of different professions and related issues. The business section consists of online classes in the form of lectures or workshops. They were run both by experienced producers and observers or animation market researchers. For example, we spoke about creating one’s image on the Internet, building a portfolio and ways to monetize one’s work. Every participant could consult their individual career path with an employment adviser. One of the greatest events at StopMoLab was the design thinking workshop on building business models for the animation industry. It sounds pretty risky, and so participants were initially quite sceptical. Ultimately they considered this class one of the best and most enlightening courses because it gave them an idea on how to build their own position and make their work even more appealing to others from the marketing perspective. I really wish for the animation artists to understand that their craft is also a business that can be developed without it being detrimental to the creative aspect. A great example of this type of person would be a famous and highly sought-after animator Tim Allen (‘Shaun the Sheep,’ ‘Isle of Dogs’), who has an amazing talent that he is also capable of showcasing from a marketing angle. Finally, the third innovative section, which I have already mentioned before, is called ‘Go Green.’ It is a brainstorming session devoted to coming up with ideas for eco-friendly ways to make stop motion animations be overseen by Birgit Heidsiek and Anika Krusei – experts in the area of green filming, who are mainly working on life action films. To sum up, the majority of classes are conducted online, two meetings in Łódź nevertheless. One of those gatherings happened to coincide with Animarkt, so it offered in fact a great opportunity for networking with industry and market professionals, confronting one’s preconceptions and ideas with reality.
KS: When will the next edition take place? Who can participate in the project?
PZ: We welcome participants from all around the world. Another edition starting this May will have a more open formula. Again, our recruitment committee will select a group of people who will attend all workshops culminating at Animarkt in Łódź. However, the majority of courses will be more accessible to the public than during the first StopMoLab. People who are not accepted as part of the admission process will be able to sign up for selected classes and lectures. More information about registration and recruitment will be posted in March.
KS: There is a chance for the revival of traditional animation. Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Pinocchio’ has just won the BAFTA and is poised for the Oscar win as well. Perhaps this way stop motion will reach more people?
PZ: Yes, it is a great time for us. Del Toro does a great job! He promotes the craft and keeps repeating everywhere that ‘animation is a medium, not a genre.’ We are hoping it will strengthen the position of stop motion creators and boost the careers of StopMoLab participants.
A great multimedia exhibition entitled From Imagination to Animation: Six Decades of Zagreb Film that was on display at the Museum of Contemporary Art Zagreb, was dedicated to famous works of art created within this institution founded in 1953, which has produced more than two thousand animated, documentary, educational and feature films, as well as commercials in the six decades of its existence.
