Love for Animation. In conversation with Wojciech Siejak

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, received a special recognition from the editors of Contemporary Lynx Magazine. He works as an Art Director at Pigeon Studio in Cracow, where he develops his skills on a daily basis. 

In a conversation with us, he shared more about his project, daily work, inspirations and plans for the future. 

Zuzanna Auguścik: You graduated from the University of Arts in Poznań with a degree in animation, how did you come up with the idea of becoming an animator? Why did this particular medium become your preferred one for creative work?

Wojciech Siejak: I knew that I was going to work as an animator since the day I stumbled upon the bonus footage attached to the DVD of the original “How to Train Your Dragon” movie. I was amazed at how much can be created with animation. That was back when I was 15 years old, and although my specific thematic and artistic interests evolved greatly, my pursuit of animation was consistent from that point onward.

What appeals to me the most in animation is how much can be communicated through editing, movement and timing. Stitching two seemingly unmatchable shots together and seeing them work in tandem to gain new meanings brings me a great deal of joy. Apart from that, I think that animation is actually the only visual art form I can picture myself in, as my concepts get pretty complex and surreal at times. For that reason, the additional dimension of time, paired with the infinite visual freedom provided by computer graphics create a mix that I simply can’t resist.

Z.A: The protagonist of your animation is a character caught up in rationalism, balancing between the worlds of metaphor, memories and hyperbolic reality. Can you tell us more about your project and its main concept?

W.S: The project was growing on me for quite some time. I just wasn’t sure if, and how, I should get to it.

I wanted to tell a story of a character that is sick and tired of their mind’s incapability to deal with challenges provided by the outside world. The concept felt irresistible to me as I felt really inadequate in myself at that specific point in my life. Looming climate catastrophe, Ukraine under threat of the next episode of war, economic instability and racial tensions made me feel hopeless and small in comparison. Even such a benign action as leaving my home was a challenge since seeing the city full of people wearing masks made me unreasonably anxious. That was when the idea of a person scanning their environment with the aim of „taming it” came to my mind as I tried to do it myself pretty much every day. And precisely with the same disappointing results as the protagonist of my animation. I was coming back home upset, my head almost glitching.

Unexpectedly, I found much-needed relief in traveling by train and observing the world as it passed by. Nature calmed me and showed me that giving up thoughts allows for different areas of experience to emerge. As much as it might seem obvious to some, this was a revelation to me. From that point on, I’ve been fascinated by different methods of participation in one’s surroundings. I dived headfirst into the world of animal senses and found fascinating ways of living. I wanted to share my discovery with others who might find themselves in such upsetting circumstances as I did. That was the initial intention and meaning behind portraying a dog (a familiar yet non-human animal) in my animated short film.

While developing the animation, my main goal was to create an internally consistent, appealing and somewhat intriguing world. The final multilayer plot wanders between the mentioned worlds of the metaphorical train of rationalism, childhood memories and geometric reality. The way in which I edited the shots is meant to guide the viewer through the story without pointing toward a strictly carved-out interpretation. I designed my short film to encourage multiple viewing – each time the person watching will hopefully discover something that was hidden from them earlier. I paid particular attention to both compositions and movements because I wanted to make rewatching my animation as enjoyable an experience as possible.

Z.A: Your award-winning graduation film reflects on the relationship between humans and other animal species. Are animals frequent characters in your animations? How did you come up with the idea of using this interspecies relationship?

W.S: „I’ve always wanted to be a dog… Even a hideous one” marks the first time I’ve decided to depict an animal in my work. The reason for that is twofold. Firstly, I guess I was too hung up on peoples’ problems to view animals as being able to contribute to the debate (classic mistake of a rationalist). Secondly, I didn’t feel comfortable animating animals. The former issue has been thankfully resolved, while in the case of the latter, my fiancée came to the rescue and animated all the shots depicting the dog.

The idea of including an animal as an important character in my graduation film came to me during those calming train rides I’ve mentioned earlier. Nature was synonymous with a completely different way of experiencing the world from the rational one I so dearly wanted to quit. 

Z.A: Where do you draw your inspiration from? Are there creators and artists who uniquely influence your work, both in terms of style and the themes explored in your animations?

W.S: I draw inspiration from many places. When it comes to the themes of my films, I lean towards both my thoughts and those formed by the thinkers specializing in the field I currently study. In the case of my graduation animation, my main influences were Rosi Braidotti and Eva Meijer.

On the topic of post-human ideas in animation, there were two main influences. First and a very close one was, and still is, my fiancée, whose artistic sensibility is very much in line with the opinions formed by the thinkers mentioned above. She’s taught me to appreciate the intricacies of nature, and its marvellous details. Observing and helping her during the production of her bachelor’s animation „TERRA” was a great lesson in empathy towards nature. There is also a creator who deals with the animal perspective like no other. Her name is Karolina Kajetanowicz and viewing of her latest film „GREEN” equates to eight minutes of experiencing life in its ambiguous, shape-shifting form. If I’ve ever seen a truly post-human animation, this was it.

In terms of animation and design, I greatly admire Jonathan Djob Nkondo and Nicolas Ménard. Their masterful work never fails to inspire me. I studied ways in which Nkondo creates bizarre, elusive narrations that seem to be held together only by a thread, yet they keep my eyes glued to the screen. Also, his sense of timing and dynamism is impeccable. Ménard, specifically in his „Wednesday with Goddard”, showed me how simple, geometric design and minimalistic animation can not only convey deep ideas but do it in a most enjoyable way.

Z.A: What do you connect your future with? Tell us about your upcoming plans and future projects.

W.S: Almost immediately after graduation, I returned to my work as an animator (currently an art director) at Pigeon Studio, based in Cracow, Poland. I have worked with the most talented people there for a good portion of my animation studies. I connect my future with the Studio  as I would love to see Polish motion design elevated to new heights both in terms of artistic values and narrative merits. I believe that these are the people that can cope with such a tall order.

On a personal level, I intend not only to develop my design and animation skills further, but also continue following post-human literature and research. This topic is incredibly fascinating and still largely uncharted, especially regarding studies of animated films. I would love to keep working on my master’s thesis which deals with these topics, and hopefully see it published one day.

Z.A: What is your greatest dream?

W.S: It may sound like a cliché, but I’ve come to the conclusion that my greatest dream is to be a peaceful and happy person. Reflecting upon my miserable state from the last few years brought me to post-human ideas, which have guided me to a much better place while also making me more mindful of the well-being of other beings around me. I believe that to be a net positive. That’s how I want to keep things moving into the future.