Today, Flash Animation, digital cameras, the rise of Adult Swim channel and youtube, ended making this kind of films became one more genre of animation.
Today we have on Handmade Animation, the "videoast" Naxo Fiol, independent producer of films like Posición Violación, Spiderman (1993) or Nosfe (O) Ratu, who also made his first steps as an animator:
DECEPCIÓN EN LA CASA DEL TERROR
Neo-expressionist silent video, hybrid of graphic animation and live action about a dead man out of his grave walking for eating broken hearts.
TOY PUNK STORY
A Stop motion short made with tiny dolls about a super-bad punk slaughtering a super-stupid family.
1. Hi Naxo, you have just re-opened the interview section of the blog, being our second guest. First of all I ask: How do you see the landscape of current commercial animation?
Hi, it's a pleasure to be interviewed for your blog! And thank you for considering me.
How do I see the current animation landscape?, I found it a little saturated, I think they make too many movies and I also believe the market is too crowded with CGI animation productions. I have nothing against this, but I prefer the classic animation.
SponjeBob Hit or Miss?
"SpongeBob SquarePants" is cool enough. Actually what I prefer about him is a dvd I saw at a friend's home with episodes that are not issued, but generally its energical and its drawing style makes me have fun. By the way, I made a short about "SpongeBob SquarePants", but it was not exactly animation, and it was not strictly a good short!.
Pixar is a second Disney or they improved their formula?
Maybe Pixar is the new Disney, but without their shits. I found Pixar's effect exaggerated, but I do not say that it does not deserve, they are very good and they have very good movies, like - As I think - "Monsters Inc." and the saga of "Toy Story."
2.In this interview we refer mainly to the two animated shorts you produced: Decepción en la Casa del Terror and Toy Punk Story. However as author of short-films (or as you use to call yourself: videoast) you has been for many years in the Catalan scene of underground films, with a dizzying number of productions. What do you feel about your adventures in this strange underground world?
Essentially I think it has been possitive, of course, if no,at this point I would not follow with it. Making shorts has given me many joys of many different types, even some of them (less) have contributed to make changes in my life for better!
Of course it is sometimes hard to live under the yoke of blindness and ignorance of somebody, but at the same time it gives you the strength to never give up.
3. You use to be the producer, director, screenwriter and often also the protagonist of your own shorts, even sometimes you are the only member of the production, this is the case of Deception in the House of Terror and Toy Story Punk?
Yes, I made these two films totally alone.
What do you think that producing "Ego-Films" contributes that it doesn't to participate with other videoasts?
Well, the EGO-FILMS (that great term!) Are, in essence, much more satisfactory at all levels. The creation is entirely yours and not having to carry with timetables and limits of partners can let you more time and you can put more attention on details. I work better.
What I miss in an EGO-FILM?, The fun and chaos that sometimes are involved on recording with other people, especially if they are friends. On EGO-FILM videotaping, especially if I was the only actor, I felt a little ridiculous and pathetic, but fortunately I passed throught this.
4. Where did the ideas of the two animated shorts came from?
Sometimes ideas come from what you have arround. For example "I have a He-Man, a toy car and a pot ... What can I do with all that?"... This is how it came "Toy Punk Story." On Three Kings Day my niece got a dollhouse and its respective doll. She did not like it so much (it was bought at a cheap Chinese store!) And it was "abandoned" at my parents. This made me think, and I saw there was enough material to do "something." I Discovered that the punk-rocker doll fit perfectly there in terms of ratios, and that was decisive. The rest came alone following logics.
The case of "Decepción en la casa del terror" is a bit different. The first thing I did was the picture of me sleeping with the window and thunders in the background, just to test the "trick." I hadn't thought an argument. But I liked the result and I began to perform an idea. The first intention was to mix animation and live action in a rare nightmare short... but logics prevailed and I decided to pay homage to my favorite movie, "Evil Dead" This coincided with a crisis with my couple, that's the cause of the pseudo-romantic tone of the film. It took me 2 months to do it, so the idea was developed during the process.
5. Who has seen yours videos knows that you usually experiment with techniques, aesthetic and different narrative devices almost constantly, Decepción en la casa del Terror is a flash graphic animation and photography hybrid, while Toy Punk Story is a Classic technique Stop Motion short. What had motivated you to experiment with these techniques?
Well, first of all I must clarify that in "Decepcion ..." I did not use Flash. It was all still images with Photoshop. It was not until last summer that I learned to use Flash, and I have not done anything with it. "Decepcion ..." is a sort of "Handmade Animation".
But yes, I really like to try different things to test myself, encouraging me with new challenges. It's more exciting and keeps you unbored.
The reason for "Toy Punk Story" is simple, I bought an edition program that could make stop-motion and after some experiments, I focused on doing something well done.
For "Decepcion ..."I did just what I wanted to do on the only way I knew, my cut and pasted pictures on drawn with Photoshop or Paint backgrounds. All very basic.
I must say that although these two are my full-animation shorts, I have others where real action is combined with stop-motion ("Cromasoma-2") or the same kind of crappy technique used in "Decepcion ..." ("The exexorcista).
6. Any funny story about the production?
The scene from "Deception ..." in which I cry, It was recorded after a telephone discussios with my partner, then I thought it was the best moment for it.
Once I got the short ended, I shown it to my nephews, and one of them became so afraid that ended in tears!.
Then I suppose I could tell humorous anecdotes about the materials I have used, but that would fill an entire article.
7. Are you going to make any animation short again?
Yes, yes ... I love making animated shorts from time to time. I have considered making a drawing animation one, but I like to play with models and dolls. Just one day I will do it. That's my way of working.
8. What do you think It should add animation to the world of underground cinema?
Like any other art, the creative freedom it offers, not trying to imitate what we see on TV or in movies, seeking our own language and enjoying the process. Not taking advantage of that freedom I think it's just indecent, many great and famous commercial filmmakers have paid for it, we shouldn't waste it.
9. Which authors or underground animation products do you admire?
I don't exactly admire nobody, but on purely underground aesthetics I find interesting Jeff Keen
and Martha Colburn.
10. With which producer or director would you like to work?
Work and collaboration ... I do not think that will be made for any of both!.
11. "videoasting" apart, you are also known as "Fanzinante": fanzine publisher or as you call them "Egozines", what can you tell us about it
I have spent many years editing fanzines (even before I picked up a camera) and that is like making underground cinema, I find it so fascinating as to catch a video camera and record the first thing that happens to you.
I find incredible the idea that someone publish their own "home journal" in which to express themselves freely.
Fanzines are an inescapable part of my creative activities. In fact, I make short films with the same philosophy as fanzines. And just as shorts, fanzines have brought many things into my life, generally good (like my cyber-friendly relationship with John Holmstrom).
12. Do you want to say something to our blog readers who wish to enter in underground film productions?
Only one thing and not very original. If you really want to do it, do not wait, do not make it difficult, do not want to start the cart before the horse ... get a camera, even a cheap one, and burn, burn, burn! Have fun and do not think about "what people will say."
Thanks for all Naxo, see you, and break you a leg in your movies!
Thank you for your interesting interview!. A hug!.
Naxo Fiol on Youtube
Yo Videoasta Blog
