Panel: Puppets in Transit

Friday, 27. 9. 2024 at 14.00 / Vetrinj mansion, big hall

StopTrik IFF opens-up for a conversation that regards the ecological concerns accompanying stop motion production. It is especially a question of waste at the preparation and shooting stage. Typical materials used in the making of stop motion puppet animation are hardly recyclable therefore the researchers set off to explore new, degradable and least harmful materials that can be used while constructing skeletons, building the puppets, enriching the sets, etc. The transitory nature of our times requires (self)critical approach in how we validate the aesthetic and organizational choices taken again and again in the course of a laborious process of creating an animation environment, be it a cinematic work, production studio, or festival community. The speakers in this panel represent two sides of the coin – Paulina Zacharek from Momakin/Animarkt (Poland) actively participates in the professional global industry facilitating project developments and production in the field of stop motion, while Sandra Jovanvoska (Slovenia) is an independent filmmaker who, in a DIY manner, has explored the ‘green-filmmaking’ methods, and, as a result, she authored a handbook “Dimensions of sustainability in stop-motion”.

Moderator: Olga Bobrowska

About the speakers

Paulina Zacharek

Co-founder and CEO of Momakin, producer, and specialist in professional and general film education. She is responsible for securing funds for the production of animated films and series made in Poland. Creator and director of the training program for the international stop-motion animation community: StopMoLab. Initiator and co-creator of the international guide for sustainable production in stop-motion animation: Stop Motion Green Guide (premiere: June 2023). Initiator and co-creator of the national strategy for industry education in animation (premiere: May 2023). Co-organizer of the Animarkt Stop Motion Forum and programmer for the Masters and Business sections of the event (since 2016). Board member of the The Polish Producers Alliance (KIPA), where she represents the animation community and focuses on sustainable production. She began her adventure with animation by working with the Se-ma-for studio and foundation, where she ran the Semafor Museum of Animation, as well as implemented and coordinated numerous cultural projects and events

Sandra Jovanovska

Born in 1990 in Skopje, is a young multimedia artist who works in the field of audiovisual art. After completing her BA studies in French and English, she became a Master of media arts and practices at the Academy of Arts, University of Nova Gorica. She works in various fields within the arts & culture sector as a film educator, festival-programmer and researcher. In her creative work, she is often mixing experimental, novel forms of expression, in attempt to explore the real, imaginary, artificial, natural, intuitive, poetic, thus translating it into audio-visual sensoralities. Her seven-time award-winning animated film "Soma", screened at more than forty regional and international festivals, ranks her among the young promising authors in the field of film animation. Currently based in the inter-border space between Slovenia and Italy, she is finishing her first professional animated film.

Our speakers’ background

MOMAKIN

A woman-owned and operated company comprehensively supporting creators and projects as well as developing the animation film industry both domestically and internationally.

ANIMARKT

The only event of its kind in the world focuses on addressing the most significant challenges and issues related to stop motion animation production. The main goal of the ANIMARKT Stop Motion Forum is to create a platform for sharing experiences and best practices among stop motion filmmakers, distributors, broadcasters, producers, animation service providers, and industry representatives from around the globe. Pitch sessions, expert consultations, and networking opportunities are designed to strengthen the industry and facilitate the creation of international co-productions and collaborations. ANIMARKT Stop Motion Forum is one of the flagship projects and the "brainchild" of Momakin.

Momakin’s green production policy

Momakin has been active in sustainable stop motion production for more than four years. The most significant activity was the publication of a guide for green stop motion production in 2022. "Stop Motion Green Guide" provides a comprehensive guide on implementing sustainable practices in stop-motion animation production. Created by StopMoLab (one of Momakin’s projects), the guide emphasizes eco-friendly approaches across various aspects of film production, from material selection to waste management. It includes minimum ecological standards for studios, such as using non-toxic and biodegradable materials, sourcing locally, and reducing energy consumption with LED lighting and renewable energy. The guide also features case studies and best practices shared by industry professionals, highlighting innovative uses of sustainable materials like bioplastics made from cactus resin. The aim is to encourage a greener, more responsible approach to animation, fostering international collaboration and knowledge sharing among filmmakers. The company is currently focusing on mapping sources of non-toxic and biodegradable materials for puppetry and set design. Every year, as part of the ANIMARKT Stop Motion Forum, Momakin organises meetings of filmmakers interested in introducing green solutions to stop motion production.

 “Dimensions of sustainability in stop-motion”  by Sandra Jovanovska

It is a scholarship awarded publication that explores different eco-friendly approaches to film production for newcomers in the field. Owing to the playful nature of stop-motion, the author, Sandra Jovanovska was able to create an online publication that offered tools for a more fun, economical, ecological and sustainable ways of animating through practical experimentation and research. Given that animation is a costly and lengthy process of artistic expression, the handbook strives towards reinventing the hierarchy of the traditional animated film set and proposes recipes gathered according to different stop-motion techniques that provide a more efficient way of using time, resources and energy.  

You can follow up more on the blog that was developed as a research for the handbook: https://animationtime-effective.blogspot.com