The Animated World
Natalia Biegaj
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Dear Natalia,
Thank you for sharing your story with our HocTok audience. Who are your role models knowing that heart and soul is what you consider the essence of your own animations? There is a huge number of artists worth following. I have in mind the old school Disney animators whose masterpieces are timeless. Their work is still stunning to younger generations. On the other hand, I pay attention to some European animators who are not very famous but they create absolutely beautiful 2D animated movies. Their movies can hold their own against giant commercial mainstream productions even if their technology and budgets are not comparable. I see them as unsung heroes but their works speak volumes. My dream is to become like the great directors whose creative vision and ability to collaborate with talented people is immense without any limits to their imagination. |
Photo: courtesy of the artist |
Do you find all the work you put in your project draining at times?
The more I invest in a project the more drained out I feel after completing it. Creating traditional hand drawn frame by frame animation is a very time consuming process and it requires a lot of effort. As an independent freelance artist I am doing most of the projects, from the first sketch until the final rendering, on my own. It’s my responsibility to plan my work, deal with deadlines, create storyboards, design and other artworks, create animation.
I also have to communicate with client, solve problems, issue invoices and more. Each project becomes even more special after adding my personal touches to the story line I am creating or to the characters and their actions.
It’s very important to me to be fully engaged in every aspect of every project and for that I have to be self-disciplined to deal with all of facets of work. The great advantage is that every detail truly makes a difference in the quality of the movie. Although feeling drained out after I finally complete a project is sort of a natural occurrence that does not last long. After a few days of rest, I am ready for more excitement offered by a new creative opportunity.
How do you treat yourself after the successful completion of a project?
There is a child hidden within me – and that’s true for most artists as well. Sometimes little things can make me happy. Sometimes treats are more significant and become the best asset of my profession.
I definitely enjoy pestering my closest relatives asking them to watch my animations. Making them proud of my artwork is the best reward I could ever receive.
In the last few years you have worked with clients in the UK and throughout Europe as well as in the US and Canada. What differences have you noticed making art for clients around the world?
Paradoxically, clients who are farther away in distance trust me more. Different time zones make communication harder which doesn’t help especially when a client wants to be in full control of a project. It’s my responsibility to build up clients’ trust and ensure them that their project is in good hands. Not sure why, but usually clients who are based in close proximity want to be more in control and request meetings to ensure their project is going in the right direction.
Apart from that, I find most of my clients to be true professionals even if they are not part of the art world. No matter where my clients are from or where they are based, I value their honest attitude and appreciation of my work.
The more I invest in a project the more drained out I feel after completing it. Creating traditional hand drawn frame by frame animation is a very time consuming process and it requires a lot of effort. As an independent freelance artist I am doing most of the projects, from the first sketch until the final rendering, on my own. It’s my responsibility to plan my work, deal with deadlines, create storyboards, design and other artworks, create animation.
I also have to communicate with client, solve problems, issue invoices and more. Each project becomes even more special after adding my personal touches to the story line I am creating or to the characters and their actions.
It’s very important to me to be fully engaged in every aspect of every project and for that I have to be self-disciplined to deal with all of facets of work. The great advantage is that every detail truly makes a difference in the quality of the movie. Although feeling drained out after I finally complete a project is sort of a natural occurrence that does not last long. After a few days of rest, I am ready for more excitement offered by a new creative opportunity.
How do you treat yourself after the successful completion of a project?
There is a child hidden within me – and that’s true for most artists as well. Sometimes little things can make me happy. Sometimes treats are more significant and become the best asset of my profession.
I definitely enjoy pestering my closest relatives asking them to watch my animations. Making them proud of my artwork is the best reward I could ever receive.
In the last few years you have worked with clients in the UK and throughout Europe as well as in the US and Canada. What differences have you noticed making art for clients around the world?
Paradoxically, clients who are farther away in distance trust me more. Different time zones make communication harder which doesn’t help especially when a client wants to be in full control of a project. It’s my responsibility to build up clients’ trust and ensure them that their project is in good hands. Not sure why, but usually clients who are based in close proximity want to be more in control and request meetings to ensure their project is going in the right direction.
Apart from that, I find most of my clients to be true professionals even if they are not part of the art world. No matter where my clients are from or where they are based, I value their honest attitude and appreciation of my work.
Who are the coolest people and companies on your list of clients?
I’m truly lucky to work with easy-going and nice people so the list would be long! They are true professionals engaged in wide ranging projects and they trust my skills. It’s always easier communicating with just one person rather than standing in front of a big group of people which sometimes means getting completely different feedback from every single person. I value good communication skills and I respect others work and opinion.
You’ve said you are ready to deal with challenges and break conventions to create stunning artworks. What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far? What conventions you don’t mind breaking in your artwork?
The biggest challenges are related to abstract or philosophical matters that must be visualized in a narrative way to be easily understood by audiences. Clients usually provide scripts and it’s my role to bring them to life by creating animation clearly connected with a voiceover. This is the most challenging part of the creative process and it has the biggest impact on how the final project shapes up.
Actually two of my latest animations were focused on translating content to the simple and humorous language of art. I am prepared to create short funny animations to entertain the audience but at same time I don’t avoid difficult subjects such as anorexia, foot binding, murder or cruelty towards animals.
I don’t refrain from showing cruelty and brutality if they are crucial in understanding what’s going on or spreading awareness about any given subject. Mixing various genres like fairytales and horror, drama and comedy is another artistic option with greater impact. Currently I am consciously getting rid off traditional film language trying to experiment with less narrative when presenting content. Also I avoid cuts between scenes in favor of animated transitions or dynamic camera movements, which are painful to create in 2D animation but provide very interesting results.
What music do you listen to get inspired?
I listen over and over again to music created for a particular project and I do that to get a better feeling of the emotional aspect of any given brief. Otherwise I am into three types of music depending on the project I am working on and my mood, of course. My favorite film soundtrack helps me focus on planning a creative story line, film language and design. Dark metal and gothic music is great when I need to add power to animation, create movement and deal with characters’ emotions. Finally instrumental Celtic music accompanies me most of the time. It’s beautiful, very relaxing and it’s not distracting. Maybe not the best choice when working into the wee hours of the night but it’s still great in isolating me from the outside world to focus just on my project at hand.
What are some of the most unlikely places you turn to for motivation?
Every new project makes me very excited and motivated to work ore. Lack of motivation is usually caused by tiredness in my case. Luckily, as soon as I relax I feel more energized and inspired. I get motivated after a morning run in the park, after taking a bath or when watching animated movies during dinner.
Do you respond artistically to real world events that might not have a direct impact on your work?
If a project is meaningful then definitely yes. My 2012 graduation animation titled ‘For Katy’ is based on a true story. It touched me to the point I couldn’t stay without creating something to it in response. So I decided to tell this dramatic story in my own way. It was a student film so I didn’t receive any financial compensation but it was screened in a number of festivals and it won many awards. That was more than I had anticipated.
Besides money, what additional perks or rewards do you appreciate in your line of work?
I wish I could say money doesn’t matter but unfortunately that’s not true especially when living in a great metropolis like London where daily expenses are considerable. Hence, money plays a very important part but it’s not the only one. Advertisement, promotion, recommendation and support by way of sharing my work and making it more popular are also very valuable. Being truly appreciated and invited to work on additional projects is what has happened a few times.
Apart from that, some projects, even if low budget, are really meaningful and they engage me in a very personal way. This was the case when I created a music video focused on an eating disorder intended to reach out people who struggle with it. Another time I animated a series of short movies for children in hospice care. I was truly touched when I heard about the smiles on the children’s faces after they watched my little animated characters. All these little things are important to me because they provide a better sense of my art work. They also prove that animation is not just another form of product advertisement.
How do you deal with a tough break or disappointment at work?
Sometimes I don’t (laugh). Short-time gaps between projects are truly desired as they allow me to catch a breath and get some rest. I use that time to sort out my administration stuff, update my web presence, and focus on things that do not seem so important but have to be done at some point. If gaps between projects are longer than expected then the worst idea is to waste time on waiting and do literally nothing. These are the moments I use to improve my skills and my craft. I look for new work opportunities and relations even if there is a moment of silence in the animation industry.
Time is really precious and it’s a pity to waste it. Therefore the greatest disappointment is when a client cancels a planned project or when an amazing project turns out to be not as amazing as it might have sounded in the beginning. I have learned to be as communicative as possible to avoid any misunderstandings and to solve disagreements that may affect future relations.
The importance of being an artist lies in the fact that…
… through drawings, paintings or music we can influence people’s feelings and make a positive change in their lives.
I’m truly lucky to work with easy-going and nice people so the list would be long! They are true professionals engaged in wide ranging projects and they trust my skills. It’s always easier communicating with just one person rather than standing in front of a big group of people which sometimes means getting completely different feedback from every single person. I value good communication skills and I respect others work and opinion.
You’ve said you are ready to deal with challenges and break conventions to create stunning artworks. What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far? What conventions you don’t mind breaking in your artwork?
The biggest challenges are related to abstract or philosophical matters that must be visualized in a narrative way to be easily understood by audiences. Clients usually provide scripts and it’s my role to bring them to life by creating animation clearly connected with a voiceover. This is the most challenging part of the creative process and it has the biggest impact on how the final project shapes up.
Actually two of my latest animations were focused on translating content to the simple and humorous language of art. I am prepared to create short funny animations to entertain the audience but at same time I don’t avoid difficult subjects such as anorexia, foot binding, murder or cruelty towards animals.
I don’t refrain from showing cruelty and brutality if they are crucial in understanding what’s going on or spreading awareness about any given subject. Mixing various genres like fairytales and horror, drama and comedy is another artistic option with greater impact. Currently I am consciously getting rid off traditional film language trying to experiment with less narrative when presenting content. Also I avoid cuts between scenes in favor of animated transitions or dynamic camera movements, which are painful to create in 2D animation but provide very interesting results.
What music do you listen to get inspired?
I listen over and over again to music created for a particular project and I do that to get a better feeling of the emotional aspect of any given brief. Otherwise I am into three types of music depending on the project I am working on and my mood, of course. My favorite film soundtrack helps me focus on planning a creative story line, film language and design. Dark metal and gothic music is great when I need to add power to animation, create movement and deal with characters’ emotions. Finally instrumental Celtic music accompanies me most of the time. It’s beautiful, very relaxing and it’s not distracting. Maybe not the best choice when working into the wee hours of the night but it’s still great in isolating me from the outside world to focus just on my project at hand.
What are some of the most unlikely places you turn to for motivation?
Every new project makes me very excited and motivated to work ore. Lack of motivation is usually caused by tiredness in my case. Luckily, as soon as I relax I feel more energized and inspired. I get motivated after a morning run in the park, after taking a bath or when watching animated movies during dinner.
Do you respond artistically to real world events that might not have a direct impact on your work?
If a project is meaningful then definitely yes. My 2012 graduation animation titled ‘For Katy’ is based on a true story. It touched me to the point I couldn’t stay without creating something to it in response. So I decided to tell this dramatic story in my own way. It was a student film so I didn’t receive any financial compensation but it was screened in a number of festivals and it won many awards. That was more than I had anticipated.
Besides money, what additional perks or rewards do you appreciate in your line of work?
I wish I could say money doesn’t matter but unfortunately that’s not true especially when living in a great metropolis like London where daily expenses are considerable. Hence, money plays a very important part but it’s not the only one. Advertisement, promotion, recommendation and support by way of sharing my work and making it more popular are also very valuable. Being truly appreciated and invited to work on additional projects is what has happened a few times.
Apart from that, some projects, even if low budget, are really meaningful and they engage me in a very personal way. This was the case when I created a music video focused on an eating disorder intended to reach out people who struggle with it. Another time I animated a series of short movies for children in hospice care. I was truly touched when I heard about the smiles on the children’s faces after they watched my little animated characters. All these little things are important to me because they provide a better sense of my art work. They also prove that animation is not just another form of product advertisement.
How do you deal with a tough break or disappointment at work?
Sometimes I don’t (laugh). Short-time gaps between projects are truly desired as they allow me to catch a breath and get some rest. I use that time to sort out my administration stuff, update my web presence, and focus on things that do not seem so important but have to be done at some point. If gaps between projects are longer than expected then the worst idea is to waste time on waiting and do literally nothing. These are the moments I use to improve my skills and my craft. I look for new work opportunities and relations even if there is a moment of silence in the animation industry.
Time is really precious and it’s a pity to waste it. Therefore the greatest disappointment is when a client cancels a planned project or when an amazing project turns out to be not as amazing as it might have sounded in the beginning. I have learned to be as communicative as possible to avoid any misunderstandings and to solve disagreements that may affect future relations.
The importance of being an artist lies in the fact that…
… through drawings, paintings or music we can influence people’s feelings and make a positive change in their lives.