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He is interesting to listen to. He is the director of «Тoonbox» studio, KOMS.ru project and will come to «Multimatograf» as a jury member for the third time already.

 

What is «Multimatograf» in the opinion of a professional?

 

The most important thing is that the festival is honest. Regarding the viewers and participants. It's not artificial as the one in Suzdal (the Open Russian Festival of Animation Films, — translator's note), where the jury consists of the insiders, the winners — the insiders, participants — the insiders, all around are only the insiders. The same with KROK festival. And here it's so global — honest!

 

What are you going to talk about at your master-classes at the coming festival?

 

I will talk about how to build up an animation studio from scratch. I think it's the perfect time for such stories. Moreover it will give many artists hope and understanding, that it is all real. First I will speak about how to set the goals, forsee the success, reach for it and work with your own self.

 

Are there any works from «Multimatograf» that have really caught your eye?

 

In total, the works are quite average. Though the last «Multimatograf» surprised me with the music video «My Neighbot - Krishnaist», «Nozhiki-Nozhiki» by Max Luschik and «Katabasis» — video, though art, a very notable and interesting.

 

A question from my readers. What do you think about the prospects of animation in Russia?

 

I see the prospects! With full responsibility I can claim, that the russian animation will revive only with the help of production of animation series. Whatever stakes are put on the feature films, the quality of the full-length is by some 10-15 years behind from the rest of the world. Meanwhile to develop the culture of series animation films is quite a solvable task. On today's market there are 5 huge russian series projects already, set on the mass production. That is «Smeshariki», «Luntik», «Qumi-Qumi», «Fiksiki» and «Masha and the Bear». These projects are significant success stories for potential investors and governmental/municipal bodies and agencies. I can see, that every month there are more and more people and companies, ready to invest in cartoon series, and this is one of the most necessary conditions to start up an industry — financial support. The most importnant thing now is not to prevent the market formation, not to resist the desire to invest into such complex and long-term business models, as animation ones. In order to reach the mentioned goals we need to focus on the quality and interestingness of the product for the viewer.

 

And one more, almost the classic one. What should we do?

 

Learn. Work. Watch the classic. Watch every shot of the most powerful new animated films. Watch the overseas cult series. And again: learn, study, learn! Order books on animation, and then read them to tatters. Draw, draw and draw: from nature, from memory, copy the famous artists, and so on. While there are no professionals in the country there will never be an industry. One can become a professional without leaving home. The most importnant thing is studiousness, persistance, desire and, as the classics say — the butt made of iron!

 

And the last one, personally from me. How can I find a Cryptographic-Russian dictionary? I don't understand the language of «Qumi-Qumi» (the new animation series, created by «Toonbox» studio) :))

 

Very soon the Qumi-dictionary will appear in the Internet, and also in different formats for mobile devices. It will be an interactive app: Russian-Qumi translator, English-Qumi one and some pronunciation-learning-stuff.

 

Green cat Mulya.

 

P.S.: you can read more Mulya's interviews on her «Vkontakte» page.