Film Annex seems to have a flair for attracting young, talented animators who are great at what they do. From 2D to stop motion, we are always proud of our ever-growing collection of imaginative, colorful, and quirky animated films.
Chilean filmmaker and animator, Ignacio Ruiz Alvarez, was featured on our homepage not too long ago, and he earned close to a $1000 in a week's time. Alvarez is not only good at creating fictional stories that challenge our imagination, but most of the time, his films touch on social issues as well. We talked to the filmmaker to learn more about his work, his collaboration with Film Annex, and how he is planning to use his earnings on his Web TV.
F.A. How did you first hear about Film Annex?
I.R.A. I was browsing the internet for websites that supported the distribution of short films online. Some of my films had already been screened at festivals, and I was looking to show them on a new platform. That's when I came across Film Annex.
F.A. What was the first film you uploaded on Film Annex and when did you upload it?
I.R.A The first film was Soliloquio. It was my first professional short, and I uploaded it in November or December 2009.
F.A. What do you think makes Film Annex different from other online film platforms?
I.R.A. I like how Film Annex is specially designed for filmmakers; that makes a very big difference. There are plenty of other video platforms out there, but Film Annex is easiest to use. I also find the site to be very interactive, and it's nice to be able to get feedback from fellow filmmakers as well as viewers.
F.A. When were you featured on Film Annex's homepage, and why do you think you were picked by the Film Annex team?
I.R.A. I think that it was in March, 2011. It's hard to know exactly why I was picked, because as a filmmaker, you try your best to make movies and you also have a lot of good things to say about your films (well, sometimes you hate them). I think Film Annex picked me, because I always try to create something special in my images, sometimes through art direction, other times through the cinematography.
F.A. How much money did you earn during the period you were featured and how are you planning to use this money?
I.R.A. I earned a bit more than $900. I just started pre-production on my new short fiction, so I'll use the money to kick-start the project and buy place tickets to fly to our desired location. We want to shoot in Southern Chile.
F.A. If you were to describe your work in 3 words, what would they be?
I.R.A. Experimentation, trip, visual adventure.
Watch Ignacio's video testimonial below!
-- Interview by Eren Gulfidan
