After the DOK

HUH? where's the story during the Dok?
if you wait patiently, you will read it, but not yet.
I only have nice experiences, that for sure :)

After the world premiere of "Pulang ke Indonesia", I got some invitation e-mails to submit the film and also some offer to hire "festival agency".  I'm not sure with the term, I guess it's an agency which will help me submitting my film to various festival.  It's a great idea actually, considering submitting the film takes time, money, and a hell of internet data.  But of course, you need a large sum of money to hire the agent.

SO, I am still doing everything by myself, but it is nice to know that there is an easier way to do everything.  And since I am currently self employed, I could spend days only to submit the film to various festival.  As a really novice filmmaker, I don't have festival strategy, or to be honest, to submit the film to other festival than DOK Leipzig was not in my plan.

My plan was to work as a designer again, as a normal employee, but the company cut me off so I need to change my plan.  Oh, I have started working as freelance designer and I got some projects, so I'll be fine.  For now.

I'm not confident at all with my animation so I only send it to few festival, preferrably the ones with free submission, but I did pay for some submission especially for the ones who invited me.  I know that there's a possibility that my animation wouldn't be selected but I am really thankful for the invitations.

Meanwhile, in Indonesia, I skipped the submission to film/animation festival, although I really want to participate and screening my animation in Indonesian festival.  First, because I am not confident with my animation. Second is because the rules and regulations are not in details.  Like, they don't mention what they would do with the film submitted.  This is important because there are some festival which doesn't allow submission of any film which is already in youtube/ vimeo.

So, I'm really sorry, I can't show the animation yet :(

A Long Story Behind the Story You Can Skip

I returned from Germany 3 days ago, and I am hesitating to write this story because I know it's gonna be a long story.

Maybe you don't ask and maybe you don't want to know the whole story, but let me tell you, because I have many time to waste.

so... I went to Leipzig, to be exact to Dok Leipzig Film Festival for the second time!!! YAYYYY!!

The first time was to be a visitor, and the second time as a filmmaker :)

Mission Accomplished!

When I started the project, I didn't know it would be a roller coaster ride, of course it's fun to visit Leipzig twice, but there are equally a lot of hardships.

Random sh*tty things keep happening, starting from the company sell the office building.  Although I am now happy living with my parents again,  I wasn't easily adapted to the "new" environment.  I was really brokenhearted when I have to leave Jakarta.  I was still working for the company but I didn't feel like I was still part of the company.  I started to feel like I was a disposable employee, and never stop wondering, did they need me?

The financial condition of the company was not good and the best choice was to find another job.  That time I had a lot of options, I got a lot of job offers. But I didn't take any of it because there was a higher possibility that in the new place, I wouldn't have time to finish the animation.  So I chose the animation. I stayed with the company.

I really wanted to finish the animation as quickly as possible so spent my weekends and spare time making the animation,  I stop taking freelance project, and stop making amigurumis which caused financial and mental damage.  To relieve stress, I go shopping like crazy and spending money on random things.  Luckily two of the random things were subscribing a gym membership and taking language course, so at least I spent the money on good reasons (although I'm still not fit, not slim, and still bad in speaking German).  

After became slightly healthier and happier, I started making the animation again but then... I ran out of money, so I spent two month working many freelance projects, and "coincidentally" started working on the main job also from home.  Afterward, I started finished the animation, right on time with the Dok Leipzig's deadline at July 7.  What I meant on time was actually only sending the raw file, because the rules mentioned that they accepted raw files/ unfinished project too, and give 2 weeks more to finish it.  And it was finally finished  at July 22 before 12 o' clock, German time (means 6 hours extra).

What happened during the next 2 months was : I intensively stalking.  I googled every day, looking for any announcement, because I can't wait patiently.  I did my job for the company really good and fast, because I had to keep myself busy so I didn't have time to check google.

And at September, I finally knew that my animation was selected.  I spent restless nights preparing files required including a web site. And I still stalking, because I couldn't sleep well unless the official selection is published/ posted at the web.  Because few years ago my animation was selected by a local festival but never published in the catalog, and replaced by foreign animation :(

And since the festival didn't provide travel funds, I had to ask around.  I could borrow money from my parents, but they never offers me, and I have a pride, I don't want to ask for money from my parents, especially because they were not interested with my animation :'(.  There was no news for a long time, mostly because it was a busy time, there were so many festival, so I was feeling really down because I thought I would never watch my own animation's world premiere.  And guess what? I waste my money like crazy again.  

I was really stressed when suddenly my boss got creative and sending a meeting invitation at Friday.  I still remember how furious I was, but I still go to Jakarta.  Of course I had a secret agenda which to ask for a "proof of employment" from the human resource.  I need that "proof" for Visa arrangement, just in case.

At October 8th, I was really stressed out, I ask around again (in the middle of the night), and some friends suggest me to make a funding proposal to the government (which actually a very last option).  So I made proposals in bilinguals but then at October 10th, they published the official selection of Dok Leipzig at their web and Ta-daaaaa... finally I got a sponspor to fund my travel.  I cried a lot that day, happy tears.  And I send a notification email to my boss.

So at October 12th I went to Jakarta,  met the sponsors, sign the contract, watch some horror movie at Kineforum, IKJ (I need time to relax, okay?)

At the very next week, I have another email from my boss to meet the human resource in Jakarta.  They complained about my plan to go to Germany.  They said, it wasn't fair if I take a leave when my colleagues are being mutated or laid off, and how I would make the production process disturbed. (oh yes! that sh*tty story!)  But they eventually "give me permission to go", so I went home, prepare to sleep, stalking the embassy site and someone canceled his visa appointment schedule.

I CAN CHANGE  MY VISA APPOINTMENT SCHEDULE!

So at the very next morning, I go back to Jakarta again to make my visa.

I was still working, even harder than before, so that my company wouldn't have anything to complain about my trip to Germany.  I meant lately since I knew that my animation got selected, I've been working harder than usual, because Boss said we have to proof that we are the assets for the company  (oh what a speech).

I barely have any sleep, because I also need to prepare many things when suddenly, there's another call for the Human Resource.

I was in the "angkot", so I have to stop somewhere to take the call, it was raining, and it was almost dark.

The company didn't allow me to go to Germany and they ask for my resignation.  I didn't have any choice.  It's not like I wouldn't go to Germany just because the company didn't approve my leave, but as an employee I did make a lot of mistakes, why they have to ask for my resignation now?

I was at the side of the street, in front of my hairsalon.  I almost do "Britney haircut". NO way.

I sat in the corner, inside the angkot. Try to not cry, when someone played Bruno Mars "Cause your amazing...."

Amazing.

Amazing.

That's the company's name.

I didn't cry that time, I wait until I was home.

I cried when I told my parents.

oh by the way, I didn't try to negotiate, because they ask for my resignation only 3 Days before I go to Germany.  I had no more time and I was exhausted.  It was my 4th time in a month going to Jakarta.  I resigned at the same day I took my passport (with the Visa approval).  I cried a lot. again.

Were I know they would cut me off, I would made Visa for a longer visit, to visit my birthplace.  How could they ask for my resignation after the Visa approved?

But you know, that night I slept real good.

The next day, I was unemployed and although I would get the travel funds, I had not received it.  So I borrow my sister's money to buy the flight tickets. (YES, D-2, I still didn't have the ticket, but the company already laid me off).  Oh, and the company ask for the works to be done before I go to Germany.  I didn't do it.

D-1, I went shopping again with my friend, watching Doctor Strange.  Cursing the company.  Finally I got the travel funds so I can pay my sister's money back.

And D-day, I went to Germany.  And I didn't want to think about that company during the trip.

Will you take the risk of being unemployed to go to Germany?

I bet some of you will say yes.  I will say yes.   I don't regret it.  But it is painful, really.

Oh, please don't be sad if you don't get any souvenirs from Germany, it's not that I don't want to bring you some or I don't care about you, I just can't afford it.  remember... I am unemployed. really.

Oleh-oleh dari Seminar Asean Animation Festival di Bangkok

I want to write this post in English, so I could practice my English, cause it’s been so long since I wrote in English.  BUT…  this post is dedicated to Indonesian, especially Indonesian artist so I write this in Bahasa Indonesia.  international reader, please use the google translate :)

Pada bulan Juli 2014 di Thailand diadakan Festival Animasi Asean dengan tema Hak Cipta.  Saya beruntung menjadi salah satu dari lima orang animator Indonesia yang dikirim untuk mengikuti acara ini.  Beruntung karena tidak banyak yang tahu tentang event ini, jadi mungkin yang mengirimkan proposal pada tingkat nasional pun hanya beberapa orang.  Nah, dari beberapa orang itu dipilih 5 orang untuk mewakili Indonesia.

Jadi berangkatlah 5 orang animator ini ke Bangkok untuk mengikuti Festival Animasi Asean.  Sesuai temanya, di festival ini ada seminar mengenai hak cipta dan industri film/ animasi di ASEAN. Beberapa catatan mengenai Hak Cipta:

1.  Hak Cipta itu tidak perlu didaftarkan, otomatis dimiliki oleh yang membuat karya tersebut.

2.  Suatu karya barulah dianggap “sah” dilindungi oleh hak cipta saat karya itu “diterbitkan”.  

Diterbitkan maksudnya ada catatan yang jelas membuktikan bahwa Andalah pemilik karya tersebut.   Kalau bisa dilengkapi tanggal dan jam, serta ada saksi.  Ribet?  Tidak, contohnya bisa dengan mempostingnya di blog/ jurnal.  Tidak harus menunggu karya itu jadi, bisa juga Anda mencatat prosesnya.  Jika takut menunjukkan karya secara online kemudian dicuri, bisa juga Anda membuat catatan sendiri secara offline.  Jika kelak karya Anda dicuri, pastikan Anda punya bukti yang menunjukkan bahwa Anda yang membuat karya itu terlebih dahulu, jadi Anda bisa menuntut.  Meskipun menurut Mr. Thienchai Pinvises (sorry to call you Mr Lawyer), meng-hire pengacara bisa menambah masalah, jadi lindungilah karya Anda sejak awal.

Aturan/ hukum di tiap negara berbeda, jadi mungkin ada beberapa perbedaan.

Nah, di luar masalah Hak Cipta, yang menarik dari Festival Animasi Asean ini, kami bertemu dengan animator dari negara Asean lainnya seperti Malaysia, Filipina, Myanmar, Thailand dan Vietnam.  (Sayangnya tidak semua negara ASEAN mengirimkan perwakilan).  Kecuali Malaysia yang mungkin sudah terkenal dengan produk animasinya, dan Thailand yang industri perfilmannya cukup maju,  ternyata industri Animasi Indonesia memiliki kondisi yang hampir sama dengan negara Asean lainnya.

Dari segi kemampuan, sebenarnya animator Asean cukup baik bahkan bagus, tapi lebih banyak yang menjadi outsource bagi industri animasi di luar daripada membuat animasi yang baru.  Menurut Ms. Sopita Santitrakul hal ini bukan salah atau benar, lakukanlah apa yang Anda sukai.  

Sebagai animator mungkin Anda perlu makan dengan cara menjadi outsource, tapi sebagai artist pasti Anda ingin menghasilkan animasimu sendiri.  

Menghasilkan animasi sendiri tidak berarti membuat sendiri tapi bekerja samalah dengan orang lain.  (secara pribadi, menurutku inilah yang perlu kucoba).

Lalu pada sesi tanya jawab dibahaslah pula masalah klasik industri animasi yaitu kurangnya dukungan pemerintah, dan jawabannya klasik pula:  carilah kesempatan lain misal dengan ikut festival film, ciptakanlah "industri"mu.  Kusebut jawaban klasik karena di seminar animasi lain yang pernah kuikuti, jawabannya pun sama, padahal ngga janjian.  Tidak terbatas di industri animasi, di industri komik pun begitu.  kesimpulan: untuk maju tidak harus ada dukungan pemerintah :)

Hari kedua seminar ada penyampaian materi tentang pitching.  Jadi misalkan Anda punya ide animasi, bagaimanakah cara untuk mendapatkan dana atau memperoleh kesempatan bekerja sama.  Mungkin teman-teman yang bekerja di advertising atau marketing sudah biasa melakukan pitching, jadi lebih bisa menjelaskan arti pitching itu.  Kalau menurutku bentuk sederhana dari pitching itu  Yah… mirip-mirip dengan penjual obat, menyebutkan khasiat obat, kalau perlu demo dengan suara keras.  

Di Festival Animasi Asean ini dari 24 proposal yang terkumpul dipilihlah 12 proposal animasi untuk dipresentasikan di depan juri.  6 proposal yang lolos akan diproduksi animasinya.  Kenyataannya,  tidak semua ide (termasuk ide di luar festival ini) punya kesempatan seperti ini. jadi solusinya adalah Elevator Pitch.  Yaitu menciptakan kesempatan untuk mempresentasikan ide dengan cepat dan jelas setiap saat dan di mana saja.  Karena tidak ada yang tahu, kapan kesempatan itu ada, bisa saja suatu hari Anda bertemu sutradara favorit anda di dalam elevator yang sama.

Aku pernah lho dapat kerjaan saat sedang di mobil travel.  Kerjaan beneran dari sesama penumpang mobil travel, dan saat itu kebetulan saja aku lagi bawa portofolio. 

Istilah Bahasa Indonesianya “Kesempatan dalam Kesempitan”, mungkin kedengerannya ngga enak, seperti oportunis banget.  Tapi seperti wejangan teman saya, Indri:  “Keberuntungan adalah kesiapan yang bertemu dengan kesempatan”.  Jadi selalu bersiaplah menyongsong kesempatan :)

Next post: My Animation Proposal.

SurpRICE !!!

made using Hippo Animator by Hippo Studios, a software to make animation that works on iphone and android. (FYI, I have neither of those)
 It's difficult to draw directly on this software, but I think it's pretty usefull as an alternative animation software. cause you can make... animation with it!
it's my second try to use Hippo animator, I still learn to use the tools, cause it's (of course) different to the softwares I usually use, but there are so many thing could be done with it.
as an example, I could make simple interactive. Me. the script dummy. made an interactive.
You could download the free trial on the site or you could also download the demos to learn how to use it.

don't forget to visit my knitting blog to join a very surpRICE-ing giveaway :)

doodle animation

made using Hippo Animator

where's the amigurumi?

I think when someone saw my amigurumi photo from another site,
most people will search for "zuperdzigh" because there's zuperdzigh logo in most photos.
well I'm a designer/animator by day, and crafter by night, somehow I need to divide it into different blogs.
Zuperdzigh for my generally design related post, while Zpiderdzigh is for amigurumi.
so.. Just in case you are looking for the amigurumis, it's here:


http://zpiderdzigh.blogspot.com

it's (still) May!

I just checking my own blog, then realized I haven't update this blog for a month!
My bad...

Telling you about what I have made without showing anything is just lame.
I knew :(

SO... I won't tell you anything now :D

That's it for my May blog post *giggles*