As we mentioned previously, Bored Panda reached out to Robertas Nevecka, a multifaceted Lithuanian artist, animator, and illustrator who is also known for working as an Assistant Director on various movie sets.
One of the first questions posed to Robertas was about his experiences as an Assistant Director. He replied, "Once, we had to film a real house burning down, involving a few actors, around 100 extras, firemen, a 16mm film camera, and one cow. We rehearsed extensively because everything had to work in sync, but things went wrong once the fire was lit. We were too close to withstand the inferno's heat. We had to back down, regroup, and wait until the fire subsided. However, we still managed to capture three difficult shots amidst the blazing barn flames. Working as an assistant director is like being in a constant workshop for film directing. You get up close to all the creative people on set, observe their tools and tricks in action, and analyze what worked and what didn't when you see the final movie."
When asked how he incorporates his artistic style into his films and graphical narratives, he confessed that he had been avoiding doing so because of his dislike for his own style. He stated, "I hired much better artists than myself to run away from my awful drawings. However, things have slightly changed now, and I have learned to accept and embrace my personal style. In fact, I'm currently working on my next animated film, titled 'Fishing Docks,' in my own unique style. Perhaps, only after completing this film, will I be able to fully answer this question. It's possible that I may fail miserably and resort to hiring more skilled artists once again."
He also shared insights into how his experience as a director and animator has influenced his illustrating work. He said, "When you aspire to be a film director, you begin hunting for stories. Every day, you make an effort to observe and document events that occur to you or your friends. Frequently, while reading a news article, you contemplate whether it could be transformed into a screenplay. The Notes app on my phone is brimming with dialogues overheard from random people on the street. This profoundly influences my illustrations, as I prioritize the narratives conveyed by the drawings rather than focusing solely on style or technique."
When asked by us, Robertas also elaborated on a project where he combined his skills as a director, animator, and illustrator - his debut short film, 'Snow Shelter'. He stated, "The film utilized the rotoscoped animation technique, which involved filming real actors and subsequently transforming them into animated characters by drawing over their footage. Throughout the production, I fulfilled multiple roles: serving as a film director during the live-action shooting, collaborating as an animator with the animation crew, and working as an illustrator with the background artist to develop the film's visual style."
