BEST ANIMATION IN JAPAN — IT IS A GOOD STORY...
It was 2017. I saw how animators were being paid in Chile. I had been working as an Animation Filmmaker for 10 years by then (Boomer, short film, 2007). I saw the little future and little ambition that existed in the local industry, and I decided to pursue definitive independence.
Now, how could I obtain funding in a country where the Ministry of Culture is so ideologized in Chile?
Through my brother, I entered the car business, bought my first city car, and started working for Uber. Since I was the owner of my own time, this allowed me to finish my third short film, 1-2-3-4. Through self-management, I was able to self-finance myself: 8 hours of driving and 8 hours of filmmaking production. I financed the 2D animation.
It was a destructive routine, but in 2020 I managed to finish my third short film, 1-2-3-4. Together with the producer I was working with, we finished the first version of the short film in February, in order to submit it to Cannes that year.
And... a Chilean woman had returned from a trip to Asia with a virus...
COVID-19.
I had my dream in my hands and a virus that did not allow me to go to any festival. I had to watch from my apartment as the short film travelled and competed in festivals.
I remember that the passengers, both men and women, encouraged me when I told them the reason why I was driving for Uber. One female passenger from Maipú told me:
“God will reward you for this.”
And I said:
“(caramba, ojala po)Damn, I hope so.”
We were selected for the Tokyo Film Awards in Japan, and we won Best Animation, GOLDEN WINNER OF BEST ANIMATION, in December 2021.
And with 1-2-3-4, I created the Pato Silver Universe, with which I have been creating films and series to this day.
That was born from the desperation of self-management.
