{"id":17923,"date":"2024-11-17T15:57:35","date_gmt":"2024-11-17T13:57:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.athicff.com\/news\/the-pro-talks-3\/"},"modified":"2025-07-22T17:23:39","modified_gmt":"2025-07-22T14:23:39","slug":"the-pro-talks-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.athicff.com\/en\/news\/the-pro-talks-3\/","title":{"rendered":"7th ATHICFF – Young Reporters | Efi Pappa: “What a director should have above all is a vision for her film”"},"content":{"rendered":"

Interview by Young Reporters*<\/strong> (Hara Roussi)<\/p>\n

What advice would you give to someone in Greece considering pursuing studies like yours?<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you want my honest opinion? No career path guarantees success\u2014none at all. Even becoming a doctor, lawyer, or architect, which are often considered “safe” choices, doesn\u2019t ensure that you\u2019ll find what you\u2019re looking for, as even those fields are oversaturated. What I always say is that my \u201cguiding star\u201d is my instinct, my desire to do something I truly love and enjoy. Choosing a profession is a decision that will accompany you for life\u2014it becomes part of who you are. Since it\u2019s something you\u2019ll do every day, it would be a shame not to pursue something you genuinely enjoy. For me, animation was an incredible challenge to create something unique, and it\u2019s not an oversaturated profession. My advice? Follow what makes you happy and listen to your instincts.<\/p>\n

What exactly did you study?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Initially, I studied graphic design because, at the time, I didn\u2019t even know animation existed, let alone what it entailed or how it was done. I knew I liked working with my hands and wasn\u2019t interested in architecture, so I chose graphic design, which also involved drawing. During my studies, there was a class on animation that combined illustration and comics, and I decided to try it out since I had no idea what it was or how it worked\u2014I wanted to learn. I tried it, and you know what happened? I wanted more! At the same time, I was involved in amateur theater when I was younger, and I loved anything related to storytelling, acting, and narrative. That\u2019s how I found animation\u2014it allowed me to do everything I loved: making films, working with my hands, and combining it all with sound. That was it!<\/p>\n

Was it difficult to establish your career?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Not really! I\u2019m a freelancer, and like any small or large business, there are ups and downs depending on the circumstances. For example, when there wasn\u2019t much demand for commercials, the entire industry faced challenges, and so did I. However, because my work is specialized and unique, there\u2019s not as much competition. I also try to share my love for animation and encourage more people to get involved in the field.<\/p>\n

What are the best animation schools in Europe?<\/strong><\/p>\n

It depends on the type of animation you want to do. If you\u2019re interested in technical animation, France has amazing schools. The UK also has some fantastic programs. The school I attended, the National Film and Television School,<\/em> is considered one of the best. However, it focuses more on narrative aspects rather than teaching the technical side of animation, assuming you already have that knowledge. Instead, it emphasizes directing. So, I\u2019d say France and the UK have excellent departments.<\/p>\n

At the workshop you ran as part of the Festival, you highlighted the great atmosphere that emerges when a team has many members. How did you build your own team?<\/strong><\/p>\n

First of all, the good thing is that the animation industry is still relatively small, so we all kind of know each other. I\u2019ve met most of the people I work with through various festivals. For example, when you attend the same festivals each year, you start meeting other creators, and it fosters a friendly and supportive atmosphere.<\/p>\n

At one exhibition, I met a model maker who I now work with constantly. She came to the exhibition out of curiosity, introduced herself, later worked for me for a while, and did an incredible job. Now we\u2019re inseparable. Sometimes, if I see a piece of work I admire, I\u2019ll call the creator to collaborate\u2014it can happen like that too.<\/p>\n

Do you think a director working in animation needs additional skills compared to a director of conventional films?<\/strong><\/p>\n

What a director needs most is vision. They need to have a clear idea of what the film will look like, how the characters will behave, and what kind of world they\u2019ll inhabit. Every director has their own unique perspective\u2014how they\u2019ll use colors, textures, and what emotions they want to evoke. Then they must be able to communicate all of this to the other departments working on the film.<\/p>\n

Take my film as an example. I wanted Maura, the protagonist, to be someone with insecurities. We used this as a central element because it adds sensitivity to her character and the story. I also wanted it to be clear that she hires people from diverse cultural backgrounds and is a character with empathy. This sensitivity and inclusiveness were central themes that shaped all our creative decisions. A director needs to have a comprehensive vision and know their characters inside and out.<\/p>\n

Do you feel a connection to your protagonist, given that you also run your own business?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019d say yes! I face all the challenges that come with running a small business, just like she does.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

*<\/span>Young Reporters<\/b>\u00a0is the journalistic team of our Festival, composed of young people aged 14-17 years old. The Young Reporters document what happens at the festival, interview creators, performers and professionals in the field, as well as the audience! They also report, write film reviews, everything! Join our team.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Efi Pappa, director and animator, participated his year in our festival with her fantastic film “Boss Level Nerves” and also implemented the educational programme “From Paper to Life”. Here we talk about animation, her own \u201cvehicle\u201d into film.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":17925,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false},"categories":[118],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17923","post","type-post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-projects"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n7th ATHICFF - Young Reporters | Efi Pappa: "What a director should have above all is a vision for her film" - Athens International Children\u2019s Film Festival<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.athicff.com\/en\/news\/the-pro-talks-3\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"7th ATHICFF - Young Reporters | Efi Pappa: "What a director should have above all is a vision for her film" - Athens International Children\u2019s Film Festival\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Efi Pappa, director and animator, participated his year in our festival with her fantastic film "Boss Level Nerves" and also implemented the educational programme "From Paper to Life". 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