MY TINY FRIENDS, 2min., USA
Directed by Jiyoung Park
“My Tiny Friends” is a 3D animation about an artist who does not like her work. The video shows her inner space during her journey of artistic creation. The main character, Sasha, meets cute imaginary creatures that pop out from her imagination.

https://www.jiyoungparkmotion.com/my-tiny-friends
https://www.instagram.com/jennah.park/

Director Statement
My work is inspired by the concept of magical things that can happen to daily life, such as by making objects come to life. Imagine how amazing it would be if your pencil on the desk starts to breathe and talk to you and dance for you to smile. I believe describing those abstract imaginations can only be done by animation. During the process of visualization, I like working with realistic subject matter but make it exaggerated and stylized. My characters sometimes have very big teeth, and simplified but It still has it’s identity as an animal or human. And eventually I tie up those pieces to convey a sense of wonder to the audience. I hope people can see the world more magically and beautifully.

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?

When I make a film, I start with my own story. During the creative process, I often suffered from being dissatisfied with my work. Sometimes I am afraid to accept and try new things, and sometimes my thoughts feel trivial. But I wanted to talk about having to accept this, we can grow and love ourselves.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?

It took 8 months. Half of the time was devoted to pre-production. Rather than telling the story directly, I wanted to use a metaphorical visual so that there is room for interpretation.

3. How would you describe your film in two words!?

PURPLE MARSHMALLOW

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?

It was not easy to come up with a fairly abstract story. I hope that the things that make a relationship while showing it metaphorically will be conveyed to people. For example, she broke her little friends, but looking in the mirror and seeing herself overlapping with them. There is no right answer, but I hope Sasha's actions can be freely interpreted.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?

As soon as I got the email, I couldn't help but open the link right away. And I couldn't stop smiling while watching the video, and I was so happy and grateful to hear my story interpreted differently by many people. I had no idea that my work opened up a lot of room for interpretation and I learned through that too. And once again, thank you for the festival and thank you for giving me such a meaningful opportunity. I was like, "Wow, this is the best festival ever".

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?

I graduated from BFA dealing with cinematography and animation. I thought that the act of making a film that deals with various variables and conveys a story to the public is the most beautiful and difficult comprehensive art. I started to challenge myself since then, and I have considered being a director as the most difficult and honorable job in the world. I still have a long way to go, and I look forward to my future journey.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?

I would like to say it's LaLa Land. The fantasy and metaphorical storytelling of the final ending sequence is my favorite. The camera's walking, sound, dance and music, and unrealistic scene transitions are amazing. I love how the movie was lovely and fantastic while conveying the strong message of "Dream and Love" at the same time.

8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career?

I think you are already helping a lot. It's rare to find a festival where they share feedback from various people. Thank you very much.

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site?

FilmFreeway is the best website ever. It's very intuitive and convenient.

10. What is your favorite meal?

These days................... I'd like to say it's TACO.

11. What is next for you? A new film?

I want to deal with the story of youth in an abstract way. At the same time, after developing for a new visual design, I want to create a unique video that stands out. I'm thinking about being more- experimental than before. A lot of study is still needed to do that. In that sense, I learned and inspired by the various feedbacks from your festival a lot.