Echo - Merlin's magic in black & white

Short Talks shows Merlin Flügel the same way he presents his abstract short film Echo to us - in black and white. During the interview the German animation artist briefly hits on a topic, that recently became the center of media attention after the Berlinale 2013.

"As someone who makes animated films you don't always need huge expenses for the likes of helicopters or great quantities of equipment. (...)  But still, it's of course a lot of work and it would be good if - after I've finished studies - I could at least pay myself."

At the time of the interview Merlin couldn't have been aware of the following media outcry about the laid off VFX team behind the Academy Award winning feature film Life of Pie. But on a small scale he already very precisely described a main problem that occurs throughout the whole animation industry right up to the big Hollywood productions. More information is provided in this German article from the renown IT magazine Golem.de. Also see this open letter to director Ang Lee concerning the protest around his film Life of Pie.

Short Talks PURE with Merlin Flügel: