Inside the Chaotic Animation Journey of ‘Olivia & the Clouds’ with Tomás Pichardo Espaillat

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As a passionate film lover, I find myself drawn to a captivating tale that revolves around a quartet – Olivia, Barbara, Mauricio, and Ramón – who share a rich history of relationships with one another. The movie cleverly employs various storytelling techniques to reflect the emotional gulf that exists between them at different stages in their lives.

In a career that spans live-action film, video art, and fine arts, Director Pichardo brings a diverse range of experiences to the table for “Olivia & the Clouds.” This film’s unique aesthetic and narrative reflect this rich background. During this year’s festival, EbMaster interviewed the director about his innovative use of mixed media, the animation landscape in the Dominican Republic, and learning on-the-job animation skills.

From where did the inspiration for “Olivia & the Clouds” originate? Was it planned from the start to be presented in various animated formats?

Regarding the narrative, it turned out to be a series of non-existent shorts that eventually sparked my realization, “Ah, these characters are interconnected!” This insight led me to weave a connection between their stories.

The journey from conception to the completion of production spanned approximately ten years due to the limited animation industry and community in the Dominican Republic during those early years. Initially, you could practically count the professional animators on one or two hands, making it challenging to secure projects like this. However, as time went by, more opportunities emerged.

Initially, it became apparent that many of the animators we hired lacked a common foundation or similar educational background in animation.

As a film critic, I recognized the importance of showcasing diverse perspectives within our animated feature film. Rather than adhering to a single artistic approach, we decided to let each animator express themselves in their unique style, which beautifully aligned with the individual character’s viewpoints.

As a cinephile, my journey in filmmaking began with short films. These weren’t just random creations, but rather stepping stones to master new techniques since there was no animation school available to me back then. I guess you could say I learned on-the-job, fueled by passion and the desire to create something unique.

In addition to my freelance work, I collaborated with TED-Ed. They have a popular YouTube channel featuring numerous animations, and each project served as an opportunity for me to master a new technique. I seized this chance to educate myself, treating it almost like a school. So if they allowed creative freedom, I would think, “Let’s create a cutout animation” or “I’ll try stop motion.” In essence, I was also learning through these unique methods.

How did you figure out where to place these different animation styles within that story?

I frequently assembled my short films as a personal edit, blending them despite their distinctiveness through remixing. This was partly due to the fact that many crew members were former students of mine, with whom I had a deep understanding of their working styles. For certain animators, I provided a complete script along with an animatic, specifying exactly what they would be animating.

In a collaborative approach, some artists focused on creating more abstract animations or exploring emotional nuances, while I simply provided them with a word or brief phrase as guidance. One particular piece, the bachata dance scene at the bar, was handled by six separate animators who worked independently. Thus, I offered various concepts and instructed them not to peer into each other’s work. The end result was an array of diverse ideas that, when combined, became a somewhat disorganized and frenetic collection.

In terms of materials, it’s intriguing how you incorporated various textures in your work, such as those that resembled cutouts made from actual business invoices.

I’ve been using cardboard quite frequently – not in my films, but rather for my fine arts projects, where I create numerous sculptures and other artworks out of it. Additionally, certain aspects of my stories are inspired by my personal experiences or those close to me, which is why I have invoices related to them.

As I crafted the character of Ramón, drawing inspiration from my engineering father’s habitual doodling on whatever scraps of paper he had at hand, a thought struck me: “Why not transform these invoices, these pieces, and all these letters into a tangible representation of this man?” I began to experiment with various textures, exploring how they could enrich the narrative or evoke memories from my past.

Could you elaborate on the significant transformations you noticed within the Dominican animation sector while you were working on the project? Specifically, what aspects of these changes do you believe influenced or are represented in the final product of the film?

In the Dominican Republic, where we reside, we’ve faced numerous challenges and a multitude of events unfolding. One significant influence that impacts us is the American culture, particularly their movies and animations.

In essence, the type of animation being discussed is similar to Disney and Pixar’s, both traditional and 3D. Most people aren’t familiar with anything beyond these styles, which can make it challenging to explain other forms. For instance, when I sought funding for “Olivia & the Clouds,” I had to request permission to shoot a sequence on Super 8 film that incorporated animation elements. People often responded with confusion, asking, “Isn’t this an animation? What are you doing?

During the course of our project, there was a shift in leadership at the film commission, with the new appointee being of both Dominican and Russian heritage. Having been exposed to a diverse range of Soviet animation as a child, she brought an extensive understanding of various animation techniques to her role. Under her guidance, numerous programs and funding were introduced into the film industry, which significantly boosted its growth and development simultaneously.

When we premiered the movie, we showcased it as an exhibit at a modern art museum in the country. We broke down the entire film and displayed it for a full month. This exhibition aimed to educate newcomers about the process of creating animation, while also highlighting various techniques involved.

Would you prefer to continue working with a combination of different techniques, or would you rather concentrate on a single technique going forward?

Based on the situation, I often experiment with diverse methods in my short films. Yet, I also strive to determine what the theme necessitates from its animation. The film “Olivia,” for instance, was inspired by multiple perspectives of a single memory. Consequently, it was appropriate for me to employ various styles to reflect this idea.

Currently, I’m working on a fresh project in partnership with an animator from “Olivia,” specifically the one who specializes in clay animation. She’s responsible for the charming sequences like the kissing couple and the abstract scene transition. The tale we’re creating has a stronger emphasis on organic and craft-inspired elements, such as charcoal, pastel hues, textiles, hand-drawn art, which aligns with the story’s requirements. I find that blending media is a constant in my filmography, but its application varies based on the narrative and its significance.

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2025-06-07 17:17