INTERVIEW Ex-Pixar animator Erick Oh on his Oscar journey with 'Opera'
Filmmaker Erick Oh / Courtesy of Beasts and Natives Alike
By Kwak Yeon-soo
Award-winning filmmaker Erick Oh's new independent short film “Opera,” which was shortlisted in the animated short film category at the 93rd Academy Awards, depicts the beauty and cruelty of human life within a pyramid-shaped structure.
With “Opera” being the only Asian film among the 10 shortlisted in the category, the former Pixar animator is now waiting for the nominations to be announced on March 15.
“It feels surreal to be shortlisted in the animated short film category at the Oscars. If it wasn't for the pandemic, I would be going to cool places to hold physical screenings and promote the film. But due to the pandemic, I was able to devote more time on my next project,” Oh said during a recent interview with The Korea Times via Zoom.
In “Opera,” Oh tackles issues like racism, terrorism, religion, natural disasters, education, war and class struggles within a society in 24 different sections.
Each section is filled with separate stories and symbolism so the viewer can explore the special meanings of individuals, objects and activities in the pyramid. For instance, there is a whale that stands for Mother Nature.
“Following a day-to-night pattern, the whale feeds the entire pyramid. But when humans are left in ruins following the war, the whale swallows them and a new world begins. It symbolizes the endless cycle of eating and being eaten,” he said.
A scene from “Opera” / Courtesy of Beasts and Natives Alike
The nine-minute film arouses a range of emotions through this riveting reflection of human life: it is hopeful, vibrant and thought-provoking, yet intimidating, disturbing and sad.
“The piece is an intricate reflection of human society. Everything is delicately connected and it continues looping eternally like a clock. It's dark, but the message I wanted to convey is to learn from the past and make a better future,” he explained.
Oh shared that his work was inspired partly by Renaissance art, especially mural paintings by Bosch, Michelangelo and others.
“Take The Creation of Adam as an example. In that painting alone, viewers can find the worlds of heaven and hell. It basically raises questions about the mechanisms of our society and human behavior,” he said.
It took about three years for him and his team of about 30 animators to complete “Opera” as they usually worked on it on weekends. Oh explained that most of the artists who were part of the journey volunteered with a pure passion about the project's vision.
“I was only able to work on the evenings and weekends because Opera was not my main project. I was involved in commercial directing during the daytime and worked on my independent project in the evenings. That's why the whole production period got extended to almost three years,” he said.
A scene from “Opera” / Courtesy of Beasts and Natives Alike
“Opera” premiered at the Hiroshima International Animation Festival last year, and Oh won the Minister's Award at Korea Content Awards 2020. Although there were no opportunities to interact with audiences or filmmakers due to COVID-19, he received feedback on the film through screenings and film festivals.
When asked for the most memorable comment about his work, Oh said, “Not only did the audience say it's mind-blowing, they related the issues dealt with in the film with their own countries. For instance, the French said Opera reminded them of the 'Yellow Jacket' Movement in Paris; the Americans liked the fact that it exposes racism. Koreans empathized with the political turmoil.”
Oh revealed that he wanted to create a world that reflects the universal concerns of humanity, regardless of culture or country.
“I tried to design a structure that captures human society in different forms. But in the end, such difference doesn't matter. People interact with one another in order to survive, and we are all part of this huge system,” he said.
An avid Disney admirer, Oh moved to the U.S. after obtaining a bachelor's degree in fine arts from Seoul National University. Earning an MFA in Film, TV and Digital Media at UCLA, he joined Pixar in 2010 as an intern.
After spending six years at Pixar and working on big titles such as “Finding Dory” and “Inside Out,” he left the company to join Tonko House, where he directed the animated TV series “Pig: The Dam Keeper Poems.” It won the Cristal Award for best TV production at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in 2018.
“As a storyteller, I was always ready to move on to a new project if there was an opportunity. I initially worked full-time at Tonko House, but since 2019, when we held the Tonko House Animation Exhibition in Korea, I've been working more independently,” he said.
A scene from “Opera” / Courtesy of Beasts and Natives Alike
He noted that the major difference between working at Pixar and independently lies in the message behind the films.
“Sure, the messages that Pixar movie have for us ― hope, dream and family ― are what hold us together. But I think it is necessary to look at the dark side of life, even if that disturbs you because that's all part of our life and who we are,” he said.
Looking back at his career that spans over a decade, he recalled that his most monumental project was “Pig: The Dam Keeper Poems” because it brought about many changes in his life. According to Oh, he made deep friendships with people he considers family.
He also hinted at his next projects. “My independent short film 'Namoo,' created using virtual reality tools, premiered at Sundance Film Festival in January. I'm also working on the Netflix series 'ONI' based on Japanese folklore. Comprised of four episodes, I'm directing the first and fourth episodes.”
Oh said he is planning to hold a media art exhibition in Korea this year. He will present “Opera” in the form of an animation installation so that the viewers can observe every section of the pyramid and watch it a couple of times to fully experience every part of the work.
“I want to break the barriers between animation and contemporary art. 'Opera' is inspired by fine art, but I developed it into an animated short film. I hope to blur the boundaries and make two distinct worlds interchangeable,” he said.