Dive headfirst into a world of enchantment and cinematic ingenuity! Join us as we explore the minds of the creative powerhouses, Anna Gudnicheva and Anastasia Vladishevskaya. These brilliant individuals are the masterminds behind the experimental film “Attraction,” where emotions come alive, and narratives dance in abstraction. Get ready for an insider’s look into the magic they’ve woven into every frame, promising a cinematic experience like no other.
Discover how these forward-thinking filmmakers skillfully blend animation, dance, and symbolism to create a visual language that transcends the confines of conventional storytelling. Delve into the layers of their unconventional approach, exploring the intuitive process that gave life to the film’s abstract elements and the richness of symbolism within.
Gain insights into the intricacies of portraying the protagonist’s inner world, the collaborative dynamics that molded this distinctive piece of art, and the enduring impact of “Attraction” on the future creative journeys of Anna and Anastasia. Anticipate being spellbound by the artistic brilliance and boundless imagination that unfolds on the screen.
The film “Attraction” is described as an experiment in developing your own visual language. Could you elaborate on the specific elements and techniques you employed to achieve this unique visual language?
The most important aspect for us was to convey feelings and sensations through visual instruments. That’s how the visual concept of adding animation and dance was discovered, resembling something as abstract as our emotions. We felt that this abstraction could propel the plot as effectively as a classical character. In this way, animation art is an integral part of the visual language of “Attraction.” Without it, the picture would not have been fully revealed. The drawings depict energy streams and characteristics, intertwining with dance to create a unique pattern on the screen. Through dance, we express the feeling; a certain sense equals a certain movement…
Your film employs a non-traditional approach to storytelling, emphasizing emotions and sensations over a conventional narrative. Would you mind expanding on the strategies you used to effectively convey these emotions and sensations to the audience without relying on a traditional plot structure?
Originally, there wasn’t a specific strategy. We were simply trying to intuitively express what we wanted to convey. Both of us, as filmmakers, gravitated towards the idea of narrating a story of the inner world rather than solely focusing on the main characters themselves. Firstly, we streamlined the main plotline to a minimum to allow more space for the internal drama of the main character. This decision led us to replace actions with visuals, such as the plastique of body movements, art, and symbols. Through this approach, we achieved precisely what we couldn’t find in traditional narrative structures – the opportunity to explore emotions as a fully-fledged character with its own motivation and hero’s journey.
Additionally, there are symbols hidden in the picture. When you look at frames of the film, they speak to you subconsciously. We intuitively combined various approaches, relying on personal notions about the inner world.
Within the context of “Attraction,” it’s noted that the primary events occur within the woman’s mind, and the film closely follows her journey. Could you provide further insights into the creative decisions made and the challenges faced when representing the inner world of the protagonist?
Oh, that was the most challenging part. The first obstacle was the characters of the four girls from the inner world. We knew for sure that we wanted a colorful body. We thought about using body art so that the colorful body against a black background would interact with animated energy lines. However, it turned out to be very difficult because the girls’ dance was very active, and any paint would simply rub off their bodies. Additionally, we needed to cover intimate areas, which is easy to do in photos when you can capture the right angles, but not suitable for video. We brainstormed for a long time on how to deal with this, and finally, it occurred to us that we could make bodysuits from stretchy fabric and paint them as we desired. It was so funny because Anna was dressed in costumes, and during this time, Anastasia painted on Anna’s body. Finally, we splattered the entire bathtub. It’s a good thing Anastasia didn’t manage to do the repairs. By the way, we sewed and painted them ourselves, just like all the other artistic elements in the film. For example, Anna crafted sticks for the columns, and Anastasia made stones from fabric and concrete for the totems (masks on main characters, costumes of main characters…).
Another challenge was finding the animation style to overlay the video, making it look fresh and original while avoiding the typical 2D animation appearance. Solutions were sometimes discovered in the most unexpected places. For example, the fire was drawn using a 2D animation program with the most basic “fire” tool, which typically looks rudimentary and generic. However, when used in a special way, it surprisingly complemented our picture.
And, of course, we can’t forget the unusual color correction in the inner world, which arose due to the poor quality of the material shot in the studio. The day before shooting, our DP’s professional camera broke, but we still decided to shoot with what we had. In attempts to make something professional-looking out of this material, stripes and glows around the colorful girls appeared, initially conceived to camouflage the camera noise. In the end, we’re even glad that this happened with the material.
The film is described as an intuitive work that draws from the subconscious. Could you delve into the ways in which you harnessed your intuition and abstract thinking to create the film’s abstract elements and symbolism?
Each element and symbol emerged in its own way; some were invented on the spot, while others were captured as insights in daily routines. Interestingly, in all associations, we agreed with each other, and if not, we continued searching.
For example, the symbols for the four girls surfaced as images and were sketched. They seemed like some kind of script, akin to runes… perhaps we did see them somewhere, but we don’t remember where. The same was true for tattoos and costume coloring; elements simply appeared in our minds and caught our attention. All of this was found in the common flow, captured in the collaborative creative process. We were so excited about the process and had so much energy. So, the film was destined to come to life!
By the way, we also wrote the plot this way. It was like a set of thoughts that came to mind, and we assembled them into images like a puzzle. For instance, the chains that the main character entangles/untangles, fireflies gathering in one point in the forest… these are all metaphors.
Sometimes something was invented, and we started googling the meaning of the symbol, and surprisingly, it very accurately emphasized the essence… perhaps it’s something about the collective unconscious… about archetypes…
The film features a large number of symbols and metaphors, each tied to the feelings of the characters. Can you provide some examples of specific symbols and their corresponding meanings in the film?
Certainly, let’s delve into the symbols, starting with the chains.
The chain is a symbol of connection, signifying both the interdependence of forms and the communication between them. It conveys the idea of a series of links following one another. The color of the chains is silver, a metallic hue associated with the moon and the feminine principle. In our case, the main character apathetically and routinely entangles and untangles the chains, representing the routine of everyday life and embodying the state of all women in such a situation.
The woman herself is covered with fabric. Fabric represents the material of life, and weaving symbolizes creation. The symbol of the color white is well described by Kandinsky: “White sounds like silence, which can be suddenly understood. White is Nothing, which is young, or more precisely — it is the pre-existing Nothing, existing before birth. Thus, perhaps, the earth sounded during the Ice Age.” The white color often accompanies conception and the birth of something new — it is the color of an egg, semen, and maternal milk. Also, white can be dyed… which happens next.
Tattoos are a symbol of returning to something ancient and tribal. In this case, the man has an animal-like look, contrasting with the spiritual aspect of the woman.
The man and the woman have the Sun and the Moon on their heads, another symbol of the opposition between the external and internal, logical and emotional, spiritual and animal, action and inaction.
The concept of crafting a visual aesthetic that can function as an independent film language is quite fascinating. Can you explain your approach to developing this aesthetic and elaborate on the sources of inspiration or references that influenced its creation?
Our views on many things coincided, inspiring each other. Certainly, the book “Women Who Run With the Wolves” by Clarissa Estés had a significant influence, offering vivid archetypal visuals.
The closest visual reference, to some extent, was the music videos of the singer Luna (Link1, Link2).
Overall, we aimed to move away from direct references. The goal was to express our “self,’ as described by Estés.
Would you be willing to shed light on the collaborative dynamics between both of you, each assuming the roles of director and creative director during the production of “Attraction”? How did your individual roles and unique perspectives impact the ultimate outcome of the film?
Most tasks were divided in half, covering the entire pre-production process (idea, script, storyboard, character development, etc.). To be more specific, Anastasia oversaw the visual language and artistic aspects, including brand identity, while Anna was responsible for on-set directing and handling editing/color correction. Meanwhile, Anastasia played the main character. In this way, we emphasized both our roles in the credits. The approval of all stages and elements of production was a joint effort.
Witness her transformative portrayal as the main character, breathing life into the unique narrative of this cinematic masterpiece
Certainly, we gained a lot of experience in organizing work, delegating tasks, and distributing responsibilities. A significant part of the process involved building a team, with some members joining and leaving while others stayed with us. This was also a very interesting aspect of the project that we navigated together throughout its duration.
Can you illuminate the difficulties and advancements that emerged when blending video, animation, and visual effects in order to tell your story within the seamless integration of “Attraction”?
The most crucial aspect here is, of course, the team. We were fortunate to meet very talented artists who agreed to help with the graphics for the film because, naturally, each element heavily depends on the individual taste of the artist.
There were quite a few challenges in organizing the computer graphics development pipeline. Firstly, we needed to create two storyboards: Anastasia made one for filming the video part, and another animatic to develop the graphics.
A significant part was done in the editing project where Anna compiled all the shots. It wasn’t immediately clear what should come first — color correction or animation. According to the rules, the animation is always completed entirely, and then all the layers are assembled and adjusted for colors. However, since part of the footage with the girls had a rather unusual color correction, incorporating many effects, Anastasia needed to see the final frame before drawing the animation. So we ended up doing things differently, and the color correction was done before graphic development.
It was also very helpful that we both worked at an animation studio, where we actually met. So, we knew exactly how to organize this process and how we could modify it to suit our needs.
We also looked for simplifications everywhere to achieve maximum effect with minimal resources. Thus, to save on resources, we came up with the idea of drawing animation not on every frame but every three frames, and in some places, even less frequently (for example, the start of the fire girl’s dancing has a low frame rate). This way, what seemed problematic turned out to be even more interesting due to technical nuances. Thanks to this, we achieved an unusual visual accent! It’s truly an experimental project!
The credits for the film feature a team comprising actors, musicians, and artists. Can you provide further details on how their contributions enhanced the overall vision of the film and elaborate on the collaborative experience you shared with these skilled individuals?
Throughout our work on the project, we ignited genuine enthusiasm in everyone around us with our idea! Most of the team were our friends or acquaintances who became interested in participating. Moreover, the professionals on our team were so skilled that we were sometimes amazed at their abilities.
Certainly, we’d like to highlight the dancers! We were fortunate to work with excellent professionals, and we were pleased that they liked our idea and agreed to collaborate. All the dances were improvisations within the given concepts. Fortunately, Anna, being a former choreographer, had no trouble finding common ground.
Regarding the images of the girls, Alexandra Eribekova brought our concepts to life. We had a general concept, but the specifics of makeup and hairstyles were not concretized. However, she grasped the stylistic direction so precisely that excellent characters emerged.
Also, the composer. We provided Dmitry Gudnichev with a scheme along with emotional descriptions of different parts of the film, and then he created the music as he felt it. The result surprised us greatly!
We also enlisted the help of a couple of student artists who primarily assisted us in searching for concepts. They were very interested in participating, and their assistance was valuable to us.
It turns out that without our team, we wouldn’t have achieved the identity that we now possess.
As filmmakers, what do you hope the audience will take away from “Attraction” in terms of emotions, thoughts, or interpretations? What message or experience are you aiming to convey through this experimental work?
Of course, we would like the idea of harmony and integrity to be understood. We hope that everyone finds within themselves all pieces of states and tries to assemble them into one whole. Moreover, this can apply to both women and men. In our case, the main character is a woman, but it could be anybody as well.
We also aimed to reflect our vision of the ideal union between a man and a woman. The central idea here is that harmony of all parts of the inner world, or “self,” is essential.
And, of course, even if a woman finds her own “self” without the male element, she won’t be able to fully unfold all the necessary parts of her nature. She will continue to weave chains from her monotonous reality.
Lastly, the fact that a woman experiences a variety of feelings is excellent and absolutely natural. Every emotion is extremely necessary, whether it’s overly reckless childishness or aggressive protest. At the same time, the man in our film accepts all her facets, leading to a mutual union.
Can you delineate the significance of music and sound design within the context of “Attraction” and how these elements interact with and elevate the visual components of the film?
The main feature of the music is, of course, its structure. It serves as a complete musical piece, reflecting the abstract sensations of all states and transitional moments while supporting and intensifying them. Anna drew a music scheme with acts, accents, and key feelings, and Dmitry composed the music based on his own associations, taking into account our description of the feelings of the main character.
The film is renowned for its deliberate incorporation of color and shape to convey meaning. Could you explore the process of decision-making concerning the film’s color palette and elucidate how these choices work to fortify thematic elements and heighten emotional impact?
We’ve already discussed the significance of the white color for the main character. Now, let’s delve into the choice of colors for the girls; it wasn’t accidental. By the way, among ourselves, we had code names for the characters: Windy, Sensual, Tattooed, and Earthy.
The fiery person was referred to as “Tattooed” by us. Initially, we only had this characteristic in mind. However, as we worked on the character, we realized that it embodied nothing other than the archetype of the goddess Kali from Indian mythology. The color and its play took inspiration from there.
The next character, whom we named “Sensual,” had a clear connection with water. Although the color associated with sensuality seemed more like red or raspberry to us, these hues carried a slightly different undertone, appearing somewhat vulgar and sexy. We aimed to portray internal sensuality as a form of energy. In this context, everything aligned with the archetype of Venus, representing hedonism, pleasure, female sensuality, and the element of water. Consequently, we depicted her in the actual color of water.
With the “Windy” character, it was more challenging. We determined that she should embody playfulness, love, and the lightness of being—the first things everything starts with. Choosing the color posed quite a challenge, so, as we looked at the palette, we decided through a process of elimination. Eventually, we felt that indeed, yellow is the most suitable color for the “Windy” girl—a shade that is bright, optimistic, naive, and childlike. By the way, we later learned that scientists consider yellow to be the first color a newborn starts to distinguish.
And the last “Earthy” energy is constructive. Choosing the color here was the easiest because it is beige-brown, the color of the earth, and the green color of plants. The earth maiden symbolizes wisdom, calmness, a connection with natural power, and knowledge. However, it was decided to make the costume in a more earthy shade with a touch of green to convey a calm perception of the image.
Can you share thoughts and delve into the symbolism connected to the title “Attraction” within the context of your film?
Actually, the title was chosen very carefully. The first title was “self will be given…,” signifying the outcome we aimed to achieve in our story. However, it seemed not catchy and too direct, so we attempted to find a word that fit the starting point. Thus, we realized that the whole film began with the “attraction” of a man and a woman, and then we described its consequences. Just as the entire world began with the conjunction of spheres, our characters started their story with attraction.
What future projects or creative endeavors do you envision, and how will the experience of making “Attraction” influence your future work as artists and filmmakers?
This is an intriguing question because, in general, this project has provided us with insights into how we want to express ourselves. In a commercial sense, we aim to collaborate with brands that share a non-traditional vision or with musicians. Creatively, we have a few ideas that involve combining animation, including character animation, with video. Additionally, several completed photo projects feature our artist duo. Currently, we are exploring new formats of interaction.