Interview with Director Ana Gusson
by Karen Pecota

I was delighted to interview one of the HollyShorts Film Festival animation filmmakers for the film PIVOT. I trust you will enjoy learning the backstory of how PIVOT came to fruition.

What situation brought you to the project?

PIVOT was made as part of the ACE Program from Women in Animation Vancouver. It was written by screenwriter Robyn Campbell and was selected by the Program’s Jury. During the selection process, each applicant had to make a presentation on their vision for the script. I applied for the director role, with a proposal of making the film into a family-friendly drama short film. All the main six creatives in the film were selected in a process that aims to simulate the animation industry’s standard practice: first Robyn Campbell and her script; followed by Tini Wider as a producer; me, Ana Gusson as the director; Cindey Chiang as the art director; Erica Miles as the animation director and Eva Pekárová as the composer.

How did this affect you personally?

PIVOT is inspired by the personal experience of our screenwriter Robyn Campbell and her childhood friend. When I first read the script, it hit close to my own experiences growing up as well - I was a kid who loved playing outdoors and being active and depending on the clothes that my mom would choose for me to wear, I would know if we were going to a place where I could be myself or not. Clothing often plays a big part in women’s upbringing; there are a lot of expectations on what a girl should wear. Throughout the making of the film the majority of the people working in the film felt the story related closely to their own experiences, being a woman or not. This showed me how special this material was and convinced me to create the best possible short film we could so we could share this poignant story with the world.

Why did you choose animation to tell this story?

The intention was always to make PIVOT as an animated short film. The script was written with that in mind, since we have moments where our main character’s emotions take visual form.

What are the advantages of telling a story using animation? Or disadvantages?

Telling PIVOT through animation allowed us to create imaginative graphic solutions to represent our main character Ashley’s - emotions. It was important to us to make visually clear her frustration and fear that takes form in a dress that transforms into a monster during the film and changes her room into a battlefield for her authenticity. The advantage is to be able to make this transformation visual and unique. The disadvantage is that it takes a long time to make an animated short film.

What is the type of animation called that you used? Are you the animator? If so, how long have you used this medium to tell stories? If not, what was the process you went through to find the right animator?

The technique we use is called Digital 2D Animation, mixing digital cutout and digital hand-drawn animation with the use of the software Toon Boom Harmony. I’ve been working in the animation industry for the past nine years–in eight of them I was a 2D animator – so it was a direct choice when it came to deciding how we would animate it. And as I mentioned before, the short film was made as part of the ACE Program from WIA (Women in Animation) Vancouver, so it was important for us to recruit mostly women to work in our film to reflect on the values of the initiative.

What is the most important message of the story? What would you like your audience to take away from the message?

Our goal with PIVOT was to create a relatable character in Ashley, whose experiences would inspire and empower audiences to embrace their true selves, despite the fear of seeking support from loved ones. I hope that the film can transcend genres, as the message is relevant to all, not just women.