@olho.pt › 28.May, 2020 
Born in Tokyo, Japan in 1989. Grew up in Bali, Indonesia. Graduated from Tokyo University of the Arts, Department of Intermedia Art in 2015. Received master’s degree from Tokyo University of the Arts Graduate School of Film and New Media, Department of Animation in 2017. 2016: “RADIO WAVE” received the Graduation Film DHL Diversity Prize at the 18th Bucheon International Animation Festival, and selected at 32 film festivals in 21 countries. 2017: “AEON” was nominated in ANIMAFEST ZAGREB, and selected at 19 film festivals in 10 countries. 2019: “CASTLE” was selected at 39 film festivals in 28 countries (As of October 8, 2019).
João – Thank you for accepting our invitation for this interview. It’s with great happiness that we confirm Castle in the official competition of OLHO 2020.
Could you present your work?
Ryotaro Miyajima – The castle was used for warfare and the tea room was used for diplomacy. Both were established by the Japanese samurai class at the end of the 16th century. I drew the architect’s point of view that connects this castle to the tea room.
João – Both in Castle, Aeon and Radio Wave, the camera movements have an important role in the short-film. How do you think the camera moves in your work?
Ryotaro Miyajima – Every animation director has a flexible and unbreakable camera in his or her brain. When I drew the image as it was projected by my brain, I got that kind of animation. Because there is no cut, no camera dolly in the brain.
João – What influences you in your work?
Ryotaro Miyajima – My biggest influence is the art materials. Water, especially with its unpredictable movement, gives me new ideas. For example, when you draw a flame, water is chaos just as flame is chaos. And the shape of the fire depicted has a great impact on the next scene. Animation production is a series of small surprises.