The Dope Sheet

Since being nominated for this year's BAFTA, Matthias has been speaking out all around town, and the latest interview is for new animation blog 'The Dope Sheet'.

Congratulations to Ryan for setting the site up, and for choosing to open with in-depth interviews with the three RCA nominees – talk about starting at the top!

Here's a snippet (or click here to see the post):

At 27, Matthias Hoegg is the eldest of this year’s three short animation BAFTA nominated filmmakers. Let this be a reminder for those of us a bit older, it’s time to up our game. Art foundation lured Matthias from Munich in 2003 and, having fallen in love with the Kingston University Illustration and Animation course, decided to stay on. He is another 2010 graduate of the Royal College of Art, and his two films made at the college – August, and the BAFTA nominated Thursday – have been screened widely across Europe, Asia and the Americas.

Someone with such a clear pedigree must have had no trouble getting a place at the RCA, right? “Actually, I spent a long time labouring over my portfolio and slipped into the trap of reading ideas into my old work that weren’t really there when I created it. I thought that for an MA course, I had to make the work seem more profound rather than letting it speak for itself. So I ended up on the waiting list for the course, but got on when someone else dropped off.”

We don’t hear this side of the story much, and is very refreshing to know. With competition for these places so fierce, it’s no wonder applicants sweat it. But for good reason: “I think the beauty and difficulty of the course at the RCA is it’s very self-directed.” A sentiment echoed by other graduates and tutors. Apart from set workshops and deadlines, much of the production schedule is down to the individual, and it’s easy to get lost. “The best part of my RCA experience was being surrounded by a group of incredibly talented filmmakers who were always up for giving support and feedback.”