Glavni akteri Industry panela u okviru prvog Novi Sad film festivala jesu dobro poznata imena u oblastima gejminga i animacije, Ivica Milarić i Vukašin Šoć.
The main actors of the INDUSTRY panel within the first Novi Sad Film Festival are well-known names in the fields of gaming and animation: Ivica Milarić and Vukašin Šoć.
Ovaj dvojac će biti zadužen za diskusije koje otvaraju zanimljiva pitanja o razvoju IT industrije u Novom Sadu, a koji je rezultirao i velikim brojem gejming kompanija sa uporištem u ovom gradu.
Zašto su video-igre više od zabave, na koji način se prelivaju u sve nijanse umetničkih dela, koliko je sam film podložan gejmerskim elementima i obrnuto, kao i kakva je budućnost mladih u pogledu profesionalnog bavljenja novim medijima, neke su od zanimljivosti koje nam otkrivaju Ivica i Vukašin dok idemo u susret novom filmskom festivalu u Novom Sadu.
Vukašine, s obzirom na desetogodišnje iskustvo u gejmingu, kako posmatraš trenutnu ekspanziju ove oblasti u odnosu na svoje početke i zašto je baš Novi Sad plodno tle za razvoj gejming industrije?
Deset godina iskustva u bilo kojoj industriji zvučni baš pompezno, veteranski, ali s obzirom na to da je industrija video-igara u konstantom razvoju, i da ne bira pravac, posmatram je sa velikim uzbuđenjem i širom otvorenih očiju. Početke možemo da sagledamo, i da se vodimo istorijom video-igara, ali budućnost još uvek ne vidimo, te se zaista radujem svim novinama koje nam tek stižu. Što se tiče mog rodnog grada, smatram da je ključ u zajednici koja se gradila godinama i u velikom broju kompanija koje na različite načine pružaju podršku svim kreativcima koji žele da se oprobaju u nekoj od šarenih grana industrije video-igara i industrije zabave!
Ivice, kako je došlo do toga da se kao diplomirani psiholog sa radnim iskustvom preorijentišeš na digitalne medije i da li se može govoriti o spajanju ove dve oblasti tokom tvoje karijere?
Gotovo od početka studija psihologije, ja sam radio i školovao se u raznim dodatnim oblastima. Kao apsolvent na Filozofskom fakultetu, 2006. godine sam dobio priliku da završim kurs novinarstva na Novosadskoj novinarskoj školi. Nakon toga sam radio na radio-stanicama i unutar TV emisija, a sve vreme sam pisao i objavljivao prozu. Kada sam 2014. godine dobio šansu da radim unutar industrije zabave kao narativni dizajner video-igara, spoj svih tih elemenata je došao više nego prirodno. Činjenica da sam igrao video-igre od početka osnovne škole, takođe je samo doprinela ovoj profesionalnoj evoluciji.
S obzirom na to da ste zaposleni na Akademiji umetnosti u Novom Sadu, u kojoj meri je razvoj video-igara i digitalnih medija praćen porastom interesovanja studenata? Koje mogućnosti mladima otvaraju ovakvi smerovi na Akademiji kada je u pitanju njihov budući profesionalni razvoj?
Ivica: Mogućnosti za školovanje na studijskim programima Akademije umetnosti u Novom Sadu su u stalnom rastu, to je jedan od osnovnih principa naše obrazovne institucije. Akademija ima i kapacitet i privilegiju da prati razvoj globalnih domena umetnosti i pruža šanse studentima da se unutar njih obrazuju i specijalizuju. Smerovi kao što su Animacija i specijalni efekti i Dizajn video-igara primer su ovog pristupa, jer kroz njih studenti dobijaju mogućnost da se formiraju kao umetnici, ali isto tako i da dobiju sposobnosti i znanja da se uključe u industriju zabave na lokalnom i međunarodnom nivou.
Vukašin: Akademija umetnosti u Novom Sadu je svakako poznata kao institucija koja pažljivo osluškuje potrebe studenata, ali i industrije. To sam prepoznao još kao student, a sada, sa „one strane katedre”, to mogu i da potvrdim! Smerovi vezani za razvoj video-igara, animacije i vizuelnih efekata, digitalnih medija, pružaju studentima širok spektar mogućnosti za profesionalni razvoj u dinamičnoj i brzorastućoj industriji, omogućavaju im da spoje svoju kreativnost sa tehnološkim veštinama i otvore vrata za različite karijere u ovim inovativnim oblastima.
Vukašine, s obzirom na to da si kao scenarista deo vodećeg ILBE studija za animaciju, šta smatraš najvećim izazovima pri radu u velikoj kompaniji koja se pritom obraća najmlađoj publici?
Rad sa najmlađom publikom zahteva posebne veštine komunikacije kako bi se poruka uspešno prenela i bila prihvaćena, jer su njihovi standardi veoma visoki. To sam shvatio kada sam postao roditelj. Sa druge strane, nema lepšeg osećaja kada kroz zabavan i edukativan sadržaj otvorite neka nova pitanja i stvarate sebi nove izazove da na ista što bolje odgovorite!
Ivice, ti si pre desetak godina kreirao aplikaciju Premotaj roman koja je omogućila posebnu interakciju čitaocima tvog dela – u kojoj meri su sam roman, odnosno književnost, koji zahtevaju određeno vreme pri recepciji, podložni novim tehnologijama i da li misliš da im donekle i dalje odolevaju?
Aplikacija Premotaj roman, koja je nastala, pre svega, usled ogromnog zalaganja i truda mog prijatelja Adama Geza, on je programer koji je aplikaciju i stvorio, dok sam ja pisao sam tekst, jeste na kraju i pokušaj da se pokaže da forma evoluira i da je i dalje jednako bitna koliko i sadržaj. Sve umetnosti koje nastanu postoje zauvek, samo se menjaju, rastu ili gube na široj popularnosti. To je uobičajen trend koji se nastavlja – ovde nema gubitnika, niti pobednika, samo stalna potreba za rastom i promenom, što je univerzalna potreba svega što je na bilo koji način „živo”.
Imaćemo priliku da vas čujemo kao moderatore panela na prvom Novi Sad film festivalu –koje teme ćete otvoriti ovom prilikom i šta je njihov cilj?
Ivica: Moja nada jeste da ćemo, pre svega, pomoći sjajnim projektima da dobiju malo više pažnje, a time i da ćemo zajedno uspeti da pomognemo festivalu da se ustanovi kao nov i vredan dodatak na mapi domaće industrije zabave. Time želimo da ovaj grad i državu prikažemo kao mesto gde se stvaraju neverovatna umetnička dela.
Vukašin: Želimo da pružimo priliku kreativnim ljudima iz industrije da predstave svoje projekte, da još više ojačamo zajednicu, povežemo manje studije sa velikim igračima, i da kroz ovaj festival glasno kažemo da je Novi Sad mesto u kojem se rađaju sjajne ideje i nastaju velika umetnička dela!
Pošto ste se i sami oprobali u filmskoj industriji, kako objašnjavate vezu između filma i gejminga, u kojoj meri postoji međusobni uticaj?
Ivica: Kako vreme prolazi, mislim da granica između ovih polja umetnosti postaje sve fluidnija, kao i da je to sjajna stvar. Tome doprinosi i razvoj tehnologija, ali najviše pristup modernih umetnika ovim poljima bez potrebe da se samoograničavaju. Film, video-igra, interakivni film, narativna video-igra, interaktivno kinematografsko iskustvo, sadržaji virtuelne realnosti – sve su to hibridne forme koje su već ustanovljene. Verujem da će nastavak te fuzije pružiti sjajne rezultate i oblike umetničkog izražaja koje danas ne možemo ni da pojmimo.
Vukašin: Iako oba medija pripadaju istoj industriji, industriji zabave, lično volim da kažem da su video-igre jedini medij koji nas stavlja u cipele glavnog aktera, dakle od posmatrača do igrača, aktivnog učesnika. Međutim, čini mi se da kroz tehnološki razvoj i napredak, polako brišemo tu liniju te da nas inovacije na ovom polju tek čekaju. Što se tiče međusobnog uticaja, odavno smo svedoci da i kroz film, i kroz video-igre, tehnološki napredak konstantno otvara nove mogućnosti i menja način pripovedanja te na oba polja vidimo sjajne rezultate. Na kraju, kada su u pitanju i video-igre, i filmovi, uvek se možemo vratiti klasicima, međutim, niko ne ostaje ravnodušan na inovacije koje nas nekako još više uvuku u taj magični krug, bez obzira na to da li u rukama držimo džojstik ili kokice.
Foto: V. Veličković
The duo will be in charge of discussions that raise interesting questions about the development of the IT industry in Novi Sad, which has so far brought in many gaming companies with a foothold in this city.
Why video games are more than entertainment, how they are transformed into all shades of works of art, how susceptible the film itself is to gaming elements and vice versa, as well as what the future of young people is when it comes to the professional engagement with new media – these are some of the exciting things that Ivica and Vukašin reveal as we approach the new film festival in Novi Sad.
Vukašin, considering you have had ten years of experience in gaming, how do you see the current expansion of the field compared to your beginnings, and why is Novi Sad fertile ground for the development of the gaming industry?
Ten years of experience in any industry sounds very pompous and veteran. Still, given that the video game industry is constantly evolving and does not choose a specific direction, I look at it with great excitement and eyes wide open. We can look at the beginnings and be guided by the history of video games, but we still can't see the future, so I'm looking forward to all the novelties coming our way. As for my hometown, I think the key lies in the community that has been built for years and in the large number of companies that have been providing different forms of support to all creatives who want to try their hands at some of the colorful branches of the video game and entertainment industry!
Ivica, how did it come that you reoriented towards digital media as a graduate psychologist with work experience? Can one say you have merged these two areas during your career?
I have worked and studied in various additional fields since the beginning of my psychology studies. As a graduate student at the Faculty of Philosophy, in 2006, I had the opportunity to complete a journalism course at the Novi Sad School of Journalism. After that, I worked at radio stations and within TV shows, and all the while, I was writing and publishing prose. When I got the chance to work within the entertainment industry as a video game narrative designer in 2014, combining all those elements came more than naturally. The fact that I'd been playing video games since elementary school also contributed to this professional evolution.
Given that both of you work at the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad, how much does an increase in students’ interest accompany the development of video games and digital media? What opportunities do such courses at the Academy open for young people regarding their future professional development?
Ivica: Opportunities for education at the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad study programs are constantly growing, which is one of the basic principles of our educational institution. The Academy has both the capacity and the privilege to follow the development of global art domains and provide opportunities for students to educate and specialize within them. Majors such as Animation and Special Effects, and Video Game Design are examples of this approach, as through them, the students are allowed to establish themselves as artists and gain the skills and knowledge to engage in the entertainment industry at a local and international level.
Vukašin: The Academy of Arts in Novi Sad is undoubtedly known as an institution that carefully listens to the needs of students and the industry. I recognized that as a student, and now, from "the other side of the classroom," I can confirm it! Majors related to the development of video games, animation and visual effects, and digital media provide students with a wide range of opportunities for professional development in a dynamic and fast-growing industry. They allow the students to combine their creativity with technological skills and thus open the door to various careers in these innovative fields.
Vukašin, you are a screenwriter in the leading ILBE animation studio. What are the biggest challenges working in a large company that addresses the youngest audience?
Working with children requires exceptional communication skills to successfully convey the message and have them accept it because their standards are very high. I realized that when I became a parent. On the other hand, there is no better feeling than raising new questions through fun and educational content and creating new challenges for yourself to answer them in the best way possible!
Ivica, ten years ago, you created the application Rewind the Novel which enabled a unique interaction with readers of your work. To what extent is a novel – or literature in general, which usually takes time to absorb – subject to new technologies, and do you think it is still resisting to some extent?
The Rewind the Novelapp was created, first and foremost, due to the enormous commitment and effort of my friend Adam Gez, the programmer who created the app itself, while I wrote the text. The app ultimately attempts to show that the form evolves and is still as important as the substance. All the arts that arise exist forever; they just change, grow, or lose popularity. It's a common trend that continues – there are no losers nor winners here, just a constant need for growth and change, which is a universal need of anything that is in any way 'alive'.
We will have the opportunity to see you as panel moderators at the first Novi Sad Film Festival What issues will you address on this occasion, and what is their goal?
Ivica: My hope is, first and foremost, that we would help great projects get a little more attention and thus succeed in assisting the Festival to establish itself as a new and valuable addition to the map of the domestic entertainment industry. This is how we want to show this city and this country as places where incredible works of art are created.
Vukašin: We want to provide an opportunity for creative people from the industry to present their projects, strengthen the community even more, connect smaller studios with big players, and loudly say through the Festival that Novi Sad is a place where great ideas are born and great works of arts are made!
Having tried your hands in the film industry yourself, how do you explain the connection between film and gaming, and to what extent is there a mutual influence?
Ivica: As time passes, I think the boundary between these fields of art is becoming more and more fluid, and that's a great thing. The development of technologies also contributes to this, but mostly the approach of modern artists who don't feel the need to limit themselves. The film, video games, interactive film, narrative video games, interactive cinematic experience, and virtual reality content – are all hybrid forms that have already been established. I believe that the continuation of this fusion will provide excellent results and forms of artistic expression that we cannot yet even imagine.
VukašinAlthough both media belong to the entertainment industry, I like to say that video games are the only media that puts us in the shoes of the leading actor, turning us from an observer into a player, into an active participant. However, it seems we are slowly erasing that line through technological development and progress, and innovations in this field are yet to come. As for the mutual influence of film and gaming, we have long witnessed, both through film and video games, that technological progress constantly opens up new possibilities and changes the way of storytelling, and we see great results in both fields. In the end, we can always go back to the classics when it comes to video games and movies. Still, no one remains indifferent to innovations that somehow draw us even more into that magical circle – regardless of what we hold in our hands: a joystick or popcorn.
Photo: V. Veličković
