Channel Frederator Blog

Director Tomas Mankovsky’s “Sorry I’m Late” is a creative addition to the explosion of humans-as-stop-motion films on the web. Here he tells us about the film and the best ever reason for being late.

Channel Frederator: Where did you study animation/film?

Tomas Mankovsky: I’ve never studied film really, I studied advertising and graphic design at Beckmans College of Art in Stockholm. It was great and that’s where I also started experimenting with film/animation and made my first short
Little Big Love. I’ve read quite a few books on filmmaking, animation, cinematography etc. though, and since I have a background in advertising I’ve been on quite a few shoots where I’ve been absorbing knowledge and watching how other filmmakers work. But the best way to study is to simply pick up the camera and start doing it.

CF: Who or what has influenced your style the most?

TM:There’s so many different things, but I guess if I need to boil everything down to one person it would be Gondry. He does clever things that don’t have to cost a lot of money but that still impresses the viewer, constantly inventing new tricks to keep people on their toes as to what’s going to happen next. I like.

CF: What gave you this idea for “Sorry I’m Late”?

TM: Three years ago I was making a campaign for Sony and while sitting bored on the shoot and watching a dog lying down on the floor (the dog was one of the ‘props’ in the print ad) I thought ‘hey, that could look quite fun if animated’. So I went home and shot a quick test and it looked really cool, so I decided to do something out of it.

CF: Can you tell us about anything you’re working on now?

TM: I’ve got a few ideas for a new short film and I’m trying to figure out which one to do. The current favourite is about a musical conductor, no one knows what that guy is doing really so this film would give people the ‘true answer’. I’m also pitching on some commercials and promos at the moment.

CF: Best excuse you’ve had for being late?

TM: My excuses are rather poor but my dad has the best one. When he was dating my mom in Poland back in the 70’s he tried to get out of school to hook up with her one day so he faked stomach pain. She was waiting for ages and when
he finally arrived it turns out the teachers thought it was his appendix so they rushed him to a hospital where a doctor removed it. I think that’s a great excuse!

It is! Thank you for the interview, Tomas!

You can watch Tomas’ film “Sorry I’m Late” right here on Channel Frederator!

-Bailee DesRocher