New Jersey Stage Issue 51 | Page 43

ifornia, Berkeley graduate) is an actor, writer, digital artist, con- cept artist, photographer, and a competitive figure skater. H was seen by millions of fans in Eng- land on the popular UK show Dancing On Ice. One of the most interesting aspects of the film is how Silecky utilized digital art and animation in the film to help photographs come to life. The end effect is akin to a 3D, surre- alistic dream. Silecky compares them to the way we perceive memories. “What are memories?” he asks. gave him new insight into the “To an extent, memories are documentary’s importance. brought into our dreams. So Having survivors interviewed that whole concept of dream- in the documentary makes the scape plays an important role history more real. Even though as well. I did the animations their stories have been passed myself, splitting some of the art- down from generation to genera- work with a fellow artist in the tion, it’s powerful to hear the sto- Ukraine. There is a slight differ- ry directly from one who lived it. ence in the artistic style of them, In addition to filmmaking, but the artwork and animations Silecky (a 2015 University of Cal- were designed to be not fully NJ STAGE - ISSUE 51 INDEX NEXT ARTICLE 43