Pernille Kjaer

WeAnimate 2024-06-04 | wam#0042

After studying at the Academy of Fine Arts in Århus, Pernille graduated from The Animation Workshop with a degree in character animation in 2015. She has completed the student film Tiger, and several subsequent works including Amoeba, Terra Incognita, and her latest film Spring.

Pernille was attracted to joining the Plastic Collective based on the strong working relationships developed at TAW, and wanted to continue those collaborations. She says:

Making an animated film is a long and complex project, and it’s nearly impossible to do it alone. No one person has all the skills and expertise. When we were at TAW, we were in an environment where it was easy to find someone who could answer a question, help with a task, or work on your project with you, but it’s much harder after you graduate and everyone is on their own. Being a member of Plastic allows you to take advantage of a more diverse range of skillsets to complete bigger projects, so you can operate more like a studio. Working together, we can also share work and job leads, and have opportunities for financing and exposure we wouldn’t have otherwise.

Kjaer’s film Spring was completed by working with other members of Plastic Collective. In fact, without the collaboration of fellow member Martina Scarpelli, the film wouldn’t have happened at all. According to Kjaer:

I was feeling really stressed and, to be honest, I was a little burned out on animation and fundraising and all of it. I bought an old farmhouse up in the North, and I thought I would just live up there where it’s affordable and do my own thing. It was a “death house:” the old couple had died and the house was sold with all their things in it. Living there, I felt like I got to know them and was sharing their house, developing a sort of relationship with them. I became kind of obsessed with drawing this house, and had been sketching various images. When Martina saw my drawings, she said that they would make a great film, and offered to produce it. I said yes, and the rest just followed naturally. 

This year, Spring premiered at Zagreb Animation Festival before screening at Tallinn Black Nights, Odense, and Ottawa International Film Festival, among others. Kjaer credits Scarpelli with inspiring her to make the film. The two are considering making Spring into the foundation of a series of films, covering all four seasons.

Although she doesn’t work in the building, Pernille remains an active member of the Plastic Collective, and contributes to other Plastic projects and initiatives.