Identity in Motion - a film series about small adventures.

Fabio de Saldanha

"Who am I?", "What do I stand for?" and "Where do I want to go?"

As a kid, Fabio's dad took him and his brother on many hiking tours. They hated it. But as he grew older, he started to enjoy doing outdoor stuff more and more. Now he actually does his own hiking trips voluntarily. Episode 1. was filmed in the Negev desert, where he was hiking with a good friend of his and wondering about the question "What is a good path?"

But is it necessary to fly far away to have an adventure? (See Episode 2.) He starts at his home and paddles his kayak once around Berlin.

He has lived in Berlin/Germany for 3 years now. What does it mean to be German? Am I a German? That's what he wanted to find out while hitchhiking from Munich to Berlin. (See Episode 3.)

Fabio de Saldanha

Where do you see yourself in 20 years?

20 years is too much to plan ahead! But this next year I want to start another business. Don't know yet what exactly, but I definitely want to grow something. After the acai business (@acai_rush) didn't go so well, I want to offer a B2B service. I'm gonna go to people who know how to sell, do marketing and scale a business and just squeeze them out like a lemon. I want to make a lot of money. Then next summer buy a sailing boat and sail away with it. I want to find the best surf spots and just go with the wind and the waves. That's the current plan.

What is a good design for you?

Motion design is like dancing. You have movement and sound. So for me, watching good motion design is like watching a beautiful dancer.

What was the most challenging experience during your studies?

Studienarbeit.

Who or what inspires you?

People who have a lot of drive, take responsibility, and push things forward.

How do you approach a new project?

With a head full of big plans. Reality always makes them smaller, but you got to at least start big.

What advice would you give to students who just started studying in your programme?

"Follow your passion" but what the hell is a passion? It's such a stupid, confusing word! Follow what excites you. That's better... You don't need to do any job for the rest of your life. So don't think so much and don't take everything so seriously.

But also

Take responsibility, otherwise, your life will feel meaningless.

Have you changed during your studies? How?

How terrible would it be if I did not change?

When I came to Berlin, I was introduced to new media art. Interactive kinetic Light installations. Generative procedural madness on giant LED walls. High voltage Lasers pierce through massive spaces filled with haze and projectors mapping all kinds of surfaces. Oh god I love projection mapping. As a medium, it has so much potential! Young Fabio was hooked. (Check out LAS Berlin or White Void). I got so hyped that I asked the examination office if I could just go directly to the Media Spaces Masters program. Turns out you need that BA first...

I just finished my 1. semester and wanted to drop out. But then corona started and all art installations were shutting down. I moved back to my parents. Big changes... My brother taught me how to build a pc and we both got ourselves head to toe into Unreal Engine and Blender. I did everything from 3d modeling to animation and even got myself into Houdini. I loved CGI and still do, but felt like I was spending too much time looking at a monitor...

I got excited about Tape art. So I emailed every tape art crew based in Berlin and am now working on many projects with Tape Over. Check my website if you are interested.

On a couple of Tape Artworks, I started to do Projection Mapping (Tape Mapping). Funny that I did so many different things and now went full circle back to where I was 3 years ago.

Why did you choose to study in your programme?

Because I thought I want to become a famous film director. Now I just want to go surfing hahah.

What are you not going to miss in your studies?

Studienarbeit.

How are you going to celebrate your graduation?

I got to transport my kayak from a friend's parent's garage to a place that is located on the other side of Berlin. So I guess I will paddle through the city again, hahah.

Say hi!

Daria Mensharaeva