top of page
2016
2012
2011
2010
2009
2005
2007

Concept, directing: Nicos Synnos

 

3D modelling and animation,

motion research: Marinos Savva

 

Drawings animation,

rotoscoping: Nicos Synnos

 

Post-production,

lights & shadows: Marinos Savva

 

Text: Frosoulla Kofterou

 

Project & research supervision: Nicos Synnos

 

Production: Lab for Animation Research, Cyprus

​

A Tradigital production method was used for combining “traditional” drawing animation techniques with digital 3D modelling and animation along the production line, in a computer-generated environment.

 

​

Marching On 

 

Experimental, drawings 2D/3D animation video.

Duration: 2’ (on a continuous loop).

Nicos Synnos (2022)

"Proof that inadequate, even childish measures, may serve to rescue one from peril" (Frans Kafka, The Silence of the Sirens, 1931). Kafka's subversive retelling of the encounter between Odysseus and the alternatively silent Sirens has made Odysseus plug his ears with wax and chained to the mast to avoid their call. Since Kafka's sirens are in fact, silent, Odysseus embodies a symbolic victory that is questionable, caught in an irreconcilable schism between truth and power, the iconic and the futile.  

 

 Marching On operates within the same questionable margins by querying the body's functionality as a source of aversion from the possible dangers of information overload. Articulated through the practice of self-imposed preservation, selfhood as a result is visualised as a state of 'abnormality' that mirrors the haunting geopolitical lens, which accelerates indifference and inequalities of power. 

 

​

Presentations

Safe Mode: Amplified Realities, an exhibition by TILT Platform.

BHD Hub, Athens, Greece, October 2022

 

The LAR Chronicles: Radical Domains of Anima, an exhibition by Lab for Animation Research, NeMe Arts Center, Limassol, January 2023

​

​
​

Concept, directing: Nicos Synnos

​

Animation, Photography, research: Nicos Synnos

 

Experiments: Nicos Synnos, Christos Georgiou

 

Digital compositing, 3D modelling and post-production: Christos Georgiou

 

Stop frame sound capturing, software development:

Charalambos Margaritis

​

Sound design/mixing: Yiannis Christidis

 

Text: Frosoulla Kofterou

​

Project & research supervision: Nicos Synnos

 

Production: Lab for Animation Research, Cyprus

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

This research-based experimental work investigates the relationship between the spatial and temporal dimensions of animated film and its narrational flow by focusing on the continuities and discontinuities between successive frames. 

An experimental design space was developed for this investigation using 3D computer graphics software that simulates early animation (pre-cinema) devices such as the praxinoscope and Théâtre Optique. Situating animation sequence images in a computer-generated space makes it possible to alter the viewing angle of each successive frame, facilitating new spatial forms and an enhanced fluidity that fosters more expansive visual dialogues.  Although the animation uses the same spatial information as the initial footage, with each change made to the temporal settings, the visual narratives conveyed take on an analogous variation, which differs considerably from the original. 

​

SEEING THE FOREST FOR THE TREES SEEING THE TREE FOR THE FOREST  

 

Experimental animation video. Duration: 2’ 40’’ (on a continuous loop).

Nicos Synnos (2022)

The video focuses on the relation between the one and many. In view of the popular aphorism that warns us not to miss “seeing the forest for the trees”, the work is engaged in the reversibility of the suggested polarity.  Even though the forest stands for a number of trees it represents the one, the whole, the singular and the universal, while on the other hand, any particular tree stands for the many, and is thus haunted by the diversity of the multiple. 

A tree is presented through a video projection and contains all photographic shots accompanied by fragments of the surrounding sounds of the forest recorded at the shooting.  Both the photographs and sounds are animated in an experimental manner to create recognizable behaviours or narratives; yet, at times the work abandons certainty and embraces ambiguity.

Through a cinematic animation approach of multiple viewing angles, recorded movements, and animated fictional behaviours, the tree reflects the whole by performing its wider all-inclusive self-image, a forest of the one. 

 

​

 

 

Experiments short display, link:  Seeing the Tree for the Forest_ experiments_ praxinoscope_ theatre optique

 

Presentations  

The Forest, exhibition by Arboreal Collective & Lab for Animation Research.

NeMe Arts Center, Limassol, February – March 2022

 

The LAR Chronicles: Radical Domains of Anima, an exhibition by Lab for Animation Research, NeMe Arts Center, Limassol, January 2023

​
​

Participation in Film Festivals [Awards and Official Selections]

 

Awards

  • Independent Filmmakers Showcase 2018 IFS LOS ANGELES FILM FESTIVAL, Los Angeles / Beverly Hills / Santa Monica, (May 2018) - Best Animation Film Award

  • Animation Marathon, Athens, Greece, (December 2018), - Distinction

  • Mindfield Film Festival, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA, (February 2018) - Best Animation short- Gold Award

  • 4th Indian Cine Film Festival, Mumbai, India (September 2016) - Best Animation Film Award

  • Alaska International Film Awards 2017, Alaska, USA (July 2017) - Denali Award [awarded to films that demonstrate a superior level of craftsmanship and quality]

  • Indian World Film Festival-17, Hyderabad, India (March 2017) - Best Animation Award

  • 6th Bangalore Shorts Film Festival-17, Bangalore, India (March 2017) - Best Animation Jury Award

  • The 2017 Indie Gathering, International Film Festival, Cleveland, Ohio, USA (August 2017) - Award - 4th place Animation Short

 

Official Selections

  • Animafest Cyprus - Views of the World, A Tribute to Cypriot Animation Films (August 2021)

  • Cinanima International Animated Film Festival, Cyprus Programme, Espinho, Portugal (November 2019)

  • Kyiv International Film Festival, Kyiv, Ukraine (May 2019)

  • EUROPANORAMA 2018/2019, Minsk, Republic of Belarus (May 2019)

  • EUROPANORAMA 2018/2019, Gostivar, Republic of North Macedonia (May 2019)

  • EUROPANORAMA 2018/2019, Skopje, Republic of North Macedonia (May 2019)

  • EUROPANORAMA 2018/2019, Ljubljana, Slovenia (January 2019)

  • EUROPANORAMA 2018/2019, Belgrade, Serbia (January 2019)

  • EUROPANORAMA 2018/2019, Zagreb, Croatia (January 2019)

  • 2019 International Annecy Animated Film Festival, Film Market, Annecy, France (May 2019)

  • EUROPANORAMA 2018/2019, Beirut, Lebanon (November 2018)

  • 30 FILMFEST Dresden 2018 International Short Film Festival, Dresden, Germany (April 2018)

  • Chambal International Film Festival, Kota, Rajasthan, India (March 2018)

  • The Melbourne International Animation Festival (MIAF), Australia (June 2018)

  • Russian Film Festival, Moscow, Russia (February 2018) – Semifinalist

  • Hollywood Just 4 Shorts Film and Screenplay Competition – Hollywood USA (October 2016) - Semifinalist

  • International Animated Short Film Festival AJAYU – Puno, Peru (November 2017)

  • Animattikon Project, International Animation Festival – Paphos, Cyprus (November 2017)

  • Cyprus Short Film Day (CSFD) 2017, May Fair Theatre, London, UK (October 2017)

  • Animasyros 10 International Animation Festival + Agora, Hermoupolis, Syros island, Greece (September 2017)- international competition

  • Animasyros 10 International Animation Festival + Agora, Hermoupolis, Syros island, Greece (September 2017)- Evropi programme “28 Narratives from Europe”- Cyprus delegation

  • 40th Greek Short Film Festival in Drama, Greece (September 2017)

  • 16th Countryside Animafest Cyprus - Views of the World (June 2017)

  • 5th Smita Patil Documentary and Short Film Festival, Pune, India (December 2016)

  • International Short Film Festival of Cyprus, Limassol, Cyprus (October 2016)

  • Great Lakes International Film Festival (PA, USA) (October 2016)

  • TOFUZI 2016 International Festival of Animated Films, Georgia (October 2016)

  • BRNO 16, 57th International short film festival, Brno, Czech Republic (October 2016)

LA SOUPE (2016)   

 

Experimental animation Short Film. Drawings, 2D/ 3D. Duration 11’ 

​

Film summary: A farmer one day discovers one of his two chickens is very sick. In his effort to tenderly care for his suffering poultry, he makes… chicken soup from his 'other' chicken. This a story that inverts our stories about priorities and superiorities…. and scratches at the thin line between love, life and nonsense.

 

​

Concept, directing: Nicos Synnos 

 

Experimentations, motion research: Nicos Synnos

 

Drawings animation: Nicos Synnos

 

3D modelling, post-production: Christos Georgiou

 

Production: Toonachunks Animation Films, Cyprus

​

 

​

 

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

“Interesting the relationship established between the poultry processing line and the sequence of frames required for the animation illusion of movement and, also, between the drawn positions/calibrations required to compose the perception of behaviour in animation and the abnormal behaviour of that same represented chicken.”

 

Prof. Marina Estela Graça

Animator and semiotician, University of Algarve, Portugal

​

​

​
STRAWBERRY FIELDS (2012)​
Video. Experimental, stop motion animation
 
​
​

This video is one of five works under the title Strawberry Fields...: Global economic crisis, simulacra, maps, and simulated borderlines” for the exhibition THROUGH THE ROADBLOCKS, Realities in Raw Motion, November 2012 at Evagoras Lanitis Centre, Limassol, CY.

​

​

​

“Another morning on the way to the office. I finally manage to park, alongside the fenced courtyard of a church. A young man – “looks like” a gypsy from the “north” – is selling small baskets of strawberries, cheaply. “Do you want some?” – I decline (too many things on my mind). We are walking in the same direction. “Where are they from?, I ask. – “From [the village of] Derhynia”, he replies. Obviously, they have come from up “north” (hence the low price)! Derhynia is just the crossing point. – “I’ll take a basket”…

Evening news – one station after another… An annoyingly boring repetition of images of (euro) coins dropping off the mint’s machinery, and (euro) banknotes being (automatically) counted… It’s the financial crisis daily “update” – money is “short”, yet it overflows off the psychotically and fetishistically looped, close-up images of currency…

“Strawberry fields for ever – Nothing is real /Nothing to get hung about…”

Dr Antonis Danos

Art Historian

About the exhibition:

Facts, links, tips and texts to get through the roadblocks, an exhibition and a conference organized by NEME at Limassol, Cyprus

https://throughtheroadblocks.wordpress.com/category/exhibition/

GLORY BOX (2011)

​

​

​

A three part video for an on stage performance by dance group EnDrasi, choreographed by Evi Demetriou. Stop motion, experimental, drawings animation.

 

Influenced by the cyber culture and virtual reality, Glory Box alternates between fantasy and reality to experiment with the notion of human needs and aspirations.



CHRONICLES Of A MISSING POSTER (2011)
​
Video. Experimental, stop motion animation
​
Video for, the 5th United Designs Exhibition, 50-1 Art Center,
Limassol, July 2011
​
​
Iconographers collaborate to organise United Designs: 5th International Biennial Design Exhibition.
The fifth United Designs Exhibition is a celebration of international awareness between education and profession in visual communication design. The 2011 edition is co-organised by Cyprus University of Technology and the Korea Ensemble of Contemporary Design.
As an initiative, United Designs seeks unique approaches by designers from around the world. It does not look at restrictions as a barrier for creativity but as an opportunity for bringing creativity to the intellectual level.
​
AGAINST ALL FARTING COWS (2011) 
 
Poster. Digital composing / drawings on paper
​
​
Work participated on 5th United Designs Exhibition, Neme Art Center. Limassol, July 2011
A self-destructive poster against all farting cows. For all nuclear and other farting cows farting away to their destruction, and to mine.
poster submsion 5th design Biennale limassol july 2011

LAV ME TENDER (2010)

​

Poster. Digital composing / drawings on paper
 

For an exhibition of posters against poverty and social isolation at Casteliotissa gallery, Nicosia.

​

​

​

The work puts the blame on wars for the poverty and social isolation. Photographs of the very instants of murder and mass destruction (September 11, Spanish civil war - Robbert Cappa,Vietnam war - Eddie Adams) are presented in an ironic Hollywood stereoscopic (3D cinema)
manner.

poster submsion 5th design Biennale limassol july 2011

RECONSTRUCTING A LAND [of] MINE (2010)

​

Video. Stop motion animation, experimental

The Exhibition “Contemporary Cypriot Art for the 50 Years since the Establishment of the Republic of Cyprus", 17 November 2010 at Evagoras Lanitis Centre, Limassol.

Organized by the Cyprus Chamber of Fine Arts [EKATE].

Sponsored by the Cultural Services of the Ministry of Education and Culture, Cyprus.

Supported by the Cyprus University of Technology.

 

 

The work is a new version of one of the videos that were included in the emblematic event for the celebration of the 50 years of the Republic of Cyprus, which took place on October 1st of the same year.

“Any kind of imaging or representation of the world – ever since the first such cases, in Palaeolithic times – amounts to a reconstruction of the world. The title of the present version of this audiovisual material admits and projects the inevitable nature of representation, making, at the same time, a wordplay, which includes both a humorous acceptance of the ‘explosiveness’ (landmine) of our recent past and of our present, as well as a desire for a reconstruction of a/the land (of ours) into a more imaginative and substantial place and, thus, more ours.”

Antonis Danos

Art Historian 

                                                                                                                                             

"The exhibition, motivated by the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Republic of Cyprus, aims at a critical self-examination and look upon the place and its people. It includes contemporary works by Cypriot artists, which ‘look awry’ – that is, they look in critical, examining, subversive, thoughtful and humorous ways – upon ourselves, our recent past, our present and whichever possible future. This ‘awry’ look (taking a cue from a short dialogue in Shakespeare’s Richard II, and the dialogue’s analysis by Slavoj Zizek, in “Looking Awry” [1989]), aims at ‘seeing’ ourselves and our state in its proper dimensions, in contrast to the ‘head on’, seemingly direct view that has been [re]produced by the official, dominant rhetoric of the institutions and the mechanisms that have been defining us, ever since the establishment of the Cypriot state".

by NEME Art center  

​​

More about at the exhibition:

http://news.neme.org/1216/looking-awry-views-of-an-anniversary

 

Republic of Cyprus 50th Anniversary:

The Special Celebration Ceremony (2010)

 

Video. Stop motion animation, motion graphics

 

A video commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Republic of Cyprus, for a stage performance choreographed by Elena Christodoulidou. It was screened at the official state ceremony and highlighted an innovative fusion of historical and contemporary images of the republic.

 

Symbolic and allude to the abolition of the dividing line, as well as the development of Cypriot society into a society for all, under conditions of equality, justice, mutual acceptance and respect.

 

As part of the celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of its establishment, the Cyprus Republic organizes a series of events. The event of 1st October is based on an idea by Andy Bargilly, who was assigned the artistic direction of all flagship events in Cyprus and abroad, with the exception of Washington DC. The events will be performed under the stage direction and choreography of Machi Demetriadou-Lindal (first part) and Elena Christodoulidou (second part). Consultant director is Evis Gavrielidis, and costume designers are Elena Katsouri and Lakis Genethlis. Responsible for the direction of screenings for the first part is Alexia Roider and Nicos Synnos for the stage /photography/video direction of screenings in the second part. The digital processing/editing and the three-dimensional processing of the films of the first part belongs to Vera Papastavrou, while Christos Georgiou is in charge of the digital processing/frame of the films in the second part. Music, composed by George Kolias, Demetris Zavros, Michalis Hadjiyiannis, Roman Kariolou and Savvas Savva, is a major component of the event. Larcos Larcou took up the music introduction, including music from all the communities of Cyprus. Michalis Hadjiyiannis and Katerina Mina perform songs with lyrics by Andreas Paraschos and Neshe Yashin, respectively. Tony Solomou, Sona Gargaloyan, Michalis Tterlikkas, and other important Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot singers and musicians also participate, alongside many other dancers, presenters, actors and children.

More about at: http://www.cyprusevents.net/events/cyprus-republic-50th-anniversary    

ATTENTION FRAGILE (2010) 
 
Video for the dance performance "Attention Fragile" by the froup “aRttitude”, choreographer Evi Panayiotou and writer Maria Ioannou.
​
10th platform of contemporary dance, 2010, Rialto Theatre, Limassol, Cyprus

 "MADATAC" International Video Art Exhibition, NeMe, Sala Berlanca-Madrid, Spain, November 2010.

RIALTO: 10 YEARS (2009)
​

Experimental animation and video, made for the Celebration of 10 years Anniversary of Rialto Theatre, Limassol. Commissioned by the Theatre.

 
 
 

DRESS QUEST III (2009)

​

Experimental animation short Film. Stop motion. 

First presented at NeMe video event IDEODROME 2009 – Denials

Old Vinegar House, Limassol

​

 

DEODROME is particularly focusing on how video and the digital technology of image and sound is explored through non-narrative forms, on its power to express and communicate complex meanings and on the effects of the democratisation of the recording media technology through its widespread and multi-functional uses in our contemporary era.

IDEODROME is also interested on how video as a recording art interacts with the performance and representational arts, as well as with the public. It is a highly interdisciplinary project in which artists from various disciplines such as film-making, visual arts, animation, poetry, dance and theatre, co-operate to explore the potentials of the medium within the framework of a given theme.

ISOLOMANIA (2008)

 

Video installation

171 drawings from the “peeing scene” of the animation film “Animal Behaviour”, together with the film itself played on a small monitor on loop mode and headphones.

Nicosia Municipal Arts Centre

​

“Isolomania presents itself for exploration and interpretation. It’s platform establishes an interweaving of various cultural translations to shared current issues, a zone which expands the legitimacy of one work with another, one culture with another, a meiosis of voice and experience which will hopefully generate interest in that space caught in between and outside the populist experience of shared memories and circumstances.”

Helene Black, Limassol 2007

 

ISOLOMANIA is presented by NeMe through IMCA as part of the program “Under Construction: Alternative Museum Spaces” organised by The Nicosia Municipal Arts Centre, Associated with the Pierides Foundation, E.KA.TE., and the Cultural Services of the Ministry of Education and Culture at The Nicosia Municipal Arts Centre.

Coordinator of YK:EMX: Andree Zivanari
Curator of  ISOLOMANIA: Helene Black

 

Exhibition link: http://www.neme.org/participations/isolomania

TRIP TO THE MOON II (2007)

​

Experimental animation short Film. Stop motion.

A tribute to Georges Méliès’ 1902 film.

​

First presented at NeMe video event IDEODROME 2007 – Invisible spaces Limassol Old Pier

​

 

The theme of IDEODROME 2007 was Invisible Spaces. Seven video makers participated, producing seven short works which were presented on a large screen at the end of the pier of Limassol on the 5th of November 2007 in non-stop screenings between 5.00 and 11.00 p.m.

​

​

More about:  http://www.neme.org/events/ideodrome-2007

SIAMESE TWINS /for “SelF Other” (2007)

​

​

Siamese twins putting on a jacket. Drawings animation for visual artist’s Maria Loizidou installation. “SelF Other” exhibition Argo gallery, Nicosia 2007

​

​

Drawings animation for visual artist’s Maria Loizidou installation. “Siamese twins” animation on the monitor.

​

TAXI (2006) 

 

Short experimental film

First presented at NeMe video event IDEODROME 2006 – "​Limassol: People and passages"

Limassol Old Pier, Theatro ENA

​

The experimental film "TAXI" focuses on a passing through the city of Limassol. A conscious and at the same time unconscious journey, which begins underwater and ends up in space. The artists' goal from the beginning was to combine poetry with image in a way that the words would make the image more solid and complete and in return the image would provide life to the words. Stop frame animation and an accelerated tempo were used to emphasize this linear yet surreal journey through the cities' streets and the interaction with pop Limassol characters and events.

 

Venice Biennale of Architecture 2006

Venice Biennale of Architecture 2006, Cyprus Pavilion. Animations for architect Yiorgos Hadjichristou. Composited by Yiannos Economou. (September 10 to November 19, 2006)

​Animal Behavior  2005

 

Cartoon animation short film. Drawings on paper.

​

​

Summary: Television violence leads to a cruel game inside “Dog’s” house. Ironically, at the same time, “Dog” tries helplessly to find solution to his insomnia through religious TV programming.

​

”The animation work, ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR by NICOS SYNNOS seems to unfold in parallel time levels, which also form a cyclical continuity. Each sub-'plot' is contained, both time-wise and spatially, within another one, thus constantly undermining any pretensions to meaning, and resulting in a non-stop re-cycling of images and 'events'.”

 Dr.  Antonis Danos,

Art Historian

 

Written By Dr. Antonis Danos, art historian.

 

Awards:

  • Animation Honur - Cyprus International Film Festival (March 2006)

  • Best Animation Film Award - The 29th Short Film Festival, Drama, Greece (September 2006)

  • Best  Animation & Experimental film Award - Cyprus short & documentary film Festival (February 2007),

  • The Greek Government Quality Awards –  nominee - 47th Thessaloniki Film Festival, Greece (November 2006),

 

Other screenings:

  • Marche du Film, Cannes Film Festival, (2006), France

  • AsterFest,  Film Festival, (28 – 31, May 2006) Strumica, Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia, Official Selection

  • The New York International Independent Film and Video festival, (May 4- 11th 2006) New York, NY, USA, Official Selection

  • AsterFest, Film Festival, Beograd, Serbia – Montenegro, Official Selection

  • Greecexpo - the Cinema Day, Lincoln Centre, (8-9, April 2006) New York, NY, USA

  •  

  • Habbilder film festival, (September 2006), Germany, Official selection

  • Screens: telling stories - Contemporary Cypriot Film and Video Art, (September 2006) Patra, Greece

  • 47th Thessaloniki Film Festival, Greece (November 2006), The Greek Government Quality Awards –  nominee

  • Film Market, Clermont-Ferrand Festival, France (January 2007)

  • Belgrade Documentary and Short Film Festival www.kratkimetar.org.yu – March 30th – April 4th 2007 Official Selection

  • Palm Springs International Festival of Short Films, 13 Annual from August 23, 2007 to August 29, 2007

 


​

 

GALLOPING HORSE EXPERIMENTS

​

Experiments in a three dimensional digital space based on Eadweard Muybridge’s 1878 stop motion photographs of a galloping horse.

​

Viewing angles of a looping sequence in a pre-cinema optical device manner, in 3D digital space.

​

​

 
1st, 2nd and 3rd SCULPTURE SYMPOSIUMS (1999, 2000, 2001)
 

Three stop motion animation documentaries commissioned by the Limassol Municipality  ​


An experimental stop motion film portraying the creation a sculpture park in Limassol. The film shows the 2nd symposium which took part in summer 2000. The films was made using a 35 MM still photography film camera to capture the construction and installation of a sculpture park on Limassol’s seafront during three sculpture symposiums  on the summers of 1999, 2000 and 2001. The photographs were then print­ed and scanned before composited to the moving image.

4th Short Film & Documentary Festival Limassol, Cyprus (February 2007)

​

Link to the 2nd sculpture symposium video: https://vimeo.com/259828532

​

2000
2006
2022
2008
bottom of page