January 10th, 2022 
Jackson Murphy 
Erick Oh was Oscar nominated last year for his enthralling animated short film Opera. He could be on the ballot again this year for his latest, personal animated short, Namoo, which is one of the category’s 15 finalists. I spoke with Oh over Zoom about this unique time in his life and what he hopes audiences will take away from Namoo.
Jackson Murphy: Congratulations on being on the Oscar shortlist again! How does it feel?
Erick Oh: Unbelievable. Over the moon. “Is it really happening again?” I don’t know. (laughs) I’m so honored. So happy.
JM: And again so soon. Opera was last year — last awards season. Not all that long ago. And an amazing film. How was that Oscar experience for you last year in probably the most unique Oscars ceremony ever?
EO: It is so true. It was only the nominee and a plus one, so it was a very family-like, intimate environment. And it was amazing. We were all on this patio together and we were able to hang out and chat. It was almost our first time [during the pandemic] kind of hanging out in person, and that itself already was just phenomenal. It was a ride — such a rollercoaster ride.
JM: Namoo is very, very good. How soon after your work on Opera did you jump into this?
EO: The production period of Opera was quite long, and post-production got extended by a couple months because of COVID. There was a bit of an overlap between production of Namoo and Opera. Right after completing Opera, we were already able to move into the production of Namoo.
Erick Oh
JM: A one-two powerhouse punch from you in a short period of time! Tell me about the significance you have with material items. That’s a big part of this. What’s the significance for you of tangible things?
EO: Yeah — in the belongings in the tree. I was drawing and pulling a lot of thoughts and memories from my own childhood. Coming from a deeply personal space. There’s a dinosaur plush doll and that’s actually the doll I used to play with when I was really young. All my family members when they watched it: “Oh my God! That’s the dinosaur you used to own.” It’s the life of a painter, basically, so all the crayons or sketchbooks are directly coming from my own personal life. But at the same time, we really wanted to make this into something universal enough for everybody to find their own stories from the film. It was a really good combination of items from my own childhood and things that most of us also carry.
JM: One of the other things you focus on is balancing everything in your life and your responsibilities.
EO: It’s really all about balance. Life is filled with ups and downs and there are so many beautiful, amazing things. But at the same time there are some sad and also very scary things in life as well. Together we call it life. The balance, and then the ups and downs, but no matter what… if you lived your life to the fullest, that’s the most beautiful thing in the world. And that’s the message we’d like to convey. Balance and harmony: that’s the key component here.
JM: That’s a great message to send to people. What was the most emotional part of incorporating your grandfather’s poem and his life into this?
EO: It really came out during the grieving process. It was a sudden goodbye, basically. We weren’t prepared at all. In the grieving process, I came up with this little story of the man who’s growing his own tree, but by hanging his own memories and belongings in the tree. I honestly don’t even remember how I came up with it. Maybe because I was emotionally so overwhelmed. Maybe I was figuring things out. All those processes became the core idea of Namoo.
JM: And you also have a key element involving clocks. We see a lot of clocks. Time is something very tricky in life and in the world of animation. Was time on your side when it came to Namoo, or were you in crunch time at all?
EO: Actually, very good point. The production timeline of Namoo really aligned with pandemic situations. We were not only fighting time but so many things we were all suffering from as a humanity. We were all there together in it. We definitely had some delays — adapting to this new environment and new norm. But thankfully, we were able to manage to find just the right time (not too much, not too little). We were able to get it done on time without too much of a delay. And you’re totally right: time is such a tangible, flexible thing that we cannot rest upon. That’s all conveyed in this film too.
JM: Namoo means “tree” in Korean. What does nature and beauty mean to you — the power of nature, and how did you want to incorporate that element?
EO: It is basically about the passage of time. I’m telling the story through the changes in season: from spring, summer, fall and winter and eventually connects back to spring. So that component is showcased by different climates and weather situations — the color palette, different lighting, day and night.
JM: You convey that really well. And I’m also interested to know how, visually, you were able to bring in and take away the items.
EO: It was all deeply inspired by our own life. As you move forward, sometimes this certain value becomes a key guidance for your own life. Clocks is a good example. When you turn into your 30s and 40s and, “Oh my God. Time is not on my side at all.” (laughs) I’m being chased after by time. And then while doing that, you notice that “I’m having such a burden in life that’s not actually crucially important.” But you don’t realize until it collapses and loses everything. “Where am I? What did I lose?” And now you look around and, “Oh those were not really important.” The really, truly important were coming from your own childhood or what you discover when you were young or when you’re true to yourself. Those things just stay. Of course it’s something that you cannot control. Sometimes it happens out of force… or it gets driven by your own energy. But no matter what: that’s how you decide OR being decided. What you get / what you leave behind.
JM: And you work with somebody pivotal in the animation world over the last 20-25 years is Eric Darnell of the Madagascar movies and a lot of work at DreamWorks. How was your collaboration with him?
EO: Eric has been my big inspiration from the day I wanted to do animation — from day one. He was the one who said, “Let’s do it.” When I pitched this story… very humble, very personal story to Eric, he was the one who was encouraging me to take it to the next level. “We can actually do it together”, and maybe not only certain linear storytelling but maybe integrating with VR technology and more interactive. That was a big, mind-opening offer. And from that day on, Eric and I shared a lot of stories on a very personal level. He was the one who made me do my best to not… lose my initial vision from the get-go.
JM: To keep those core ideas. That’s a great partnership. So Erick, what would it mean to you to go back to the Oscars? It’s rare for actors, directors and screenwriters to be nominated two years in a row. You’ve got a shot at this.
EO: First of all, I think it’s gonna be extremely meaningful because as a Korean American artist… being able to showcase a bit of a presence as an Asian American or Korean American in this Academy… it’s all about diversity. That means a lot to me. And being able to share this different voice to the people out there through the Academy. That’s extra special to me. Opera was a much more universal film, but Namoo has a little more extra personal touch there. So maybe that’s why there’s extra meaning for me. But no matter what: it’s a big honor. If that really happens… I don’t know, man! (laughs) “What’s happening to me?!” I’ll be so humbled and grateful, and I’m already thankful that people are thinking about this and talking about this possibility. We’ll see; fingers crossed!
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