Łukasz Zabłocki: Creating parallel worlds26.06.2020

His portfolio comprises a diverse collection testifying to his artistic versatility. Quick lifestyle vignettes, emotional live action productions, unconventional forms inspired by music videos, studio mockups, and minimalist concepts. Meet Łukasz Zabłocki—another filmmaker represented by Papaya Films. 

Rather than recreate the reality around us, he prefers to create parallel worlds. Lured by his passion for music, he began producing music videos. His efforts garnered considerable critical and popular attention at leading festivals in Poland and abroad—bringing him, among other accolades, a Fryderyk Award nomination. His projects are often surprising, both in terms of technique as well as concept. 

He remembers his first set perfectly well—it was a music video for Kamp!’s Dorian, which was later chosen by Vimeo as a Staff Pick. The recognition motivated him to commit to filmmaking wholeheartedly. 

Łukasz Zabłocki loves the freedom of directing music videos, because it does not bind him to the visions of others. He’s highly committed to honing his filmmaking skills and personal development: “Everything I learned so far, I learned working on my advertising and music video projects. And in our profession, every new set is a precious filmmaking lesson,” Łukasz says. He also claims that the short form requires storytelling discipline: “Every frame in the storyboard must reflect a piece of the script,” he explains. 

Łukasz finds that the preparation phase, when the project is still just a nebulous vision in the heads of filmmakers and creatives, is often key. “Failing to quickly reach the stage where everyone involved knows what we’re doing leads to a lot of changes, not only in the script, but even in the final shape of the project itself,” he says. 

Bold and unafraid of challenges as he believes they make his work special. Easily switches between individual filmmaking techniques, he loves to play around with form and his imagination. 

Zabłocki draws inspiration from photography, music, other people, books, and movies. He loves surfing above all other pastimes. When in the city, he likes to meet up with friends, listen to records, and, recently, to play The Last of Us Part II.