INTERVIEWED BY Lindi Brownell Meiring IMAGE Fantastic Mr Will
Having recently spoken to a sold-out crowd at Open Design Cape Town, we decided to catch up with Julia Anastasopoulos, the talented actress behind SuzelleDIY.
Here, she chats to us about the character, her favourite sketch and what we can all expect next from her and her fiancé director Ari Kruger.
How has Suzelle developed as a character since her inception?
The character has certainly developed a lot since her inception. When we started Suzelle we were still finding the character – we knew the basics – that she was Afrikaans and that she loved DIY but we hadn’t really explored any further. Since then we have delved much deeper – she has a full history – we know all her insecurities and nuances, which has made for a much more complex character, taking the comedy to new level. On the other hand I think the two years of consistent practice has developed the character in a very organic way.
What do you enjoy most about making SuzelleDIY videos?
The process of making SuzelleDIY is very creative, playful and experimental. I really do love the actual DIY aspect, we all love researching the ideas and testing them out. I also love the days when we have Marianne on set, we laugh so much.
What has been your favourite fan reaction to a SuzelleDIY sketch so far?
My favourite fan reactions are from the kids. We get the best fan-mail and videos in which they re-enact full Suzelle episodes or make up their own DIY videos. To inspire so much creativity is a really wonderful thing that we never anticipated.
Which Suzelle sketch has been your favourite to create, and why?
I would have to say How to get Fluff Off Your Jersey. It was the first time we introduced the character of Marianne and we had no idea how it would play out or how the character would come across. Gina just brought this weird and wonderful character to the table, it was completely unscripted and unplanned. The outtakes from that episode are the best. But what was so interesting was how the introduction of Marianne took Suzelle to a whole new level in terms of character development and comedy – it really was a defining moment for us.
How much planning goes into making each clip?
There is a lot of planning that goes into making a clip. In the beginning we were just free-styling most of the time, but now the production is at a new level and every episode takes quite a bit of time from the planning stages all the way through to the post production and final cut. We do quite a bit of research for each episode and from there we have to schedule the shoot, book key people, write scripts, test the DIY, source wardrobe and plan art department. It is quite a lot of work, but the more organised we are, the better the final product. Planning can take a week, shooting takes about a day and then the edit, sound and post takes another few days. We have an amazing production team in place now, as well as an awesome studio where we film most of our episodes.
If you could describe Suzelle’s design aesthetic in three words, what would they be?
Stylised, colourful, pop.
Collaboration in design is on the rise. Are you planning any more fun collabs for future videos?
Definitely. Collaborations help us grow our audience and make for really entertaining videos. We just shot an origami episode with Ross from White on Rice and have a few more in the pipeline. We love meeting and working with other interesting creative people – we have so much to share.
What’s next for you and Ari as a team?
We have formed a production company called Sketchbook Studios, which produces and manages Suzelle and aims to produce a lot more original content. We have already started developing new characters and series such as Ryno in the Bush and a new project called Tali’s Wedding Diary. We are also working on the Suzelle movie, which we are looking to shoot early next year.
In case you missed it, Julia invited us to explore her stylish Cape Town apartment. Take a look inside.
Image credit: Adriaan Oosthuizen
