It Takes So Little” by Benjamin Haverla is a deeply personal animated music video born from the artist’s reflections on first love, loss, and the subtle emotions that shape human relationships. Combining minimalist digital animation with heartfelt music, the project captures the inner world of its protagonist in a poetic and introspective way. Over two and a half years, the collaboration with animator Nataša Strelová and the composer father brought this delicate vision to life.

Do you remember the moment when the idea to create It Takes So Little was born in you? What was that first impulse?

Honestly, I don’t exactly remember where or when this idea first came to me, but I do recall, bit by bit, how the impulse was born that convinced me it was the right moment to create such a music video. This all happened roughly two and a half years ago, maybe even longer.

I think that impulse had to gradually come together in me, like pieces of a puzzle. When I look back at certain pieces of my life, it all started with the personal experience of a failed, yet sincere, first love. For some time, I carried the thought that I needed to release this experience, even though I had gradually come to terms with it. And when I learned in university that my final bachelor’s project had to be a three-minute animated piece, I got the idea that I could transform these emotions and experiences into animation while connecting them to my academic studies.

I remember at that time having in mind two talented people I knew – my father, as a music composer, and my friend Nataša Strelová, whose animation and artistic skills were perfect for expressing what It Takes So Little needed. Back then, we still didn’t know that the animated music video would be called that.

Why was it personally important for you to explore the theme of lost love specifically through animation?

Emotion is intangible, but thanks to animation, we were able to give it form through a music video, where the lyrics and music took on a tangible presence in a visual form.

Why animation for such a theme? Animation gives us great freedom because, through visual expression, we can convey both abstract and concrete ideas. At the same time, it allows us to enter any environment without being limited financially by locations, objects, costumes, and so on.

Of course, you only begin to truly feel this freedom once you start understanding how the world of animation works and how it can be applied in practice.

In our case, we were able to “get into” the boy’s soul precisely thanks to animation, because a person’s inner life cannot be grasped in a tangible form.

So why did I decide to explore the theme of lost love through animation?

From a practical standpoint, it gave us great freedom, since this was an independent project – we could visually express almost anything.

At the same time, I felt internally that this theme, based on the song and lyrics, deserved to be brought to life through Nataša Strelová’s artistic style. The video features subtle symbols, such as a dove, butterflies, or a rose turned upside down, which helped us emotionally journey through the inner world of our animated boy – and all of this was possible thanks to animation and Nataša Strelová’s excellent execution.

For me personally, it was important that animation allowed me to transfer the inner feeling of loss into a visual form – to express something that would feel too concrete in reality, yet could remain delicate, poetic, and sincere in animation.

How did the title “It Takes So Little” come to be, and what does it mean to you?

Interestingly, the title It Takes So Little came about just before the completion of the music video. At first, we used various working titles, such as Forgive Us during the early concepts. Of course, we felt that none of them were quite right, and I remember the moment when I went to my dad, and we started playing the finished song in the living room. We listened closely to the lyrics.

It took us some time to choose a title for the video while listening because we didn’t want the title to reveal that the video would be about lost love. Suddenly, my dad came up with the idea: “It Takes So Little!” At that moment, we knew we wanted to use this title.

Personally, I really like this title because it doesn’t reveal too much about what the video is about, yet it captures its essence. It Takes So Little means to me that problems in relationships sometimes seem huge and insurmountable, but maybe all it takes is to pause for a moment, give things time, and – in my case – turn to God 

Of course, I want every viewer and listener to find something of their own in it. That was my intention. But I’m also happy to share my own perspective.

Can you reveal how the motifs that appear in the video were created?

Before I started collaborating with Nataša, I had to prepare concepts and an animatic to visualize how the animation could look. Of course, my artistic experience cannot compare to hers, but I believed that if I communicated my ideas well, we could move in the right direction. And that’s exactly what happened. The beginning, however, was challenging for us, as it was our first time collaborating on a longer project and we had to find our system. Gradually, we discovered it as the animation started to take shape.

I am glad and grateful that Nataša picked up on some of my concepts while also adding a lot of her own ideas, which, in my view, enriched the animation with another layer.

Once we found a system, we started having online meetings where we discussed one minute of the song at a time. After finishing that segment, we would schedule another meeting to go over the next minute.

Since animation is a lengthy and demanding process, and one wants to avoid revisions, we had to communicate everything clearly in advance to ensure both sides were satisfied. The visual motifs developed during these online meetings – I would share my perspective on the lyrics and the song, then listen to hers, and together we would figure out how to express it visually in the animation. It wasn’t always easy, but I am very grateful for her willingness and the ideas she contributed to the project.

For example, the dove motif in the lyrics “Where are you flying, I ask, I plead” – I suggested using a dove because it symbolizes peace and serenity. Nataša embraced the idea and enhanced it visually in the animation. Later, we see the dove breaking into feathers at the line “Your wings are broken”, which, for me personally, evokes loss, hurt, but also the Holy Spirit in the form of the dove. In my original concept, there was only a single feather and a different perspective, but Nataša expanded it with multiple feathers – for which I am very grateful.

Another example is the motif of blue hands receiving a paper airplane. In my concept, the hand burned the plane, but Nataša strengthened the concept visually in the animation through her unique artistic approach, choosing not to include fire – instead, the hands receive the paper, which turns red and falls.

We could go on with more examples, but perhaps that’s a topic for another time.

Why did you choose digitally drawn animation and this kind of minimalist visual language?

Many factors influenced this. When I saw Nataša’s animation for the music video Kométa, it really resonated with me, and I felt that a similar visual style could suit the song It Takes So Little. At the same time, I had the opportunity to get to know her family better, which gave me hope that I could convince her to contribute visually to this project. Another reason was that I wanted to connect this project with my bachelor’s thesis.

I believe that this approach allowed the music video to maintain its sincerity, poetic quality, and a certain simplicity. I feel that if we had gone the other way, the video might have been emotionally overloaded, and as viewers, we might have focused on things other than its core essence. Of course, this always depends on the execution of each author and team.

It’s true that this theme can be approached in many ways – for example, through live-action or other animation styles (puppet animation, 3D, pixilation, etc.). Since sincere love is a complex topic yet so simple at the same time, I believe that a minimalist visual language allowed us to explore the boy’s world, filled with beautiful memories as well as wounds.

From a practical standpoint, I didn’t know many animators at the time, and I felt that Nataša was the one I could entrust with this project to ensure it was handled sincerely. During the production, she also shared some interesting stories that happened to her along the way – and I believe that added another layer to the animation as it gradually grew with us.

What was the collaboration like with the animator Nataša Strelová and with your father, who composed the music?

First, I want to say that I am very grateful to both of them for sticking with the project until the end and giving the animation a chance. At first, I admit I was stressed because I wasn’t sure if they would join this project, and I was thinking about what to say and suggest to get them on board.

In situations like this, when you have nothing tangible, you have to think about how to convey your vision to another person so they can at least see a bit of what you see. I know this can be done with a storyboard, a script, and so on, but at that time I didn’t have much experience, even though I knew what it was, and I wasn’t familiar with all the possibilities we have today. Thanks to social media, nowadays it only takes courage to find talented people like this. And if someone closes a door on you, knock on another one.

Something similar happened with my dad when we approached two well-known Slovak singers. One of them didn’t have time, and the other didn’t feel the song suited him. In the end, my father remembered a friend, we approached him, and I am very grateful for his willingness and his voice. We were surprised at how well he sang the song for the animation. In the end, we were happy it turned out exactly that way.

Working with my dad is truly great because I see him as a professional who already has his own artistic signature. He has experienced a lot in life, which is why I perceive his compositions as both artistic and professional. He is, for me, a hidden talent, and I believe film directors would appreciate his music in films. Of course, our collaboration wasn’t always perfect, but that’s just because we are human — what matters is that we were always able to get past it.

Working with Nataša was also amazing. It was certainly challenging for her, and I am grateful that she stuck with me. Animating the entire music video as a digitally drawn animation must have been a huge sacrifice for her. I know a beautiful quote about this, which I once read in the book The Art of Film:

“You can control every little window, but at a certain cost. The cost is a substantial piece of your life, which this time-consuming process consumes. It feels as if the objects are sucking your time and energy to sustain their own existence.”(Simon Pummell, animator)

And for that, I respect her very much.

What was the biggest challenge during the creation — both technically and emotionally?

Emotionally, it was challenging to accept some of the visual decisions that went beyond the original concepts. However, it was hardest at the beginning, when the emotions from the loss of love were still, let’s say, fresher. Looking back now, I am very glad that it turned out the way it did.

Since this was an independent project, the technical challenge for me was communicating with Nataša – ensuring that the animation matched the song precisely and that no errors occurred when sending materials. We live far apart, so regular meetings would have been time-consuming. Both of us also have many obligations. Another challenge was the post-production adjustments, especially for the final scene with the tree and the boy.

For Nataša, the technical challenge was the actual production itself, as her software frequently crashed and she had to learn new methods of working.

She also shared an interesting story with me, which represented a significant emotional challenge for her. The animation was created using rotoscoping, which meant that for the characters we needed reference materials to help with their movements and expressions. Nataša and Pavol, who acted in these reference materials, were also in a relationship – which, I believe, greatly benefited the project. Later, however, it became more complicated, as their relationship was not stable, making it harder for them to meet. I have great respect for them for overcoming this obstacle, and I am very grateful for the sacrifice they made.

At the same time, I learned some wonderful news from Nataša — that, thanks to these difficult encounters, their music video brought them back together, which made me very happy. It’s truly a unique journey for this animation.

How long did it take for the project to go from the initial idea all the way to the final outcome?

 It’s a pity I didn’t note it down precisely, but when I looked back at the first conversation about this project in the chat, I can say that the project’s realization — from the initial idea to the final work — took approximately two and a half years.

The music video feels very sensitive and introspective. What would you like viewers to take away from it?

I want every viewer to find something of their own in it. Since the music video is sad but also sincere, I believe that we on the team are not the only ones who have experienced similar hurts or emotions. I want to encourage young people not to be afraid to give things time, to move forward in life, or to give another person a chance to share their inner self. What makes me happiest is when people who have had conflicts come back together again.

What helps you stay motivated even when things don’t go according to plan?

For me personally, it is God. When I go through a difficult period, I try to give it to Him and trust Him. I am grateful for all the experiences in my life – both the good and the bad. I also know a beautiful quote from the Bible about this:

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air: they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”

(Matthew 6:25–26)

I know that the path of an artist is not easy, which is why I encourage anyone facing obstacles in life not to be afraid to enter into a relationship with God. It is not an easy path, but it is worth it – one can feel peace even in crisis situations. The creators of the series The Chosen are a beautiful example – their life experiences are inspiring, and they have also found success in the world as a crowdfunding project.

As for our animation, the deadlines did not go exactly according to plan. We had to extend them since the project was independent. I admit that I sometimes felt helpless – if someone on the team had dropped out, it would have been very difficult for me to find a full replacement. In such situations, I often prayed and entrusted the animation to God, asking that – if it was His will – He would protect the entire team and help us complete the project.

I love that artistic and creative work requires collaboration. When you have talented people around you whom you can rely on, it is truly worth it!

You mention in the text that some people say you repeat yourself when it comes to the theme of love. What keeps drawing you back to this theme?

That’s a very good question. When I think about why this theme attracts me, I believe it’s because of new experiences and a more mature perspective on love. At the same time, the theme of sincere love feels very close to me.

Another reason is that I notice many broken relationships around me, and it always saddens me. I wish that we could overcome all the obstacles that come our way in life, because I understand that it is not easy – a relationship requires love from both sides. That’s why I pray to God to protect my relationship with my girlfriend and help us deepen it more and more.

What are your plans for the future?

I’m currently working on several independent projects, and based on my conversations with people, I believe there are more to come. At the same time, I definitely want to finish my university studies, and it seems that next year I’ll have the opportunity to teach children and share my experience with them — which makes me really happy.

It will probably take some time before I release a new original project, but I don’t mind, because I want to keep developing myself in different areas of audiovisual creation. Later, I’ll be able to apply all that knowledge to future projects.

And maybe I’ll be surprised by what life brings me, because:

“In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.”(Proverbs 16:9)