"I am a Pioneer of Garage TESLA"
An Interview with 11-year-old Filmmaker and Storyteller, Andrey Papiashvili
Every community has someone who was there from the very beginning — the one who tests, experiments, and helps shape its identity. For Garage Tesla, that pioneer was 11-year-old Andrey Papiashvili. His ideas, projects, and fearless creativity have been part of Garage’s DNA from day one. Andrey doesn’t just take part in activities — he turns them into stories worth sharing.
— Andrey, what is Garage for you?
For me, Garage Tesla is a place where I can do what I really want, where it’s never boring, and where I always have friends around. I feel connected to its creation because everything here was tested on me. And I could say I’m the first pioneer of Garage.
— What’s your favorite activity here?
My absolute favorite is film directing. I love the way our teacher, Margarita Mikhailova, teaches and I truly enjoy making films. To me, it’s both a way to earn money and to have fun. I used to be afraid that my reviews would be irrelevant or get negative reactions, but now that fear is gone. Margarita taught me how to choose topics, write scripts for each storyline, make storyboards, and edit. It’s so much better than just filming without preparation.
— What projects have you worked on?
We created a big parody of REN TV, the TV show Oryol i Reshka, and the blogger A4. Every project was presented to our parents. Right now, I’m planning to shoot a short story based on a video game where you have to build teams, create a world, live in it, and then figure out what to do when a meteor is about to hit.
— Do you have a dream project?
Yes! I dream of creating an animated film about a group of 11 friends living in New York — seven in one house, four in another. They communicate through special collar devices, like the ones in the Disney movie Up. It’s basically a story about friendship. It might even turn into a series.
— What’s life like now outside of Garage?
For the past six months, I’ve been living in Torrevieja, and I now talk to my friends in Yerevan only online, checking Telegram to see what’s new with them. I’ve made new friends here at school, and I want to film a video with them about a sheriff investigating a child’s kidnapping by a villain. But first, I need to come up with the ending.
For me, Garage Tesla is a place where I can do what I really want, where it’s never boring, and where I always have friends around. I feel connected to its creation because everything here was tested on me. And I could say I’m the first pioneer of Garage.
— What’s your favorite activity here?
My absolute favorite is film directing. I love the way our teacher, Margarita Mikhailova, teaches and I truly enjoy making films. To me, it’s both a way to earn money and to have fun. I used to be afraid that my reviews would be irrelevant or get negative reactions, but now that fear is gone. Margarita taught me how to choose topics, write scripts for each storyline, make storyboards, and edit. It’s so much better than just filming without preparation.
— What projects have you worked on?
We created a big parody of REN TV, the TV show Oryol i Reshka, and the blogger A4. Every project was presented to our parents. Right now, I’m planning to shoot a short story based on a video game where you have to build teams, create a world, live in it, and then figure out what to do when a meteor is about to hit.
— Do you have a dream project?
Yes! I dream of creating an animated film about a group of 11 friends living in New York — seven in one house, four in another. They communicate through special collar devices, like the ones in the Disney movie Up. It’s basically a story about friendship. It might even turn into a series.
— What’s life like now outside of Garage?
For the past six months, I’ve been living in Torrevieja, and I now talk to my friends in Yerevan only online, checking Telegram to see what’s new with them. I’ve made new friends here at school, and I want to film a video with them about a sheriff investigating a child’s kidnapping by a villain. But first, I need to come up with the ending.
Editor’s Note: Andrey’s story reminds us that creativity doesn’t wait for the “right time” or “perfect place.” With the freedom to explore, the guidance of inspiring mentors, and the courage to dream big, young people like Andrey turn their ideas into something real. And in spaces like Garage, those ideas are only the beginning.