We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Robert Maftei a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Robert, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

When I started playing the drums. This was back in 2015-2016, I played some piano until then, but when I got my first drum kit, that was the click.
I taught myself for 2 years, then started at a local rock school some lessons with teachers and it was really fun. Even had the opportunity through this school to play live(of course just one song, but at least I put my 3d glasses and pigtailed my hair). Then I got into a band with some friends, and luckily these friends had the same tastes like me, same thinking process, an amazing period.(Look up Sonic Caravan & The Stoopidz – Taxi Man).
Unfortunately you could say, especially after the pandemic, that we started to play less and less and I kind of had a hiatus with the drums.
Yes, right now I am doing things with GarageBand and FlStudio, but still, the drums are me.(maybe some modular synths, too!)

Also, when I really started enjoying cinema (that’s 2017 onwards). Cinematography had started to get into my head that it is the most important (I know, basically any Wes Anderson enjoyer), when that got me thinking, I want to do that, like big time.
I even did some short films for some film contest with a friend of mine, Andrei Ivanus. The first one was a short documentary/video essay regarding the Butterfly Effect (not the best, but it helped knowing what I shouldn’t do in the future) and the second one a short film based on an excerpt from an Augustin Buzura.
The movie is called “Spaima de Moarte” (I think it’s on youtube) or in english “The Fear of Death”. This one I am very proud of, I shot with 2 old digital point and shoot cameras (so it has the Academy Ratio) and if it weren’t for the narration and the long credits, this movie would have been better (mainly because I like the cinematography and feel of it). It was a fun experience of directing and editing it myself(as the first one was edited by Andrei’s cousin), and of course, we won a participant certificate. A very good time of my life.
All of these culminated in the winter of 2022-2023 in which with the friends from the band, we made a full on 20-minute movie.
“Minunea de la capatul lui 41” (in Eng: “The Miracle at 41’s Terminus”) . Directed by Robert Vesler this time, starring me and Vlad Bazga, with help from Toma Chimoiu, Anghel Grigorescu, Ana Floares and Elina Grama (the other actress), a “production” which consumed our Winter Break. One of the best experiences in my life. We’ve learned a lot from it, especially that if we want to do it again, we gotta be PUNCTUAL!!! A funny movie about a guy from the country and a semi con-artist from Bucharest, where they get drunk, have fun and bond in one night. It was fun acting alongside Vlad, finding ways to improve the script while filming, how to improvise and such. It was very ambitious for us to do this, because we only had 1 week and a half let’s say to film with a simple 1080p camera and some lights that our friends had. A very DIY experience.
It’s still in post-production, but soon, the movie shall be seen in all its glory.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My “art” is just ideas and doodles of music. Sometimes I am lucky and I have a complete song, but that happens maybe once a year :)))). As for inspirations, of course I have musical heroes like Neil Peart, Phil Collins and Bill Bruford, but maybe the most important are the ones from my family: my father and my brother.
My father has a big musical collection, so he has a artsy head. He always pushed me to be the best, especially regarding the drums or piano, because he doesn’t want me to be like every other person, he wanted me to be creative, to have fun, and of course to learn. At first I didn’t get it, why he wanted me to do these things so badly, and I kind of reacted in the opposite way he wanted, but now I know. He always knew my potential.
My brother has been active in bands and such since he was 15(he is 10 years older than I am). And for the past 2 years, with the band he is in, HVNDS, he has achieved relative success. Their concert promoting the launch of their album “Animal” was one of the best concert experiences I have ever been to. Even though I don’t listen that much to that type of metal that they do, I loved it. Amazing visuals, beautifully choreographed, just, just, really good. And he knows music well, he always helps me with ideas, and comes to me for opinions and such. And seeing him do so well, and be so happy, doing what he loves, I always wonder: Maybe I could do that as well. I would like it really much.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Bringing together people.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Word of mouth will always be the best in my opinion. People, usually when they have a choice to buy something from an artist or get it for free, they will choose the free option. So, spreading the word helps a lot more and with more and more people, the artist gets a lot of support.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/atfio.rbemret/
• Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/andrei-robert-maftei-432321263

Image Credits
Toma Chimoiu Robert Maftei Anghel Grigorescu Vlad Bazga Robert Vesler Ana Moldoveanu Catalin Maftei Ana Moldoveanu