Fall2015_Experimental_Animation

Friday, December 18, 2015

actual final version

Imagination - final from Emily Waters on Vimeo.

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Monday, December 14, 2015

Sunday, December 13, 2015

Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Joel makes his teddy bear go through an existential crisis for your entertainment.

Monday, December 7, 2015

Linear Seduction draft # 2

linear_seductioncut2 from gabby meyer on Vimeo.

Saturday, December 5, 2015

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

bird/horse/man character to animate

Things That Rise (animation audio)

play the second file (#2) - this is the intro, titled "02 things that rise intro! meet judge raincoat"

landscape with chicken man

this is a jpg of the layers of landscape that will become an animated space using camera zoom in after effects

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7l8W23oX066TjM3eVBCcTRPSGc/view?usp=sharing

Monday, November 2, 2015

Animated Place-Edited

Animated Place Final from Elise Haadsma on Vimeo.

Sunday, November 1, 2015

Animate a Place - Edited Version

AnimatePlace_Edit from Michelle Lan on Vimeo.

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Monday, October 26, 2015

Joel Reynolds Tries to Animate a place?

Animate a Place

Kaleidoscope from Elise Haadsma on Vimeo.

Animate a place - version 2

animated place final from Emily Waters on Vimeo.

Animate a Place - Final

AnimatePlace_Final from Michelle Lan on Vimeo.

place project

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQimvO-FEXA

Animate a Place - Final

Animate a Place from Jacob Dwyer on Vimeo.

Animate A Place With Sound

animateaplace_soundv1 from zoë widmer on vimeo.

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Zoë Widmer Animate a Place

animateaplacev3 from zoë widmer on vimeo.

Kaleidoscope

kaleidoscope from Elise Haadsma on Vimeo.

Animate a Place - Round 1

animated_place from Emily Waters on Vimeo.

A series of cinemagraphs

Animate a Place - Draft

Animate a Place - Draft from Michelle Lan on Vimeo.

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

The One Where Rachael Does Some Comparing

"Words, Words, Words" by Michaela Pavlatova is an exploration into the different ways in which human interaction and relationships function... and don't function. Many of the exchanges depicted throughout the animation were humorous because we can see that they are not what we deem to be healthy forms of interaction, yet we recognize them because we either partake in them ourselves, or see them being practiced by others on a daily basis. In many cases, these relationships shouldn't work but do work, while in others, they just pain don't work. "Mythopolis" also dealt with different types of inter-personal relationships and the ways that they function. It featured many facets of a loving relationship between a mother and her son, and the mother's search to find herself a partner so that her son may be able to experience the relationship between a father and his son. We were able not only to witness her interactions with a dud of a candidate, but also see glimpses into several strangers' personal relationships in their own homes through their briefly opened doorways. Both animations did this without the use of any actual words (aside from the occasional "Mino!") and instead conveyed mood and information purely through the animation and the style choices. Both used simplistic art styles, though "Words, Words, Words" was more stylized and definitely rougher, using a very line-heavy approach.

Comparison: Past and Present Czech Animations

The differences in technique and tone are very drastic when comparing Czech animated films pre- and post Communist rule. In “The Hand”, we saw the artist represented by a literal puppet of the state struggling to keep something very dear to him safe from the oppressive rule of the floating hand which represents the communist regime. The mood of the piece is dark and foreboding, with little color or joy expressed by the artist character. It is not difficult to interpret this film as being critical of the state. Much of the work we saw from the period of communist rule is very critical of the government and the limitations on free speech imposed by the government.

In the later films we saw, this sense of grim criticism is nowhere to be seen. In films like “Swimming Pool” and “Mythopolis”, we see animations with loose, cartoonish styles and whimsical stories. The colors are bright and the ideas are original and creative. The characters are not required to be criticisms or representations of any larger themes; in most of these films, it is enough for the characters to simply interact with each other and their environments. It is evident from these later films that animation has been thriving and animators have learned much from those who used the art form to criticize their leaders.

Joel Trying to Compare and Contrast

The Hand” by Jiri Tnkra and “Punch and Judy” By Martin Maj

Stop motion animation in my own opinion is one of the purest forms of animation. The goal of all animation is to give the impression of life and energy to something that does not actually have it. The audience should be able to read real emotions and desires on an inanimate object, and two great examples of this are “The Hand” by Jiri Tnkra and “Punch and Judy” By Martin Maj.

“The Hand” is a story about a small puppet being harassed by a strange giant hand, forcing him to do work he does not want to do. The puppet never speaks, not does it show any emotion through his expressions. The puppet used does not have any malleable features, meaning it can’t be manipulated to show much emotion. However, his emotions come from his actions, the simple act of re-potting his plant shows us all the information we need. A similar method is used in “Punch and Judy” Where 2 clown puppets preform in a violent slapstick show, even though they would rather not. and while the clowns have clay facial features that allow for more expressions, they still display their character through simple actions. For instance, a loving embrace is a you need to get the relationship between the two dolls. While the more expressive facial features on the clowns does give them more to play off of and react to, the simple upper in “The Hand” can still get across just as much character and emotion.

Besides the emotions, a lot can be told visually through the colors and lighting of the sets. While both animations use lots of empty dark space, “The Hand” has a very intimate use of space while “Punch and Judy” is incredibly minimal, and both choices benefit the story they are trying to tell. “The Hand” is all about the puppets personal space and his own sense of independence, and the detailed set with warm colors only added to that. The void on the outside of his home helps represent how he wants to be left alone to his devices. And the dark oppressive minimalism of set works to benefit the feeling of isolation and the loom threat of the controlling puppet-master. The way the sets are built and lighted in live action cultivates a feeling that can’t always be caught by 2D or 3D drawn animations.

Both animations use everything to their advantage to make something more than just a silly cartoon, They tell a compelling narrative rooted in emotion and action. While one use the environment and sets to their advantage, the other uses expressions and mood to paint a setting and leave a lasting impression in all who view it.

czech animation: past and present

Czech Animation: Past and Present

The transition from communist rule to a democratic nation created social and cultural changes within the Czech Republic. Although I am not knowledgeable about the details of Czech history, it is clear that the Czech animation practices before and after communist rule express distinctive attitudes. Here I will compare and contrast Words, Words, Words (1991) by Michaela Pavlatova, and Swimming Pool (2010) by Alexandra Hetmerova.

During communist times, the arts in Czechoslovakia were particularly affected by censorship. The Hand (1965) by Jiri Trnka illustrates the government’s control over the artists through the metaphor of “the hand”, which literally uses the artist as a puppet for their political message. The mood of Words, Words, Words is also darkly comical in nature. The scene at a restaurant exposes the meaning behind exchanges of dialogue by representing spoken words with cartoons and accompanying noises. Similarly to how Trnka used the metaphor of the hand to expose the invisible forces of control, Pavlatova visualizes dialogue as images to express their meaning. Though the film moves from table to table, exploring the varying conversations at each, the narrative focuses in on the waiter and his preoccupied love-interest. The film ends with a courting gentleman running out in a huff, leaving the woman for whom the waiter longs alone at her table. The waiter approaches her with a puzzle piece lost from thread of conversation she’d had with the other man. When he “speaks” the puzzle piece, it fits perfectly to complete the puzzle-conversation from before. Relieved and enlightened, the woman runs off in search of her courter, instead of the waiter who had spoken the kind words. We are left to sympathize with his feeling of unrequited love. As with The Hand, things did not work out in the end for our protagonist. Although ending darkly, Words, Words, Words is strongly supported with comedy, which might point towards the imminent mood of post-communist era animation that would exude whimsy and joviality.

Swimming Pool expresses a carefree, fun attitude that reflects a post-communist, free education Czech culture. The vibrant drawing, saturated colors and smooth, clean lines are exuberant, unlike the sketchy animation and faded bleak colors of Words, Words, Words. The narrative follows a lonely man who stumbles upon a woman in a swimming and falls in love. Their love, while complicated by their anatomical differences (he turns out to be part-horse, she is a mermaid), does
not lessen their bond.

While Swimming Pool differs greatly in tone from Words, Words, Words it is important to acknowledge the similarities present between each. In terms of narrative, both explore close personal relationships among characters that appear to be lonely outsiders. Both narratives are reinforced by visual styles that match the mood of the film, and neither use spoken language, but rather employ sound effects to convey words.

Trnka's Ruka vs. Maj's Punch and Judy

Ruka vs. Punch and Judy

There were two animated films we watched in class that stood out to me most: Trnka’s Ruka (The Hand) and Martin Maj’s Punch and Judy. Both seemed to include a sense of animated interaction between human and puppet forms, though they each went about it rather differently. In Trnka’s, we see the puppet interacting with a human hand, whereas in Maj’s we see a full human form interacting with the puppet. But both films seem to uphold a sort of “Tom and Jerry” dynamic where there is a constant chase between characters. In Trnka’s film, the hand is relentless in trying to control the puppet staged as an artist. In Punch and Judy, it seems as if the puppets are seeking vengeance upon their puppeteer. Although I would classify both films as disturbing, I found Trnka’s so be far more disturbing than Maj’s.

I deeply appreciate art that contains a political agenda, as many of my own pieces contextually allude to politics. I saw Maj’s piece as disturbing in a comedic, lighthearted way, whereas Trnka’s film addressed a current issue that was devastating his homeland. As an artist working under the communist regime in Czechoslovakia, Trnka first hand experienced the pitfalls of totalitarianism. To me, this piece was far more powerful than that of Maj’s. Visually it was just as interesting as Trnka’s, but in terms of my own personal taste, it was lacking, conceptually.

Compare and Contrast

In Words Words Words by Pavlatova and in Swimming Pool by Hetmerova sound is critical to the development of the story. Obviously, in Words Words Words it's what the whole story revolves around the way people talk and how conversations evolve. The background smooth jazz may seem secondary in comparison to the sounds of the "speaking" but it controls the atmosphere of the cafe that the story takes place in, without it the whole thing would read completely differently.

Likewise in Swimming Pool the music is what guides the story. Perhaps to a greater degree than it does in Words Words Words, as the characters are synced to it when they swim together. The swimming itself becomes a form of communication between the two, much like in Words where communication is the central theme. The two bridge interspecies gaps with their joint love of swimming; it's like their puzzle piece speech bubble seen in Words, except without the whole fight thing happening.

Comparison: "Words Words Words" and "Alien"

In “Words Words Words” by Michaela Pavlatova, the use of sound is one of the main points of interest. Pavlatova implements sound effects and incoherent sounds made by the human voice to describe what is being said. For instance, when the couple is first shown in the film, their voices sing in harmony without using words, implying that they are getting along and agreeing. Another example is when the two men are yelling at each other, the sound of harsh drums and thumps is heard. These noises, paired with the visual of the two men angrily arguing, makes it clear what kinds of things are being said, without explicitly using dialogue. I find it incredibly clever and creative to have a film about words where not a single actual word is uttered throughout the entire short.

Similarly, Martin Máj replaces the use of language with sound in his short film called “Alien”. The short film is about being in a foreign land and the loneliness that accompanies not knowing the language. “Alien”, like “Words Words Words”, is all about conversation and language, yet no true words are exchanged; rather, the tone of voice and mood of the sound conveys the meaning. When the main character is trying to communicate, his inquiring tone is met with the sound of static coming from the foreigners around him. This piece is very successful in replicating the feeling of frustration at speaking and not being understood by those around you.

The two animations share themes of communication and sound, however they contrast in the way they were visually animated. Pavlatova’s film changes angles and perspectives many times, while Maj’s film is more linear in it’s storyline. In addition, Pavlatova animated in a more three dimensional and hand drawn style than Maj, who chose to make the animation quite two dimensional and almost collage-like.

Compare/Contrast "Words Words Words" and "Mythopolis"

At first glance, it seems as though Michaela Pavlatova's "Words Words Words" and Alexandra Hetmerova's "Mythopolis" have a lot in common. Visually, they are both animated using an illustration-like flat 2D style, as opposed to stop motion puppetry. The storyline or plot of both animations are also centered around everyday human interactions and behaviors. "Mythopolis" shows the relationship between parent and child as well as romantic relationships between adults. "Words Words Words" incorporates romantic relationships as well many others, but the emotions that each character expresses are more direct and straight to the point. There may not be a specific problem to solve or mission to accomplish, but you still feel closure at the end when everybody leaves the cafe.

The color scheme of "Words Words Words" include very muted and dark shades of color, giving the animation a depressing and ominous mood. The interactions are raw and gritty and center around conversations in a cafe. They almost seem like an exaggerated caricature of behavior and emotion that happen everyday. On the other hand, "Mythopolis" is saturated in very bright, vibrant colors that seem as if the characters live in a child-like quirky world. It referenced characters from Greek myths and previous animated videos, which added to the fun light-hearted feel. Even though there's a clear plot line which focused on three main characters, their personalities didn't seem as fleshed out as those in "Words Words Words."

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Eliska Decka-Witt Visitor Oct 12, 2015

Here is some info about Eliska and the films she showed yesterday. She will be presenting a lot of the same contemporary animations in New York City on Wed. Oct 14 as part of Animation Nights New York at Fulton Stall Market

This presentation is sponsored by ASIFA-East (Animation Community for New York and the East Coast)

Eliska's Aniscreen Facebook page is here