Animation so far.
I was always thinking in each project I wanted to do an animation, but always contradicted myself with other thoughts like "there's no time", "how am I gonna do it?". It might not be the best animation in the world, but that's how people begin... It's like drawing: it's all about practice and not being afraid of white pages. How can you become better at something if you don't try? (those were my thoughts when I began this project ;p)
So, the animation workshop at school left me thinking you can make a non-perfect animation. I wanted to experiment with movement and spots.
One of my influences is Anna Ginsburg, again, with her short animations per day. And also Michèle Cournoyer with her short animation "Le Chapeau" (the hat), where she bases the story in lines that transform in different parts of the body. Very expressive.
I also have recently watched an animation by Caroline Leaf called The Street. She's very experimental in her animations and uses different materials to make them. I love the feeling this one has. She used paint with glycerine on glass.
The nightmare
Section 1 Progress and Achievement
At Foundation I have learned about the importance of experimentation, of research and process. That an idea can overcome the skill of drawing, that the craft feeling is still important. It’s in the process where we get many ideas, but if we are not keeping track of it, then we’ll miss the opportunity of creating something new.
Section 2 Context
During these course I became very interested in experimental stop-motion after watching the work from Anna Ginsburg, studying at Foundation two years ago. Investigating about her work, I came to know animators like PES and get into short experimental films. Some of the works that have had an impact on me are the animations from Jan Svankmajer, Synesthesia (2007) from Terri Timely and Les Kiriki acrobates japonais (1907) by Segundo de Chomón and films like Requiem for a Dream (2000), Persépolis (2007), The Triplets of Belleville (2003), Perfect Blue (1998) and some from Hayao Miyazaki. Most of them gave me some sort of disturbing feeling, and specially the one from Requiem for a Dream or Svankmajer made me think of a nightmare.
Western Spaghetti (2008) by PES (Adam Pesapane). He uses common material to represent other objects and make his animations.
Photo available from http://www.seriouseats.com/2008/07/in-videos-western-spaghetti-by-pes-stop-motion.html>
Darkness Light Darkness (1989) by Jan Svankmajer. His work is very surreal and disturbing.
Photo available from http://www.animationblog.org/2008/07/jan-svankmajer-darkness-light-darkness.html>
Synesthesia (2007) by Terri Timely.
Photo available from http://www.booooooom.com/2009/06/21/synesthesia-by-terri-timely/>
Les Kiriki acrobates japonais (1907) by Segundo de Chomón.
Photo available from http://lesbranquignoles.blogspot.com/2008/11/les-kiriki-acrobates-japonais.html>
Les Triplets of Belleville (2003) by Sylvain Chomet.
Photo available from http://www.flixster.com/photos/the-triplets-of-belleville-the-triplets-of-belleville-10869494>
Section 3 Project Proposal Aims, Methods and Realisation
My purpose is to analyze and comprehend better animation and the surreal and bizarre feeling given when you watch certain short films. One of the methods I thought to achieve this is going into the theme of nightmares. There’s irrationality in our dreams we don’t notice at the moment, people feel and remember nightmares in a way more deeply than normal dreams. I believe this research will help me to give this feeling into an animation.
I will be asking as many people as I can about their dreams and nightmares and will be mapping the dreams of two or three for a period of time. Investigate all I can about nightmares and surreality, watch animations or films related or that give the feeling I’m looking for, go to galleries, expositions or places to take notes of bizarre and strange objects or figures, check daily life for sounds or weird experiences, maybe read some stories, experiment with different materials.
One of my thoughts is that experimental animation certainly gives you this weird feeling, so I’ll be trying different ways to make a stop-motion animation.
It’s in this process of tape recording and using different materials where I hope to generate some ideas, so that in the end, I have either a story or flashes of different feelings together in my final work and a deeper knowledge about the surreal feeling.
Section 4 Evaluation
I will be using a reflective journal, blog and sketchbook to keep record of information, ideas that come to me. I’ll keep taking photos of everything and maybe some videos. I’ll keep with the schedule and try to move with it according to my own deadlines and of course, keep reviewing everything.
Bibliography
- Rees, A.L. (1999), A History of Experimental Film and Video, London, British Film Institute.
- Les Kiriki acrobates japonais (1907), Segundo de Chomón, Pathé Frères, 3 min, [short]
- Perfect Blue (1998), Satoshi Kon, Mad House, 81 min, [Video:DVD]
- Persépolis (2007), Vincent Paronnaud and Marjane Satrapi, 2.4.7. Films, 96 min [Video:DVD]
- Requiem for a Dream (2000), Darren Aronofsky, Artisan Entertainment, 102 min, [Video:DVD]
- The Triplets of Belleville (2003), Sylvain Chomet, Les Armateurs, 78 min, [Video:DVD]
- Darkness Light Darkness (1989), Jan Svankmajer, 6 min, [Video:DVD]
- Synesthesia (2007), Terri Timely, [Online short]. [January 27, 2011]. Available from World Wide Web: http://www.territimely.com/_/v/2-short-films?video_id=34>
- Western Spaghetti (2008), PES, [Online short]. [January 27, 2011]. Available from World Wide Web: http://www.eatpes.com/western_spaghetti.html>
Health & Safety
You must consider the health and safety implications of your project and complete a risk assessment form if necessary.
Please consider the ethical implications of your project and discuss them with your tutor.
Learning Outcomes.
The learner will: have a critical and contextual understanding of different approaches within art and design subjects of study or work.
Assessment Criteria. The learner can:
Describe the critical and contextual perspectives for a project proposal.
Use critical and contextual approaches within the development of a proposed project.
Action Plan Timetable
Level 4 Art & Design Foundation Diploma in Art & Design
Communication pathway
Final Major Project UNIT 7
Camberwell College of Art
Duration of final project 6 weeks. Start Date: 21/02/2011. End Date: 6/04/2011.
