Final animation

Evaluating the module.

Here is my final animation, sound clips are few of my own and other samples pulled from other clips to create a moving awareness video much like Dorothea Lange's intention was. although her main focus was in documentary photography it did raise awareness of what is going on in the world.

The lectures were very informative, i enjoyed the things that i learnt as it backed up my learning practice also, as well as making me aware of different movements and examples of such.

if i was to revisit the module at a later date there are a few things i would change, firstly i would schedule better to allow more time to be devoted to the actual animation so i can fill the whole 30 seconds with animation.

this brings me to the animation i did, there are things that i liked and things that i didn't, the brief states a 10 to 30 second animation. the final cut was 30 seconds but only 10 of which were pure animation, this is what i would change first, because it seems i just couldn't be bothered doing more, which wasn't the case. also the fade out at the end, it would have been nice to gradually simplify the block colour until the character completely disappeared, along side the script 'ignoring me wont make me disappear' this is what I'm most upset about that i didn't have time to do this. the flickering of the eyes was intentional, it shows the fragile existence of the homeless community, that like an old light bulb on the blink, you never really know how long they have, due to the harsh conditions in which they live.

The actual content of the animation (the script) was derived from a conversation i had with a homeless man that me and my drunken friend talked to for about an hour, the stories he told me were incredible, too much to condense into 30 seconds, so instead of representing those questions i stated i was going to ask, i instead created the animation as a brief conclusion of how he was treated and what he thought.

the essay that i submitted was very different for me, as I've never been taught how to write at such a professional level, so the main aspect that was frustratingly annoying is the referencing system and how challenging it was to put it all together. but as far as content goes i am fairly happy with it, but i have been known to waffle, so i am quite apprehensive as to how it turns out.

overall i am fairly happy with the module, i do think my time management skills only developed nearing the end which could have been too late due to the slight rush that i had, but today on deadline day i am quite relaxed because everything is done! so that is another thing i would do in future: implement my new schedule design!

Final style!

Final style shot!

I finally came to a conclusion on the style i wanted, its not too simple, but it also dissipates the features of the human face into block colour, after a process of filtering and going in and editing certain aspects to refine features to allow the animation to run smoothly! now to start animating!

Rotoscoping test shot

Test shot

After much deliberation i thought that this style was a bit too simple, i do want to get the feeling of 'annonymising' the homeless but i fear that the viewer might not see the lips moving s the animation develops!

Lecture 10 - Post Modernism

Lecture 10

Post - Modernism

After the lecture, what does post - modernism mean to me?

• there is a definite shift from modernism to post, which can be distinguished as a reaction to world war 1
• Complexity 
• parody, pastiche and irony
• chaos
• post - modernism questions conventions
• using previous historical art styles in their own post-modern work, not necessarily a response
• questioning old limitations

this lecture cleaned alot more up than i hoped, it explained the way it differs from modernism and i really understood this movement, the complexity, and the chaos, you can see it everywhere. my favourite example is the Beijing Olympic stadium, a very post modernistic building.

it cleared up how confused I was about modernism:

• simplified ideas
• utopian ideals
• simple materials

etc 

Lecture 9 - Modernism

Lecture 9

Modernism

Here is  very thorough analysis of the definition of modernism:

       is the term used to describe the cultural expressions of modernity in relation to the experience of modernity. In essence, there was a ‘utopian’ flavour to the modernist ‘project’. In design, it was agreed that designs should not be illusionary or create false impressions. Modernists embraced new technologies. Also, design initiative had to allow for the mass production of goods – thus, simple forms were preferred over complex ones. The idea that design was functional was of prime importance, a key idea being “Form Follows Function”. The shift away from ornate decoration was politically inspired as fancy decoration and ornamentation was equated with the bourgeoisie and decadent frippery. Modernist philosophies embraced the idea of change for the better. In the aftermath of World War 1 (The Great War 1914-1918), it was felt that such a tragedy and waste of life could not happen again. The feeling therefore in the 1920’s was one of optimism and that modernism would direct the way towards a progressive society. For the modernist, it was an appealing idea that a design/artwork would be instantly recognisable to an international audience. Part of this internationalist tendency derived from the post WW1 attitude towards the need to bring countries together. There was a belief held amongst modernists that design and art could change the way people think. Underlying the Town Planning Movement and mass housing projects was an idea that such projects would improve the public. Modernism was adopted almost as a religion. It constituted a set of beliefs, which sat within a context where people felt they were living in a ‘new age’. The term ‘Zeitgeist’ refers to this feeling of “the Spirit of the Age”. Modernist Critics such as Clement Greenberg championed abstract art above figurative work, but by the late 1960s the dogmatism of modernism came to be challenged by post modernism.

What i have learned from the lecture:


there is a huge religious presents in the modernism movement

the movement is becoming very simplistic and the medium they choose is starting to go in a strange direction, using concrete etc.



i struggled to get my head around this lecture also, and i really didnt get anything out of it, the examples did show a sense of simplicity that was emerging but underlying that was still a very traditional art style.

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Lecture 8 - Communication and Mass Media

Lecture 8

Communication and Mass Media

"In the matter of layout forget art at the start and use horse-sense.  The printing-designer’s whole duty is to make a clear presentation of the message - to get the important statements forward and the minor parts placed so that they will not be overlooked.  This calls for an exercise of common sense and a faculty for analysis rather than for art"

"Whatever the information transmitted, it must,ethically and culturally, reflect its responsibility

to society"

After the lecture, what does communication and mass media mean to me?

• if we strip the phrase to the bare minimum, it is: communicating to the public on a large scale, using media that is sympathetic to the topic at hand
• there are various ways in which mass communication and media are achieved, and not necessarily the mainstream ways you would imagine!
• mass media encompasses every aspect of communication, whether it be illustration, animation, advertising etc.
• pamphlets, bar mats, adverts, radio, tv, internet, billboards. all sail under the flag of mass media.
• the barriers between graphic design, and all principles of art are being increasingly hard to notice.
• it relates to all the other lectures i have attended but it explores the content in a more sympathetic approach.

this lecture was hard to get my head around but overall it was very entertaining, it made me think about the link between all disciplines of art, and how they can merge to communicate through mass media, but also how they stand alone to achieve this.

Lecture 7 - Photography

Lecture 7

Photography

         "In many contexts the notion of a literal and objective record of ‘history’ is a limited illusion. It ignores the entire cultural and social background against which the image was taken, just as it renders the photographer neutral, passive and invisible recorder of the scene. (Clarke:1997:145)"

         "Clarke suggests a set of visual strategies are employed to provoke and emotional response, the kind which might result in charitable giving"

After the lecture, what does photography mean to me?

        To speak of documentary photography (at this point in it’s history) is to run headlong into a morass of contradiction , confusion and ambiguity, a position made more problematic by the way in which the increasing sophistication of visual technology makes it difficult to know what is ‘real’ and and what has been ‘faked’

This lecture really spoke to me because i love to make an impact on the viewer, and these examples were are great example of a very mild shock to an otherwise ignorant viewer. like i stated in previous blog post, i am going to use dorothea lange as inspiration, but instead of making a static response, i want mine to come alive!

Lecture 6 - Advertising

Lecture 6

Advertising 

"often considered as a tool used by capitalism to change established values within society"

"also considered influential in changing our perception in what we may need and want"

After the lecture, what does Advertising mean to me?

• Often used in a more influential way to change current social values and or needs
• some would say it changes us over a long period of time
• often accused of being sexist, presenting a stereotypical views of gender
• but the lecture also sparked a thought that what is sex did actually sell? (not in a prostitution-al kind of way) 
• it drives global economies!
• drives creativity
• advertisements are a artistic representation of making peoples dreams come true
• Art feeds advertisement and visa versa
• it shapes popular culture

So over all, i really enjoyed this lecture, it shows the world of advertising that i wasnt aware existed, it asks questions but answers twice as many, the way it shapes social communities, inspires, and invokes powerful emotions that make people ... Act.

Lecture 5 - Animation

Lecture 5

Animation

"animation is not the art of drawings that move, but the art of movements that are drawn"

"in order to move forward you need to know where you have come from"

Lets begin from the start:

• Animation, is derived from the Latin word 'Animare' which means, to give life to.
• Animation requires an individual to artificially create a series of images that give the illusion that movement has been given to an object or form. 
• This series of images when played back fast enough fools the brain into thinking that movement is taking place.
• This is known as 'persistence of vision!
• Humans have been recording sequential images for over 1000 years, on cave walls, pottery and much more
• slowly the techniques developed into little mechanisms that looped sequences of images
• then as better technology was introduced (and the technology itself sky rocketed) the world of animation changed drastically!
• With the advent of film artists were able to record a series of drawing (frames) to create moving images.

Although animation is my course and i already had various previous presentations and seminars so i am very up to scratch with it. but there were aspects that i did take from it, more so the effect it had on people from the overall animation movement, and how people were fascinated by making their images come to life!

Lecture 4 - Print

Lecture 4

Print

"If it is print then it is seen to be true"

"Documentation. Communication. Reproduction"

"it is correct. it is factual"

After the lecture, what does print mean to me?

• Mass communication!
• Knowledge is power
• the whole kind of theory surrounding print is the ability to make an impact, the ability to mentally subdue a viewer to thinking something you want them to think

i wasnt too keen on this lecture either, as you can see from the lack of lecture notes i have written, i only really got that print was about mass communication and affecting the people, not in a manipulative way, but in a passive way.

Lecture 3 - Illustration

Lecture 3

Illustration - Pictures at Work

"Strategic image making, used within the context of visual communication to convey meaning or concept."

"It is this combination of both an individual visual aesthetic and use of functional visual symbols that allows illustration to communicate both an explicit message whilst also being able to convey more subtle, nuanced or abstract sensibilities."

After the lecture, what does illustration mean to me?

• There is a combination that one must consider to create what is considered a 'good' illustration
• its not the illustration that is the main focus, its the context in which it is created
• With the inclusion of moving image and the web, there is a massive demand for visual content within contemporary media. Brands, publishers, businesses and products are all desperate to develop deep and genuine relationships with consumers.
• no matter whether the skill level is high or not the illustration is good if it combines various different things

There wasnt alot that i took from this lecture purely because my views have been very similar before, such as, the common misconception that something is a 'good' illustration, but there were a few items that i grew fond of that i will keep in mind for the future.

Lecture 2 - Type Production & Distribution

Lecture 2

Type Production & Distribution

"Type is what language looks like"

"Typography is the raft of endowing human language with a durable visual form."

After the lecture, What does Type production and distribution mean to me?

• There is so much to take into account when it comes to type
• Every single character has deep analysis that describe a formula which makes it so appealing
• There are more tricks that meat the eye when it comes to type, such as when the brain can read a text even though the letters in the word are completely scrambled leaving only the first and last letter in the right position, even though it looks like a foreign language, our brains decipher this in a very clever way, it recognizes what word it is just from what letters it contains in a split second
• the definition is: 

1. The art and technique of printing with movable type.

2. The composition of printed material from movable type.

3. The arrangement and appearance of printed matter.

• the technology has developed so much since the early machines that used huge letter blocks to print characters.
• using type can make the difference between a sale and not
• we spend our whole lives using words, and if type can improve our words then the use of type can improve our lives.

There are several things that I have taken from this lecture, such as, that type is a modernist obsession.

And the theory that Type is what language 'Looks' like, I always struggled getting the right type but I think it has opened my eyes to certain possibilities.

500 Word Essay Comparing The Hand and Surogat!

There are several elements that distinctly tell these animations apart, also a few more subtle things. In this short essay we will investigate both animations in a technical and psychological view. I will try not to put a biased view on the analysis due to the lack of fondness I have for one due to its underlying messages.

                Firstly lets introduce the animations themselves, The Hand by Jiri Trnka from 1965, a very politically smelling animation that describes a disconcerting protest against authoritative violence, human rights and freedom. The plot is as follows: a puppet like humanoid is determined to make a plan pot for his flower but is beset by the ever lingering Hand which is much larger than him that makes him instead construct a monument towards it.

                If we analyse this animation it is a very political protest, as it was created in Czechoslovakia who have suffered as a nation, the animation seems to be a submission of rebellion, the way the characters act, especially the hand with its strong presents and its aggressive controlling behaviour, show the struggle that the country could have experienced. But what gives this away is towards the end, a very powerful gesture that resembles that of Adolf Hitler, the arm extended cast outright, which is a big give away that the animation is a plea for awareness of the matters at hand.

                This brings me to the second animation in question, Dusan Vukotic and Zagreb Film, Surogat (Ersatz), 1961. A brief summary of the plot is this: a very plump looking man (bearing in mind this was animated using a very simple look using block colour and basic textures) drives to the beach, and everything he brings is inflatable, he pumps everything up to enjoy his time at the beach. Including his companion, but after disapproving of her physical appearance he decides to pump a different companion up.

                Similarly to the previous animation, it does hold a very strong social protest, this word also being used to describe The Hand. this protest is the uprising of sexism in culture across the country/ the world, if we look at the animation, the main male character dislikes the look of his companion so he blows a different one up, this is very controversial due to the social aspect of that era, the tradition of being married by your parents has started dissipating and the option of choosing your life partner more predominant, it seems as though this animation encapsulates this but also infers various stereotypes.

                The first stereotype is that of the newly blown up companion, this character is very arrogant and goes for an equally arrogant character, a muscular male, rather than the ‘less than muscular’ protagonist, this also brings us on to the issue of appearance and how people judge eachother on their appearance and that when you marry someone it is based on looks, this is not the case.

                So both animations have a very strong message that are very different but can be related by its following of the time, and what is happening socialy and politically, this is seen a lot in animation and these two animations are a very good example.