This post is to display the photos and videos that I have taken and recorded from the Hull City of Culture 2017:
This Video is of one of the Introduction Events at Queen Victoria Square for Hull City of Culture 2017.
This Video is of one of the Introduction Events at The Deep for Hull City of Culture 2017.
This blog post will focus on Pixar Studios and the reason for this is they use lots of modern and old fashion animation software and techniques so they are an interesting group to actually look into. It also helps that they were in the news today as well.
Pixar uses a wide range of technologies for animating their films such as maya which is a 3D software that is used to create models of the various objects from characters to buildings. Maya allows the user to create not only shapes and models but also allows them to animate them in various ways such as manipulating the physics of the environment and adding a skeleton to the objects then artificial muscles to simulate the actual movement of the characters. The software also allows rendering of the characters and objects created within. Although Disney only uses this software to create their characters, the export the shapes and models to another software called Marionette. I would consider using this software but unfortunately it is very expensive for me to actually use at the current moment the software is about £30.00 a month for the basic such as the simple motion skeleton feature for the characters and the £204.00 a month for everything. So while I could actual use the software if I do decide to go down this route of the animation industry, I may not be able to completely benefit from a version that offers the basic features.
Directindustry
Not much is known about Marionette except that it was produced by Disney/Pixar for private use and is not for public sale and that it can be used for recreating the traditional Cel animations as well as it been used to animate modern Pixar films that have been transferred over from Maya since it does a better job at capturing the motions of characters in the correct way and that it is easier to do so then on Maya. The software is then transferred over to Disney’s RenderMan. I will not be able to look into getting this software for my project even if I did consider doing 3D project work since it is for Disney/Pixar use only and they have never released this software to the public.
Disney’s RenderMan is a public animation rendering software that is used to finalise the skins of the environments, objects and the characters and is up for sale to the public. An example of this could is Sully’s fur in Monster Inc and its prequel Monster University, other examples that I could look at are Finding Dory (Her Scales and pattern on them) and Cars (The wind and weeds). I may look into getting a copy of render man if I decide to go toward the 3D aspect of Animation, since it offers some of the best skins and rendering possible in this industry, the software its self comes in two forms, RenderMan 21 that comes with everything that disney uses (The price of this depends on what features you want though) and the second offer is that Students and Educators can get the Non-Commercial version of RenderMan for free.
This Image belongs to Pixar and community.renderman.pixar.com
http://pixar-animation.weebly.com/three-dimensional-computer-animation.html
Here are last few examples of visual media I will use in this study of Acting, Aesthetics and Audience:
Gobelin’s Animation School:
I have chosen this because while it is a big Animation school, the animations that are produced via this academic facility aren’t exactly public knowledge due to the industry only been run by major companies such as Disney and Dreamworks. While they aren’t exactly well known, the animations that are produced are extremely interesting and inspiring for my own project.
I chose this animation for several reason’s the first been that the actual actions of the characters within this animation are done beautifully, they smooth, well placed and display what happens with in this small cafe really well. The actions allow the target audience to see that the cafe is not only always like this but allows them to actually feel what is happening within the cafe along with all the characters that are actually there at the time. This can be seen with the evening scene that is briefly shown during the animation, the environment was filled with emotion and this in return was passed onto the target audience. The colours used within this story were also a great contributing factor to the actual animation. For example at the beginning of the actual animation the colours used were that of ones that had a close representation to the actual morning. What I mean by this in order for them to capture the true feel of the cafe going by a full day is that they have to capture the true essence of those times of the day, so the colours as the day progress go from light to dark e.g. a very light blue by end of the day in the animation has become a dark one.
What also makes this animation very dramatic and effective on the target audience is the actual narrative of the animation, which like I have stated previously is a average day at a cafe but what makes this so interesting is that how the events that occur in the actual cafe rapidly change. That is what draws us in as the target audience to the actual animation because the story line implies that the events that occur within that single day are what happen every other day and that nothing ever happens that changes this. But as the animation goes on there are implications that each day has it’s own unique appearance and events that make this little cafe interesting for both the owners and their customers. This makes the target audience want to watch this animation again and see if there are anymore based on this single story-line that is so basic. I will need to consider this in my own animation for this project since I need to make an interesting animation that supplies plenty of Acting in the forms of Dramatic Impetus and Emotive context but isn’t very predictable. This story line seems to scream this though, so I might need to take a page out this animators book.
I chose this animation because it is very unique and breaks the expectations of the animation right there and then once the story starts. Once the target audience watches this animation they are completely enthralled by it. This is because of the story lines complete randomness in it’self. It starts with two snotty french women who think that the medieval era was boring and no one knew how to have fun but this is derailed by all the exhibits coming to life and proving them wrong. Not only does it draw people in but it makes it fun in doing so by making all the characters actions to this strange event perfect, the shock and confusion seen in this scene is beautifully done. What is also very interesting about the story line of this animation is that in a sense the actual animation is factual and aims to show how opinions have changed after hundreds of years and this is hinted with not only the women’s disgust but also some of the art pieces that come to life, a lot of them are quite sexual in nature.
The music used within this animation, personally reminds me of Disney’s Fantasia, so the animators of this project may have taken inspiration form this and several other medieval based visual media. The upbeat tune fits the animation perfectly it helps highlight the mischief that the medieval exhibits perform around the tourists and the members of staff on duty at the time of the event.
Here are some more example of Symbolism, Composition, Style and Colour within the Visual Media industry:
Ghostbusters:
I have chosen Ghostbusters for several reasons, mainly for the fact that again most people are familiar with it in general, specially since the reboot has come out that was produced by Sony. The film contains lots of information that can be extremely handy for my project.
First of all the strongest moment of symbolism within this clip is the positron collider and grey jumpsuits, which is the iconic symbol or prop of the Ghostbusters franchise. When people see it they know that the Ghostbusters are here to catch a ghost or save the world from a paranormal phenomenon. When the target audience see these things it is a sign for them to cheer as they realize the Ghostbusters are here. The get up of the Ghostbusters can also be used to catch the attention of the target audience as their appearance isn’t something that you usually see for a hero or a member of the public services, so their appearance spike curiosity for those in the target audience who are seeing the film for the first time.
The colours used within the film are also very interesting. For example the colour of the Jump suits, you could argue that the grey colour is used to represent the dead, which is a very clever idea, if you think about it because the Ghostbusters catch ghosts and in a sense they are returning the dead to were they belong like Funeral ushers. You could argue that the rest of colours used in the film are used to represent the dead or supernatural occurrences since the film revolves around it, but at the same time it could have been used to foreshadow the actual fall of new York to the Ghosts. I will have to remember this later on when I am doing my animation for this project. For example I could use the colour to highlight keep moments within the animation so that I can strengthen them so that the target audience can feel their effects a lot more effectively.
The acting of the cast within this film are done brilliantly by Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis in this scene, they capture not only the urgency of capturing the ghost but also the relaxed nature of the characters at the same time. This is shown with actions of the character Peter Vankman who, while the characters are moving the tables out of the way to set up the Ghost Trap, Vankman decides to do the famous magician trick of pulling the table cloth of the table while having it still set. This is used to bring laughs to the target audience in a tense but slightly dangerous scene, that the Ghostbusters are unfamiliar with since it is one of the first ghost cases they deal with.
I will have to carefully remember, how the actions of a character can influence the story of the animation as well as the audience, So when I design the storyboard of the animation I will have to remember this and find a way how I can influence the story effectively as well as the target audience that the animation is aimed at. I will have to be careful though because some actions of other characters can be consider quite insulting to other so I will have to be careful when I do animate the character/s.
Gremlins:
Now I chose gremlins for two reasons both been seen as symbols in there own rights in the film. The first been that Gizmo is the iconic symbol of the franchise since he is not only the main character but he is technically the cause of the story as well as beloved for his adorable appearance and nature. The second one is the three rules when owning a Mogwai, which are Don’t expose them to bright lights, don’t get them wet and don’t feed them after midnight.
I chose this clip from the first movie showing this because it is used to create curiosity within the target audience due to the fact that now that they have been given the rules for owning a Mogwai, they want to know what would happen if any one of these rules was broken. This is also used to create a sense of for shadowing in film since the rules are broken later on and the audiences curiosity is satisfied when they find out the consequences with the creations of the Gremlins. Going back to Gizmo, his general nature and appearance is what draws in the target audience making them believe that he is no risk to them and this helps makes the story move along especially when the Gremlins appear before their mutation happens. At first when you see the gremlins you think that they are the same as Gizmo in every-way since they look like him and this lures the target audience into a false sense of security but after a while these (What Appear to be other) Mogwai start to show behavior patterns that don’t fit the nature of Gizmo. Making the audience to start question what is different about them from Gizmo at the same time of the main characters. The audience is later completely thrown off when the mutation happens and the gremlins are revealed to be as ugly outside as they are inside.
The sound effects of this clip are also quite interesting, straight away with gizmo he makes sound that fit his characters and greatly effect the actions of both the characters and the target audience. But what I want to focus on the most in this bit of research is the actual use of music in this clip. It is supposed to be quite creepy in a sense to create a form of not only suspense and curiosity but also a moment of uneasiness within the characters and the target audience. This will be handy to remember, that an unnerving feeling can be easily created by the actions of a simple song, I will need to maybe consider this for an idea that I have recently had for my project, but I will discuss this later on.
Here are some more examples for my research, this section will focus more on sound effects and music then the previous version:
Sonic the Hedgehog:
Now most people are familiar with the Blue Blur, especially since it is his 25th Anniversary this year. While Sonic is known for fast paced levels and witty lines, he is also known for his music especially since he went 3D. His music since his turn is often written by the Japanese music group Crush 40 and in more recent years has been done by various other artists. One of his more original soundtracks during his origin years in Sonic 3 was written by Micheal Jackson.
Yes these two song are basically the same, the only difference is that one has been altered for a more modern Sonic Game. The first video is the original version of this soundtrack written and performed by Crush 40, which was developed for the first level called City Escape of the hero campaign of Sonic Adventure 2 Battle. The reason why I chose this out of all the sonic songs that have been created is that this is one of the most popular due to it’s up beat rhythm and crisps lyrics as well as it describing part of Sonic’s personality perfectly to the newer gamers that have picked up the game. The song also suits the Level really well because the level is awfully colourful and cheerful as well regardless of all the enemies that it actual possess and together they create one of the most popular levels in the Sonic Universe…. well until you get the giant G.U.N. lorry at the end of the level that tries running you down. The song is that effective at getting the target audience pumped and drawn into the game that most often find themsleves singing along with the actual lyrics while playing that very level. This game also broke the common convention with music for gaming levels instead of having basic songs that gave an idea about the level, it utilizes a proper sound track. This was hardly done during the early 2000’s since games were only starting to become 3D.
The second video like stated previously is another version of the City escape soundtrack that was written and performed again by Crush 40 to celebrate Sonic’s 20th Anniversary. The song was used in Sonic Generations, the first Sonic game to unite Modern Sonic with his past self, Classic Sonic to fix the broken/erased timeline by reliving their most memorable levels both in Modern and Classic Style. The song was used for a classic adaptation of City Escape, while Crush 40 did perform a Modern Sonic version, I personally and several others believe that the classic version is a lot better. The actual beat of this version of Escape from the City is a lot more livelier than it’s predecessor and has a lot more beat to it which helps get not only Classic Sonic moving but also the target audience as well.
Star Wars:
Star Wars, one of the most iconic and popular Space Opera Genre series around today, that is still capturing the attention of the target audience in the next generation. I chose this for many reason such as the are many symbols within the series it’s self such as the lightsaber, which not only represents the weapon of both the Jedi and the Sith but it also represents balance of the force as well and the personality of a person. For example the blue lightsaber can mean peace and serenity, while green can mean balance and hope, red has no meaning because the crystals are artificially grown, although many argue that the colour actual means rage and anger or the craving for power.
The main point why I chose this is because while the lightsaber is a good example of symbolism in film, I did state that this blog post will focus on the music of animations, films etc. So lets focus on this shall we, I chose this clip from Return of the Jedi for several reason and first one is that once we hear the music straight away we know that Lord Vader is here and that if we do anything that he finds annoying he will most likely force choke us. This is used not only to announce the appearance of the fallen Jedi Anakin Skywalker to the audience but it is also used to create a form of weak fear since Sith Lords are supposed to be feared in the Star Wars mythology. This fear is seen mostly in the characters but it sometime can be felt by the target audience watching the films as well. The music if you listen carefully is also used to subtlety hint that Anakin is still redeemable i within the actual song. There are slight clues within it after the major beats that do indicate that Anakin waves between the Light and Dark side since he found out that he still has a Son even after he lost Padame, so he hasn’t lost very thing due to Palpatine’s treachery.
Both of these songs reveal a lot about how music is an important part of visual media and how it can help the story within them move along effectively and clearly. So in my case I am going to have to find both effective music and sound effects to help successfully bring the animation for my acting, aesthetics and audience project to life, although in some cases scenes don’t always need music, the sound effects themselves bring out the true narrative of the story and bring the emotions of the animation to life.
Here are some of the recording I took for my dramatic impetus and Emotive Context:
These recordings where all taken so that I could study how the walking of different people shows dramatic impetus and emotive context. All this clips show a wide range of this people who walk with limps suggest that they have sustained quite an injury either from a sports accident or they fought in a war or just from old age. This carets a motion often to feel sorry for the character who is limping. On the other hand ones who walks quite quickly suggest that they are very healthy and this brings a smile or even a laugh to the face of those who see it especially if they are children.
Here is the next section of my Dramatic Impetus and Emotive Context Research:
The Cobbler:
The Cobbler is a Adam Sandler film that is based on the old business of Cobblers, Sandler plays a Cobbler who’s family has been blessed with a magical sole repair machine but doesn’t know until his own model gets damaged. Once he starts to realizes that his families old machine makes the shoes it repairs magical, allowing him to take on the appearance of the original owners, he starts to use them for his own personal gain and eventually to help others. One of the strongest example of dramatic impetus and emotive context in this film is actually when Sandler puts on his customers shoes, they use his red scarf to indicate which person Sandler actually is during the film as you can see within this clip. This is used constantly throughout the film which is handy especially when Sandler gets into fights with certain character who he has repair shoes for. This is used to create humor within the film by using not only Sandler’s curiosity to feel what it’s like it is in another persons shoes but also using humor to between exactly the same character. The film also uses music to indicate dramatic impetus and emotive context, the music reveals not only Sandler’s family with a Jewish theme beat, which reveals his family has a Jewish history but it also has an up beat tune to it revealing Sandler’s mischievous side in the film.
X-Men Apocalypse:
X-Men Apocalypse is the last X-Men First Class Cast film. Why I chose this trailer of the film is because trailers are a excellent example of dramatic impetus and emotive context. The reason behind this is the directors of the film choose which scenes and sound effects in the film are best to draw the attention of the target audience in with when they put the clip together. This clip out of all the trailers for X-Men Apocalypse so far is the best example due to the fact that it shows so much dramatic content from the film but still doesn’t reveal the entire film to audience. For example one of the most dramatic parts in the trailer is near the very end where you have Mystique asking the young X-Men team specifically Cyclops if they are all right and how did they escape. This is quite a dramatic moment due to the fact that the worried expression and well as shock on Mystique’s face shows how much she cares for her friends students and the look of relief on Cyclops’s and the rest of the X-Men’s faces shows they are relieved to see her. The dramatic moment is deepened even more when Cyclops replies that they had a little help and the scene changes to reveal a hand sprouting three blades. Not only does the suspense suddenly build up for Cyclops comment but the sudden appearance of that had suggest one of the most popular X-men in the franchise which is Wolverine, it draws in the target audience and the music during that sequence makes the animation appear even more dramatic.
I have decided that the non fiction animation will be based on the Bullying:
The reason for this is that it has a wide subject area to cover and I have some what of an experience in it since, i was often a victim to bullying. There are also hundred of sources on bullying all over the internet, Tv, books etc.
Sighs of Bullying:
Risks for the children who bully:
Effects on children who witness bullying:
Question that you should ask one’s self:
Things that can be done to stop bullying:
Non-Fiction Animation is an animation that is based or uses an actual event or source from the actual world not something made up. Theses animations can have various themes/genres such as documentaries, educational, campaigns etc. Example of this are below:
Waltz with Bashir” – Creative Non-fiction/docudrama
http://youtu.be/hLkwfsFzrJw – Trailer
Dan Pink and RSA Animate – “The Surprising Truth of What Motivates Us”
http://youtu.be/u6XAPnuFjJc – Full Lecture 11 minutes
Jerry Levitan, Josh Raskin and illustrators James Braithwaite & Alex Kurina
“I Met The Walrus” – John Lenon interviewed by the then 14 yr old Levitan
in 1969, animated in 2007 (38 years later), Emmy winning, Oscar Nominated.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmR0V6s3NKk – 5 minutes
“REDD” – Animated Enviromental Message from the Shroom Studio project.
http://www.shroomstudio.com/p-un-redd.html – Micro Short – 1 minute.
1946, Kimberly-Clark/Kotex/Disney , Docudrama – “The Story of Menstruation”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Story_of_Menstruation – 10 minute Film
A beautiful and simple animated biography of Kate Bush from the Why Music Matters website – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0716jHgNyU
1918, Windsor McKay – “The Sinking of The Lusitania” – Animated News film
http://youtu.be/nN-KdPBhyjc – Silent, with Text Boards.
“Our Friend The Atom” – Part 3
http://youtu.be/rrJITqoa1M0 – the animation starts about 3 minutes in…
and the links on my hesiranimation blog pages on the link below:
http://hesiranimation.wordpress.com/category/17-non-fiction-animation/
All these Non-Fiction Animation will be handy in the future to help me develop my own Non-Fiction Animation because they have shown me the differences between a Fiction and Non-Fiction Animation. These differences are simple things such as they often use actual data to create a working story based on this, that is often true and tells a story such as an animation on WW2 or WW1. These can be seen within the actual music and imagery used within the animation as well as the action of the characters. A dramatic war song use to show how the soldiers at the battle of Normandy sacrificed themselves for their countries.
Here is the third and final version of the Timeline and Role and Scope of Animation:
Corrections: According to people the way I have shown the important date with symbols on the timeline are not easy to understand, so I have fixed this by placing the names of all the important events, people, products and inventions that are on the timeline with a decent font that is easy to read and understand. This in turn will allow people to identify which symbols mean which event, person, invention, movie etc.
The link below is to look at all the research and reasons why I chose theses Events, People, Inventions and Movies etc.
https://amtanimator.wordpress.com/tag/timeline/
The reason I why I chose to present the information I gathered for the History and Role and Scope of Animation in this form of animation is for several reasons. My first reason is that is makes the information placed on the Timeline is to find as well as understandable but this is only due to the fact that it is not only to see but I had to go through several attempts after reviews with a few people that I both knew and didn’t know. Which is were several of the corrections come into such as the Key and shortening the actual timeline at the end because noting that I have seen or looked up so far in this decade I can see as a importance to the History and Role and Scope of Animation. The Second reason why I chose this style to present my information is due to the fact that the combination of the imagery and colours makes the animation noticeable and draws in the attention of the target audience as well as it displays the actual events quite effectively once the correction had been made on this version.
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