Notes

After reading Notes Towards a Theory of Animation, I feel that I have a grasp of what makes experimental and orthodox animation different. The piece specifically brings forward the aspects of animation design that separate the two. It was nice to see it layed out for me. I used to could say, This was experimental and this was typical narration but now I think I can back it up. I liked how the author really went into detail about the beginnings of animation, and their development into narratives. I think that orthodox narration is a less artistic endeavor. The idea is that the audience is expecting a series of scenes that make a story, or a scene that consists of jokes. Experimental animation really enables the filmmaker to put his or her own personality into the style and content. I agree with Welles about the two distinct uses of music.
I will also add, that perhaps experimental offers a more precise and true application of music because in orthodox animation music is most often used to establish or progress the narrative. With the experimental style, an artist can attempt to replicate the rhythm, moods, and tones of the piece of music through animation. This piece really made me want to watch Duck Amuck again.
Experimental animation is very liberating, but at the same time potentially frightening. The potential avenues you can take are endless, which is intimidating to someone who is mostly familiar with orthodox cell animation. With the traditional animation, "What is needed" is always what benefits the narrative. Not so with experimental. Its more of like Lets put it all on the table.
I am extremely excited to get started on our 3 plane animation project. Corey and I went out searching for awesome things to animate with. I think we will be able to make something really cool, out of a surfer beach theme. This actually is perfect because with the warm weather everyone is in that kinda beach mood.

Cameraless filmmaking thus far.

I guess I am starting to comprehend how long and tedious the process can be. Especially if you are trying to find a pattern or to structure the piece that you are working on. The one film we watched that was set to the jazz music must have taken ages, and also, required so much creativity to visualize the music on film. Its such a daunting task, but its not all bad. Actually, its pretty fun to work with your hands. Manipulating the film, through scratching, inking, magazine transfers, just gives you so many options and potential avenues to create your desired effect, that you can really go with any choice and feel that you have made the right one. The art does demand some foresight, especially when you are attempting to layer.

I really enjoyed our brief screening of the magazine transfers that we did. I was, of course, unsatisfied that we had to split it up due to the jamming of the projector. I was impressed with how everyones transfers were different, but somehow they all flowed together. I think if you put some music on that, it would really work as a short film. I noticed my pieces too. I had a golden watch in all of my strips, and a green and pink design behind it.

Today I begin working with the Rayograms, and I am looking forward to that certainly. Though I really want to try contact printing a la Roger Beebees tb tx. I love everything about this film. The sounds, the images, the contrast of black and white, the varying of visual information, and the dual screens. I need to learn the basics of photoshop though, I think that was the program he desinged it on. I've shown that film to some of my non 6x1 friends hoping that they will love it. I may try to do some this week if I can get a hold of a non school printer. I think contact printing would be awesome for special montage sequences or title sequences in narrative films.