The authenticity of a documentary is ‘deeply linked to notions of realism and the idea that documentary images are linked to notions of realism and the idea that documentary images bear evidence of events that actually happened, by virtue of the indexical relationship between image and reality’
Horness Roe. A. (2013) Animated Documentary. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Paraphrased Paragraph
Honess Roe (2013, Animated Documentary) argues that the authenticity of a documentary relies on the conception of realism, insomuch as images can be perceived as a reflection of events and can prove their existence.
This week, we learned how to rig a box man in Maya and focused on understanding hierarchies, how to create joints and master controllers.
Part 1: Modelling
Box Man Modelling
The first thing we did, was to model a box man. We created several cubes and resized them to model the different parts of the body.
In other words, we deconstructed the shapes of a human body into cubes.
Part 2: Understanding Hierarchies
Hierarchies of a Hand
Then, we learned about the concept of parenting and how we had to connect each cube in order to create a hierarchical motion structure.
If we take for instance the hand, the movement of the fingers is determined by the movement of the hand and the movement of the hand is determined by the movement of the lower arm.
Part 3: Creating Joints
Leg Joints
After creating the hierarchical structure of the box man, we added several joints to the legs.
They would enable our box man to be flexible and allow the movement of the body.
Part 4: Using Master Controllers
Master Controllers
In order to move the box man, we created several master controllers and connected them to the body parts by means of parenting constrains.
Instead of moving the polygons, we would move those master controllers.
Part 5: Creating IK Handles
IK Handles
The last thing we did, was to create IK Handles for the legs, which allowed our box man to stick its feet on the ground.
For this week’s assignment we have to choose an animation and elaborate on how it would or wouldn’t be classified as a documentary.
Sinking of the Lusitania (1918)
According to Honnes Roe (2013, pp. 7-8), Sinking of the Luisitania is considered to be the first commercially animated documentary and it is a clear example of how animation can reconstruct a historical event when there is no record of it. In this sense, animation can be a useful tool to portray, illustrate and clarify a non-fictional event and help the audience to witness one moment in history.
Nonetheless, on the other hand, it can be argued that ‘any animated work dealing with reality-related topics will appear intrinsically fictional in form’ (Formenti, 2022, p.13). This implies that animated documentaries are created in an artificial way, and therefore, they can be influenced by the director’s lens of reality. For this reason, it can be questioned to what extent animated documentaries represent reality in an accurate manner.
To wrap up, Sinking of the Lusitania can be considered an animated documentary insomuch as it represents a historical event that happened. However, since there does not exist any live action material, the director had to reconstruct the events and therefore his animation is influenced by his interpretation of reality and values.
Reference List
Formenti, C. (2022) The Classical Animated Documentary and Its Contemporary Evolution. Bloomsbury Academic & Professional.
Honess Roe, A. (2013) Animated Documentary. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Nichols, B. (1994) Blurred Boundaries; Questions of Meaning in Contemporary Culture. Indiana University Press.
For this week’s assignment I had to analyze an abstract film of my choice focusing on its categorisation, form and function, process and formal elements.
Synchromy No. 4– Escape
I decided to analyze Mary Ellen Bute’s Synchromy No. 4– Escape, which is a 16mm color film with music developed between 1937 and 1938 (Whitney Museum of American Art, 2022).
Mary Ellen Bute (1906-1983) had a background in painting and studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia, United States. Her artistic work focused on the movement, rhythm and synesthetic form which was part of the European Avant Garde before World War II. She was also part of the visual music inventors and musicians’ community from New York in the 1920s and early 1930s (Betancourt, 2013, p. 83).
Categorisation
Synchronomy No. 4 – Escape falls into the genre of abstract film insomuch as it ‘abandons the premise of making a picture of something’ (Dickerman, 2012, p. 13). Artists no longer follow the conception that their artwork ‘should function like a view through a window’ (Dickerman, 2012, p. 29).
In this sense, abstract film makers mark a turning point in the traditional conception of art known until the nineteen-twenties and Mary Ellen Bute’s film reflects the new ideals of abstraction of the European Avant Garde insomuch as her work tries to make music and rhythm visible.
Form and Function
The film tells the story of a red triangle that at the beginning appears to be behind a grid and at the end bends the lines in order to free itself. In a way, the grid can be perceived as prision bars and the triangle as an individual who is trying to break free.
In addition, it can be argued that there exists a parallelism between what is happening in the story and the historical background due to the fact that abstract films break with the traditional artistic rules. In this sense, the triangle can also be interpreted as the abstract movement trying to defy the laws of traditional filmmaking.
Process
Synchronomy No. 4 – Escape is a 16 mm audiovisual film, with an aspect ration of 4:3, that uses Johan Sebastian Bach’s Toccata as a soundtrack.
When it comes to the musical aspect, Betancourt (2013, p. 84) suggests that ‘the organization of the visual material is provided by the music’ in that ‘it determines the development, arrangement, and in many cases, the form of the visuals accompanying it.’ In this way, the triangle, the grids and the background move according to the sound and rhythm of the music.
Furthermore, even though I have not found any information on the making of the film, we can assume that it was made by means of bipack matte filming in that the triangle, the grids and the background were separated into different layers.
Formal Elements
When it comes to the formal aspect of the film, there are three main elements during the animated secquence: the triangle, the grids and the background.
The grids play a pivotal role insomuch as they divide the space between the inside and outside, which can be interpreted as an analogy to the concept of imprisionment and freedom.
Moreover, at the beginning of the film, the grid is formed by rigid horizontal and vertical lines. In this way, the triangle appears to be trapped behind the bars.
However, they gradually start to bend following the rhythm of the music until they finally turn into a spiral. It is at this moment when the triangle finally breaks free.
Furthermore, the blue background also plays an essential role during the film. At the begenning, the background is extremely gloomy which depicts the idea of being trapped in a small place.
Nonetheless, at the end of the film and when the triangle escapes the grid, the blue background seems clean and more spacious. In this sense, the triangle has more freedom to move around the space.
When it comes to the music, Johan Sebastian Bach’s Toccata adds a dramatic tension to the visual images. The triangle follows the rhythm of the music and starts to move faster until finally escaping the bars.
Reference List
Betancourt, M. (2013) The History of Motion Graphics: from Avant—Garde to Industry in The United States. United States of America: Wildside Press
This week, apart from getting feedback on our ball with tail animation, George suggested us to start sketching some poses. We are going to need them in order to start posing our rig in Maya.
This week, we learned that it is possible to edit existing rigs by adding new handles and joints. We got a flour sack rig and we are expected to create a short animation.
Flour Sack – Rigging
The most important lesson I learned was that we can edit the rigs at our convenience.
So what we did was to edit some joint connections and delete the ones that were limiting our movements.
We also learned that we can go into x-ray mode in order to see the joints and manipulate their connections more smoothly.
Furthermore, we also learned how to use the IK handles to stick the feet into the ground.
Flour Sack – Animation Progress
My idea behind the work was to create a short running animation of a flour sack. My aim was to give the flour sack his own personality and so I decided to create cartoon character movements.
First Outcome
My first animation of the flour sack appears to be very stiff because the body is only rotating horizontally.
For this reason, I would like to keep on working on the hip movements of my character.
Second Outcome
In my second animation, not only did I adjust the hip rotation, but also the bouncing of my character. I also experimented with the texture of my rig.
What I am planning to do next is to animate the ears in order to create an overlapping action with the body.
– Pick up a movie you like. – Breakdown the story arc (what are the 8 stages). – Breakdown the characters into their archetypes. – Create a timeline for the main character starting before the film.
Introduction: Nightmare Before Christmas
For this assignment I decided to analyse Tim Burton’s “Nightmare Before Christmas” because I consider it as one of my most iconic childhood movies.
The plot revolves around the misadventures of Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town, and who one day decided he wanted to take control over Christmas by kidnapping Santa Claus.
In this way, the audience is invited to join Jack onto his journey towards becoming the next Santa Claus and travelling between both Halloween and Christmas Town.
1. Story Arc
The following analysis is based on Nigel Watts’ 8-Point Story Arc:
1. Stasis: Jack Skellington is living in his comfort zone and fulfills his role as the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town.
2. Trigger: He gets bored of his daily routine, wants to resign his job as the Pumpkin King and aspires to become the next Santa Claus of Christmas Town.
3. The quest: Jack needs to travel to Christmas Town in order to learn the skills on how to be a successful Santa Claus. In addition, this implies entering into a completely unfamiliar situation.
4. Surprise: Even though he was putting an enormous effort into learning Christmas crafts and traditions, he realizes his Halloween nature is intact. In other words, instead of getting into the real “Christmas Spirit”, Jack is turning Christmas into an unpleasant and terrifying holiday.
5. Critical Choice: Despite of his flaws and in hope of becoming the next Santa Claus, Jack sends Lock, Shock and Barrel to get rid of the characters standing in his way. Therefore, they kidnap his enemy – the real Santa Claus -, putting into danger the Christmas holiday.
6. Climax: When Christmas comes around, Jack fails to fulfill his duty as Santa Claus. Instead of bringing joy to the children, they start to get scared of him. In this way, the character pays a heavy price for his actions, and he realizes he needs help.
7. Reversal: Jack travels back to Halloween Town in order to save Santa Claus from the Oogie Boogie and in hope of saving the Christmas holiday.
8. Resolution: After being saved, Santa Claus returns to Christmas Town and brings joy to the children once again. Jack learns from his mistakes, accepts his fate as the Pumpkin King and starts appreciating Halloween even more than before.
2. Characters and Archetypes
Hero: Jack Skellington can be considered as the hero of the story. Even though he was responsible for almost ruining the Christmas holiday, he actually had harmless intentions and wanted to make a change for better.
Mentor: Sally is the character who tries to talk Jack out of his plan of becoming the next Santa Claus. Not only does she provide motivation, but also tries to advise him and talk sense into him.
Threshold guardian: The mayor of Halloween Town is responsible of guarding his world and wants to make sure that everyone there has a peaceful life. For this reason, he is the first one to be skeptical when Jack wanted to become the next Santa Claus instead of being the Pumpkin King.
Herald: All the town meetings and gatherings can be considered as the Herald, since they announced what was going to happen next in public.
Shapeshifter: Jack can also be considered as a shapeshifter, since you get to meet both his good and bad intentions. On the one hand, he wants to make a positive difference at Christmas, however, this implies getting rid of Santa Claus. On the other hand, after realizing that he never would be as skillful as the actual Santa Claus, he regrets his actions and wants to restore peace to both worlds.
Shadow: One could consider Santa Claus as the shadow of Jack Skellington insomuch as he was interfering with the idea of taking his place. However, the real enemy is the Oogie Boogie, who is the only character of Halloween Town who actually has bad intentions and wanted to eliminate the real Santa Claus.
Trickster: Lock, Shock, and Barrel are playful characters and can be considered as the tricksters since they show the absurdity of the situation and announce how they want to kidnap Santa Claus.
Allies: Apart from being a mentor, Sally can also be considered as an ally, since she tries to save Jack and be a good influence on him. Dr. Finkelstein can also be seen as an ally, since he provides Jack with flying skeletons, also known as reindeers, during Christmas Night. In this way, these characters fill in the gaps where Jack is deficient.
3. Hero’s Journey
Ordinary World: Jack Skellington lives in his ordinary life and excels at being the Pumpkin King. He has earned the respect of Halloween Town and has a high reputation within his neighbors.
Call to Adventure: The protagonist is tired of his routine and wants to leave his comfort zone. He wants to be the next Santa Claus, rather than being the Pumpkin King, and therefore he travels to Christmas Town.
Refuse to the Call: Despite the fact that the Mayor and Halloween Town do not want him to travel to Christmas Town, Jack refuses to accept their warning.
Talks to Mentor: Jack talks to Sally about his ideas and how he was planning to take over Christmas. She also tries to stop him and advises him not to do so.
Crossing the first Threshold: Jack travels across two worlds: from Halloween Town to Christmas Town.
Tests, Allies, Enemies: The protagonist is being challenged and tested by Christmas Town. He has to adapt to their customs and learn how to actually get into the “Christmas Spirit”. Dr. Finkelstein is also involved in helping him throughout his mission.
The Approach to the Inmost Cave: Jack is struggling with the preparations for Christmas Night and therefore plans to kidnap Santa Claus.
The Ordeal: Jack realizes that he is overwhelmed by the responsibilities of Santa Claus and questions himself if he is ever going to be able to take his role.
The Reward: After receiving help from his friends at Halloween town, he manages to prepare all the Christmas presents for the children. In this way, he is one step closer to fulfilling his dream of becoming the next Santa Claus.
The Road Back: Jack realizes that instead of bringing joy to the children, he frightens them. In order to save Christmas, he travels back to Halloween Town and wishes to restore peace.
The Resurrection: Jack faces the final battle against the Oogie Boogie and successfully saves Santa Claus and Christmas.
The Return: The protagonist appreciates even more Halloween and accepts his fate as the Pumpkin King.
The aim of this week was to model a hand throwing a ball by means of locators and parent constraints.
Modelling
Firstly, we deconstructed the shape of the upper arm, forearm, hand and fingers into basic volumes. We learned about hierarchies and how to connect each of the square prisms according to their hierarchy level (Upperarm> Forearm> Hand> Fingers).
Locators
Secondly, we learned about locators and how to set them up in order to switch between them. In my case, I placed three locators: the first one to position the ball on the floor, the second one to position the ball in the hand, and the third one to throw the ball into the basket.
Hand Throwing Ball – Animation Progress
First Outcome
Finally, after setting up the parent constrains, I animated the secquence from different perspectives.
However, I need to keep on working on the timing and also on the ball as it should bounce at the end.
This week, we took the knowledge of our bouncing ball further by trying to combine it with a tail movement. In addition, we also learned about the concept of blocking and how it is different from spline animations.
Ball with Tail – Planning
Untitled Artwork
First, I planned the arc movement of my bouncing ball throughout time.
Then, I sketched some key poses of my tail. Here I will need to animate some overlapping actions of the tail.
Ball with Tail – Progress
First Outcome (Blocking)
After getting my feedback on my first outcome, I learned that I had to add more key poses.
Second Outcome (Blocking)
The amount of key poses is much better than my first animation.
However, I need to work on the movement of the tail since it appears to be stiff and sliding.
Third Outcome (Blocking)
For my third animation, I decided to add some platforms.
Moreover, I particularly worked on the anticipation of the tail.
Fourth Outcome (Spline)
For my fourth animation, I had to work hard with the graph editor in order to change from blocking into spline.
Unfortunately, in some parts it looks as if the character and tail is sliding.
Fifth Outcome (Spline)
While I was working on my fifth animation, I learned that I could change the character of my rig.
Even though the movement of the ball seems a lot more smoother than the previous versions, the tail still looks as if it is sliding.
