Week 10 : Critical report_research
The research path I followed is the following:
At first, I watched different types of videos on the Internet to find the parts that really interested me, and summarized specific keywords and general directions. On this basis, I used keywords to search for relevant literature, and further refined my questions so that the problems could be analyzed in depth and detail.
In addition to the book mentioned in the last post, here’s another video that inspired me: Sewing Love
This is a 2d short film, and I have summarized three metaphorical approaches.
- Ontological Metaphor:
Concept: Using one object to metaphorically represent another, and this metaphor must be based on existing similarities. It implies the necessity of shared internal or external traits.
In the context of a film, the metaphorical use of a butterfly symbolizing freedom is introduced. Simultaneously, in modern society, the butterfly metaphor easily evokes thoughts of women, as in the expression “Look at that girl, she’s like a flower butterfly.” The association between butterflies and women has already been established in our everyday conversations.
Thus, metaphors are not purely abstract or arbitrary; they are shaped and constrained by our embodied experiences in the world.
Human emotions, psychological activities, and the like, although they can be directly experienced, cannot be fully understood on their own. They often require additional language for description, such as “family warmth,” linking the bodily sensation of warmth with the abstract concept of family.
- Establishing Structural Metaphors：
Concept: It involves using one concept to metaphorically represent another. For instance, love is likened to a journey, an embrace, protection, or possession. The latter concepts are more explicit in our experiences, more concrete, and narrow down the range of expression. Concepts with less clear boundaries (abstract ones) can be understood based on more defined concepts because concrete concepts are directly grounded in our experiences.
When audiences witness a male character enveloping a female character, associations of protection and harmony may arise. However, from another perspective, one may also sense feelings of confinement and restrictions on freedom.
Simultaneously, when using a metaphorical term to conceptualize a certain relationship, the differences in these metaphors reveal varying emphases among individuals in approaching the same thing or expressing different aspects. For example, someone viewing marriage as a partnership and another seeing it as a safe harbor have entirely different perspectives.
- Directional Metaphor in Cinematography:
Our physical and cultural experiences provide the basis for many possibilities for spatializing and orienting metaphors.
A low posture is often associated with sadness and depression, while a straight posture indicates a positive emotional state. Control or coercion is the best. To be controlled or coerced
For example, in the picture of the man grabbing the woman chasing butterflies, I adopted an extreme composition. The picture of looking up + weight imbalance made the man taller and more powerful, and strengthened the sense of inequality between the two.
While the man has been looking for the missing woman, the panic and perspective, and the feeling of weak heart can be expressed by following the camera and looking down.
In this video, I feel that two of these metaphors overlap with the three types of metaphors proposed by Prokhorov in the previous post. The short lacks a mega metaphor to define the context of the world as a whole, and instead (Love is a journey) is presented as a practical effect in the film, which in Prokhorov’s case amounts to a creative supporting metaphor. In the ontological metaphor of similarity, the mirror represents the relationship and the butterfly represents the girl are conceptual metaphors
Summary and further analysis of metaphor types:
According to Prokhorov’s work, as mentioned above, he proposed three types of metaphors, namely supportive, action-forming and destructive. I will use my understanding to briefly explain the meaning of these three metaphors
Supportive: To define the position of the whole plot, or the position of the characters, for both long and short animations. For example, in coco, the world of the dead (skeletons) is formed based on living memory, the existence of skeletons comes from being remembered by living people, and the photos placed on the family altar are the passports for skeletons to return to the earth
Action-forming: Based on an action, such as transporting, escaping, singing, etc. In partly cloud, the stork’s transport package is a metaphor for the cloud’s friendship
Destructive: I don’t understand this metaphor very thoroughly, for example, in The Blue Umbrella, when a helpless blue umbrella is on a busy road, so the crucial test is passed by an external force, whereas in a full-length film, it is likely passed by the hero himself. Which brings me to the other thing, the “critical test.”
However, in my subsequent research, I found that ontological metaphor, that is, concept-to-concept or object-to-object metaphor, was not mentioned here. According to this experimental video, three kinds of metaphors can be summarized, namely, ontological metaphor, structural metaphor and metaphor of time and space. Since the types of metaphors summarized in the short video lack articles and theoretical support, I selected several keywords: Color metaphor, animation, metaphor of time and space and film.
Continue to find relevant articles according to the summarized metaphor types
Article:Analysis of the Narrative Types of “Metaphor” in Animated Short Films
The focus of this article is
1) The application of metaphorical rhetoric in animation narration is discussed through literature review.
2) The image presentation of metaphorical narrative in animation and film is analyzed.
The article mentions Chaplin’s Modern Times, which describes the working class context and draws an analogy between workers and sheep, since sheep are generally believed to be characterized by obedience, cleanliness, and so on. Even the Bible uses the metaphor of a shepherd looking for his sheep to refer to the relationship between Jesus and the people. In this film, the workers are characterized by obeying the orders of their superiors and working continuously and unconditionally.
In addition, the authors refer to ontological metaphor theory, stating that metaphors of place and space are constructed in physical and cultural experience, such as “high” and “up” representing “happiness,” “dignity,” and “positivity” in experience. The object of metaphor in the scene is the change of mood. From the fierce rain to the calm sky, from darkness to light, the audience can perceive, from sadness to happiness, from tension to relaxation, from tragedy to happiness, and so on. Moving the camera up also provides a hint.
Another example of the use of space as a metaphorical representation is negative space, where the art of packing suitcases is used as a metaphor for the relationship between the father and the main character. The author combines time and space as a metaphor for time travel from the present to childhood memories. In this case, the change in time is metaphorical through the change in space, in which the action of the present is related to the spatio-temporal context of the past.
Spatial metaphor conveys the reference target through the nature of the object. Its biggest difference from role-playing is that it describes the plot through simple phenomena and also represents the meaning that the original properties of the object must be translated into context. Even so, the nature of space does not change.
In this study, I summarized two types of metaphor, namely, the metaphor of time and space, the metaphor of image, the metaphor of lens and light and shadow, and the metaphor between figurative meaning. These points are different from the three metaphors summed up in Sewing Love, but the content is very similar
For example, figuration-figurative: butterfly – girl, worker – sheep; Concretion-concept: luggage – father-son relationship, mirror – love relationship; Concept – Concept: Love – travel, space – time. The above three types can be summarized as symbolic types. The symbolic class can also include color metaphor, location metaphor and so on
After the above preliminary reading investigation and research, I have identified one direction that I want to study: to analyze how the use of different types of metaphors affects the narrative structure and effect presentation of animation. In terms of narrative structure, it can be divided into supporting metaphor (determining the world view of the overall hero story) and behavioral metaphor (defining the hero and limiting the development of the hero). This book mainly refers to The Hero’s Journey and Three Types of Metaphor in Pixar Animation. In terms of effect presentation, it can be divided into color metaphor, symbol metaphor, Main references Analysis of the Narrative Types of “Metaphor” in Animated Short Films and Sewing Love
The main types of metaphor discussed in my research can be basically summarized as ontological metaphor (concept-concept), which can be simply divided into: in terms of narrative structure, supportive metaphor (determining the world view of the overall hero story) behavioral metaphor (defining the hero and limiting the development of the hero), in terms of effect presentation, color metaphor, and symbolic metaphor.
Week 9 : Topic change and Literature review
Evolution of topic selection
My initial research topic was about the impact of narrative documentary animation on social confilcts. However, during the search, I found that my topic was too broad, making it difficult to concentrate on a specific impact or field for detailed research. Therefore, I attempted to modify my keywords, narrative animation and its effects. Then, I came across a book.
Artical: The Hero’s Journey and Three Types of Metaphor in Pixar Animation by Artem Prokhorov
This book examines the distinctive ability of animation, in comparison to cinema, to employ metaphors more freely and boldly. It analyzes how metaphors impact the narrative and plot structures of both full-length and short-length animations.
The author reveals and describes three primary creative metaphor types within a narrative context: supportive, action-forming, and destructive. The primary focus is on examining the role of metaphors in storytelling and plot development within both full-length and short-length animations produced by Pixar. In reality, I believe that relying solely on Pixar’s individual animated works may not adequately encompass all types of contemporary productions. Given this limitation, the accuracy of the analysis results may not capture the broader landscape effectively. Moreover, Prokhorov’s metaphor types specifically address the narrative and plot aspects of animation, omitting other components such as effects and influences.
In my previous understanding, the narrative and plot of movies were divided into several parts: beginning-middle-end (illustrated). However, after reading Prokhorov’s article, I gained insights into a new concept: “the Hero’s Journey” proposed by Joseph Campbell (1949).
Campbell’s concept has become a universal template for the hero’s journey, significantly influencing world art, especially filmography. In essence, Campbell’s monomyth comprises sixteen stages: Initially, the hero hears the call to adventure (1) but refuses it (refusal of the call) (2). Then, with some supernatural aid (3), the hero crosses the first threshold (4) and begins the journey. Subsequently, the hero is swallowed and immediately enters the belly of the whale (5): an unknown and perilous place. Following this, the hero embarks on the road of trials (6), reaching a meeting with the goddess (7). At this stage, the image of the hero’s bride or mother may be embodied in this divine character (at this point, the hero may even be tempted to abandon the journey). Next comes the reconciliation with the father (8) and apotheosis (9): the symbolic moment of the hero’s death and resurrection. At the culmination of the journey, the hero receives the ultimate boon (10) and may even refuse to return to their own world (refusal of the return) (11). However, with the power of magical flight (12) and/or external rescue (13), the crossing of the return threshold occurs (14). As a result of the journey, the hero becomes the master of two worlds (15) and gains the right to live freely (16).
Week 8 : Can documentary animations is a property way to positively reflect social conflicts?
Purpose
In contemporary society, people are always caught up in various society issues. With the purpose of mitigating conflicts, various mediums are employed to redirect and reshape public attention. Among these, documentary animation emerges as a dynamic medium which includes the elements of both documentary film and animation features. Additionally, animation is highly regarded for its ability to broaden and enrich documentary expression.
However, there is an ongoing debate regarding the inherent tendency towards exaggeration features in animation that can not reflect social issues properly, some critics argue that this exaggerated feature might not be the most effective means of accurately portraying social issues.
For this critical report, I want to in-depth explore the impact of documentary animation on individuals. The main question being considered is whether documentary animations are a property way to positively reflect social conflicts. This report aims to discuss the potential benefits of documentary animation by using multiple examples.
Key words
Documentary Animation, Social Conflicts, Societal Issues, Positive Reflection, Social Commentary, Animation as Communication
Bibliography
Gregg, R., 2011. Environmental Documentary Film: A Contemporary Tool For Social Movement.
Rajala, A., 2017. Documentary Film, Truth and Beyond: On the Problems of Documentary Film as Truth-telling.
Nagao, M., 2018. The possibility of documentation through animation: A comparative study of the animated short Pica-Don and other artworks addressing social/historical issues. Animation Practice, Process & Production, 7(1), pp.67-89.
Week 7 ：Language of editing in conveying narrative，establish the principal of story arcs and character role.
The film I choose is Coco(2017)
Story Arc Breakdown (The 8 Stages):
- Stasis:Miguel, the protagonist, is living in a family that forbids music due to a past incident involving his great-great-grandfather.
- Trigger:Miguel’s passion for music leads him to discover a family secret, triggering his desire to pursue his musical dreams.
- Quest:Miguel embarks on a journey to the Land of the Dead to seek the blessing of his deceased great-great-grandfather and gain permission to pursue music.
- Surprise:In the Land of the Dead, Miguel discovers unexpected connections to his family’s history and encounters challenges related to the importance of remembering one’s ancestors.
- Critical Choice:Miguel faces a critical decision: to prioritize family expectations or follow his passion for music and uncover the truth about his great-great-grandfather.
- Climax:The climax revolves around Miguel’s performance at the Day of the Dead talent show and his revelation about his great-great-grandfather’s true identity.
- Reversal:Miguel’s understanding of family, tradition, and music undergoes a profound transformation. He learns the importance of balance and honoring both family and personal dreams.
- Resolution:The film concludes with Miguel mending family relationships, reconciling with his passion for music, and creating a harmonious blend of tradition and individuality.
Character Archetypes:
- The Hero (Miguel):Embarks on a quest to pursue his musical dreams and uncover family secrets.
- The Mentor (Héctor):Guides and assists Miguel in navigating the Land of the Dead, providing insights into family history.
- The Threshold Guardian (Mama Imelda):Represents family traditions and initially opposes Miguel’s pursuit of music.
- The Ally (Dante):Miguel’s loyal companion in the Land of the Dead, aiding him on his journey.
- The Herald (The discovery of the family secret):Triggers Miguel’s quest by revealing the connection between him and his great-great-grandfather.
- The Shapeshifter (Ernesto de la Cruz):Initially appears as a supportive figure but is later revealed to have a darker side.
- The Shadow (Family’s opposition to music):Represents the obstacles and challenges Miguel faces in pursuing his passion for music.
- The Herald (The revelation about great-great-grandfather):Marks a significant turning point in the story, influencing Miguel’s critical choice.
Timeline for Miguel:
- Before the Film:Miguel lives in a family that forbids music, following a past incident involving his great-great-grandfather abandoning the family for a musical career.
- Film Start:Miguel discovers a family secret that reveals his great-great-grandfather’s true identity as a famous musician.
- Journey to the Land of the Dead:Miguel accidentally enters the Land of the Dead on Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) and seeks the blessing of his great-great-grandfather to pursue music.
- Encounters and Challenges:Miguel encounters challenges related to family expectations, the importance of remembering ancestors, and understanding his family’s history.
- Critical Decision:Miguel faces a crucial decision to prioritize family or pursue his passion for music and discover the truth about his great-great-grandfather.
- Climax:The climax involves Miguel’s performance at the talent show, where he uncovers the truth and confronts the challenges of family and music.
- Transformation:Miguel undergoes a transformation in understanding the importance of family, tradition, and individual dreams.
- Resolution:The film concludes with Miguel mending family relationships, honoring tradition, and embracing his love for music in harmony with his family’s values.
Week 6 : The language in film and animation, the concept of mise en scene, composition and staging.
In this lesson we learned the key principles in animation production. Firstly, the importance of animation layout and composition is emphasized, especially in character placement and scene composition, including the use of camera angles, perspective, light and shadow, character dynamics, entrance methods and audio. Secondly, the principles used in designing different shots are discussed, including the correlation of long, medium and close shots, and the importance of emphasizing picture flow, timing and visual objectives, while focusing on the potential impact of shot selection on production. Finally, it focuses on the importance of background and scene, including the harmony of aesthetics and characters, the beauty of the background, complexity and clutter, the design and action to avoid distraction, and the proportion of subject objects. Overall, these principles play a key role in animation production, ensuring that the audience’s concerns are properly directed to create a more engaging and coherent animation.
- Definition of Screen Direction:
- Screen direction refers to the perceived movement of actors or objects on the screen from the camera or audience’s perspective.
- Rules of Continuity and Film Grammar:
- The rules of screen direction are fundamental in continuity film editing and film grammar to maintain consistency during shot transitions and avoid audience confusion.
- Camera Positioning and Movement:
- Camera positioning and movement must adhere to the rules of screen direction. “Camera left” or “frame left” indicates movement towards the left side of the screen, while “camera right” or “frame right” refers to movement towards the right side.
- Pre-determination in Pre-production:
- Screen direction decisions are primarily made during pre-production, specifically in storyboarding and animatic production stages, to ensure precision in scene timing and flow.
- Maintenance of Screen Direction:
- Once established, screen direction must be maintained in each progressive shot. This includes the direction in which performers move, face, or look, even when they are not in motion.
- Tools for Maintaining Screen Direction:
- The Imaginary Line, Axis of Action, or 180-Degree Rule is a key tool used by filmmakers to maintain consistent screen direction. This involves drawing an imaginary line through subjects in the direction they move or face.
- Working Example:
- An example illustrates how shots filmed from the same side of the imaginary line cut together seamlessly, preserving consistent screen direction and matching eye lines.
- Challenges and Audience Confusion:
- When screen direction is not adhered to, it can lead to challenges such as actors appearing not to face each other in conversation or changing direction abruptly, resulting in audience confusion.
- Subject Movement Across the Screen:
- Subjects are free to travel cross-screen, toward or away from the camera, as long as the camera doesn’t cross the action axis. This ensures directional movement integrity.
Week 5: Waltz with Bashir
Evidence an understanding of the theoretical discourse surrounding the legitimacy of animated documentary and identify key authorities on the topic.
Research and present an argument for an animated work you consider tackles any issues of equality, diversity or social injustice (150-200 words)
The legitimacy of animated documentaries lies in their ability to creatively convey real events and societal issues, challenging the boundaries of traditional documentary filmmaking. Issues pertaining to equality and social injustice can be effectively emphasized and reinforced through a combination of visual and creative approaches, making it easier for the audience to comprehend and empathize with the subject matter.
One illustrative example is the documentary ‘Waltz with Bashir,’ set against the backdrop of war. This film employs a variety of artistic styles, including cartoons, oil paintings, and illustrations, to delve deep into the consequences of conflict and the associated social injustices and inequalities.
Through this medium, viewers can engage with the topic of war more readily, as it reduces the visual and psychological impact often associated with war imagery. Furthermore, by purposefully blurring the boundaries between the visual and reality, the audience is encouraged to contemplate the filmmaker’s perspective on a profound level.
In conclusion, animated documentaries offer a unique and compelling way to address issues of equality and social injustice. By employing creative methods, they captivate the audience’s attention and stimulate deep reflection on these critical topics
Week 4: Makoto Shinkai
Consider an animator of your choice whom you would define as an auteur, and provide a brief explanation of how the criteria outlined in the lecture may substantiate your assertion.
Makoto Shinkai, a Japanese animator, filmmaker, author, and manga artist, is known for his notable works such as ‘Your Name’ and ‘5 Centimeters per Second,’ among others.
His works delve into deeply intricate interpersonal relationships and convey a wide range of emotions, exploring complex themes like love, distance, and time. The profound emotional connections between his characters resonate strongly with audiences. This emotional depth distinguishes his works within the animation industry, establishing him as a storyteller with a unique ability to deeply touch the hearts of his viewers.
Furthermore, his works also address contemporary societal issues, including the isolation experienced by teenagers and the impact of technological advancements on interpersonal relationships. These themes transform his work into more than just tales of touching love; they also serve as reflections of relevant issues within our modern society.
Week 3: Experimental short film analysis
Choose a short film you would consider fits the definition of experimental. It could be from a formative or conceptual perspective, outlined in the lecture. Consider how you might present the argument using the following criteria;
• Categorisation: Genre & Sub-genre what is the works background / setting, mood / tone, theme or topic? How does it comment? Does it fit or is it unique?
• Form and Function; interpreting meaning and relating it to the format, or presentational mode (What are the artist objectives and limitations?)
• Process: The techniques, materials and technologies applied within the work and the relationships between message and medium, (Does process, technique or tool become the message?)
• Formal Elements; Use of space, composition, Light & colour, movement, rhythm, timing, pacing, transition and audio relationships. ( does the work investigate these or other formal elements?)Wells, P., 1998. Understanding animation. London: Routledge.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSTKkS0BTts
The link above is what I chose to start an analysis. The short film, named “Catharsis,” was described as a journey within one’s deepest thoughts by the author.
First, let’s discuss categorization. The background of this short film revolves around a girl who constructs an imaginative world while chatting with her friends. Despite the absence of dialogue, it is evident that the author aims to convey profound emotions through the play of lights and shadows, colors and music, as well as gestures and performances. “Catharsis” stands out as a unique short film that has garnered widespread praise.
Moving on to the form and function, the artist demonstrates remarkable skill in the use of color. Throughout the film, blue and red lights intermingle with yellow and purple light spots, creating a strong visual impact on the audience.
It is clear that the artist possesses a deep understanding of lighting and cinematic language, which closely relates to the expressions and physical performances of the characters. All these elements collectively represent the active workings of the human mind.
Finally, let’s consider the formal elements of the film. The setting appears relatively confined, focusing primarily on the character’s performance, as well as the interplay of light and shadow. The passage of time and the pace of the narrative are mirrored in the music and the range of movement. Another critical element in the film is the liquid flowing down from the character’s head. This particular scene, which might be considered the climax of the film, blurs the boundary between thought and reality, fantasy and reality.
Week 2: Visual Language and Cultural Contexts
Firstly, this is the elements of art: line, shape, form, value, space, colour, and texture.
Secondly, The priciples of arts is rhythm，balance，emphasis(contrast)，proportion，gradation，harmony，variety，and movement.
With these basic elements and principles, we can focus on different cultures and appreciate how they contribute to the world’s visual expression.
For example, ‘Colorful pottery basin with dance patterns’. The dance patterns can be seen as how ancient people explored to catch the movement. by using repeated lines to illustrate visual dynamics. This can be explained that animation is basically the art of movement that is drawn. Additionally, a Wild boar painting from Cave of Altamira also shows the same result, the people at that time drew eight legs for the boar to portray the running movement.