Day 13 - Scooby Doo, where are you?

One of my all time favorite television shows is the original Scooby Doo Where are You? series. As a child, I would love Saturday morning cartoons because I would get to watch Scooby Doo with my dad. It was my favorite show to watch growing up and it still is. I absolutely adore this loveable great dane and his gang, so I thought that I should definitely watch and discuss the series before the year comes to a close.

I decided to bust out my Scooby Doo Creepiest Capers DVD and watch some of earliest episodes. As I paid attention to the details so I would know what to talk about, I realized how prominent and important the sound effects and the musical score are. I've always noticed the cheesy sound effects, but I never realized how dominantly they are used. From the sounds of trap doors, rumble of the mystery machine, and clanking of armor, the sound effects are what provide most of the laughs for the audience.

I also paid attention to the cel animation while watching Scooby Doo and gang. I noticed that the majority of the episodes have flat, unmoving backgrounds, while the characters glide across them on a separate cel layer. When I was younger, I never would have noticed this element of the show. However, whenever there was a close up of one of the characters, for instance Shaggy, he would move around and there would be little white flecks that openly showed the separation in the two layers.

Though I think Scooby Doo Where are You?'s sound effects, cheesy catchphrases, and occasionally poor animation can be construed as tacky, this show will always remain a favorite because of these same tacky elements and all of my memories of watching the show with my father.

Day 12 - The Awe of Uncharted 2

Since we're discussing animation in video games this week, I thought back to what video games I'm familiar with and their respective styles created by different eras of technology. My favorite video games of all time are Super Mario Bros. for the original Nintendo, Mario Kart for N64, and Gauntlet for N64. I love the rough pixelation of these video games in comparison to the more realistic animation of recent games such as the Madden series and the Call of Duty series. I don't play on any gaming system newer than N64, but I still appreciate the art of these newer video games, one in particular.

The captivating Uncharted 2 is an award-winning video game with groundbreaking graphics. A friend of mine bought this Indiana Jones-like adventure game last fall and played it for days straight. The game is more like an interactive film than a video game because of the long cut scenes between the many levels. The lengthy scenes aren't anywhere close to being annoying, in fact they're quite intriguing. Many of my friends would walk into the living room and immediately be drawn into the action. We spent hours sitting around watching our friend play as the main character, Nathan Drake.

Uncharted 2 has won around ten awards including Best Graphics, Best Action/Adventure Game, and Best Graphic Technology. The graphics are realistic with intricate details and beautifully created architecture and landscapes. A level near the end of the game resembles the beauty of Avatar's Pandora. The forest Drake finds himself in while fighting the main bad guy has the same beautiful fluorescent glow of the Na'vis forest at night time, though it glows for different reasons. This is definitely a game I would recommend to Playstation 3 owners; just make sure you have enough time to play it because you will be engulfed!

Day 11 - How to Train Your Dragon

Last night, I went to see the new Dreamworks film How to Train Your Dragon with my boyfriend. I had heard rave reviews about the film, but I didn't want to get my hopes up. 

With each passing minute however, I found myself falling in love with Hiccup, Toothless, and every other character in How to Train Your Dragon. 

The majestic dragon named Toothless was shown in the beginning of the film as the most fearsome monster in the land of the Vikings because no one had ever met it and survived. However, once Hiccup discovered Toothless and befriended him, it was not hard to smile at the beautiful story of a "wanna-be-dragon-killer" changing his ways to befriend his enemy. 

Dreamworks and Pixar are two of the most well-known digital animation studios. In both Dreamworks' How to Train Your Dragon  and Pixar's Monsters Inc. textures play a beautiful role in the awe-inspiring realism of the characters. The textures created by the animators for both films were so intricate and detailed that it made you feel as though you were watching a live-action film. The way you can see every single hair rustle on Sully's body as well as every freckle, hair and fiber on the Vikings' clothes and skin is very impressive.  

Day 10 - The Wrong Trousers

I must admit, I'm not a fan of the Wallace and Gromit series. When I saw that we were going to be watching one of their adventures I wasn't thrilled, but I decided to remain open-minded. Despite my dislike of the series, I appreciate Nick Park's imagination and skill. Since I focused more on his skill rather than on my annoyance with the characters, I found myself enjoying The Wrong Trousers.

The Wrong Trousers was a surprisingly funny episode with an interesting plot idea. I wasn't expecting the penguin to be an evil mastermind when he first made his appearance, yet I found this twist to be refreshing since I view penguins as cute and cuddly creatures. I liked the remote control trousers as well; the sound effects that accompanied the trousers were clever and distinctive, especially when the trousers were used to walk up walls.

Though I doubt I will ever come to like Wallace and Gromit, I still admire Nick Park and will continue to watch some of his other claymations; I particularly love Adam. After we were introduced to it in class, I went home and watched it over and over. I found myself smiling and laughing each time. I look forward to seeing what else Nick Park comes out with in the future.

Day 9 - Coraline

Tim Burton and Henry Selick are two of my favorite stop-motion animators because of their dark and twisted styles. They both have amazing imaginations, as well as talent, that is clearly demonstrated in their exquisitely detailed characters, sets, and stories. I adore Henry Selick's Coraline (2009) because of these exact qualities.

Maureen Furniss's Art in Motion states that sets for stop-motion can be designed in different ways and within a vast range of realism or stylization. In this film, the sets and every object shown are handcrafted by the animators; this creates a miniaturized 'film world' within a physical and real space. Hundreds of people worked on this film to give indescribable details to each and every tree, rock, and kitchenware built in miniature form.

According to IMDb.com, Coraline's facial expressions were created using a new technology where a computer could be used to mold an expression that could then be hand-painted by the crew. This technology allowed for facial transitions that are realistic and smooth. Because this is one of the longest stop-motion films to date and it was made to be viewed in 3-D, Coraline took over three years to make. Audiences don't usually realize the amount of hard work and effort that goes into a production like this, but the animators' hard work paid off with a beautiful end product that millions will love for years to come.

Day 8 - The Birth of Astroboy

Although I have heard of Astro Boy in the past, I had never watched an episode until class on Monday. I didn't think I'd like it, but I found myself intrigued by the end of the episode. Astro Boy's dark content and use of music with movement is a unique style in a world of sugar-coated orthodox animation.

I love the darkness in The Birth of Astro Boy; the death of a child is an emotional and heartbreaking time clearly demonstrated through the crazed scientist that Tobio's father becomes. I like that Astro Boy's creator, Osamu Tezuka, tried to create realistic moments in an animated and futuristic world. Most orthodox animations follow the conventions of portraying a semi-realistic world, but when it comes to the unpredictable life moments we all experience, they are sugar-coated; Tezuka breaks this typical convention with the death of Tobio.

My favorite scene from the original episode is the mad scientist scene where Astro Boy is brought to life. The use of Beethoven's popular Symphony No. 5 in this scene is reminiscent of old horror films and adds a sense of urgency and anxiety to the room. The animation is drawn to reflect the song; the professor's body moves in time to the song and the buttons on his electronic panel light up according to the notes and pitches of Symphony No. 5.

My Stop-Motion Animation

Day 7 - Up

Though I've seen almost all of the Disney-Pixar collaborations, not one has grabbed my attention like Up (2009) has. This family-oriented film is one of only two animated films ever nominated for a best picture Oscar; this achievement was only possible with this year's addition of five slots. Edward Asner's weathered voice was the only logical choice for the film and the grumpy yet lovable main character of Carl.

Up may follow many traditional conventions of orthodox animation, but its plot is unique to itself. It follows an unlikely main character past his prime on an extraordinary adventure of a lifetime. The beginning of the film starts like others with a young boy, Carl, imagining a life of adventure at Paradise Falls in South America. Yet within the next several minutes, you're whiplashed through his life stopping in his old age at a point after his wife has passed. Contractors are threatening to take his property, so after a lifetime of working in the balloon business, he takes the initiative to transform his home into a flying house and finally makes his way to Paradise Falls. However, an unlikely companion has made his way onto Carl's flying house, thus altering his straightforward plans.

The fact that Up's main character is an elderly man brings warmth and captivation to the film; it's not often that an elderly is portrayed in such a spotlight. In most modern blockbusters, the elderly are most often portrayed as cynical, obnoxious, or weak. Even as an animation and as a character with some extremely unrealistic feats, Carl is a breath of fresh air. The film demonstrates that life passes quickly, but you're never too old to do what you've always dreamed of accomplishing.

Day 6 - Big Muddy Animation Showcase

Since I had heard that the animation showcase for the Big Muddy Film Festival was phenomenal this year, I made my way to Longbranch Coffeehouse this afternoon to witness it for myself. There were nine entries shown, some of which were exquisitely beautiful and captivating. Of the nine entries, three animated shorts stood out above all others: Let's Pollute, Skylight, and Father and Sister.

Let's Pollute by Geefwee Boedoe and Skylight by David Baas were both hysterical in their individual renditions of environmental issues through a style resembling public announcement spots from the 1950s. Skylight is a short animation that begins in Antarctica where a skylight, or a hole in the ozone, roasts the adorable penguins residing there. The film shows different types of animals turning into roasted turkeys and ends with a turkey turning into ham. It tells the environmental issues of greenhouse gases in a funny and relate-able way for viewers of all ages. Let's Pollute does the same thing but uses comical human beings to demonstrate the effects of pollution while telling you that pollution is important. It shows a family being taught to pollute and gives pollution rules to follow, but at the end of the film you see how disgusting the world is, and the now-polluting family is riddled with tumorous growths on their faces.

The first film we were shown was Father and Sister by Seyeon Kim. This film was clever and comical as well, but did not tell an environmental story; instead it told the story of a priest and a nun. A bee follows the flower-toting nun into the church, where he causes a comical course of action to occur. The priest is in his office and thinks that the nun is attempting to strip for him, when in reality, she was simply attempting to swat at the bee and mishaps would happen accidentally. The father runs into confession, holds a cross up as if fending off the devil, and so forth. In the end, you sense a bond between the nun and the priest as the bee flees out of the church and they look into each other's eyes.

The animation showcase was outstanding, and I hope other CP 449 students got the chance to go. If you didn't get to go this year, I urge you to check out the Big Muddy Film Festival in 2011!

Day 5 - Popeye

One of my favorite cartoon characters is one of the most well-known and beloved characters in American history. He has grown with our culture and evolved through the years since his creation as a comic strip character. From paper beginnings to television endings, Popeye and his adored spinach have maintained an elevated position in our society and will continue to remain for decades to come.

Popeye was created by Elzie Crisler Segar as a character for his already popular comic strip Thimble Theatre. After quickly taking over the comic strip, Popeye made his way to the screen with a self-named animated series. His image as an American icon developed from there; Popeye starred in feature films, numerous advertisements, and was even portrayed by Robin Williams in a live-action film. His theme song is well-known, as are his fellow characters, most notably Olive Oyl, Bluto, and his four minature-me nephews.

The element of Popeye that has always fascinated me is the continuously available cans of spinach. The leafy vegetable is one most children despise to eat, and yet Popeye gives it supernatural appeal. When he eats it, he can instantly overcome any challenge with superhuman strength, speed, and knowledge. This definitely has an effect on children that have grown up watching Popeye and his crew; to see such a prominent figure achieving great things by eating spinach influences them to eat it in hopes of gaining the powers as well. This influence that Popeye has on viewers will remain strong as long as he continues to remain a famous American character.

Day 4 - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Yesterday, I decided to take a walk down memory lane and watch Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs; I hadn't seen this particular Disney classic in years, so it was definitely a wonderful feeling upon seeing it once more. Disney's first feature-length animated film is a popular family classic that demonstrates the mass appeal of orthodox cel-animation, of which Disney would become an industry leader.

Snow White is an orthodox animation in all aspects. It follows a classical narrative form that includes a situation, conflict, obstacles, and resolution following logical continuity. The characters are well-constructed and understood by the audience to be realistic in a sense despite being fixed in a 2-D form. There's also no presence of an artist which was common in past animations that evolved from the lightning sketch act.

One of the most important elements of an orthodox animation, particularly Disney's classics, is sound. Disney's main characters often break out into song, and music accompanies the action adjusting to the mood. The music of films, whether live-action or animated, has always fascinated me because it can affect your entire viewing experience. I am particularly fond of Disney movies despite the fact that some people think they are overrated; they cheer me up when I'm in a bad mood, and make me feel better when I'm feeling nostalgic or sick. If you're feeling down due to the cold winter blues, I suggest a dose of Disney!

Day 3 - Deadsy

Many of the short films we watched on Monday were captivating and demonstrated different styles of animation. The film I found most fascinating was the experimental Deadsy by British animator David Anderson. The style and techniques used, as well as the meanings hidden within, create an innovative and thought-provoking short film out of Deadsy.

Deadsy was created using puppets and xerography. The film combines the use of a live-action narrator and a skeleton puppet whose images have been xeroxed to create a distorted and distinctive environment. I liked that the film still maintained a realistic appearance in comparison to Disney's 101 Dalmatians which was also done in xerography; it definitely has an artist's personal mode woven into it.

When we watched the film in class, I had trouble following it because of the dialogue and the meaning gender transition and sexuality has. However, I found the film on YouTube later, and after watching it a few more times and reading about it in our Understanding Animation textbook, I discovered the presumed meaning behind Deadsy. The book discusses the violence portrayed through the language of the dialogue and the mechanical body of Deadsy. The chaotic colors, movement, and music added to the idea of a violent meaning submerged in a hallucinatory world. The gender transformation demonstrates the connection between violence and sexuality and how it is affected by gender. This film is worth being viewed and interpreted as both an individual and an audience; it will open your eyes to the possibilities animation has.

Day 2 - The Wonderful World of Rosenwald

While surfing the web, I discovered a website of a versatile artist by the name of Laurie Rosenwald. She has a unique personal style that she has successfully demonstrated on her website through the creation of ads, books, paintings, a line of dish-ware, and animated short films. Her approach to animation combines collage and drawing to achieve an almost experimental style of animation.

Her collage techniques remind me of children's book author, Eric Carle. He wrote and illustrated some of the most beloved children's books of all time with a unique collage style of various colors of different found materials. Rosenwald's style is personalized by the use of scrap papers and magazine cutouts, whimsical drawings, and small objects to create a fantastical version of our "real world." Her animation is obvious and deliberate; for example, she creates stop-motion movement for her characters' mouths by taking small paper squares decorated with various drawings of the mouths and interchanging them.

Though her world is simplistic, it is full of beauty and tailored to her style -- thus, addicting. It's obvious Rosenwald enjoys what she does by her extensive portfolio. When I discovered the site, I sifted through every page of it, absorbing and analyzing her work. To understand the magic of her work, visit http://rosenworld.com and take a poke around. And here's a direct link to her animation: http://www.rosenworld.com/?page_id=914/

Day 1 - The Talented Mr. Roman

The week before I started my Understanding Animation class, my father showed me a video by an extremely gifted man. It deserves to be recognized due to its striking cinematography and the abstract architectural world created. The Third & The Seventh, a short film by Alex Roman, is one of the most realistic digitally-animated films you will ever view.

Upon the first viewing, The Third & The Seventh appears to be a photographer's study of captivating architecture from around the world. However, when the credits roll, you realize that the film was completely created in CGI. The photographer and the sky were the only realistic parts of video; everything else was created at the fingertips of Alex Roman. He even created the music by mixing, sequencing and designing it based on scores by Michael Laurence, Edward Nyman, and Charles-Camille Saint-Saens.

At first, I was disappointed that the beautiful cinematography was an illusion, but the more I thought about the short film, the more I appreciated Roman's aptitude. To create an image this beautiful and realistic takes amazing skill, patience, and pure talent. He created abstract buildings that can easily be assumed to be located somewhere in our world; you find yourself racking your mind, trying to decide what country he's filming in. All the while, you're subconsciously realizing that these places do not exist on our planet. His creation of the objects located in these architectural phenomenons, such as the photographer's camera, are pure perfection and keep you believing this surreal realm is right next door.

Submit yourself to his world; visit http://www.vimeo.com/7809605 to view Alex Roman's The Third & The Seventh.