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.