The Reading from Understanding Animation focused on how different styles and approaches of certain animations vary. I found it interesting how structured orthodox animations were just with their configuration, continuity, narrative form, as well as the rest of the elements of style. There are three types of animation styles: orthodox, experimental, and developmental; they all fall on a continuum. Orthodox is at one end, experimental is at another, and developmental is in between. Orthodox animation has a narrative story line, and even though it may have some fantastic elements, there is still a certain logic and continuity within the world of the animations to how things work. An example of an orthodox animation would be “Silly Symphonies”.
An interesting discussion of “Duck Amuck” is in the reading, and I thought it was neat how it recognizes that it is an orthodox cartoon within itself by the way Daffy adapts to the background. It also sort-of mocks the orthodox cartoon by having Daffy speak straight to the artist who is present. This would not fit into the orthodox category, but it’s definitely not a completely developmental animation.
Experimental animation is typically associated with abstraction and image illustration. There are a multitude of different styles that one can use to achieve an artistic vision. The artist is present within the animation; when one is watching, it becomes evident that what appears in front of them is a visual expression of the artist. An experimental animation that was viewed in class was “Deadsy”. It is a compilation of illustrations including xerography of a narrator man, revealing the story of how Deadsy had a sex change. Although it did have a weak story line element just as orthodox do animations do, its interpretive form and lack of a singular style makes it experimental.
I also find it interesting how "Duck Amuck" is quite orthodox but definitely plays the conventions of traditional orthodox cartoons. Daffy breaks the fourth wall by talking to the animator/the audience. In the end we find out the animator is Bugs which in a way puts the wall back up. So the cartoon plays with the orthodox cartoon style but then stays within the confines of the orthodox animation perimeters.
ReplyDeleteI thought "Deadsy" was an extremely interesting piece. The use of puppetry and an actor who were then xeroxed was so interesting; as the minutes passed, you became submerged in this chaotic and trippy world. The experimental nature of the film did a great job of covering the connotative meaning beneath the surface and helped blur the lines of orthodox versus experimental.
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