LAUAN501 - Study Task 1 - Initial ideas - Critical Analysis

LAUAN501 - Studio Brief 1 2017

Studio Brief 1 - Critical Analysis

This brief is separated into two parts but will be assessed as a whole. As such, you will be assessed on your ability to organise and execute theoretical and practical research in relation to a single research question and a theme (note).

A completed diagram of research with you at the centre of your research. 

Present it how you wish – format – size – content – images and words.

Considerations(notes):

•What are your interests?

•What have you found out?

•How have you collected information?

•How can you extend your research?

•What planning might you need to do?  (Research diagram only)

(MYTHICAL CHARACTERS, PRACTICAL, and ENVIRONMENTAL are things which excite me as a concept artist and animator).
What I find interesting and most experienced in:
Digital media, cartoons, 2d, fantasy, graphic novels, graphic image making, comic books, narrative, character, 80s, 70s synth wave lyrical music. General anime themes also because they capture that graphic imagery and combine it with vintage aesthetics and drama (because of great background and character).

(Insert research diagram here, add nots and context based from diagram writing) 




POLITICAL THEME CHOICE
A theme like politics interests me because it offers a stronger background for 2D cartoon animation, using symbolic characters, concepts and imagery. These are very broad ideas but they offer lots of opportunity for experimentation and development, which is what I am going for.

I can introduce through this political background a funny or serious plot narrative, unique narrative, and spin-off ideas, or serious outlook with a more meaningful message, while appealing to a wider audience.

Research and assumption
Looney Tunes (Daffy Duck) The Commando is a Warner Bros. cartoon in the Looney Tunes series released on November 20, 1943, and directed by Friz Freleng. It features the character Daffy Duck.

War against Germany, cultural significance, racially depicting the enemy in a comical humour, and allied cultural traits coming together as a combined force.

To do broaden scope (notes: blog for 2weeks): What interests from level 4 do I have, and identify 5 different animations (sources), and find 1 significant fact. 

1. Caravan Palace - Lone Digger - Animated music video.
This digital 2D animation features no outlines of any characters or background, something which I would like to improve on using colour. Also what I like about this video is how the various character groups are represented by anthropomorphic characters for different social groups but mostly because animal features inspires me more for style.

This is because my favourite type of design is largely influenced or featured with animal or creature characteristics, for added expressionism, also its very edgy.
Something I especially like about animal heads that could be related to politics is how you can't recognise the intention or emotional feelings the characters poses. Instead they seem very primal and instinctual but that depends on the style and media used, different creatures heads could be used for various political statements and have a deeper meaning.

2. Animal Farm, 1954 British-American adult animated comedy-drama film.

Studied in level 4 for essay triangulation  The message that this animated film conveys is that, "Stalin's regime is not only as bad as Jones's, but worse and more cynical," and Napoleon, "not only as bad as JONES but vastly worse".

Politically, the process of which the antagonist oppresses the protagonist and how they are manipulated and used against their will as a society under a controversial government, as seen in Animal Farm, the suffering and injustice, based on from a historical point of view.

Snowball (the main tyrannical figure) was presented as intelligent, dynamic, courageous, but most of all manipulative and through using these traits to further himself and his cause. Snowball is a, "fanatic intellectual whose plans if carried through would have led to disaster no less complete than under Napoleon".

These characteristics as seen under Napoleon dictatorship but most notably Hitlers nazi Germany and when the regime invaded Europe, the Government controlling, manipulating and executing the population for control.

(The Clash used an image from the film 'Animal Farm' on their 45-RPM single "English Civil War")

3. Then research one cultural event, what was happening at the time, and what's happening now (Research and assumption).

Political, cultural themes in animation 

Persepolis is a 2007 French-Iranian adult animated biographical film based on Marjane Satrapi's autobiographical graphic novel of the same name. This adaptation of Marjane Satrapi’s graphic novel about her experience of growing up in Iran before, during and after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, it’s almost hard to imagine animation not being used in such a gravely relevant way. The film recreates the deliberately flat, monochromatic elegance of Satrapi’s visual style. But more than just aesthetics, but a technique that shows more of the emotional response for the audience about the plots antagonistic oppressors based on cultural events on the protagonist.

A culturally significant animation, this film is based on the principles of culture and the acceptable norm against any indifference in society, from a political aspect, this film shows how socially, communities can be oppressed from cultural regulations and/or a corrupt regime.

4. Burn the Witch" music video based on a song by the English rock band Radiohead, released on 3 May 2016 as the lead single from their ninth studio album A Moon Shaped Pool (2016).

Burn the Witch, expressing a deep sense of dread and skepticism portraying a deliberately lighter tone than the song, with the colour pallet and stop-motion media but conveying darker themes using the light tone to mask the true intentions of the song and the message. 

An inspector is greeted by a town mayor and invited to see a series of unsettling sights, culminating in the unveiling of a wicker man. The mayor urges the inspector to climb into the wicker man, whereupon he is locked inside as a human sacrifice and the wicker man is set on fire. 

The political themes this animation conveys are more about society and community reacting against the political state of mind and creating a demonstration of each of the most controversial aspects of politics such as capital punishment, bias, unfair law and order, and corrupt government trails for justice. 

5. Watership Down is a 1978 British animated adventure-drama film written, produced and directed by Martin Rosen and based on the novel of the same name by Richard Adams. 

The political themes are based of exile, survival, heroism, leadership, political responsibility, and the 'making of a hero and a community' under oppression from a regime amongst a community.

In Watership Down, power comes in many forms, but it generally has one result: making others do what you want. The simplest form of power is just brute strength, even good rabbits aren't afraid to use force to get things done. 

6. Miami heat, Retro Wave - Animated music video - scenes from, Golgo 13 The Professional, 1983 anime.

Studied for environmental, setting and character research and experimentation
The most favoured scenes form this animated film/featured music video, are set in pristine retro settings and background, because most of my inspirations come from watching old school anime settings with vast open spaces and hot climates like Dragon Ball z; that share a general retro theme.

Cityscapes to desert, dry washed-out backgrounds usually for the fight scenes of the over powered characters, but this open space in the environment is inspirational for my creativity and also I imagine fast paced motion or exercise like training montage scenes, Cowboy bebop is also a huge inspiration of mine for a particular retro setting example.

Merely noted for the art and setting, these are important to me for the design and experimentation of ideas for medium, theme and character design.

The Miami scene is my most favoured with the retro style of appeal, or based in the 70s Florida itself, Vice City of the Grand Theft Auto was I big inspiration to me personally, also most 70's films like for example Beverly Hills Cop for the characters being more expressive to the retro style cars and funky attitude, music like hip-hop and synthesisers. Deadpan, aviators, 70's pinks and pastel retro suites.