What is Animation?
Dictionary Definition
"A dynamic visual medium produced from static drawings, models, or objects posed in a series of incremental movements that are then rapidly sequenced to give the illusion of lifelike motion."
- Dictionary.com |
Artistic Definition
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What Makes a Great Animation:
Based on my opinion, what makes a great animation is when the story engages the audience's attention. The story should be something that can easily be recognizable. If they storyline is hard to comprehend, you won't be able to captivate the people because they'll be left confused and lost: you want to be able to guide them. Although always stay one step ahead of what the audience expects from the story because having a major unexpected plot twist will leave them mind blown and be left amazed. Having sound effects is a good idea to help bring the mood and atmosphere of the film. As well as having a bit of humour, will make the audience want to stay longer for more. I think that it's very important to have a film that has a moral lesson and message, that opens and wakes people's minds up. It is also important when the audience can relate and connect to the characters.
My two favourite animations are Mulan and Moana. I personally love films that have a moral lesson or message about encouragement and bravery, because it gives me motivation to face the world with audacity, and I believe that these two animations possess those qualities. The similarities that both characters struggle with is the freedom to chase their desires and dreams. They are force to act in a certain way due to their genders and are put in a role where they have to obey rules, or else they would be marked as a disgrace to the nation. Despite the negativity, their determination and curiosity was what kept them moving forward: eventually proving everyone from their small village to expand their thinking about gender equality.
My two favourite animations are Mulan and Moana. I personally love films that have a moral lesson or message about encouragement and bravery, because it gives me motivation to face the world with audacity, and I believe that these two animations possess those qualities. The similarities that both characters struggle with is the freedom to chase their desires and dreams. They are force to act in a certain way due to their genders and are put in a role where they have to obey rules, or else they would be marked as a disgrace to the nation. Despite the negativity, their determination and curiosity was what kept them moving forward: eventually proving everyone from their small village to expand their thinking about gender equality.
Examples where Non-human objects or Animals have been Humanized:
Moana - Te Fiti / Te Ka
Humanization of Mother Nature:
- Te Fiti desires to spread life and beauty while Te Ka seeks to bring death and corruption - bipolar personality
- enormous embodiment of the earth, but her appearance differs between the two forms - human appearance
- form of a feminine figure with a human face - human appearance
- as Te Fiti's heart gets stolen, she becomes damaged and emotionless - human characteristics/feelings
Aladdin - Magic Carpet
Humanization of a Magical Carpet:
- Possess human aspects of intelligence, such as being shy, heroic, romantic, and unquestionably loyal - feelings/traits
- has likes and dislikes, allies and enemies - human personal choices
- walks - almost humanlike movements
- usually the one to figure out what's going on before anyone - human mind thinking
Pinocchio - Jiminy Cricket
Humanization of a Cricket:
- wears clothes, talks, has facial expressions - human aspects/features
- has likes and dislikes, allies and enemies - human personal choices
- walks - human movements
- optimistic, helpful, dependable, supportive, wise, solicitous, cynical - human personality traits
- wants to assist Pinocchio to guide him into becoming a real boy and plays a role as Pinocchio's "conscience" - human goals
You Don’t Need to Know How to Draw to be an Animator:
It is not necessary to be an amazing drawer to be a successful animator. Focusing more on how the character moves instead of the technical assets of the drawing is much more important: to make the character look more realistic. Figure out human anatomy! How does the body move? Composition skills are mandatory because it's essential to look at the bigger ideas so we know how and where to arrange things.
Types of Animation:
- traditional animation (hand drawn drawings called frames)
- 2D animation (vector based animation)
- 3D animation (CGI, computer animation)
- motion graphics (animation logos)
- stopmotion:
- whiteboard animation
- pixilation
- object animation
- toy-mation (Ex. Brick or Lego Films)
- cut-out animation
- puppet animation
- silhouette animation
- sand animation (also being done with coffee)
- painted on glass animation
- erasure animation
- pinscreen animation
2 of the types of Animation I chose Research Project: