Performance Guide
Cuesheet
Film: Decoding the Message A Film Screening a n d D i s c u ss i o n
Since its beginning in the 1860s, film—the art of moving images— has continued to evolve over time thanks to advances in technology and the imaginations of innovative artists. One such artist was experimental animator and filmmaker Norman McLaren, who film magazine Séquences called the “poet of animation.” McLaren focused on exploring numerous elements that make up the language of film. Not a vocabulary list, the language of film refers to the tools and techniques filmmakers use to tell visual stories. The screening will provide an inside look at McLaren’s work alongside other films from the National Film Board of Canada. You’ll learn about the various techniques used and how to analyze a film’s message, as well as discuss the films after the presentation.
Photo by Jack Long/National Film Board of Canada
Norman McLaren (1914–1987) Born and raised in Scotland, McLaren’s interest in the visual arts began early. At age 18, he joined his school’s film club and discovered his passion for motion pictures. He immediately recognized film’s relevance and potential for expressing ideas.
Norman McLaren at work.
By 1934, his film career was fully underway, catching the attention of pioneer documentary filmmaker John Grierson. In 1941, Grierson invited McLaren to join Canada’s National Film Board (NFB) and create their first animation team. At the NFB, McLaren was able to take his film experiments to new levels. Over the years, his team created new camera and projector systems, dabbled in 3-D technology, and tested countless new sound and special effect techniques.
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