Lecture Diary by constadean.com

Table of Contents Lecture Diary ................................................................................................................... 1 Film, Animation and Games History ............................................................................ 1 Week 1: Daniel Lo Iacono - Digital Snapshot ................................................................ 1 Week 2: Tim Burton - Vincent....................................................................................... 2 Week 4: Federico Fellini - La Strada (The Road) ........................................................... 2 Week 5: Gorillaz - Clint Eastwood - Jamie Hewlett and Pete Candleland ....................... 3 Week 6: Kunio Kato - La Maison en Petit Cubes ........................................................... 3 Week 7: Konstantin Bronzit - At the ends of the earth .................................................... 4 Week 8: Ignacio Ferrera – How to cope with Death ....................................................... 4 Week 9: Leigh Hodgkinson – Moo(n)............................................................................ 5 Week 10: Chris Hinton - Nibbles ................................................................................... 5

Lecture Diary

Konstantinos Chatzichristofis Moving Image for Animation and Games Film, Animation and Games History VFX, 2011, Semester B

Lecture Diary Film, Animation and Games History This is a diary with the animations, films and music videos that interest me during my weekly lectures. Below there are some notes, details or explanations why those media are interest me.

Week 1: Daniel Lo Iacono - Digital Snapshot Digital Snapshot is a video project by Daniel Lo Iacono. It demonstrates a virtual walk in a green park during the daylight time. The camera focuses on objects, humans and animals in the park. According to Daniel Lo Iacono[1], the visual style of the video is docu-animation, dealing with the co-relation of digital manipulations and candid documentary shots. The creator uses the guerrilla-method. Daniel Lo Iacono made a database of different motion shots. He created a sequence selecting some of those snapshots and using the applications “Combustion” and “Realviz Retimer” for compositing. The video contains slow motion, freeze frame and rewind effects. Also, include an accompanying music track called “Unbriefed” by Michael Kadelbach.

http://www.lo-iacono.com/loiacono_site/projects/digisnapshot/digisnapideal.jpg

Lecture Diary

Week 2: Tim Burton - Vincent Vincent is a short animation film by Tim Burton. Have been filmed in 1954. The narrative is about a young kid, who seems to be affected by horror films, books and the gothic style, which began to develop in that age. Tim Burton through his story presents a macabre visual style, supporting it with appropriate soundtrack by Ken Hilton. His main animation character has a dual personality. Vincent Malloy a good, polite kid and Vincent Price a bizarre and dark man (Muahahaha). Stephen Chiodo is the animator. He created it, using the stop motion animation technique. And Rick Heinrichs made the plasticine sculpture and the additional design.

Week 4: Federico Fellini - La Strada (The Road) La Strada is an Italian widely famous film, renowned for the visual and narrative quality. Have been filmed in 1954. Contain interesting camera moves (more details in my Storyboard Sequence). The story is about an insouciant girl who sold to an entertainer to help her family and that sacrifice, led her to psychosomatic pain. The main characters are, Giullietta Masina who plays the role of naive but dedicated Gelsomina, Antony Quinn as the obscene and criminal Zampano and Richard Basehart who plays the role of the sympathetic acrobat “Il Matto” which means “mad”. The film has a dramatic finale, the murder of innocent Il Matto, leads Zampano to awareness and humanize.

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Week 5: Gorillaz - Clint Eastwood - Jamie Hewlett and Pete Candleland Gorillaz is a music virtual band of animation characters. Contain four members, “2D” for lead vocalist and keyboard, “Murdoc Niccals” for bass guitar, “Noodle” for guitar, keyboard, and occasional vocals and “Russel Hobbs” for drums and percussion. That musical project created by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett in 1998. In March 2001 they released their first album with title Gorillaz, which had a great impact worldwide. That album contains the song "Clint Eastwood”. The song name is a reference to the actor Clint Eastwood who played in the film “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly”. The yell from the film's theme song can be heard at the beginning of the video. The music video has interesting lighting and shadows that makes the viewer to focus at specific points. Also interesting are the slow motion and rewind effects that make the characters looks like dancing.

Week 6: Kunio Kato - La Maison en Petit Cubes An award winning animated short film by Kunio Kato. Created by wonterful hand-drawings and supported with emotional music by Kenji Kondô. Very different art work than others Asian animators. The narrative is about an old man who lives in an almost submerged town. Only his house is habitable. He was building additional layers on the house in order to kip it dry. One day by a mistake, he dropped his favorite smoking pipe into the lower levels of the house. So, he bought diving equipment to search for the pipe. While swims toward the deeper levels, relive scenes from his past. Lecture Diary

Week 7: Konstantin Bronzit - At the ends of the earth “At the Ends of the Earth” is a short animation film with nearly 70 awards. Created by Konstantin Bronzit in 1999. The story unfolds in a house on the top of a mountain. That house rocking from left to right, depending on the weight and the moves of the inhabitants. In the house live a dog, a cat, a cow, an old woman and old man. Additional characters are, a shepherd visitor and a bird. Many funny incidents happen, until the house collapses with the residents inside, because of their cow. The animation is very simply made but the narrative is smart and funny.

Week 8: Ignacio Ferrera – How to cope with Death “How to cope with Death” is as short TV animation, which released in October 2002 on channel 4. An old lady has fallen asleep, sitting front of the TV. Then comes Death with the ax. He takes a good look at her and he tries to hatchet her. However, suddenly, the old woman wakes up and attacks impressive, despite her old age. She kills Death, cleans up and comes fell asleep, sitting front of the TV again. The environment and the characters are well designed, especially the angel of death. In my opinion this animation could become a very good advertisement. (For example, Red bull gives you wings! - joke). Also, I like the sound that synchronizes very well with the characters acts and the whole story.

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Week 9: Leigh Hodgkinson – Moo(n) Moo(n) is the name of a sort animation by Leigh Hodgkinson, which released in 2003 on channel 4. The name reveals the story. A girl plays with her cow until she sneezes and her family takes her back to home. From her bedroom window, she looks the cow jumps to get her attention. But by a mistake the cow jumps over the moon and gets stuck there. In order to be big enough and get close to the earth, starts eat everything with tragic result. I impressed by the style of this animation, which looks like cutouts and gives this nice atmosphere. Also, may the narrative is too imaginary but I like it, as it remind me my childhood imagination.

Week 10: Chris Hinton - Nibbles “Nibbles” is a Canadian short animation, created by Chris Hinton in 2004. A funny narrative about a father with his kids that go for fishing while they stop to any shop on their way. Then, they come back to home, impressing the rest family members with a fish, while they don’t know the whole story. In other words, there is no point to go for fishing if they spend so much money only for the trip. The animation is simply made. Gives the feeling of overconsumption with emphasizes on intense eating. Made me laugh and think my family trips.

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References Sue (2007)

English translation at the end of the article. China: CG World magazine, P 44 49. [Online] Available at: http://www.lo-iacono.com/loiacono_site/fad/Lo_CGchina_Chinese_Engl_FIN.pdf The diary images are snapshots of the films.

Lecture Diary