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Thursday, 28 April 2016
Creative Response: Final Outcome
Overall, I feel that my final outcome wasn't as successful as I had hoped it would be. Whilst I adopted many of the techniques I had researched throughout my investigation, I feel that I have somehow lost some of these throughout the making of my animation.
Whilst I have managed to create a simple character and more detailed environments, I feel that the tension I intended to create isn't there. This may be due to the length of my camera cuts and the replacement scene I used instead of the second run cycle. Unfortunately for the replacement scene, I left the character stationary because I felt that I didn't have enough time to animate it, however I feel that this takes away from the overall animation. I also feel that the animation wasn't as successful because there wasn't time to form an attachment to the character. Without a bond to the character, the tension doesn't seem as real, and I personally felt like an observer rather than actually being involved.
This has demonstrated to me that it is not only the suspense created within a scene that makes something engaging, it is in fact the build up to that suspense and the connection that is made to the character beforehand, which is combined that creates an effective, engaging and immersive story. Reflecting upon my work, I have found that, although my animation contains the key elements of what I had learned, it doesn't quite contain the same level of involvement. If I were to do this again, I would spend more time on creating a back story for the character and I would have made the animation longer. This way I could have incorporated the opportunity for the audience to become attached to the character before he was placed in jeopardy. I feel that I spent too much time over my essay and this led me to having little time to complete the animation. For future projects, I will think about the practical aspect whilst researching to give myself a longer time frame to complete it in.
CoP Creative Response: Animating The Run Cycles
For my animation I was required to do a run cycle. This is something I have never actually done before so I was slightly apprehensive to try. I found it a little difficult to begin with but felt that I ended up picking it up quite quickly. I think that the pacing of the animation works well for the intent behind it and I am confident that it will work well within the overall piece.
Test 1
Test 2
Test 3
Test 4
I did intend to complete a second run cycle of the character facing away from the camera, however, I struggled a lot with this and I couldn't quite manage to get the grasp of how it worked. If I had more time to complete this, I would research more into how to animate a run cycle from this perspective, however, I don't feel confident that I will be able to do that in my given time frame. Instead I will replace the scene with a different shot that I feel will work.
From here I conducted a look test of my original run cycle to see how it would appear within the environments I had created. As I wanted a few close up shots of the character, I had to use the Detail Preserving Tool within After Effects to prevent the image from pixilating. Overall, I feel that the charter and the environments work really well together and I feel that I have managed to successfully incorporate the ideas of McCloud and Moore to my own work.
Look Test
Lecture Eight: The Gaze in Film and Art
The gaze relates to the specific instance of looking, it is a process of looking (or technology) that constitutes a whole web of relationships including power and violence. The gaze gives structure and stability to illusions and fantasies of self and others, and is a mode of viewing and reflecting a gendered code of desire.
In relation to film theory, 'the gaze' is used in a technical manner to explain how the viewers are looking upon the subjects they are being shown. Jacques Lacan, a French psychoanalyst, explored the significance of Freud's discovery of the unconscious, which led to an interest in the unconscious within a dil context and an interest into evidence of the workings of desire. A lot of emphasis was placed upon the importance of the cinema as an apparatus and the relationship between viewer and the screen. It was found that a spectator identifies with larger than life or ideal characters on screen, which confirms the belief that viewers derive pleasure from films through Scopophilia. This is a term used to describe the natural curiosity the viewers have when gazing upon a naked person or someone who id engaged sexually. The term was derived from Freud's theory that the desire to look is an instinct formed in childhood.
We were told that there are four main key 'gazes' within film. The Intra-diegetic Gaze refers to when a character is looking at another and the gaze is often created by a subjective point of view. The Direct Gaze relates to when the character is looking out of frame (or directly at the viewer). The Look of the Camera is when the viewer is looking through the eyes of the filmmaker. And the Spectator's Gaze is the gaze of a viewer an an image of a person in the film.
Through the use of such techniques within animation, we can create a story that is both intriguing and immersive. A great example of how animation has used some of these techniques is Warner Bros. Duck Amuck. The main character of the animation adopts a direct gaze and this allows for a very involving short that makes the viewer feel involved and included. Other 'gazes' can also be used to help aid the story and guide an audience through the visual keys within the story.
In relation to film theory, 'the gaze' is used in a technical manner to explain how the viewers are looking upon the subjects they are being shown. Jacques Lacan, a French psychoanalyst, explored the significance of Freud's discovery of the unconscious, which led to an interest in the unconscious within a dil context and an interest into evidence of the workings of desire. A lot of emphasis was placed upon the importance of the cinema as an apparatus and the relationship between viewer and the screen. It was found that a spectator identifies with larger than life or ideal characters on screen, which confirms the belief that viewers derive pleasure from films through Scopophilia. This is a term used to describe the natural curiosity the viewers have when gazing upon a naked person or someone who id engaged sexually. The term was derived from Freud's theory that the desire to look is an instinct formed in childhood.
We were told that there are four main key 'gazes' within film. The Intra-diegetic Gaze refers to when a character is looking at another and the gaze is often created by a subjective point of view. The Direct Gaze relates to when the character is looking out of frame (or directly at the viewer). The Look of the Camera is when the viewer is looking through the eyes of the filmmaker. And the Spectator's Gaze is the gaze of a viewer an an image of a person in the film.
Through the use of such techniques within animation, we can create a story that is both intriguing and immersive. A great example of how animation has used some of these techniques is Warner Bros. Duck Amuck. The main character of the animation adopts a direct gaze and this allows for a very involving short that makes the viewer feel involved and included. Other 'gazes' can also be used to help aid the story and guide an audience through the visual keys within the story.
Thursday, 21 April 2016
CoP Creative Response: Environment Design
In an attempt to create environments in keeping with my research, I opted to go for a style similar to Gravity Falls as I felt that this was something I would be able to achieve, but it would also contain the same level of realism I feel would be necessary to illustrate the difference between character and environment.
From here I had to think about how many different camera shots I had and how many of these could be achieved through the same to help me work efficiently (there's no point creating extra work for myself). I managed to get the scenes down to 4 key shots including a pan scene.
This is the scene that will be used for the running shots where the camera tracks the character. I've made it so it is possible to loop the background for when I need it, again mostly to save time and make it easier for myself, as this was the most technical of the shots.
From here I had to think about how many different camera shots I had and how many of these could be achieved through the same to help me work efficiently (there's no point creating extra work for myself). I managed to get the scenes down to 4 key shots including a pan scene.
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| Pan Scene |
For the other shots, I have simply created the backgrounds in layers to pac into After Effects and slot in afterwards.
In terms of colour choice, I wanted the environment to look believable whilst creating a sense of the place being alien and different. Because I'd already chosen to have the event take place in a forest, I felt that I had a lot more freedom to make the colours different and express the oddness of the place through colours. This led me to to look at deep purples and lighter blues to create some of the trees. Not only are these colours different, but they also relate to threatening nature of the event, reflecting a sense of eeriness throughout, even if it isn't noticeable at first. I also opted for a pink sky as I felt that, again it would illustrate the oddness of the setting, but also relate to the threat again in a very subtle tone, as the pink becomes quite dark towards the top. However, red might have been a better option, but I felt that this would't fit with the overall aesthetic and would be too obvious.
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| Extreme Long Shot |
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| Look Back |
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| Alternative Perspective |
In terms of colour choice, I wanted the environment to look believable whilst creating a sense of the place being alien and different. Because I'd already chosen to have the event take place in a forest, I felt that I had a lot more freedom to make the colours different and express the oddness of the place through colours. This led me to to look at deep purples and lighter blues to create some of the trees. Not only are these colours different, but they also relate to threatening nature of the event, reflecting a sense of eeriness throughout, even if it isn't noticeable at first. I also opted for a pink sky as I felt that, again it would illustrate the oddness of the setting, but also relate to the threat again in a very subtle tone, as the pink becomes quite dark towards the top. However, red might have been a better option, but I felt that this would't fit with the overall aesthetic and would be too obvious.
Overall, I am really pleased with my outcomes and I feel that they will work really well within my animation to achieve what I have set out to.
Sunday, 17 April 2016
CoP Creative Response: Character Design
Now that I have my story down, it was time to design my character. As I've pointed out before, it is important that I keep the character as simple as possible, as this will make it easier for an audience to merge with and project onto the character.
I started with a few sketches based on the simpler characters I had pointed out in my mood board, however I found that the characters looked too much like some of the characters on the board and I didn't want my work to be too heavily influenced by an already existing character.
So I focused on the aspects that I liked of each character I had placed within my mood board and began to sketch based on those elements. I felt that characters from animations such as Grave of the Fireflies and Spirited Away were too complex for what I wanted to achieve but I really liked the simple eye shape and small features, so I applied them to my own sketch. In terms of body shape, I am a huge fan of the simple shape-based bodies that are used in Song of the Sea and Secret of Kells as they are very simple yet really effective, so I created a body based on simple shapes.
I started with a few sketches based on the simpler characters I had pointed out in my mood board, however I found that the characters looked too much like some of the characters on the board and I didn't want my work to be too heavily influenced by an already existing character.
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| Initial Sketches |
So I focused on the aspects that I liked of each character I had placed within my mood board and began to sketch based on those elements. I felt that characters from animations such as Grave of the Fireflies and Spirited Away were too complex for what I wanted to achieve but I really liked the simple eye shape and small features, so I applied them to my own sketch. In terms of body shape, I am a huge fan of the simple shape-based bodies that are used in Song of the Sea and Secret of Kells as they are very simple yet really effective, so I created a body based on simple shapes.
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| Final Sketch |
I feel that this character will work really well within my story, as it is simple, yet appealing. From here I went on to conduct a few colour tests, as I was unsure what colour scheme I should go with. I needed the character to stand out against the background, and since this would predominantly be forest, I tried my best to steer away from dull colours and went with more vibrant colours to reduce the risk of him blending in.
However, with so much choice to choose from, I really struggled with which character to use, so I posted the sheet onto Instagram and asked for other people's opinions. the majority of people preferred the 3rd and 6th characters along, which I agreed with. Using this, I combined the two characters together, as I preferred the red jumper and blue jeans, but the skin tone and hair colour of the other character.
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| Colour Tests |
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| Final Character |
Overall, I'm really happy with my character and I feel that he will work really well within my animation. Character design ins't one of my strong points within animation and I am really pleased that I have managed to do so and quickly. I feel that I have learnt about how to keep my characters simple, which I am confident I will be able to take forward into future projects.
CoP Creative Response: Storyboarding
In order to create the most tension within my animation, I spent quite a bit of time planning out the different camera angles and I paid attention to how the action progressed throughout, as I had learnt from reading Aristotle that drama works best when the events are logical and can be easily followed by an audience.
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| Storyboards |
With this in mind, I had decided to reveal the situation in a progression of close ups before revealing the entire picture. By doing this, I hope to create a sense of urgency and capture the audiences attention, as it will make them curious and want to know what is going on, thus becoming engaged with the story.
I feel that the story makes sense and that it is easy to follow, however after reflecting upon it, I think I will change the 3rd panel from last to more rustling bushes, as this will create more tension, as the threat isn't being revealed. I also feel that there are range of camera angles and shots that I can work with, however, after doing some research, I am considering adding a dutch tilt to the second to last shot, as this is a technique used in filming to portray tension and inform the audience that something is going to happen.
Friday, 15 April 2016
CoP Creative Response: Research into Characters and Environments
Referring back to my research, I collected a variety of simple characters and complex environments from a number of animations to use as influence and reference for my own characters and backgrounds. I started with the animations I had focused on within my essay and then I expanded my search to other similar animations that I felt would influence my work in a beneficial way.
I started with Grave of the Fireflies as it has been the most influential animation throughout my essay and I felt that it would be a good starting point for my character design. The whole time I have been thinking of my creative response, I have pictured a boy as my main character, so this is what I predominantly focused on when I was looking at character designs. Seita, is a very simple character with quite generic facial features and a simple face shape. However, his body shape is much more complex than that of Ben's from Song of the Sea, or Brendan's from The Secret of Kells. I feel that the latter characters would be easier for me to animate and still work as well as they are still very simple character designs. With this in mind, I will take elements from each and attempt to create a simple character to animate.
In terms of environments, I want these to be a lot more realistic than the characters, as I will use the environments to tell the story alongside the character. The environments will also help to portray emotion, atmosphere and mood with the intention of evoking emotion and imagination within the audience. Although I really love the environments within Grave of the Fireflies, I don't feel that I will be able to create something as complex as that without taking months to complete it. Instead, I wanted to create something similar to the Gravity Falls environments but use the opportunity to illustrate how animation is an art form that isn't tied down by the restrictions of live-action, similarly to how Song of the Sea has done. By doing so, I hope that it will put Roe's (2003) and Wells' (1998) theories into practice.
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| Character Mood board |
I started with Grave of the Fireflies as it has been the most influential animation throughout my essay and I felt that it would be a good starting point for my character design. The whole time I have been thinking of my creative response, I have pictured a boy as my main character, so this is what I predominantly focused on when I was looking at character designs. Seita, is a very simple character with quite generic facial features and a simple face shape. However, his body shape is much more complex than that of Ben's from Song of the Sea, or Brendan's from The Secret of Kells. I feel that the latter characters would be easier for me to animate and still work as well as they are still very simple character designs. With this in mind, I will take elements from each and attempt to create a simple character to animate.
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| Environment Mood board |
In terms of environments, I want these to be a lot more realistic than the characters, as I will use the environments to tell the story alongside the character. The environments will also help to portray emotion, atmosphere and mood with the intention of evoking emotion and imagination within the audience. Although I really love the environments within Grave of the Fireflies, I don't feel that I will be able to create something as complex as that without taking months to complete it. Instead, I wanted to create something similar to the Gravity Falls environments but use the opportunity to illustrate how animation is an art form that isn't tied down by the restrictions of live-action, similarly to how Song of the Sea has done. By doing so, I hope that it will put Roe's (2003) and Wells' (1998) theories into practice.
Thursday, 14 April 2016
CoP Creative Response: Refining My Ideas
Now that I've researched animations that have been created using the elements I had discovered throughout my essay, I have been able to refine my initial idea and come up with a final solution.
Based on my research I will create a 30 second animation of a character within a situation with the aim to create tension and suspense amongst my audience, as Miller (2004) that these two elements are some of the most effective at engaging an audience. To do this, I will have the character running away from an unseen threat through a forest to only end up on the edge of a high cliff with no way of escape. Although this won't be a full narrative from start to finish, it will depict a section of action that I hope will illustrate the techniques that I have learnt throughout this project.
In terms of character design I will keep it very simple to keep in with the ideas both Moore (2015) and McCloud (1993) shared on the effectiveness of simple character design. Rather than placing huge amounts of detail into the characters, I will focus on making more detailed environments, similarly to Song of the Sea and Grave of the Fireflies, as Roe (2013) and Wells (1998) state that this is an effective way to evoke emotion and association within an audience. I will also use these detailed environments to hold frames in an attempt to portray the atmosphere and create the right mood amongst my audience, which is also in relation to Roe (2013).
On top of this, I will look at using a range of different camera angles that will aide the creation of tension and suspense throughout the clip. By doing so, I hope to apply Caputo's theory of a storyteller and achieve an immersive and engaging clip of a story that transports an audience into a new reality.
Based on my research I will create a 30 second animation of a character within a situation with the aim to create tension and suspense amongst my audience, as Miller (2004) that these two elements are some of the most effective at engaging an audience. To do this, I will have the character running away from an unseen threat through a forest to only end up on the edge of a high cliff with no way of escape. Although this won't be a full narrative from start to finish, it will depict a section of action that I hope will illustrate the techniques that I have learnt throughout this project.
In terms of character design I will keep it very simple to keep in with the ideas both Moore (2015) and McCloud (1993) shared on the effectiveness of simple character design. Rather than placing huge amounts of detail into the characters, I will focus on making more detailed environments, similarly to Song of the Sea and Grave of the Fireflies, as Roe (2013) and Wells (1998) state that this is an effective way to evoke emotion and association within an audience. I will also use these detailed environments to hold frames in an attempt to portray the atmosphere and create the right mood amongst my audience, which is also in relation to Roe (2013).
On top of this, I will look at using a range of different camera angles that will aide the creation of tension and suspense throughout the clip. By doing so, I hope to apply Caputo's theory of a storyteller and achieve an immersive and engaging clip of a story that transports an audience into a new reality.
Sunday, 10 April 2016
CoP Creative Response: Visual Research
I thought it would benefit me more if I carried out further research into how storytelling works in animation by looking at a few animations that I felt were more successful at storytelling than other mediums. I wanted to look for animations that used one or more of the techniques that I had researched to see how they worked when put into practice, rather than just theory. This way I would gain a better understanding of how to shape my own animated story in a successful way.
The first set of animations I looked at were all created by Studio Ghibli, as I have found that these films often follow a number of the key elements of visual storytelling I came across during my research.
All of these animation's protagonists are extremely simple in terms of character design and even character animation. Although there is a certain amount of exaggeration to their body language (which is common within animation) the behaviour is somewhat subtle and natural compared to other character based animations such as Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty. However, it is the simple face shapes and generic facial features that really stand out for me and will be a huge source of inspiration for my own character design.
Another element all three of these animations follow is Joseph Campbell's monomyth. Throughout each animation, the narrative contains the 12 stages of the hero's journey, which is particularly easy to follow in Spirited Away. All of the protagonists within these narratives are also flawed in one way or another, making them more relate-able and easier to associate with.
Another animation that came to mind when I was thinking of how these elements have been visualised is Tomm Moore's Song of the Sea.
The first set of animations I looked at were all created by Studio Ghibli, as I have found that these films often follow a number of the key elements of visual storytelling I came across during my research.
Spirited Away - Studio Ghibli
Grave of the Fireflies - Studio Ghibli
Ponyo - Studio Ghibli
All of these animation's protagonists are extremely simple in terms of character design and even character animation. Although there is a certain amount of exaggeration to their body language (which is common within animation) the behaviour is somewhat subtle and natural compared to other character based animations such as Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty. However, it is the simple face shapes and generic facial features that really stand out for me and will be a huge source of inspiration for my own character design.
Another element all three of these animations follow is Joseph Campbell's monomyth. Throughout each animation, the narrative contains the 12 stages of the hero's journey, which is particularly easy to follow in Spirited Away. All of the protagonists within these narratives are also flawed in one way or another, making them more relate-able and easier to associate with.
Another animation that came to mind when I was thinking of how these elements have been visualised is Tomm Moore's Song of the Sea.
Song of the Sea - Cartoon Saloon
Again, Song of the Sea contains very simple character design and character animation and also follows Campbell's monomyth. However, I feel that this animation relates to the others because of its use of realistic backgrounds. All of the animations I have looked at contain very realistic backgrounds compared to the character designs. This puts into the practice the theory that the backgrounds of the animation can be used to express atmosphere and mood and help an audience to process certain events that occur throughout the narrative.
Each animation also demonstrates how the aesthetic of animation can effect the atmosphere of the narrative and portray abstract ideas, for instance in Song of the Sea, emotions are portrayed as swirling clouds of different colours, which would be impossible to create in live-action to the same quality and effect.
On a final note, all of these animations touch upon some kind of emotion or create a sense of tension or suspense. This is a factor that I have found to be quite common among most animations I have watched that are narrative driven. The theory that emotion helps to create a more engaging and immersive story experience appears to be true and it is definitely something that I will bring to the forefront of my considerations for my own narrative driven animation.
I feel that I have a good range of how to put theory into practice and I am confident that I can create an animation that explores all of the techniques I have discovered throughout my research. Whilst I begin to visualise my story I will also conduct research into the effect of camera angles to help me create the most effective shots for suspense and tension. However, this is something that will be easier to do when I have a solid idea in mind and begin to storyboard.
CoP Creative Response: Theoretical Research
Although I've already done quite a bit of reading and research into the subject of animation as a storytelling tool, I thought it would be a good idea to read further into the specific techniques associated with visual storytelling to help me pin point the key elements that make visual storytelling a success so I can develop my own successful narrative to animate.
Whilst I was researching for my essay I came across Digital Storytelling: A Creator's Guide to Interactive Entertainment by Carolyn Handler Miller. Despite me not using any direct quotes within my essay, I do feel that it contains a lot of useful information that would benefit my exploration into creating an effective animation.
According to Miller (2004) a good story is made up of goals that are; specific; simple to understand; highly desirable; difficult to achieve. Miller (2004) believes that the "clearer the goal, and the more daunting the obstacles that stand in the way of achieving it, the greater the drama" (Miller, C, H 2004), which will ultimately lead to a more engrossing story, as the protagonist will have to give it their all in order to achieve their desires. With this in mind, I will have to consider what obstacles my character will ultimately face and how I will present these obstacles as difficult to overcome.
Not only this, but Miller (2004) states that character development and story construction are "fundamental building blocks of any type of narrative" (Miller, C, H 2004), thus implying that no matter what I decide to portray through my animation the character must show development and the narrative must build upon itself if I am to make the story engaging and interesting for my audience. In relation to this it is important that I remember that although stories don't necessarily follow set rules, they are "guided by internal conventions" (Miller, C. H 2004), so it is important that the narrative remains logical and consistent. This is a point that Greek philosopher Aristotle agrees with, as he believed that plot developments should be logical and grow naturally out of the action, that is to say only actions that would occur naturally out of the event happening should do so, as any other action would seem illogical and out of place making it difficult for an audience to follow.
Aristotle believed that there were two types of human motivation, the first being passion and based on emotion, and the other based on reason or conscious will. I mention this because Aristotle also believed that character motivation is the fuel that leads to action, and action is one of the most important elements of drama, thus, it is important that I consider how and why my character is motivated to do what they will do within my animation. It is also important that I keep in mind which motivation will be most logical to the situation to keep my story line clear and easy to follow.
According to Miller (2004), master storytellers (myth makers) built their stories upon "themes with deep emotional and psychological underpinnings" (Miller, C. H 2004). From this it is safe to assume that such stories were so successful because of the power that emotions have over an audience and how emotions could make certain events more memorable. This is supported by a study conducted by Jacquelyn Ford Morie who set up the Darkcon project, in which participant's emotions are recorded and monitored when presented with stimuli. The findings concluded that "you remember emotionally charged events better than neutral ones" (Morie, J. F in Miller, C. H 2004). Aristotle also believed that this was case and stated that the most effective dramas often left an audience feeling a sense of catharsis, or emotional purge and relief, which is similar to what Campbell (1949) stated occurs in a powerful myth.
With this in mind, I thought it would be useful to figure out which emotions were the most effective at engaging an audience and which emotions made the most entertaining stories. I found that tension appears to be the most effective at creating the most engaging and interesting stories, as according to Miller (2004) suspense keeps an audience drawn in, as we, as humans, have a burning desire to know how something will turn out. Placing a character in jeopardy appears to create the highest emotional response within an audience, thus making the narrative more memorable.
Taking all of my research into account I have managed to create a list of key factors I need to consider when I create my animation and narrative. These are;
Critical Story Path
- There needs to be an orderly system of logic to events happening.
- There are scenes that need to be experienced in order to achieve full story experience to reach a meaningful ending point that isn't haphazard.
Flawed Protagonist
- Creates a more relate-able character (makes it easier for an audience to connect with them).
Simple Character Design
- Helps the character to become an idea rather than an event.
- Makes it possible for an audience to merge with a character and project their own associations onto the character.
Emotion
- Can be extremely significant
- Helps to make the animation appear more real and adds richness and depth/ dimension to the narrative.
- Makes the overall experience more immersive and compelling, intensifying the connection between he audience and the material.
- Emotionally potent work is more memorable.
Backgrounds
- More realistic than characters
- Used to express atmosphere and mood.
Animation
- Can express abstract ideas
- Can be anything!
From here I feel that I will be able to create an idea for a narrative that is both engaging and immersive whilst demonstrating the ways in which animation is more effective at storytelling than other mediums.
Campbell, J (1949). The Hero with a Thousand Faces, Princeton University Press, Princeton and Oxford.
Miller, C. H (2004). Digital Storytelling: A Creator's Guide to Interactive Entertainment, Focal Press, Oxford.
Whilst I was researching for my essay I came across Digital Storytelling: A Creator's Guide to Interactive Entertainment by Carolyn Handler Miller. Despite me not using any direct quotes within my essay, I do feel that it contains a lot of useful information that would benefit my exploration into creating an effective animation.
According to Miller (2004) a good story is made up of goals that are; specific; simple to understand; highly desirable; difficult to achieve. Miller (2004) believes that the "clearer the goal, and the more daunting the obstacles that stand in the way of achieving it, the greater the drama" (Miller, C, H 2004), which will ultimately lead to a more engrossing story, as the protagonist will have to give it their all in order to achieve their desires. With this in mind, I will have to consider what obstacles my character will ultimately face and how I will present these obstacles as difficult to overcome.
Not only this, but Miller (2004) states that character development and story construction are "fundamental building blocks of any type of narrative" (Miller, C, H 2004), thus implying that no matter what I decide to portray through my animation the character must show development and the narrative must build upon itself if I am to make the story engaging and interesting for my audience. In relation to this it is important that I remember that although stories don't necessarily follow set rules, they are "guided by internal conventions" (Miller, C. H 2004), so it is important that the narrative remains logical and consistent. This is a point that Greek philosopher Aristotle agrees with, as he believed that plot developments should be logical and grow naturally out of the action, that is to say only actions that would occur naturally out of the event happening should do so, as any other action would seem illogical and out of place making it difficult for an audience to follow.
Aristotle believed that there were two types of human motivation, the first being passion and based on emotion, and the other based on reason or conscious will. I mention this because Aristotle also believed that character motivation is the fuel that leads to action, and action is one of the most important elements of drama, thus, it is important that I consider how and why my character is motivated to do what they will do within my animation. It is also important that I keep in mind which motivation will be most logical to the situation to keep my story line clear and easy to follow.
According to Miller (2004), master storytellers (myth makers) built their stories upon "themes with deep emotional and psychological underpinnings" (Miller, C. H 2004). From this it is safe to assume that such stories were so successful because of the power that emotions have over an audience and how emotions could make certain events more memorable. This is supported by a study conducted by Jacquelyn Ford Morie who set up the Darkcon project, in which participant's emotions are recorded and monitored when presented with stimuli. The findings concluded that "you remember emotionally charged events better than neutral ones" (Morie, J. F in Miller, C. H 2004). Aristotle also believed that this was case and stated that the most effective dramas often left an audience feeling a sense of catharsis, or emotional purge and relief, which is similar to what Campbell (1949) stated occurs in a powerful myth.
With this in mind, I thought it would be useful to figure out which emotions were the most effective at engaging an audience and which emotions made the most entertaining stories. I found that tension appears to be the most effective at creating the most engaging and interesting stories, as according to Miller (2004) suspense keeps an audience drawn in, as we, as humans, have a burning desire to know how something will turn out. Placing a character in jeopardy appears to create the highest emotional response within an audience, thus making the narrative more memorable.
Taking all of my research into account I have managed to create a list of key factors I need to consider when I create my animation and narrative. These are;
Critical Story Path
- There needs to be an orderly system of logic to events happening.
- There are scenes that need to be experienced in order to achieve full story experience to reach a meaningful ending point that isn't haphazard.
Flawed Protagonist
- Creates a more relate-able character (makes it easier for an audience to connect with them).
Simple Character Design
- Helps the character to become an idea rather than an event.
- Makes it possible for an audience to merge with a character and project their own associations onto the character.
Emotion
- Can be extremely significant
- Helps to make the animation appear more real and adds richness and depth/ dimension to the narrative.
- Makes the overall experience more immersive and compelling, intensifying the connection between he audience and the material.
- Emotionally potent work is more memorable.
Backgrounds
- More realistic than characters
- Used to express atmosphere and mood.
Animation
- Can express abstract ideas
- Can be anything!
From here I feel that I will be able to create an idea for a narrative that is both engaging and immersive whilst demonstrating the ways in which animation is more effective at storytelling than other mediums.
Campbell, J (1949). The Hero with a Thousand Faces, Princeton University Press, Princeton and Oxford.
Miller, C. H (2004). Digital Storytelling: A Creator's Guide to Interactive Entertainment, Focal Press, Oxford.
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