Mark Collington 'Animation in Context'

Abstract

Animation in Context is a book by Mark Collington that I shapes my main arguments in the essay. The book summarises complex theories of animation, and can be used as a guideline in critical writing within the topic of animation. Out of all the theories that is presented in the book, I am most keen towards Hannah Arendt's theory of 'Human Condition' which described that self-expression remains crucial for human beings. It leads to self-discovery and eventually discourse that could contribute to the qualitative change in society. 

Collington also explains a concept that I always feel strongly about:

‘The visual techniques used in the most meaningful animations are not driven by technology or style, but are result of narrative form and function’

He compared understanding an animation to how we understand a narrative in very old paintings. We need to have a degree of contextual understanding of the general history at that period of time when the painting is made in order to fully appreciate the animation.

I personally think that animation should be seen as an entirety, and not as segments, therefore examining transitions that leads one scene to another should also be analysed. I will follow up talking about movements and transitions not in the visual investigation sketchbook, but in the blogs so that I can coherently get my points across as I can put on the reference videos, which could not be done on a piece of paper.

The Human Condition

‘Can be described as the artistic self-expression of the identity and everyday existence of an individual, society or entire civilisation, which is determined by the events of their past, present and future.’

‘A term that captures the innate survival instinct of mankind to master his own destiny over the constraints and fears imposed upon him by other civilizations, society, individuals or even himself. Ultimately, the human condition is a term that can be applied to the relationship between mankind and the natural environment, that is, the ability of mankind to take control over the natural world and even leave planet Earth altogether in search of an even greater voyage of self-discovery.’

‘Human condition and their historical context’:

• Fairy tales representation.
• Modernist and propagandist representations of the impact of technology and war on the everyman.
• Interpretations of deeply personal and abstract human experiences using techniques of animated documentaries.

Michael Foucault (French constructionist) ‘believed that knowledge is produced through discourse and that nothing exists meaningfully within itself without being defined as a topic for discussion. Further, it is the context within which something is discussed, in other words the era or culture in which the subject is discussed, that defines the nature of its very being. Above all, at any period in history, it is the views of those in particular positions of power that determine commonly held knowledge and beliefs.’

‘By reading about current affairs, as well as reading, thinking and writing how and why real events have informed the work of others, you will have a better idea of how and why you can express yourself through animation. As an artist, animation can be a way for you to explore the world, understand your place in in and share your own artistic interpretation of world events online with others.

The Culture Industry: Consumerism and the status quo

‘In modern society … have also established particularly powerful ways for government and large organizations to manipulate public behaviour by not only controlling the news media, but also advertising and entertainment.’

Walter Lippman (critic of American government’s propaganda) ‘defined that the use of news media by governments and large organisations to filter facts and influence public opinion as the ‘manufacture of consent’

‘Societies will often alienate those whose cultures, lifestyles and values deviate from those held as the established norm.’

‘But for Marx, subsequent neo-Marxist and modernist artists, a key function of great art was how it could be used as an aesthetic process (artistic experience) to educate people. Art could expose or challenge the reality behind many of the belief systems used by society, that condition people to accept the repressive and dehumanising effects of capitalism as the ‘normal’ way of life. Equally it could provide emotional escape from highly rationalised and industrialised society.’

The challenge for the individual and society is to be able to separate knowledge gained through active human experience, reading and debate rather than passively absorbing our identity and understanding of the world through exposure to corporately managed digital media, both in public urban spaces and the privacy of home.

‘Animation was born out of experimentation with a range of expressive art forms, such as shadow puppetry, and also the technology of optical toys. We have also witnessed how animation very quickly became an industrialised form of highly-stylised mainstream animation.’

Authorship

‘Animation is especially persuasive in depicting such states of consciousness - memory, fantasy, dream and so on - because it can easily resist the conventions of the material world and the ‘realist’ representation that characterises live-action cinema. Interestingly, this capability is highly enabling because it can illustrate both states of consciousness and the visual conceptualisations of psychological and emotional conditions.’ (Wells, P. (2002) Animation, Genre and Authorship, p.49)

‘The visual techniques used in the most meaningful animations are not driven by technology or style, but are result of narrative form and function’

‘We now live in an age where narrative genres evolve and hybridise as quickly as the human world and consume our imagination with concerns about our present and also our future.’

Considerations of semiotics: thorough research of subject matter, meaningful juxtaposition, aesthetic, sensitivity in representing different cultures, use of colours, anthropomorphism. Ultimately, produce harmonious composition that makes the artwork effectively communicate meanings to the viewers.

‘Our ability to understand a narrative, particularly in very old paintings, often requires us to understand the moral codes, customs, beliefs, values and visual metaphors of the given era and culture.’

‘How these more conventional ways of reading images and narrative sequences can be challenged through more abstract modernist art movements’

‘Discussion of genre has reinforced how at different periods throughout history, civilisations have reflected on mankind’s place in the world, using stories and images to understand and record what defines their society and the human (or hero) within it.’

‘Directors have focused on presenting the audience with nonfictional knowledge that often reveals more personal abstract truths and aspects about the human condition, in ways that avoid stereotyping, delve deeper into the human psyche and challenge our preconceptions about the function and purpose of all forms of documentary.’

‘Documenting and visualising synesthesia … a neurological phenomenon in which some people’s senses, such as sight, taste, smell and hearing crossover with one another. The result for some is that sounds, words and letters may be perceived as being of certain colour or even having a particular smell or taste. … for representing knowledge about subjective abstract experiences, feelings and memories.’

Independent animators ‘Directly and indirectly challenged preconceptions about the narrative content, function and form of animation.’

Cross-disciplinary practice (in the case of animation): work with a range of experimental and expressive techniques inspired by other film, art and design disciplines to enhance storytelling skills

‘Pschological insight to, or evoke a feeling of the state of mind of the subject’

‘Evocation … focuses more on more abstract stimuli such as colours, textures, rhythms, sounds and so forth.’