Nelly Luckett : BA (Hons) Computer Animation Arts, UCA Rochester

This week’s lecture was on Hyper reality. Research Simulacra and simulation - Jean Baudrillard David Boyle - Authenticity Definitions Pornification  - the increasing occurrence and acceptance of sexual themes and explicit imagery in popular or mainstream culture (3rd Order) Hyper realism  - particularly highly realistic, to the point of being more real than real Simulation - imitation of a situation or process Simulacra  - an image or representation of someone or something Fake news  - false stories that appear on the news, internet or in other media, usually to influence politics or opinions Simulacra and Simulation is a philosophical treatise by Jean Baudrillard Human experience - simulation of reality rather than reality itself An individual in a postmodern world is an entity influenced by media, technological experience, and the hyper real “We live, not inside reality, but inside our representations of it.” Hyper reality makes co...

This week’s lecture was on Ouroborus or story loops. Definitions Ouroborus - a circular symbol of a snake or dragon devouring its own tail, standing for infinity Meta  - talks about its own category Metafiction - fiction about fiction Metanarratives  - philosophies mentioned before Metafiction - fiction which is self-consciously reflects upon its own nature, modes of production etc. Mise en abyme  - “placing into infinity” or “placing into the abyss” Intertextuality - the shaping of a text’s meaning by another text The 4th wall - a performance convention in which an invisible, imagined wall separates actors from the audience. While the audience can see through this “wall”, the actors act as if they cannot.  Metafiction was coined in 1970 as experimental texts that broke with the tradition of literary realism Mise en abyme is commonly used to describe standing between two mirrors to create infinite images. It is used in deconstruction to describe...

Todays lecture was on a theory called the Derrida virus. Research Jaques Derrida - philosopher Nikos A Salingaros- The Derrida Virus, 2003 Christopher Butler - Postmodernism: A very short introduction Judith Butler - Gender is performative Definitions Ideology  - a systematic body of concepts especially about human life or culture Binary Opinions - one thing OR another (eg. M/F, X/Y, Straight/Gay, White/Black Normativity - phenomenon in human societies of designating some actions or outcomes as good or desirable or permissible, and others as bad or undesirable or impermissible Binary Opposition - A pair of mutually-exclusive signifiers in a paradigm set representing categories which are logically opposed and which together define a complete universe of discourse.  Deconstruction  - a method of critical analysis of philosophical and literary language which emphasises the internal workings of language and conceptual systems, the relational quality o...

This lecture was based around the debate of who owns a piece of work that has been released to the public. Publications to research Roland Barthes Cassette boy - youtuber - chops together politicians and news segments. Definitions The Canon - cultural products generally accepted as ‘superior’ or more significant than other examples in the same field.  DWEMs - Dead White European Males - unfairly dominate the “high” arts - “male, pale and stale” Sweding - recreation of feature films on a low budget - obsurdety Authors and critics give fixed meanings and ideas Audience tells culture what it means by imprinting and do-creating the work. “The Birth of the Reader must be at the cost of the death of the Author” Opens popular participation and democratic determinations of cultural value.  Consumers recombine new materials created by author CGI reproductions of celebrities - death of Author of self. Clauses in Wills about not being able to use likenes...

Exploitation films have been around since the beginning of film itself. Originally these films would have been presented in Circus tents, and would pick up on morality tales to get audiences out and make them feel better about their lives. The banning of film companies owning cinemas really marked the turn around for exploitation films. Exploitation met A list films to create entirely new genres and opportunities. Mad Max (1979) for many was a highly influential and game changing film. In keeping with it’s B movie roots, the film was directed by George Miller. He was not a qualified, or highly experienced filmmaker, but rather a medical doctor and a short-film experimenter. He made the film using highly experimental and groundbreaking methods. The film also arrived in the middle of a massive period of change for Australian filmmaking. R rated films had only been introduced to the country in 1970, so many of the national filmmakers were beginning to explore what this meant for film...

The animation we are currently working on in class is using a Charlie Chaplin section as reference. So far we have only put the extremes in, however I feel that this is already starting to look as it should, just lacking easing and some of the finer movements.

For our next maya project we had to work out the extremes, inbertweens and breakdowns for the Charlie Chaplin animation we were given. See the sheets below.

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Three and five act structures are key devices used in effective storytelling. They give narratives and stories a pleasing base structure upon which the weave the elements to create a unique viewpoint. The Greatest Showman has a clear five act structure used beneath all the songs and showy costumes to make it stand up as a narrative. Act 1 - Childhood We see the challenges that Barnum went through as a child. It shows him as a poor tailor’s son struggling to make ends meet. It shows him meeting Charity for the first time. It also shows his father getting ill and eventually passing away, and how he had to beg on the streets for food. Towards the end of the act we see Barnum heading off to make his fortune on the railways.  Act 2 - Attempt One We see Barnum come back a wealthy man to marry Charity. They build a home together and have two daughters. Barnum is working at a trading company, but they all get fired when the company’s flotilla sink. Barnum uses the bonds fo...

One of the key storytelling method used by filmmakers is characters with opposite opinions and backgrounds. This is often the Hero and Villain. The two characters I have chosen to look at from this film are Eggsy, the protagonist, and Valentine, the protagonist.  Personal history Eggsy Empoverished background, abusive stepfather, father was an agent (this is unknown initially, once known, living up to memory) Valentine Wealthy, self-made billionaire, speech impediment, philanthropist, can’t stand blood. Personal World View Eggsy World is unfair, there is nothing to aim for, learns about himself through adversity. Valentine Humans are ruining everything, money cannot be the answer, some humans are useless, humans are like a virus, nobody is helping, fear of violence. Inherited World Eggsy Gang fights, chavvy, estate Valentine No money is too much, his way or the high way.  Wants (goals) Eggsy To prove himself, to remove his mum...

The hero’s journey (or Monomyth) is a narrative characteristic commonly found in almost every movie. This is the cycle that the lead goes through to create a complete and satisfying narrative. I will use the movie “The Secret of Moonacre” to demonstrate this. This is a film I have loved for a long time, largely because of its enchanting storyline and the magic woven through it. The journey normally begins in the Ordinary World for the character. In “The Secret of Moonacre” this establishes Maria in the luxury of affluent Victorian styled London (although the exact placing is debatable as the costumes and architecture is not accurate to the period.) Maria’s life seems good and happy living with her father and governess until her father suddenly passes away. This means she will have to move in with her Uncle, Sir Benjamin. The second element of the hero’s journey is the call to adventure. In the movie this happens when Maria is given a large ancient book from her father’s will. I...

Non-linear story telling is another key device used by Postmodernist films. Deadpool uses this technique perfectly to capture Deadpool’s personality as a character and make his origin story much more interesting. It is perfectly entwined through the scrip to create an amusing and upbeat film. The first, and immediately most obvious to audience, device used is fourth wall breaks. These are direct comments or interactions with the audience. The use of fourth wall breaks begins right from the beginning of the credits, labelling each of the production team with different funny names other than their role names. He also regularly turns to the camera and tells the audience exactly what he’s feeling. This openness helps us connect with the character, makes us slightly disgusted at times and ultimately leads to some amazing comedic moments. This gives us an idea of the character of the film and Deadpool himself before the movie starts. The film also begins in the middle of the sec...

Over the last few weeks we have been working on the animation of the Moom character weightlifting. We worked on this from reference footage. I currently only have playblasts of the animation. See below. We will partially render this in a few weeks.

Archetypes is another way to analyse the content of films in terms of screenplay. I decided to examine theWizard of Oz and look at how each archetype is presented within the film. The Hero - Protagonist  Dorothy  as it is her “dream”. The whole world she falls into is based around her and the journey she must take. The Herald  - to warn and challenge The Tournado  as it takes Dorothy from the real world into the dreamworld, displacing her and setting her new challenges. It ultimately puts her in the position for her who adventure. The Mentor - to guide and motivate Galinda the Good Witch as she sets Dorothy on the path to self-discovery (literally the Yellow Brick Road). She also gives her the item that will ultimately cause her success and sends her aids.  Threshold guardian - tests hero at the threshold The  Oz gate Guardian literally decides whether or not Dorothy will be allowed in to see the Wizard. His whim ultimately decide...