Circle of Strife

I met up with Simon (my supervisor) yesterday to discuss . . . *shudder* my Honours Paper (worth 25% of my final mark). Theoretically, the purpose and reasoning for the paper is pretty sound. It should discuss – quote “a set of ideas in relation to [my] work and its place in the world” unquote . . . a beautiful utopian circle cycle where the work inspires the paper which inspires the work. Yet . . . it’s something I’ve been struggling to write.

My first idea was that ‘action speaks louder than words’ – in that action based animation conveys messages more effectively than verbal communication. Only, when reviewing my work, I realized my message was not only reliant on action – but also the style of camera cuts – and intended sound design. My theory fell flat - so that had to be scrapped.

Then followed discussions with Lynne (our Honours Paper lecturer) and she suggested a lot of ideas . . . pushing more for a delve into the symbolic nature of my piece – the stork, the baby, the concept of flight etc. And finally, it felt like I got what my paper should revolve around . . . not so much the technical (e.g. movement) but rather the content (e.g. symbols) of my animation. And to a degree that was right. But with art there is rarely an absolute way of doing anything.

Shortly after talking with Lynne, I had a consult with Simon and discussed where I was steering my paper – towards ‘content’ – symbols and metaphors and stuff. But Simon knew that that direction wasn’t where my heart was – and encouraged me to pick a topic I could research with passion - like the genre of 1930s Animation - something like that.

Fast forward a trawl through a pile of books (I keep getting away with perpetual “renewing”), scrawl through a list of links Simon suggested, and a day poised over my keyboard – I wrote a 1500 word Preliminary Outline. I submitted it and waited for feedback. Yesterday sitting on the steps of Elywn Lynn I got the verdict I suspected . . . it was overly broad, overly opinionated (and unsupported) – a pretentious little piece of writing (though Simon was too kind to put it that bluntly).

My problems are that I need to get my head away from trying to argue one genre’s (e.g. 1930s cartoon shorts) superiority over another and instead find something to compare/analyse. So now . . . I just have to watch a lot of cartoons – and try work out what that something is. Or find a something. I have to watch cartoons. Did I ever tell you I love being a student at COFA?

I managed to find half a dozen DVDs of Fleischer and Harryhausen short films at this discount place in Town Hall for $2 each. I always thought those cheap DVDs were dodgy and only the stuff that stingy parents would buy for their kids instead of 'Finding Nemo' – but it’s Fleischer! And Harryhausen! It’s sad that that work is in the discount bin, but it works out for me.

I cut my third animatic this week and reviewed it with Simon. It needs a few minor edits, hence, a fourth animatic. I’m tired of making animatics. I just want to start animating . . . but I really need the animatic sharp as possible. I’m hoping that with a sharp animatic I can start laying down a soundtrack – rather than waiting for the animation to be completed before I work on the soundtrack.