About the Lesson
In today’s lesson, we explored various aspects of animation narrative, editing, and character roles. We reviewed foundational narrative structures, including the three-act structure, Freytag’s Triangle, and the Monomyth, among others. These frameworks provide a basis for building compelling and cohesive stories in animation.
Three-act structure
This is a fundamental structure common to all stories, consisting of a beginning, middle, and end. In the beginning, the background of the characters is introduced, and they soon face various conflicts. The climax represents the peak of tension, where characters experience the most intense conflicts, often through a pivotal or action-packed scene that serves as the story’s most thrilling moment. Importantly, the story’s beginning and end should reflect change, ensuring that the characters or circumstances are different by the story’s conclusion.
Examples of Montage Editing
In addition to narrative structures, we also explored film editing techniques, with a particular focus on montage editing. I find montage editing especially interesting, as it conveys messages without depicting the entire scene. Instead, it presents select shots related to the action, prompting the audience to infer what occurred. For instance, in a murder scene, rather than showing the actual stabbing, the film might show a knife dripping with blood, allowing viewers to imagine the event themselves. This approach engages the audience’s imagination, making the scene both powerful and suggestive.
I decided to search for more film examples that effectively use montage editing to convey action or emotions without showing explicit details. This technique fascinates me, and seeing how different films use it could deepen my understanding of how selective shots can shape audience perception and heighten the storytelling impact.
Up (2009)
In this well-known Pixar movie, montage editing is used masterfully to depict the lifelong relationship between the protagonist, Carl, and his wife, Ellie. In just 2-3 minutes, this scene encapsulates their entire journey together, from childhood, through marriage, to old age, and ultimately to Ellie’s passing. This condensed portrayal, achieved through a series of carefully selected shots, allows the audience to experience the depth of their relationship in a brief but profoundly emotional sequence, illustrating how montage can convey complex, time-spanning narratives in an impactful way.
Tangeled (2010)
In Tangled, there is a similar montage sequence, but with a unique twist: it’s a musical montage. The narrative progression is guided by the song “When Will My Life Begin?” which reflects Rapunzel’s emotions and daily routines. This form of montage, where music drives the narrative flow, is commonly found in Disney and Pixar films. The song’s lyrics and rhythm not only enhance the visuals but also provide insight into the character’s feelings and desires, making the sequence both entertaining and revealing of Rapunzel’s inner life.
Continuity
In terms of continuity, we explored several techniques for connecting two or more unrelated shots, each offering unique methods to enhance storytelling. Here are some examples:
- Graphic Relations
- Graphic Matching: This technique links two unrelated scenes by using similar visual elements. For example, a shot might transition seamlessly from a circular object in one scene to a similar shape in the next, creating a cohesive visual flow.
- Rhythmic Relations
- This method connects unrelated shots through the use of rhythm or music, providing a sense of continuity by aligning with the beats or mood of the soundtrack.
One concept that particularly surprised me was how animation conveys messages that live action sometimes cannot. Animation brings the impossible into reality, making it easier to accept unusual or exaggerated ideas. Even if a story appears bizarre or fantastical, animation allows it to seem natural rather than odd. This unique quality of animation encourages audiences to think outside the box and embrace creative possibilities that may be challenging to convey in live action.
Story having ending as the beginning
In today’s class, we also discussed films that have endings mirroring their beginnings. This concept immediately reminded me of The Lion King (1994). The film begins with the birth of Simba, the future king of the Pride Lands, and Mufasa proudly presenting him to the animals in a grand ceremony. The movie then concludes with Simba returning to the Pride Lands, symbolically taking his place as king, and mirroring the opening scene as he presents his own cub. This circular structure is a clever narrative device that does not confuse the audience but rather adds depth to the story, showcasing Simba’s growth and the cyclical nature of life.
Imitations or Influences of Disney’s Hyperreal Animation Aesthetic
Several animation studios and forms have been influenced by Disney’s hyperreal aesthetic, characterized by highly detailed, fluid character movements, and expressive environments. For instance, Pixar, a subsidiary of Disney, has perpetuated this style in films like Toy Story (1995) and Finding Nemo (2003), where realistic textures, lighting, and smooth animation contribute to a hyperreal world. Similarly, DreamWorks’ Shrek (2001) employs a similar aesthetic, using detailed environments and character animation to enhance visual storytelling. Both studios aim for a balance of realism and fantasy, following Disney’s example but with their own innovations in terms of technology and thematic exploration.
Studios/Animators Resisting Disney’s Aesthetic
In contrast, some animation studios actively resist Disney’s hyperreal aesthetic by embracing different styles that emphasize abstraction, artifice, or visual simplicity. For example, Studio Ghibli, under Hayao Miyazaki, tends to favor a more hand-drawn, organic approach to animation, focusing on naturalistic yet stylized visuals that prioritize atmosphere and emotional depth over hyperrealism. In Princess Mononoke (1997), the studio’s aesthetic is marked by less emphasis on smooth, fluid movement and more on expressionist backgrounds and a stylized rendering of characters. Similarly, Aardman Animations’ stop-motion films like Wallace & Gromit (1989) resist hyperrealism by focusing on textured, often exaggerated character models and exaggerated, non-realistic movement.
Aesthetic Comparison of Dumbo Sequences
In the Pink Elephants on Parade sequence from Dumbo (1941), two distinct animation traditions emerge. The sequence exemplifies Disney’s West Coast style, which is grounded in the classic Hollywood tradition, with smooth, realistic character movements and detailed animation, as seen in the rest of the film. However, the “Pink Elephants” scene employs a more avant-garde, surreal East Coast style, characterized by nonlinear narrative, exaggerated, rubbery graphics, and an emphasis on visual experimentation. The scene’s abstract style, with its dreamlike sequences, contrasts sharply with the film’s otherwise realistic visual tone, providing a unique, jarring aesthetic shift.
Disney might have included this sequence to push the boundaries of animation and show the versatility of the medium. It highlights the ability of animation to evoke complex emotions and depict surreal experiences that live-action cinema could not. The inclusion of this scene may also reflect Disney’s desire to explore different artistic expressions within the framework of mainstream animation, offering a playful and imaginative divergence from the film’s usual realism.
Progress on Critical Report
I am currently working on my Critical Report. While the topic has been confirmed, the content is still in development. During a recent discussion with my language tutor, I was advised that my current draft resembled more of a summary and description than a critical analysis. He suggested that I include more background information about the relevant historical period and explore the underlying reasons for changes in animated personalities. To address this feedback, I plan to consult additional resources, such as Re-Imagining Animation: The Changing Face of the Moving Image by Paul Wells, as well as scholarly essays and reports, including “Animating Hierarchy: Disney and the Globalization of Capitalism,” “Animation and Critical Theory” by Alla Gadassik, Richard McIntire’s work for the NAACP in The New York Times, and animated short films available on platforms like YouTube.
Furthermore, I intend to focus on three prominent animated characters, examining their history, characteristics, and conceptual evolution in depth.