Research & Epistemology Lectures

[creative practice] doesn't just straighten the world, it reflects the world as we venture beyond problem solving into process, experiment and discovery - Martin Venezky

Approaches to generation and investigation of ideas

• Stimulated Approach - search for inspiration from an external repertoire: in the surroundings, media, in discussion, libraries etc.
• Systematic Approach - the systematic collection and modification of components, characteristics and means of expression: such as by structuring and restructuring, enlarging and reusing ect.
• Intuitive Approach - development of thought process, which is primarily based on internalised perceptions and knowledge.

What is research - the process of finding facts. These facts will lead to knowledge.

Information is the result of processing, manipulating and organising data in a way that adds to the knowledge of the person receiving it.

Strategy for researching into a problem

1. Analysis of problem
2. Research and ask yourself ‘what happens if..?’
3. Evaluate which looks best, which fulfills the brief?
4. Solution which is usually a creative compromise, which you produce.

Post-modern Animation - Goodbye Blue Sky - Pink Floyd

In our seminar we looked at post-modern animations and I feel that The Wall by Pink Floyd using Gerald Scarfe's animations is a great example. This animation above explore historical themes of war and itself explores post-modern themes within society, it suggests saying goodbye to the blue-sky nostalgic ideals that Britain once had.

Study Task 2 - Parody & Pastiche

Frederic Jameson describes how pastiche has taken over parody in this post-modern world in his book ‘Postmodernism’ (1992). Jameson states that pastiche is where there is an imitation of a particular style without knowledge of any historical context behind it, as a 'desperate attempt to appropriate a missing past' (Jameson. F 1992, p.19). He talks about this in an extremely dystopian way and portrays the process as a way of recycling culture with 'blind eyeballs' (Jameson. F 1992 p.17). Jameson relates pastiche back to the post-modern by describing how post-modern actions are led by deathlessness, similar to the way that pastiche has a lost meaning for history as it is merely seen as something ready to rework. Jameson also talks about his theory on parody and that he views it as ‘blank parody’ with no meaning (Jameson, F 1992 p.17). On the other hand, theorist Linda Hutcheon challenges this dystopian impression given by Jameson through explanation of parody as the ‘deliberate refusal’ of the past and instead giving history ‘new life and meaning’ (Hutcheon. L 1986, p.182). This is quite an interesting contrast, as it gives a more optimistic outlook and tone of voice, in comparison to the negative attitude that Jameson appears to have persistently throughout his ideas. Instead, Hutcheon sees it as something that modifies the old to bring new life to things that already exist in time. In relation to animation, all of these ideas could suggest how animations follow trends that have been set in history, such as the ‘fundamentals of animation’, or how films follow similar narratives over and over. However, it could be that animations follow these same paths, such as the 'hero's journey', to bring new life even to the most basic of narratives that may have been done before.

 

Study Task 1 - Triangulation - Women as Image, Man as Bearer of the Look

Laura Mulvey, a past activist feminist and now practicing professor of film, famously creates the ideas of the male gaze in her most famous work, where she outlines the 'sexual imbalance' in cinema (Mulvey, 2009 [1975], p.19). Mulvey goes on to explain the two different roles that each gender take; the male being active and the female passive and strengthens this argument with a quote from Budd Boetticher who states 'the woman has not the slightest importance' (Boetticher in Mulvey 2009 [1975], p. 20). It is then told how patriarchy has an overall effect on culture and thus affecting the way cinema works, however this could be challenged today as feminism is much more recognised.  'The male protagonist is free to command the stage' (Mulvey, 2009 [1975] p.21) and here Mulvey reinforces her idea of the male having control over the production and situation in general. Looking at modern cinema we can see how sexism still exists, yet there are females working in every part of the industry and even directing huge blockbusters. In comparison the the time that Mulvey wrote her text, things have changed quite drastically in this sense. Numerous author's writings have emerged from Mulvey's argument, either to acknowledge her points or to dispute them. McDonald (1998), Storey (2008) and Mulvey (2009 [1975]) all comment on how the male is not seen in an erotic way and is represented differently compared to the female in cinema. For example, McDonald in Dyer's 'Stars' (1998), illustrates how the male uses 'aggressive' looks in order to 'divert their erotic potential'. This states the ways, purposefully or not, how the males make themselves separate from this sexualisation. On the other hand, in modern day cinema can we now see signs of the female gaze where the sexualisation of men is apparent. Storey (2008), justifies Mulvey's points as well as McDonald's as he goes on to state that male audiences fix their gaze on the male character in order to 'satisfy ego formation'. This is an interesting point as McDonald states the characters stray away from sexualisation of themselves and Storey explains they do this to influence a more egotistical perspective on their male character. The ego idea behind male characters in film can still be seen today as we have strong, masculine super heroes who promote this idea of a strong male who has control and is responsible.

Mulvey, L. (2009 [1975]) 'Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema' in Visual and Other Pleasures, Basingtoke, Palgrave.

Reading Texts - Seminar

Contextual Facts on Laura Mulvey:

• Professor of film
• Feminist Activist
• Born in the 1950s
• Published essay in 1975
• Avant-garde filmmaker

Key Points:

• In cinema there is a difference between the roles of men and women
• Men project themselves onto characters
• The Male Gaze
• 'To-be-looked-at-ness'
• Active (male) / Passive (female)
• Patriarchy and its effect on culture

Important Quotes: 

• 'Traditionally, the woman displayed has functioned on two levels: as erotic object for the characters within the screen story and as erotic object for the spectator within the auditorium.'
• 'The male protagonist is free to command the stage, a stage of spatial illusion in which he articulates the look and creates the action.'
• 'the woman has not the slightest importance'
• 'woman displayed as sexual object is the leitmotif of erotic spectacle'
• '... as the bearer of the look of the spectator'

The Flipped Classroom Lecture

Jacques Ranciere

• The Ignorant Schoolmaster
• The Politics of Aesthetics
• Proletarian Nights

COP Final Evaluation

This context of practice module has been a great way to look at animation as not only a form of entertainment but also a medium to send a message, and has also given me the opportunity to analyse animation as a genre instead of just take it as is.

I approached this module with little knowledge about the context behind animation and I have learnt from lectures and seminars that there are many different layers and ideas behind it as a subject. As I didn't know much before starting this module, it allowed for me to be very open minded about the topics we looked at, however I decided that the topic 'how does animation construct our ideas of gender' was the most interesting out of the ones we were given. I really enjoyed researching different sources and looking at different animations in seminars that I may not have come across myself and I think that this has really opened up my ideas about animation and that it can come in so many different forms.

The practical side was really interesting as I was able to apply what I had been researching to this side of the module and even though the essay and research was my favourite part I still found this was really useful to allow myself to have a hands on experience with the topic. I  felt that in this part of the module I could have created a better animation as in the principles as my character could have moved more smoothly and it's all a little robotic. As I had researched a lot into Disney, it was easy for me to create a certain style with my animation and this wouldn't have worked as well without doing so. I can take from this that I definitely need to work on my practical skills in animation to make a more effective one, however I feel that this is something that will come with time. On the other hand, one of my strengths within this module was that I was able to managed my time very well with lots of time to tweak and go over my essay.

If I were to approach this module again I wouldn't pick another topic as I enjoyed looking at this one so much, however I think I would have spent a little bit more time working out my frames and inbetweens to get a smoother animation. I also may have liked to try a different medium such as stop motion or oil to create my animation as I might have played it safe by choosing to work digitally. Furthermore, what I can take from this module is that I need to experiment a little more with my mediums that I choose to use and this way I will get a better outcome and also everything I have learnt about the genders in animation and how they are portrayed. This has opened my eyes to the power that you have as an animator and should always consider the way that the audience can take it and how this may effect them.