My experiments with my camera have got me thinking. What good as an animator with no camera? Animation is meant to be filmed. And clearly there is a right way and a wrong way to do it. And if there is a right way then it follows there must be a better and a best way to do it. And I do want my animation to look the best it can. To perfectly capture the colours and details I create. Heaven knows I don’t want to put up with any of that colour correcting nonsense that’s been making mainstream films look awful for over decade. I want the camera to perfectly capture what I see or possibly see it even better. Whether that can be done I don’t know. But I’ll start investigating. I’ll start reading some books on cameras and photography when I can.
But another thing that crossed my mind. My films are all analogue. Pencils, paper, crayons the works. Made me wonder. How much sense does it make to then film it all digitally? Yes it’s more convenient. But when has that ever stopped me? I like taking the hard road if it makes the art better. And normally it does.
I’ve decided to look into film photography. Might as well try to bring back two dead art forms at once. I will look into making my movies with film to see if that gives me results closer to what i want.
I went down to the photo guys room and asked if we had the tech needed on campus. They both had trouble understanding the idea i was pitching and seemed to think I was mad (I’ve gotten that look before. For many reasons) But they gave me a film camera and some B&W film. I was given a brief tutorial on how to use it and left to my own devices.
Since then I’ve been using it as a companion to my main camera. It’s a bulky thing and the textures and smell of the thing remind me the the cameras my Dad always had on him in the 90s. But working with it does really make me consider every shot. I think working with film, even if it turns out to be dead end, will make me a better photographer.
On Tuesday (Yes I did all this parallel to my current project and making my final piece. And maybe i’d have gotten more done if I hadn’t But I did finish it and I’m thinking about my future here) I brought the film into be developed. Working in the dark room was a strange, magical experience. It’s more like magic than science making real photographs.s Specially the early bits. But boy it does feel wonderful.
I don’t have much to show yet. But I have my film
A picture sheet (Or whatever it’s called) and at least one B&W photograph. It’s been very interesting. And I hope to learn more soon.
I think all this time around the camera (and weeks of stress-induced trauma) are making me soft in the head. I noticed the lights on campus where looking really beautiful in the dusk gloom on night. So I photographed it.
And as if that wasn’t silly enough I noticed just playing with the camera on the stairs it would do odd things with the lights. It would turn the space around them darker the closer in they were. bring them in real close and it would make it look like a single light in the darkness
Grovey. And honestly kind of beautiful.
Another thing that’s made me think about my future was something quite unlikely. The release of new TV series based on the Book ‘Green Eggs and Ham‘ by Theodor Geisel. Better know the the world as Dr Seuss.
All attempts to adapt Dr Seuss’s books into film (Barring a few entries he worked on personally) have been underwhelming and best and horrifying at worst. So I expected nothing out of this. But It blew my mind. It’s the best animated anything I’ve seen in years. But more importantly it’s all done in real, traditional, 2D animation. And the best that’s ever been put into a TV series at that too.
Just take a look
To say it blew my mind was an understatement. It’s made me rethink my future. It might be that hand-drawn 2D animation isn’t dead after all.
I’m still going to pursue a career in the indie scene so I can make totally analogue animations. But when the next Green Eggs and Ham comes around I want to be a part of it. I want to help MAKE things like this.
But the animators who made this didn’t use pencil and paper. It was done with a digital easel and digipens. So I’m going to swallow my pride and learn how to do this the modern way. I want to be someone they call when they need something like this made. A pro.
So I’ve talked to Morgan to see if He’ll give me some one-on-on lessons in TV paint. That way i can learn the program and get some classical animations lessons at the same time.
Morgan’s down for it. And he says he’ll talk to Owen about it.
The future is going to be very interesting indeed.
Thank you Sam I Am.
John's Learning Journal 