As regular readers may recall, I recently posted a video clip called En Tus Brazos, which was an animated short about a tango dance between a husband and wife. One of the comments I received concerning that clip suggested that the short film would be improved if a real actor and actress had played the leading roles. I’ve turned this over in my mind more than a few times, and I’ve decided to post a short defence of animation.
I love all forms of animation. As a mother of 3, I watch a lot of animation with my kids. We have the full Disney collection on video. We watch The Nightmare Before Christmas every Halloween. We visited the Pixar exhibition more times that I can remember. We think Nick Park is a genius. I think it would be fair to say that I was raising my kids with an appreciation for the animated medium!
The various techniques used in animation absolutely fascinate me and I love to see what innovations animators are coming up with. From line-drawing to stop motion to computer generated, I just so admire those who have mastered the skills involved to produce an animation. But, you know, it’s so much more than the technological innovation that I love. It’s also the content, the messages, the stories that animation has the capacity to tell.
Animation can be powerful and political:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntI-7vR2zRs]
It can be surprising:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ch_lOBdCzQI]
It can be thought provoking:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdUUx5FdySs]
It can be educational:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDaB-NNyM8o]
And it can offer fresh interpretations of already known works:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4drJL-pRTko]
What it is not, however, is a poor man’s substitute for acted drama.
Do you agree? Do you have a favourite clip that you would like to share? What was your favourite childhood animation?
If you have enjoyed these clips, why not head over to my Tumblr blog where I have posted some more animation which has touched me.
Thank you, Amy, for a post that led to more perusal of your Tumblr blog which resulted in almost an entire afternoon of really inspirational and joyful internet reading/watching today.
Wow!
Peace
What a great point for a post. My best friend is an animator. You can check out his somewhat neglected site at http://www.ericstefani.com
Also, have you ever seen Closed Mondays? It’s my all time favorite clay-mation short.
Best
Oh, I’m so glad you enjoyed exploring the Tumble blog. I’ve been wondering if my readers were actually getting anything out of it, or whether I should be integrating the content into my posts here. Your comment has encouraged me to continue with it and see what comes of it. Thank you, Nengaku!
I will go and check out that short right now, Damien. Thanks for letting me know about it, and for your encouraging words
I think comparing live action to animation is like comparing photography to painting. Neither is a less valid form of art, yet each provide unique opportunities for expression.
I enjoyed the animated shorts you posted. I think they show that animation can accomplish certain things with ease and grace.
My favorite as a child was Disney’s Robin Hood. The animal characters were so expressive, and the songs were so good that I still find myself whistling the melodies from time to time.
Good topic of discussion, Amy!
I love Pixar movies. My favorites are Monsters, Inc and the Incredibles. It’s a little embarrassing, but I do love them. Some of their work is not well thought out – but when it is? It’s fabulous.
My sentiments exactly, Mike. Glad you liked my selection. Disney’s Robin Hood is a great film, isn’t it? Oodololly!
I love Pixar, Claudia! Really innovative work. They certainly seem to have moved computer generated animation forward to a point now where traditional line drawn cartooning doesn’t seem as commercially viable.
I’ve just watched the Norman Invasion clip twice. Brilliant!
[...] Lives Less Ordinary: In Defence of Animation. Amy has some great thoughts on animation and gives a link to her cool Tumblelog. [...]
It is brilliant isn’t it, Nicholas. Inspired!
Animation has a magic that live acting will never capture.
And Kiwi is one of my FAVORITE animations!! I fell in love with it the first time I saw it online.
Here’s another kind of animation that might interest you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fY4Epc2XSGc
It’s called My First Crush.
Oh, Toni, thank you so much for the link to that short animation. I loved it!