Tag: Term 1

Social and Political Commentary Through Animation

This week we examined how animation has been used as commentary on social and political topics. Within these topics, messages can be delivered through moving image as things such as propaganda, subliminal messaging, documentaries, personal experiences, etc.

Activity

Our task for this week: 

Research and present an argument for an animated work you consider tackles any issues of equality, diversity or social injustice (150-200 words)

I decided to do this research on the Netflix series Arcane. The article by Perdhana and Kusuma (2023) highlights how various characters in Arcane struggle, benefit from, and work through social injustice, by closely examining various frames from the episodes. Yet I realised quickly that the, arguably, main two characters of Arcane weren’t discussed directly at all, Vi and Jinx. Within the story, they are the two characters immediately introduced as victims of the social injustice against the lower class of Piltover, suffering the loss of their parents and forever traumatised. They continue to suffer within the system of social injustice throughout the story. While every other character is explored through how they interact with the inequality, many even enforcing it for their own benefit, Vi and Jinx’s stories are the most profound because they are the most realistic depictions of victims of the system throughout the series. They care not for the system they are victims of. They show little interest in fighting against it or using it for their own benefit. Vi wants to save her sister and regain some of her lost childhood. Jinx in the first season wants to find reassurance that she isn’t broken, and in the second wants to walk away from her broken self. Even when pushed to interact with the social injustice they live in, they either reject it or merely go along with what the narrative forces them into.

Perdhana, P.D, Kusuma, A.S. (2023) ‘Representation of Social Inequality in the Netflix Series Arcane (Semiotic Analysis of Roland Barthes Model)’, Proceeding ISETH (International Summit on Science, Technology, and Humanity), pp. 1654–1668. Available at: https://proceedings.ums.ac.id/iseth/article/view/4558.

This week we looked at ‘auteurs’, a descriptor developed by critics within the study of cinema. We learnt the history of the term, and how it considers the wider range of people involved in the production process when critiquing cinema rather than one singular member. However it can still be reduced to a small part of the production process, or even a single person who pushes and ties together the specific theme(s). On the other end of the scale, we could argue huge entities such as Disney are auteurs.

I would argue that Walt Disney himself was an auteur because of his attention to detail and desire to ensure every part of the production process met his standards. I found this blog post by Barry L. Linetsky, which spoke of some interesting insight into how much Disney oversaw and managed each creative decision on his films, ensuring they were the creative, magical artforms that are still beloved to this day. While the blog post also notes he withdrew from his on the floor approach to management in later years, I would also argue by then his vision had been poured so deeply into the foundations of the Disney company that, even with a more hands off approach, his earlier efforts meant his vision was still being meticulously crafted to his intentions. And therefore, I would also argue that even after Walt Disney’s death, the corporation still carries that intention.

Formative vs Conceptual Abstraction

This week we were exploring the history of experimental and abstract animation, and within this the difference between Formative and Conceptual abstraction.

From my understanding, formative abstraction refers to the visual language and aesthetics, whereas conceptual abstraction refers to the narrative and storytelling methods. With both, it is important to consider why and how something might be abstract.

Activity

An activity for this lesson was to choose a short film we think is experimental, and consider how we might argue for it being either or both formatively and conceptually abstract.

I chose the short film ‘Scavengers’ (2016), later turned into the series ‘Scavenger’s Reign’ (2023). I would argue that while it feels different, the narrative isn’t actually abstract or experiential. While the environment of both the short film and series, planet ‘VESTA – 1’, can be considered a character in its own right by the narrative, this isn’t a new or rare concept to see. I would look at iconic films and series to draw examples of this, where the way the characters interact and are impacted by the environment present the environment as a character itself.

Instead of being Conceptually Abstract, I would argue that the film is a piece of Formative Abstraction that is so successful it transforms the audience reaction to the narrative and tricks the viewer into thinking the narrative is unique. With the short film, we are repeatedly shown brutal and visually uncomfortable behaviours from the humans towards the planet, all so they can experience a moment of the feeling of their home planet. The visuals are like that of a nature documentary, holding on to the details and causing discomfort and sorrow for the planet and its creatures as they suffer the brutality of its own existence and the further impact of its human invaders.

The genre of “Scavengers” would traditionally be science fiction, however as previously mentioned the visuals represent that of a documentary, following both the planet and how it copes and suffers and adapts to the humans. In “Scavenger’s Reign”, this is explored further and we see how, in turn, the human characters react to the planet. I feel the focus on the planet being at mercy to the humans in the short film is representative of how the series as a whole explores the environmental character first and the human characters second. I would argue that the short film isn’t science fiction at all, it is a visually experimental, explorative, documentary of what lengths humans will go to survive and cope with their surroundings, and how in turn the environment suffers from these lengths when the environment isn’t considered as its own being to be respected.

My Research Topic

An activity for this lesson was to choose a short film we think is experimental, and consider how we might argue for it being either or both formatively and conceptually abstract.

I chose the short film ‘Scavengers’ (2016), later turned into the series ‘Scavenger’s Reign’ (2023). I would argue that while it feels different, the narrative isn’t actually abstract or experiential. While the environment of both the short film and series, planet ‘VESTA – 1’, can be considered a character in its own right by the narrative, this isn’t a new or rare concept to see. I would look at iconic films and series to draw examples of this, where the way the characters interact and are impacted by the environment present the environment as a character itself.

Instead of being Conceptually Abstract, I would argue that the film is a piece of Formative Abstraction that is so successful it transforms the audience reaction to the narrative and tricks the viewer into thinking the narrative is unique. With the short film, we are repeatedly shown brutal and visually uncomfortable behaviours from the humans towards the planet, all so they can experience a moment of the feeling of their home planet. The visuals are like that of a nature documentary, holding on to the details and causing discomfort and sorrow for the planet and its creatures as they suffer the brutality of its own existence and the further impact of its human invaders.

The genre of “Scavengers” would traditionally be science fiction, however as previously mentioned the visuals represent that of a documentary, following both the planet and how it copes and suffers and adapts to the humans. In “Scavenger’s Reign”, this is explored further and we see how, in turn, the human characters react to the planet. I feel the focus on the planet being at mercy to the humans in the short film is representative of how the series as a whole explores the environmental character first and the human characters second. I would argue that the short film isn’t science fiction at all, it is a visually experimental, explorative, documentary of what lengths humans will go to survive and cope with their surroundings, and how in turn the environment suffers from these lengths when the environment isn’t considered as its own being to be respected.