CIN506 - Experimental Film
The Cult of the Masks
Week 12 Entry
By Caitlin McCaul
And that's the semester over. It's been a wild ride but we made it.In this entry, I'll be discussing my progress in the project in more detail than what is on the progress tab (find it here -> experimentalfilmprogress.carrd.co ) as well as a couple expeimental films that have influenced the project.
PROGRESS
Currently, I'm planning the shoot for the live action sections of the project. I'm gathering the required props and figuring out the right time to film over the break. I've also reached out to drama students to record the voice over. However, I've gotten no response back as of now. It's looking like the project will be silent or I'll do the voice over.
In terms of the animation stills, progress has been made. It's slow but it's progress. I'd say I'm 75% finished the animation stills.I made a timelapse of the still showing Red Team's base which is the video on the right.
I'm also experimenting with how I'm going to animate this section. Ideally I'd like to simulate camera movements like pans and tilts.
In IBIS Paint, I can duplicate a layer and move it a couple pixels right. If the two layers are layered on top of each other at 75% capacity, it creates a movement effect. When this is duplicated multiple times, you can use this to create a pan. I want to have a similar shot to one in the show Star Wars: The Clone Wars, where the camera pans across the the clone helmets before stopping on the character Jessie's helmet.The screen recording is a little choppy as I manually change between 20 plus layers of art.
Inspired Shot
My Shot
EXPERIMENTAL FILMS
DISCUSSION ONE - THE BIRTH OF A ROBOT
'The Birth of a Robot' is a stop motion film directed by Len Lye which was made in collaboration with Humphrey Jennings for the Shell Oil Company. The film is themed around machinery and contains several abstract sequences. Lye filmed the piece using Gasparcolor film, a type of coloured film that promised more vibrant colours. This created some vivid, colourful movement sequences and a storm scene that was described by critics as "proof that colour film has entered a new stage."According to an article by BFI Screenonline, Lye was frustrated and annoyed by the brief for the film as he believed the brief was too restrictive. However, the film has been praised as one of the greatest advertising films and was screened in over 300 cinemas.
'The Birth Of A Robot' by Len Lye (1957)
I like how saturated the colour is in the film, mostly likely due to the type of film used. In addition, I like the lighting used in the film to create harsh shadows. However, I don't like the themes of the piece as it promotes oil fracking and other activities that will contribute to climate change.
For my experimental film, I think I'll take inspiration from the type of lighting used in 'The Birth of a Robot'. The high contrast between the side of the objects that are illuminated and in shadows will suit my project. Due to the piece being in black and white, the high contrast shots will be visually appealing and make the shot seem dynamic.
Watch 'The Birth Of A Robot' here -> https://youtu.be/wfbt6RWemRY?si=Iz7DDN-oJ99oI5QQ
EXPERIMENTAL FILMS
DISCUSSION TWO - HELL UNLTD
'Hell Unltd' is a short film directed by Helen Biggar and Norman McLauren. The film features a mix of archival footage, animation and scripted live action shots to create an anti-war themed film. 'Hell Unltd' released in 1936 and, according to a BFI Screenonline article, it was made in protest against companies making profits from armaments. The film addresses its audience in a lecture format or a political broadcast, in an innovative fashion.The film includes fast sequences depicting images of violence, war and the consequences of war. McLauren and Biggar's strategy was to use animation to highlight their government's lies and unviel the truth behind their official statements whereas the live action shots were used to convey the emotions of the average person.
'The Birth Of A Robot' by Len Lye (1957)
This experimental film portrays what I'm looking to achieve, mixing live action shots with animation to show two sides of the same coin. I like how it uses shots of objects to symbolise the meaning and themes of the film. This piece gives me some ideas of how I'd edit my project.