BSA106- The Golden Age of American Animation Slideshow Notes

Disney

Steamboat Willie-1928
A half finished silent short when Walt Disney decided to make it a synchronized sound film. It introduced Mickey Mouse and after its success, Disney released all animations with sound.

The Skeleton Dance-1929
Part of a short series called Silly Symphonies, Starring optimistic characters the gave audiences a lift during the depression. 

Three Little Pigs-1933
Won and Oscar for best short film. Most successful of the silly Symphonies.

The Wise Little Hen-1934
Notable for first appearance of Donald Duck, who ended up taking Mickey Mouse's position as Disney's most popular character.

The Old Mill-1936
Used to test out realistic animation. 

Feature Films
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs-1937
Pinocchio-1950
Fantasia-1941
Dumbo-1941
Bambi-1942
Cinderella-1950
Alice in Wonderland-1951
Peter Pan-1953
Lady and the Tramp-1955


Fleischer Studios

Rotoscope, created by Max Fleischer which enabled animators to draw figured, frame by frame to create more life-like movement.

Betty Boop

Popeye the Sailor-1933
Started as a newspaper comic strip, introduced as a cartoon in the Betty Boop series. Was beating Mickey Mouse in popularity polls-1935.

Superman-1941

Gave him the power of flight, coined famous phrase "Faster than a speeding bullet! More powerful than a locomotive! Able to soar higher than any plane!" It's strong 1940's style was a big influence on the Batman:The Animated series and Superman:The Animated Series.


Warner Bros.

Daffy Duck
Was created by Tex Avery for the short film Porky's Duck Hunt-1937. Was well received and given a staring roll in Daffy Duck and Egghead. Avery preferred the Egghead character-Later became Elmer Fudd. Daffy was picked up by animator Bob Clampett who developed him further. Daffy's design was modified as he was passes on to different animators.

Bugs Bunny
Was first drawn by Ben Hardaway (Nickname Bugs) First appeared in Porky's Hare Hunt, appearance changed over time.

Warner Bros. created the following characters: Porky Pig, Daffy Duck, Bugs Bunny, Speedy Gonzales, Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner, Sylvester the Cat, Foghorn Leghorn.


Walter Lantz 
Ran own studio from 1929-1972. Lantz created Knock Knock-1940 which introduced Any Panda and Woody Woodpecker.


MGM

Hanna and Barbera created Tom and Jerry.

Terrytoons

Paul Terry's approach to cartoons was a money making exercise, churning out cheap cartoons with minimal detail and effort. Most successful cartoon was Mighty Mouse. A distributor once told Terry he bought Terry's films to clear the theater between features so the ques would clear more quickly. 

BSA106-Blog Research-Golden Age Hollywood

The major studios were:

• Metro Goldwyn Mayer
• Paramount Pictures
• Warner Bros.
• RKO Radio Picture
• 20th Century Fox

The Minor Studios were:

• Universal
• Colombia
• United Artists

The Studio System was a big part of the success of Classic Hollywood, it enabled the biggest studios to have total control of the movies they made and how they would be distributed. This powerful structure of the studio system is known as vertical integration. Studios controlled the supply chain, production to exhibition. 

The Hays Code, the MPPDA hired Will Hays to put in place a self-regulatory code of practice. It was a set of subjects the films couldn't depict, alongside topics of films had to treat with extreme caution. Most notable subjects were sex and crimes against the Law.


Studios were infamous for 'owning; their stars through contracts. An image was built for the star the didn't necessarily have anything to with how they were in real life. Stars often felt 'owned' by studios and were frustrated that they couldn't choose what they stared in. 

BSA106-Avengers Endgame

There were tears, and oh boy. I nice ending. Although I would have like a longer more epic battle scene and less of some of the stuff before hand, would have made it better in my opinion

I loved Fat Thor, it really gave a realistic view on what the psychological outcome would be from the events that happened in infinity war. 

BSA106-Film Review-Captian Marvel

Captain Marvel was a pretty good movie. While it followed the same structure, plot and pace as any Marvel movie, I found I was able to enjoy it more so than other Marvel movies. I think this was because we were introduced to a new character rather than recycling the old ones as they have been for the last few years. 

I loved the soundtrack, there were some great songs on it. 

I cant say I really like Brie Larson's acting but it was okay for this movie, it worked well enough. 

BSA106-The Golden Age Slideshow Notes

Period of history between the 1920's to the late 1950's.
Also known as the Golden Age of Hollywood, it refers to the style, productions values and distribution of films make under the Hollywood Studio System.

Big 5
Metro Goldwyn Mayer
Paramount Pictures
Warner Bros.
RKO Radio Picture
20th Century Fox

Little 3
Universal
Colombia
United Artists

The Studio Systems was a big part of the success of Classic Hollywood, it enabled the biggest studios to have total control of the movies they made and how they would be distributed. This powerful structure of the studio system is known as vertical integration. Studios controlled the supply chain, production to exhibition. 

MPPDA,vital functions, neturalise the increasing moral panic over the disreputable nature of the movies with a voluntary production code. 

To encourage co-operation between the major studies, restricting international access or new competitors to the huge and profitable US market. 

To work with the US State Department to lobby overseas government who threatened to introduce restrictions on Hollywood imports. 

Block Booking, important practice where studios would sell a years worth of films to theaters. The units were made up of one A movie they really wanted and them a mix on A and B movies. 

The Big 5 had controlling stakes in their own theater chains. 

1948 the verdict in the antitrust case, US vs Paramount Pictures inc, decision outlawed the practice of block booking, forcing studios to sell their theater chains. 


The Hays Code, the MPPDA hired Will Hays to put in place a self-regulatory code of practice. It was a set of subjects the films couldn't depict, alongside topics of films had to treat with extreme caution. Most notable subjects were sex and crimes against the Law.

Studios were infamous for 'owning; their stars through contracts. An image was built for the star the didn't necessarily have anything to with how they were in real life. 

Stars often felt 'owned' by studios and were frustrated that they couldn't choose what they stared in. 

BSA106-Film Review-Pans Labyrinth

I love this movie so much. Like damn, the creatures to the story was just fantastic and I could re watch it all the time

BSA106-Film Review-Help I'm a Fish

This movie was pretty great, most of it was a wholesome family-friendly movie. I loved the nostalgic animation style, 

The villain was voiced by the late Alan Rickman.

I loved that the villain, Joe, was voiced by the late Alan Rickman. It was great to hear such a familiar and lovable voice in this film.  

BSA106-What I watched Lately

Uzumaki

Its a weird movie. But overall quite funny and interesting.

Singing in the Rain

Its a musical! So fun, and I love the characters.

Hausu

Weird. So weird and a little confusing.

Dead Alive

This had to be the grossest movie I have ever watched.

Swiss Army Man

Second time watching it, loved it the second time. Its very weird but also has a strange way of showing life.

Escape from New York

It was alright. Quite slow but there were some funny parts

BSA106- World Animation Overview

A lot of the animation created between the 1930's and 1940's was aimed at propaganda for WW2. There were varying styles of animation dependent on which country it was made in, as some were more progressive and adventurers than others.

For some countries they had to make propaganda (Japan, Russia and Germany)

Animation was used as a public service to portray information and propaganda.

My favourite animators of this time are:

• Halas and Batchelor (these are my project pioneers)
• Norman Mc Laren (I liked the visual sounds, it reminds me of a music video created for Cosmo Sheldrake where the fish represent different sounds as they go across the screen, called Wriggle https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpQhVl-WkHo)
• Anthony Gross and Hector Hoppin (liked the fast movements, almost as if the characters we dancing.) 

BSA106- World Animation 1930-1950 Slideshow Notes

FRANCE/RUSSIA

Ladislaw Starewicz


Created first feature films The Tale of the Fox. This was completed in 1930 (10 years in the making)
It features his signiture animation style of humanized animals wearing clothes and standing upright (Now known as Anthropomorphic)
Funding for a German soundtrack came form the Nazi Regime and premiered in Berlin 1937. Released in 1941 with French soundtrack. 
Based on Dutch and French folk tales. AN anti-Semitic version of the story was published in Holland in 1937.

FRANCE/CZECH REPUBLIC

Berthold Bartosch


Moved to Berlin and collaborated with other animators. Moved to Paris in 1930 and made The Idea, based on a series of stylised woodcuts by Frans Masereel.
Filmed cutout drawings on multiple levels of glass. Soft lighting affects achieved by back-lights and soap smears.
The story is about a dreamer who conceives and idea the appears in the form on a small naked female figure.  The films was seen by only a small number of people. Worked on Anti-war film, that then got destroyed by WW2.

FRANCE/RUSSIA.USA

Alexandre Alexeieff and Claire Parker


These two came up with an orginal idea for animation and built a pinscreen device composed of hundreds of pins that slid in out of a grid which would produce a relief of shadow images when lit from the side.
Made Night on Bald Mountain. Likely to have influenced the Night on Bald Mountain sequence from Disney's Fantasia in 1940. Also created Le Nez (The Nose)

FRANCE/UK/USA

Anthony Gross and Hector Hoppin


Created La joi de vivre in 1934. Films happy feel was a form of escapism from the reality of Europe at that time. Fascism was on the rise with war around the corner. Production of Around the World in 80 Days was interrupted by WW2. Work was lost, some rediscovered in a British archive. Restored as a short film re-titled Indian Fantasy. 

RUSSIA

Aleksander Ptushko


Made The New Gulliver, an adaption of Gulliver's Travels with a cast of 3000 puppets. Russia's policy meant that film makers were encouraged to create moralistic and traditional children stories that often contained pro-soviet propaganda.

Ivan Ivanov-Vano


General policy was animation was a public service to provide Traditional folks stories and educational films for children. Animators where told to use the Eclair system, which involved rotoscoping. Created The Humpbacked Little Horse.


GERMANY

Oskar Fishinger


Nazi put polices against degenerate art (modernist or abstract art) Fishnger defined his work as decorative rather than abstract. he produced commercials for Muratti Tobacco. His abscract film Composition in Blue was an attempt to express Joy.  Worked for short periods for Paramount, MGM and Disney.

UK

Norman McLaren


Used different techniques such as drawing on film (Len Lye)

Work can be described as visual noise

UK/Hungary

Halas and Batchelor


Founded in 1940 by married couple, John Halas and Joy Batchelor. Created animated films about the British was effort and propaganda.
Both belived that animation was an art form that could be used for good. They experimented with different techniques form low-tech paper cutouts through to pioneering computer animation.
Produced over 2000 films ranging from propaganda to informative films and TV series.


UK

Larkins Studio

Bill Larkins opened his own studio in London 1940, producing two training films for the army during WW2. Spearheaded the advance towards a stylised, simplified form of animation. Only produced information films. Made T for Teacher. It was about how to make tea with the permitted permissions, using angular, jagged and graphic extremes that were progressive at the time.

CHINA

Wan Brothers


Made China's first animated short film, Uproar Studio. Wan Brothers made several politically-motivated films in protest of the invasion when the Japanese invaded Shanghai. Snow White and the Seven dwarfs inspired their princess and the Iron Fan.

JAPAN

Kenzo Masaoka


Created the first Japanese animation with sound and made with cel animation. Established his own studio, but was put into a larger unit to create propaganda during WW2. made The Spider and the Tulip which was reprimanded due to the film having no propoganda angle.

Toy Box:Picture Book

Momotaro vs Mickey Mouse, Momotaro was a popular folk tale character who appeared in a number of propaganda cartoons.  Propaganda attempted to motivate the Japanese public into building up military resources against America.

BSA106-World Animation 1920-1930 Slideshow Notes

UK
George Studdy

Pioneer in the commercialisation of animation, he created cartoon strips for magazines. His puppy character Bonzo became popular enough to sell merchandise and was commissioned to make a series of animated shorts.

His character Bonzo looks kinda cute but also the eyes are are weirdly human and kinda freaky. 

FRANCE
Fernand Leger

Style was influential abstract/ avant-grade animation. Used a mixture of painting on film, stop-frame animation and live action film.

His work weird but kinda cool, very geometric. 

GERMANY
Walter Ruttmann

He formulated a theory of abstract cinema, described as painting with time. Made Lichespiel Opus 1, then made Opus 2,3 and 4. He worked on Lotte Reinger's film The Adventures of Prince Achmed 
Backed the rise of Hitler and died as a war photographer from wounds.

His work is weird, looks like a Windows screensaver.

Lotte Reiniger

Created The Adventures of Prince Achmed. Used cutout silhouette style and was the first film to use a form of multiple plane camera to give 2D animation a felling of depth.
All orginal copies were destroyed during the bombing of Berlin. A print was found in the British film Archive, but due to the orginal colours being hand printed it was unable to be produced/ Later a instructions were found and a restored copy was made in 1970 then further restored in 1998.

Her work looks quite cool, the silhouettes are complex and interesting to look at. 

Hans Ritcher

Befriended a Swedish animator Viking Eggeling. Made 3 abstract films of minimalist animated geometric shapes called Rythmus 21, 23 and 25.
Produced Film Study
Combined live action with animation and used more advanced camera tricks to overlay patterns and used focal properties of the lens to blur and smear imagery.

His work was strange and not like the animation you would typically think off. His shapes animation doesn't have much of anything, but then he creates even more weird stuff, with floating eyeballs. He is an odd dude for sure. 

GERMANY/SWEDEN

Viking Eggeling

Left Sweden and his early experiments where funded by Germany film studio UFA who supported avant-garde/ UFA created propaganda for the Nazis in the 1930s and 1940s.
Eggling believed art should encompass political, ethical and scientific ideologies.
He made the minor classic of abstract films, diagonal Symphony

Like most abstract films, its weird. his work is weird. It looks like a screensaver.  


These pioneers had weird and strange work apart from Lotte, who's work I enjoyed and though it was interesting. All abstract and quite similar to each-other.

Dunedin Trip Review

The field trip to Dunedin was okay.

The Museum trip would be more interesting if we could walk around at out own pace and look at the more interesting parts.

The planetarium was pretty cool and was kinda interesting as to the process they use for creating the visuals to be displayed

Similar to the Museum, the Art Gallery was cool, but I would like to walk around at my own pace to really look at the art.

It is a long day and 6 hours on a bus isn't ideal but it is better than trying to find accommodation for the high amount of people. I wouldn't mind staying in Dunedin for a couple hours longer and arriving back later, it means we can really experience it all without the stress. Also the buses could drop us off and pick us up from the same place.

BSA106-The Bicycle Thief Review

It is a good film, although I wouldnt say one of the greatest films of all time. Although perhaps for the time it was made it would have been.

I think it has to slow of pacing, needed to be faster in its plot line, but it is shown in realistic time so I guess it works for the time period.

You can see and feel the emotions in this film, it was obviously a hard time for these people.

Overall didn't really like this film, it was subtitled badly and very slow pacing

BSA106-The Bicycle Thief Blog Research

Director: Vittorio De Sica

Year:1948

The bike represents: Hope, because with the bike he was able to get a job and there was a spark of hope for him and his family.

For the thieves it seems to be almost a currency, since they steal so many.

The man chases the bike like a pipe dream

The use of non-professional actors is not evident, this is good because it didn't ruin the film. But also mean't that it seemed more realistic, their movements and emotions weren't over acted

Character arc of the father: 

Start-A good man, 

Middle-A bully, who is desperate and uses others to take out his desperate anger. Tries to buy his sons love. , 

End-He becomes a bicycle thief and only escapes the charge because of his song.

Starts out as a jobless man trying to do the best he can for hims family. gets a job putting up posters. Bike gets stolen. Looks for bike so that he can continue to put food on the table for his family.

Sons opinion of his father: 

Start- He adores his father, looks up to him. 

Middle- Starts to resent his father, he tries to help him as best he can. his son is trying his best to keep his father happy, 

End-Son saves him from being charged, he doesn't understand his father or perhaps he knows why he stole the bike.

BSA106-Italian Neorealism Slideshow Notes

Since 1924, Italy has been under fascist regime of Benito Mussolini's. The neorealist movement began in Italy at the end of WW@ with the fall of Mussolini's government.

Movement was a response to the political turmoil and desperate economic conditions of the time.

Sought to uncover the truth about the widespread suffering in Italy. Show many social problems exist due to lack of awareness.

Neorealism criticisms views society as a collection of individuals who are indifferent to the suffering of others.

White telephone films (telefoni bianci) depicted emotional turmoil in the upper classes. Imitated American comedy.

Presented a comedic way of life that completely avoided reality. Neorealistic films appeared realistic due to their contrast with the films that preceded them.

Form and Style

Italian neorealism formed a distinctive visual style.

• Preference for filmng on location
• Using non-professional actors
• Preference for natural lighting
• Documentary style of photography
• Avoidance of complex editing and post-production processes likely to draw attentions
• Stories we focused on the poor and the working class

BSA126-Relaxed Idle

Done the relaxed idle

BSA126-Walk Cycle Start

Walk cycle progress

BVA103-Critique of Animation Essay Reflection

For the first assessment for BVA103, we wrote and essay analysing Anselm Frankes A Critique of Animation. My overall mark was C, which means I passed. 

I need to work on getting my structure and overall essay writing to the University standard, to do this I will get peer tutoring. 

My next essay will be better and I will really aim for an A+

BSA126-First Look at head turn animation

And now to make it smoother, add colour, eyes and mouth movements!