CODES & CONVENTIONSMedia products are governed by particular codes and conventions that are established ... they are the associated 'rules' by which a media form is structured, created or understood. The audience expects these codes and conventions to appear consistently within particular media forms. With this in mind, watch the twisted trailer (right) for Disney's animated family film, Frozen ... if it were in fact a horror film! |
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CAMERAWhile watching the following films, consider the following questions:
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Camera is in film to show important information, themes, and messages to the audience.
Camera is split into a few sections that we must be able to discuss. SHOT TYPES: Extreme Long Shot, Long Shot, Mid Shot, Close Up, Extreme Close Up. ANGLES: low, high, neutral, birds eye view, tilted. MOVEMENT: panning, tracking, tilting, zooming, handheld. Need to refresh your memory of these camera techniques? Visit LessonBucket (below) for example photos of each of the techniques. |
SOUND
When discussing Sound, we refer to two different categories:
While watching the following short films, consider the following questions:
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In this sequence from Brave (above), all sound has been created to add to the film's story. Can you identify the use of non-diegetic sound early in the clip, and the use of diegetic sounds throughout?
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The creation of sound for film is often a difficult and time-consuming process. When watching animated films, we should understand that this process is even more difficult. In a live-action film, some sound can be created on set, while filming, but in animated films, ALL sound is created separately. The actors voices are recorded, then the sound effects, then usually the musical score is added last.
Most film companies now have sound libraries (recorded sounds that they have paid to use). However, the work of a Foley Artist is sometimes still needed. Watch the clip (right) of two Hollywood Foley Artists creating sound for a film's action sequence. |
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Dead Bird - FOOLHARDY FILMSThis is a very short film about a boy with a problem and an old man with some advice.
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Dead Bird: directed by Trevor Hardy, Foolhardy Films.
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Paperman - DISNEY
Treat yourself to a little bit of magic from Disney!
In this animated short film, there is no dialogue ...
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Paperman: directed by John Kahrs, Disney (2012).
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For The Birds - PIXAR
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For The Birds: written and directed by Ralph Eggleston, Pixar.
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Brain Divided - The CGBros
While Disney and Pixar animation studios create some of the most dynamic and exciting short animated films, there are many other production studios which create some incredible animations.
Take this one for example, Brain Divided, a very clever idea and beautifully animated short by animators Josiah Haworth, Joon Shik Song and Joon Soo Song! The film is presented by Ringling College of Art and Design and debuting online exclusively in Cartoon Brew's 4th annual Student Animation Festival. (For more short animated films, be sure to check out The CGBros other YouTube videos.) Watch the film, and consider what film techniques and elements have been used to create the humour and story-telling in this short film. |
Brain Divided: by Josiah Haworth, Joon Shik Song and Joon Soo Song, The CGBros.
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Geri's Game - PIXARCreated by Pixar in 1997 and written and directed by Jan Pinkava, Geri's Game won the Academy Award for the Best Animated Short Film in 1998. Telling the story of a lonely old man, we are initially presented with an empty park where Geri sits alone at a chess board. Through the use of camera techniques and sound, we are invited to gain an insight into Geri's mind as he plays a tense and ruthless game against his opponent - himself!
Look firstly at how camera is used to let the audience know that Geri is playing against himself, then note how the camera changes as the audience is asked to see the game from Geri's perspective. Both diegetic and non-diegetic sound are used here to add to the characterisation of each Geri and add playfulness, excitement and drama to the short film. |
Geri's Game: written and directed by Jan Pinkava, Pixar.
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feast - disneyFeast (2014) is a Disney 3D animated short film directed by Patrick Osborne that won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film and the Annie Award for Best Animated Short Subject.
Telling the story of Winston, a homeless Boston Terrier who is adopted by a man and made part of the family, it tracks the changes in Winston's world as his owner finds love, experiences heartbreak and is ultimately rescued from his sorrow by the insightful Winston. Feast made its debut along with Big Hero 6 in cinemas and is a combination of hand drawn and computer animated graphics. |
Feast (2014): directed by Patrick Osborne, Walt Disney Animation Studios.
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JohnnyExpress - ALFRED IMAGEWORKSThis short animated film features the story of Johnny, a space delivery man who travels to different planets to deliver packages.
JohnnyExpress was created by a relatively unknown Korean animation studio Alfred Imageworks, and the short was directed by James (Kyungmin) Woo. It has quickly spread across the Internet since its release, and was featured on Vimeo and the short film website Short of the Week. |
JohnnyExpress from AlfredImageworks on Vimeo. |
The Lost Thing - PASSION AUSTRALIA
The Lost Thing (2011) was created by Aussie illustrator and author Shaun Tan, who won an Academy Award for the animated film, which was an adaptation of a picture book he wrote and illustrated in 2000.
The Lost Thing is set in a city overrun by bureaucracy, and tells the story of a boy who befriends a strange creature that doesn't appear to fit into society. The film was created by Melbourne-based production company Passion Pictures Australia, and is an example of Aussie film making and storytelling at its best. The short film also features the talented Tim Minchin as the narrator. |
The Lost Thing: created by Shaun Tan, directed by Andrew Luhemann and Shaun Tan, Passion Pictures Australia (2011).
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Watch Shaun Tan (left) discuss the process behind animating and making The Lost Thing. |