lcentroidentity2018-blog

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Critical Analysis

Overall I am very happy with the piece I have created. I accomplished what I set out to accomplish and I am very pleased with how it has turned out. However there were still problems shooting the film and there is still a lot I would have liked to improve if I still had more time. The main problem I faced making the film was the factor of time. I didn’t plan my time well at all as there was lots of occasions where the actors I had planned to be in the film couldn’t work certain times. This lack of planning meant that I didn’t have any time for any needed re shoots. Through some of the film you can see unwanted pieces of modelling clay which I didn’t want in shot and at the time didn’t realize were in the shot. For a few frames you can see one of the actors phone in shot. However due to stop motion being a heavily time consuming art I didn’t have the patience or time to re take shots. I also didn’t focus on lighting at all. At some points in the film the frames are very dark due to filming at night in a poorly lit room and at some points the picture is very bright due to filming in the day and the natural light coming through the windows. All this could have been avoided if I paid attention to my lighting and if I gave myself the right amount of time to film so I didn’t have to shoot at random parts of the day. In hindsight I could have put up a blanket or a sheet over the window to stop the sunlight ruining the shot, but I just didn’t give the lighting of the frame the attention it deserves.

Another aspect of my piece I dislike is the part of the film in which the main actor is strangled by the Plasticine. The problem I have with this part is that I personally do not think it looks like the Plasticine is actually strangling the actor, it sort of looks like the Plasticine is just circling around his neck. There is no sense of violent force. This scene was rushed as it was a physically uncomfortable shot for the main actor as I wanted to animate his body moving down to the table and eventually to the floor as the Plasticine strangled him. This meant the actor had to move a little bit every frame and in some cases the position he was in was very uncomfortable to hold. However, hopefully the sound effects alongside this scene portray the illusion of strangling.

In conclusion everything I dislike about my film is because of my lack of planning. If I had planned my time and given myself obtainable, realistic time frames I could have re shot multiple parts of the film, given myself longer time to edit and would not have had trouble with actors and lighting.

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Finished piece.

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Film art eleventh edition by David Bordwell, Kristen Thompson and Jeff Smith.

This book helped me with the history of animation and in showcasing different techniques and discovering new stop motion movies that interest me.

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This is the poster hanging in the “bar”. I have used this as it also feeds into the idea of toxic masculinity by advertising beer as some sort of aphrodisiac. 

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This is the setting of the “bar”. Unfortunately i couldn’t  find a bar to film in so i created my own set. Using bunting, posters and empty wine bottles and glasses. The set doesn't bother me as its not the main focus of the film and the majority of the action all happens on the table.

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All the Plasticine used to make the penis.

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The beer bottle being used in the film. Cheapest ale that i could find that said Ale on the bottle. Also has a very “manly” cowboy on the front which just feeds into the idea of toxic masculinity 

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This is a basic test i made using paper and pens. This is a basic outline of what i am going to attempt to create using Plasticine and real people. 

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Real Ale

My film centers around a young man sitting at a table at a bar being poured a beer against his will. The liquid, by the use of clay-mation will come alive and turn into a large  penis which will eventually strangle and kill the young man. 

The beer turning into the large phallic symbol represents toxic masculinity and how over time the constant masculine pressure shortens men’s life expectancy, that’s why the penis eventually kills the young man. I am aware that the sight of a large Plasticine penis will always be amusing to an audience, however this doesn't bother me as the penis is exaggerated to “make fun” of forced masculine ideals.   At the start of the film the young man is seen wearing a hello kitty dressing gown and drinking from a wine glass ( stereo typically feminine). The glass is taken away by the waitress and is replaced with a beer. This represents how the young man is trying his hardest to be himself by wearing what he wants  and drinking what he wants. The entrance of the beer shows how stereotypical masculinity is forced upon men as  the beer is not asked for it is just given to him.

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Toxic Masculinity

Toxic masculinity is a phrase referred to stereo-typically masculine gender roles that restrict the kinds of emotions allowable for boys and men to express, including social expectations that men seek to be dominant (the “alpha male”) and limit their emotional range primarily to expressions of anger. Men who adhere to traditionally masculine cultural norms, such as risk-taking, violent dominance, primacy of work, need for emotional control, desire to win, and pursuit of social status  tend to be more likely to experience psychological problems such as depression,stress body image problems, substance abuse and poor social functioning.The effect tends to be stronger in men who also emphasize masculine norms, such as self-reliance, seeking power over women, and sexual promiscuity or "playboy" behavior. Researches have found that these cultural pressures can result in shortening a mans life  by causing them to be less likely to discuss health problems with their physicians.

In my opinion an example of the forcing of masculinity on males is the pressure to buy a beer at a bar. Societal norms say that men should buy an ale or a lager whilst women should be drinking pretty cocktails and white wine. Even though it is a very small example and to some not very detrimental. But its these little hints of forced masculinity that slowly deteriorate a mans mental health. I know lots of people that feel forced into buying a beer or feel a sense of embarrassment when buying something other than a pint. Why a drink should be assigned a gender is beyond me, why it happens I don’t know.

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Snowbird (2016) by Sean Baker 

Sean Bakers latest film entirely filmed on an Iphone.

Another example of the Iphone being used as a tool that’s capable of doing far more than taking selfies.

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Tangerine(2015) by Sean Baker.

Sean Bakers breakout feature length film shot entirely on Iphone 5s. The film tells the story of a  transgender prostitute who goes on a rampage looking for her cheating boyfriend-pimp. 

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Night Fishing (2015) by Park Chan Wook

Another example of a film shot on an Iphone. This is a great example showing the possibilities the Iphone creates for artistic experimentation. Night fishing is a  surreal film telling the story of a fisherman finding a body in the river. This is my favorite Iphone movie as it is a lot grittier and dirtier than the other examples and its this gritty black and white ,disturbed image i want to create with my animation. 

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The Painter of Jalouzi (2015) by David Darg and Bryn Mooser.

Film shot on Iphone 6. These filmmakers used Iphones to film because of how vibrantly the phones capture color—the film is about a man in Haiti who transforms his slum by covering houses in Crayola-colored paint.

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Using an Iphone

For my film i am shooting the entire thing on my Iphone 6. This is because in recent years there has been a rise in film makers going against convention and using their Iphones to shoot their films. This interests me a lot as i am already aware of the Iphones ability as a camera having owned one for a long time. I am mainly using the Iphone because it is gives a gritty, intimate feel and allows the audience get as close as possible to the action on screen. And to due cameras lightweight handheld ability it allows for shots that other cameras physically wouldn't be able to take. 

“Shooting on iPhone has become more of a directors’ tool to lower inhibition of first-time actors and nonprofessionals,” he says. “While it’s helped me become more mobile, no pun intended—running around, finding tight areas and different ways of moving the camera—to me it’s more about using this device to catch candid moments. That’s the biggest thing. Because nobody takes, no matter who they are—maybe really seasoned actors do—but nobody takes the iPhone as seriously as a regular camera, so they have lowered inhibitions. Also, everybody owns an iPhone, or at least a smartphone, so there’s nothing elitist about it. Nothing intimidating about it. That, for me, is why I even did this.” -Sean Baker on why he uses Iphones for Fast Company magazine.

Sean Baker is one of the main pioneers of Iphone based films. With his breakthrough feature length film Tangerine (2015) gaining lots of critical praise Sean Baker has become the main name and “one to watch” within Iphone movie circles and cinema in general. 

Other films that have been made entirely on the Iphone are Night Fishing (2015)by Park Chan Wook and The Painter of Jalouzi (2015) by David Darg and Bryn Mooser.

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Clash of the Titans (1981) Animation by Ray Harryhausen 

Famous Medusa battle scene 

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Jason and The Argonauts (1963) Animation by Ray Harryhausen.

Good example of Dynamation.