edenmar

[edenmar]

Title: The Three Little Pigs (1933)

Director: Burton Gillett Producer: Walt Disney

The Three Little Pigs was released on May 27, 1933. It is a classic animated short film produced by Walt Disney as part of the Silly Symphonies series. This fun take on the beloved fairy tale uses creative animation and catchy music, making a big impact in the world of animation. The story follows three pig brothers who each build their own houses: one of straw, one of sticks, and one of bricks. The Big Bad Wolf tries to blow their homes down. He succeeds with the first two houses but fails to destroy the strong brick house. In the end, the pigs celebrate their cleverness and hard work. The song "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?" became a popular anthem of hope during the Great Depression.

It was made with storyboarding. Then, they designed the characters, like the pigs and the Big Bad Wolf, on paper. For the animation, they used clear sheets called cels and painted each frame by hand to show movement. They also created detailed painted backgrounds for the pigs’ houses and the wolf’s actions. The finished cels and backgrounds were filmed frame by frame with an animation camera to capture everything. Voices, sound effects, and the catchy song "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?" were recorded separately to match the animation. They edited the film to make sure everything fit together nicely.

It was released during tough times so it kind of offered a mix of humour and hope. The Big Bad Wolf is portrayed as a funny villain, capturing the worries of the era while providing some laughs. The film's positive message reminds viewers of the importance of hard work and 

Disney's use of synchronized sound and colourful animation made the characters come alive in a fresh way. The lively movements of the pigs and the wolf, along with the upbeat music, created an engaging experience for audiences. This film set new standards for animated shorts during that time (and even now because it is iconic!). I viewed the short film on YouTube. By the way, it is one of Disney's most cherished animated shorts.

[edenmar]

Title: The Skeleton Dance (1929)

Director: Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks

The Skeleton Dance was made through a storyboarding process. Ub Iwerks said in an interview that the animation was made in rough, line form, with details such as rib cages, teeth, eyes, and bones added in stages. The film was captured frame by frame using an animation camera, which created the illusion of motion and was further refined through editing.

It’s set in a graveyard under a full moon, and it opens with an owl. Four skeletons rise from their graves to do a dance. They humorously simulate playing instruments without any actual props, then they return to the graves at the end. The attention to background detail makes the video  have the vibes of “Halloween” and “spooky”, showing the audience in its playful yet eerie world (aka dark humour)

As Kendal mentioned in class, the film's release during the Great Depression showed it as an element of "dark humor." While some viewers in 1929 may have found the depiction of dancing skeletons unsettling while dealing with hardship, others found comfort from its whimsicality. Today, I see it as a delightful and uplifting short that serves as a cheerful escape, with its engaging music and lively movement.

The Skeleton Dance premiered on August 22, 1929, as part of the Silly Symphonies series, and was initially presented in theaters accompanied by a live orchestra. This combination of animation and live music created a dynamic viewing experience, captivating audiences and setting a precedent for future animated works. I viewed it on YouTube.

[edenmar]

I’m interested in animation because I’ve always loved watching so many different animations growing up, and I love how different animators have unique styles. I love how some animations can have the most childish art style, yet have the most deepest stories behind them / hidden in them. I never did pay much attention to the work of detail in the art styles growing up, but now that I’m older, I try to see every detail and really appreciate it, even the smallest details.

My 3 favourite animated things are:

1. Adventure Time. I’ve always loved Adventure Time because almost all of the characters make me laugh so much. The show is a mix of funny episodes like Finn and Jake playing this card game that went super extreme. I remember the animations of that card game made it look so intense. And I remember this scene that had no dialogue because Finn and Jake had to be quiet, and the animations of them made me laugh so hard, I even have the clip saved on my phone. I remember Jake got bit by a spider, but he couldn’t make any noise so they just animated him silently screaming in pain and crying. Yet, it also has the saddest backstories for some characters like: Marceline and Ice King. I remember telling people in my class in grade 3 that I watched Adventure Time, and someone called it a “boys only show” and them saying that made me insecure . And I never understood why they said that, I still don’t understand why!

2. Avatar: The Last Airbender. I absolutely love ATLA with my whole entire heart. I’m sure I’ve rewatched it like 50 times by now. I remember me and my little cousin would test each other on memorizing the dialogue and what movement the characters do in the next scene coming up, hahah. I love the art style so much but in my opinion, it’s more than just a cartoon. The backstories of literally ALL the characters make me feel bad for them, even the villains (Except Ozai, I will never feel bad for that guy 😆). I think the last few episodes, the animations blew me away. The fight between Aang and Ozai looked so intense with all the movement they were doing and when he was taking away his bending and going into avatar state. And the Agni Kai between Azula and Zuko was amazing! The way the lightning and orange/blue fire was animated was so amazing. During sad scenes, the way they animated their faces when they cry or show vulnerability, it really made me feel for them. Plus all of the voices actors are amazing. I’ve cried over this show because I really felt it in my heart.

3. Five Nights at Freddy’s. If I could get into the storyline and lore behind FNAF, I think this post would be as long as the bible. It’s so sad knowing that these “scary animatronics” are actually kids/people who got murdered. The way they animated the jump scares in this game is great, it’s fast and surprising and I love how we can even see the inside details of the animatronics sometimes. Some animatronics may fool you with their cutesy exterior, but they can have the scariest jump scare / be the hardest boss to beat. The music is great, SFX even greater, but the art style is amazing. I really wish that I could just know how the artists came up with all the different ideas for the different characters and scenery. Also the voice acting is on a whole other level. So good!