Animation, specifically Stop Motion and cell, is the vocation for which I trained and the subject in which I graduated.
Beginners Please
... Is my final year degree film. It is a character study of a tired, old, alcoholic circus performer steeling himself to enter the ring, who just so happens to be an elephant. It is a three and a half minute black and white Stop Motion animation.
An academic study into the theoretical and practical applicability of Stanislavski's 'system' to animation. I had the intention, on beginning the piece, to form from Stanislavski's work the foundations of a guide for animators on the subject of acting. However, the conclusion eventually reached negated this possibility.
“The purpose behind this study is to try and shed some light on the similarities and distinctions between acting and animating. Also, with particular reference to Stanislavski, to try and translate a small amount of the far greater body of theory of the former into the latter. As yet there has been very little done comparing acting to animation for the purpose of teaching the latter some of the qualities of the former.
“It is therefore a study composed of two complimentary strands. The greater comparison between acting and animation, and the more specific comparison of the methods used within Stanislavski's 'system' to the practical realities of animation. This is not an exhaustive study of the system, which is far to expansive to do justice within six thousand words. Rather it will look at certain key elements to ascertain whether a further, more detailed study accompanied by practical tests would be beneficial, or whether the similarities are outweighed by the dissimilarities, most likely proving further pursuit of this particular theory fruitless ...”
The 2D animated film that myself, Dominic Pitt, Ben Fletcher and Elo Masing made as a collaboration between the University of the West of England,Bristol, and the Royal Acadamy of Music,London. Just a ninty second piece, this.