Let’s Make This Clear

Many people think that badminton is a backyard sport, frolicking around while attempting to hit a light shuttlecock. I disagree. Badminton is much more than that. There is actually quite a lot of skill and strategy involved with every match and every point. Hence, I decided that the topic of my project 3 fixation was badminton.

I started my project with the audio. I decided to begin my project with a simple narration. I started to write, and the piece took its shape into a rant. I went to ask around my fellow teammates as well as researched online on interesting facts on badminton. After many edits and drafts, the narration became more personal at the start, more technical in the middle and back to being more personal at the end. I brought the audio file into Audacity and edited certain words and pauses out to create a smoother flow. I think the transition from the first sentence to the second was most effective due to the pause. In retrospect, I still think there could be longer pauses in between paragraphs.

The entire project was created through After Effects. I intended the use a simple, minimalistic style for the visuals because I wanted the audience to concentrate mainly on the audio. I tried adding in the ‘smash’ sounds as well as other sounds such as grunting and laughing, but I think it ended up taking too much away from the narration. Consequently, I made the decision to only include the ‘smash’ sounds at the beginning and at the end and kept the rest of the audio simple. In retrospect, if I had longer pauses between the paragraphs, I think I could also include some in within the piece.

Timing and editing played significant roles in the creation of this piece. Working with the audio in the background, the visuals had to by synced perfectly to the words being said. Markers were used in After Effects to help with the timing. During the editing process, I took in consideration the lines being formed from scene to scene. All the visuals with a shuttlecock flying by fold and unfold in the same direction. If the graphic had strong horizontal lines, a horizontal wipe or a shuttlecock flying in a horizontal direction used. The words were often stacked in a diagonal way from left to right, hence the shuttlecock was consistently flying from the upper left corner to the lower right. Shuttlecock flying the opposite way was simply to give alternative and change. If multiple graphics were in the same scene, they often fold in opposite directions to give contrast and movement to the scene (as shown with Aluminum and Titainium). Many decisions were made within the editing process in hopes to keep the audience interested and their eye moving. The graphics were mostly centered to ensure the quickest way of communicating with the audience.

The idea of a loop was mainly conveyed through the visuals. Repeating elements such as the badminton bird and repeated transitions were used to convey the idea. I believe the beginning and ending style of narration created nice bookends to the video that gave it a more sincere and personal feel to the piece. Lastly, the opening credits and the end also helps tie in the video as a whole as well as playing with the concept of a loop, due to its use of the similar sounds and its style in graphics.

The main concept of the video was to express my frustration with others and their view on badminton. I hope that the video had proven my point and have somewhat convinced the audience that badminton is a sport.

Her Morning Elegance Response

Her Morning Elegance is a Stop Motion video created by Oren Lavie with help of animators, Yuval and Merav Nathan. It was released in 2009 and instantly became a popular viral video. Over 3000 photographs were taken over the course of two days. It is wonderfully created and developed. Although framed and contained within the ‘mattress’, the composition is kept interesting via the close ups and the variation in cuts at the beginning and around 2:30 minutes. Also, there are certain elements in which fly ‘off the frame’ such as the red scarf and certain pillows. The light on the side and the change in the colour of bedsheet also aids in keeping the video visually compelling. If we look closely at the video, we can tell that the shoes and the light electric cord do move and shift a few times throughout the video, whether it was intentional or not, there is such great movement within the main ‘frame’ itself therefore the shifts are barely noticeable.

Below are a few videos that seem to have been inspired by “Her Morning Elegance” bed idea.

Comcast – Dreams – (2009) :60 (USA)

Chateau Bonne Entente – Summer – (2009) :30 (Canada)

Others have said that Her Morning Elegance had copied/stole the idea from this Mitchell Rose’s video from 2002:

Another Interesting Stop Motion Video shot from up top:
http://www.datenstrudel.de/index.php?prid=67&go=1

Updated script

This is my life, the life of a varsity athlete. Everyday, I head to the gym to face the humiliation everyone bestows on me for playing this wonderfully-fast-paced, consistency-dependent sport known as “BADMINTON”. Well I’ll tell you what, BADMINTON is a serious sport. I hate it when others tell me else wise. Just because there’s no body contact and that we play with a light feather bird, doesn’t mean it’s not cardio intensive and physically strenuous. In a typical 21 point rally game, players can easily cover over a kilometre in distance. That’s approximately the length of thirty-five basketball courts put together!

Badminton is a sport. It’s not just some backyard activity. Our birds are not simply neon, yellow and plastic. The ones we use are known as shuttlecocks and consist of exactly 16 perfectly cut goose feathers, glued and threaded to a rounded cork; each weighing approximately the same as a quarter at 5.5 grams. These feather birds allow for more speed, a better feel, and most importantly, better control.

We don’t play with the same wooden racquets that is used when playing in the backyard. There are many different other kinds, from head heavy, balanced, head light, isometric, round, long, short, the list goes on. Most racquets are made out of aluminium or titanium to ensure lightness, flexibility and durability.

We play on a court just like any other sport, only slightly smaller. The net is set at exactly 5 feet high, spanning across a distance of 20 feet. Boundaries and rules change accordingly depending on the type of game being played: singles, doubles, mixed. Each requiring different skill sets and strategies.

True badminton players play with consistency and intensity, along with a broad range of shots. We watch for subtle hints and clues that our opponents give from head to toe. Even the slightest motion of the eyes can help turn a game into our favour.

You probably don’t understand what I’m talking about do you? I bet you’re laughing at me right now. Everyone always does. No one understands or ever will. Well perhaps the swimmers, or the golfers and bowlers. They may understand. Badminton is a real sport, I would know, don’t try to prove me otherwise, because I will always prove you wrong.

Rotoscoping: A Response to Take On Me and other videos

Rotoscoping is a technique that animators use often to reference human and animal actions. The original technique involves animators filming a portion of live-action video, then projecting the footage on frosted glass and later tracing over the projected image. Rotoscoping not only aid in the animation of films, but it is often used in visual effects as well. Many times rotoscoping is used to create ‘matte’s or sillhouettes/masks for the objects while a different background can be applied. Now-a-days, computers and blue/green screens have mainly replaced this old fashion technique. One can also trace over printed versions frame by frame on top of tracing paper for the rotoscoping effect.

Animator ‘purists’ often oppose to the rotoscoping technique as they see it as ‘cheating’. However, it requires a high level of technique to rotoscope perfectly especially when “boiling”, when certain lines unintentionally shift or shake, can occur easily if not careful.

In the video, Take On Me, animators use this ‘boiling’ effect to their advantage. They exaggerates and intentionally shift and shake the lines to truly create a ‘rotoscope/rotoscopic’ style. They have shot live footage for the video, the traced over them frame by frame. It is interesting to see how they have also traced over creases and other wrinkles caused by the paper. They have wonderfully applied and ‘reinvented’ the way of rotoscoping by incorporating the drawn figures within the live footage. Some editing techniques used within the video:

* the direction lines/created by the line of the motocyclists at the beginning;  zoom out aids the directional lines
* the exchange of glances between the male and the female chracter is at the same spot on screen to communicate to audience at a quicker pace
* zoom in and out is used effectively during the scene where the men with the hammer is chasing down the female and the male, when they are running away, the camera is zoomed in, when they are running towards the screen, the camera zooms in
* when the lady is running out of the restaurant to her room, she runs out of the screen in the same direction as she enters the screen in the following scene, her positioning on the screen horizontal wise is also at the same plane

Other videos that use rotoscoping include:

Snow White: Original footage is shot for Snow White, the Prince and the Queen; however, the several animators resisted using the footage; hence only the Snow White and the Prince were rotoscoped for certain scenes when they’re together, but the Queen was not rotoscoped

Star Wars (Original 3 movies) : Rotoscoping was used to create the lightsaber effect. It was used to create a matte. The glow effect was created by drawing a line where the lightsaber was and later enlarged.

Juno: The opening credits of Juno is a more recent version of rotoscoping. The animators had rotoscoped Juno while the backgrounds and props were all drawn in a comical way. This is also an example of the skill that is involved to perfectly trace over footage frame by frame. We do not see any ‘boiling’ in the video. From the littlest movements to the facial expressions, we can also see how realistic rotoscoping can make animation.

Martin Arnold – the idea of looping

Martin Arnold is an experimental filmmaker. He is most well known for his appropriation art. He obsessively reworks found footage, often black and white footage. He removes the found footage from its original context and brings it into a new environment. Arnold’s films are often heavily cut sequences in which he uses several seconds of the found footage and makes it into much longer works. He tries to repeat frames. His cuts seem almost as if they were frame by frame. Arnold captures the characters/actors’ tiniest movements and repeats them and makes those tiny movements have a much more important role within the film. He loops these movements constantly and at first creates humour within the audience then later frustration. Some even find these movements hypnotic. As a result, audience ultimately view the found footage in a new light and percieve the found footage differently.

It is interesting how Arnold uses old footage and brings it into a completely new context. Most of his footage are black and white films from the 50′s, old Hollywood films, but he is able to bring these old films and reinvent them, appropriate them to make them seem new and up-to-date again. My favourite part of Arnold’s work is the way he is able to bring the ‘unimportant’ portions of the films and to make them important. Those ever-so slightly motion is exaggerated to give much bigger importance. It is definitely refreshing to see the film re-edited in a new way.

Passage a l’acte (1993) This is a breakfast scene from To Kill a Mocking Bird. He changes this breakfast scene to create a ‘post-war’ like film. Originally, the characters from the scene was a father, a neighbour and two kids. However, in the film, it now appears to be a family, the mom, the dad and two kids. The slamming of the door represents the sounds of a machine gun. The loop within the whole film also gives a terrifying feel as the high pitched noises were constantly repeated. Arnold makes a fool out of the boy by making him twitch non stop and the girl is edited to sound like a robot. The overall effect of the film was not a pleasant one. It created a much uncomfortable environment in which one can feel the aggressiveness and the hostile atmosphere of that kitchen.

Alone.

Journey Through a Melting Brain – Stratacut by David Daniels

or for HD version click here.

David Daniels is a filmmaker, director as well as a co-founder of Bent Image Lab, an animation studio located in Portland, Oregon. An master’s student from the prestigious art school, Cal Arts, David Daniels specializes mixed-media, clay, foam and character animation.

David Daniels is most well known for his Stratacut animation. Although it is known that he had coined the term Stratacut animation, this technique was seen used even back to the days of 1920s and 30′s. Works of German animator Oskar Fischinger during the 1920′s and 30′s such as this one, showed that he was an experimental visual-motion artist.

In geology, the word Strata represents layers or slices of rock, dirt or mud, hence the name seem appropriate for this technique. Stratacut animation is a form of clay and stop motion animation. It is created through a ‘loaf of plastercine’ that had been internally packed tight and loaded with varying imagery. The front of the loaf is then sliced into thin sheets, revealing a new image to the camera. A capture is done at the end of each cut.It can almost be said that this animation is done in the 4th dimension as the ever-changing imagery is located inside the packed clay. It is a highly tactile and planned approach to animation as the internal imagery must be heavily considered when building the loaf of clay. The pace at which the animation moves must also be considered when building.

Despite being an avid fan of stop motion animation, clay and plaster cine animation was my least favourite. I never liked the look and the feel that clay animation gave; something about the colour and the construction always make it seem a bit eerie and scary or simply uneasy feeling for me. Monsters Inc is my favourite movie of all times, but I wasn’t interested at the beginning because the 3D animation looked too similar to clay animation. However, I recently came upon David Daniel’s work and my view on clay animation changed. His work is colourful and vibrant, it can even say it’s psychedelic.  It gives off an eerie and scary feeling, but the point proves it successful and as strange as it sounds, I find it almost pleasing to look at. It draws in the audience through its ever changing colour and imagery the plastercine produces.. The molding and and the folding of the clay builds unplanned abstract shapes and a mosaic of melded patterns is created. Despite molding the clay can create accidental and unintentional shapes, David Daniels’ work shows a controlled motion of the work. I believe that true wonders of this work comes when one realizes the technique and creation method of the animation. The ultimate admiration comes when one realizes the amount of  time and effort that Daniels’ must have put into each loaf to create this fine, abstract and surreal piece of artwork

For an interview with David Daniels, click here.

Five Fixations and Outline

Fixation #1 : Postcards

My parents were avid adventurists, hence, at a young age, I have been on many road trips. In order to document the many cherished memories, I’ve started a postcard collection.  Since then, every vacation spot I’ve stepped foot upon, I would immediately search for a postcard to purchase. Recently, I have expanded my collection to places that my close friends have ventured as well. As of currently, I have over 70 postcards taped on my wall as reminiscence of the my many exciting travel destinations.

Fixation #2 : Chocolates/ Desserts

Following my mother’s footsteps (for better or for worse), desserts is often regarded as the most important course of the meal. It is also often the biggest portion of the meal. My friends have known me to be an addict to chocolates or sweet or namely cookies. With a obsession with cookies, I recall eating a minimum of 4 Tim Hortons cookies on a daily basis in my first year to a peak of 6 cookies a day. Luckily, I have been able to reduced my cookie intake (as my friends have warned me that it is extremely unhealthy) to simply one every other week if not less. On the contrary, my friends have recently gotten me a big box of Costco cookies as my birthday present.

Fixation #3 : Paper cutouts/ Paper dolls

Like many other girls, I liked to play with dolls as a child. However, Barbies and Cabbage Kids were not my favourite kind of dolls; my obsession was with paper dolls. Despite the two dimensional feeling; I simply adored drawing and cutting out the paper dolls. I enjoyed creating outfits with little hooks and finding different ways to attach paper clothes onto the paper dolls. As time went on, the obsession with paper dolls manifest itself to an obsession with paper cut outs. I am now a fan of paper art/works as well as paper artists such as Peter Callesen.

Fixation #4 : Monopoly

Monopoly is one of my all time favourite board game. Until I was twelve years old, I have often played monopoly at my friend’s but never owned a set. On the day of my birthday, I’ve found a brand new set of monopoly siting on my desk. It was definitely one of the most memorable birthday presents I’ve gotten. Unfortunately, the past few years I’ve played Monopoly with my fellow friends at residence, I have had the bad luck of going to jail much too often. My highest record was going to jail a whooping total of 7 times in an hour and a grand total 9 times during that night.

Fixation #5 : Height (growth)

I had always wanted to be tall. I dreamed of being 5’8″. My ideal height was 178 centimeters. Although just half an inch away from my ideal height, I constantly wish that I would miraculously become half an inch taller. My growth spurt has ended, but I still dream of the day I reach my ideal height. Nothing special will happen, no celebration would be held, but it was a childhood goal nonetheless, and it was one that I wanted to achieve.

Fixation #6: Stop Motion Animation

I am a huge fan of animation. From Studio Ghibli to Pixar, I am a fan of their works. 2 D animation is one of my favourites, but stop motion have never stopped to impress me. As a kid, i never liked stopped motion due to the many clay stop motion cartoons/videos we were forced to watch in grade school. But as I grew older, the work and effort put into stop motion amazed me and it made the outcome even grander than it already is. Some of my favourite works now include Olympus PEN commercial , The Seed and David Daniel’s stratacut pieces.

Still Frames

My Version of the Infamous Countdown

After several experimentation, I narrowed it down to this one concept: the old vs the new medias. I wanted to juxtapose the idea of the old, traditional media with this newer, technological mediums in which we used to create images and pictures. I decided to paint numbers on a canvas using a grid as such:

However, I later decided to pixelate the numbers as well to add and have it transform it from one number to the next. I thought it would add on to the feeling of computer generated imagery. This is the picture in which I based my numbers off of:

I decided to paint the squares one by one by hand without using an aid of a stencil or masking tape. I wanted to keep the hand-drawn quality to it with the uneven edges and the big brushstrokes. I also decided to put in the grid in the background as oppose to a fully white background because it retained the texture of the canvas and put the pixels in more of a context; it also frames the piece better.

Project 2 – the Infamous Countdown

Creative Brief and Story Board

Brainstorm ideas:

• Badminton/Tennis Match – counting down the score/points to victory; having a mix of video and still photographs of shots that would hint on winning the point (a smash, a ball just missing the in-bound line, a ball hitting the net etc.)
• Calendar – an illustrative approach; counting down the days or months using icons to show the weather changes
• Paper Cut Outs – a collage of images; cutting paper, folding out and folding in
• Q-Tips – a stop motion approach; dabbing the tips with ink or paint to create a unique pattern; inspired by VH1 and MTV
• Elevator – a love story, two people on opposite end of the elevator with people going in and out of the elevator; using the floor buttons and screen to indicate the countdown; people leaving as the numbers get lower (people exit elevator upon arrival at their floor) and leaving the two “love birds” behind
• Lost – Lost in downtown Toronto; to play on the disoriented, psychedelic, dizzy and scared feeling; to find the numbers in downtown through house numbers, bus numbers, graffiti, street numbers, store front, signs etc.
• Scrabble board – the idea of play and combining letters to form the words/ spelling out the numbers S-E-V-E-N
• Sudoku/Crossword/ Mine Sweeper – similar to the above idea; stop motion approach focusing on the act of blocking out squares/grid paper
• Yarn – playing with the unravelling of yarn; knitting and pulling on the yarn to unravel the knitted number etc

Story Board for top three concepts:  Elevator |  Lost  |  Q-Tips