27/01/25
For the start of Animation for Creative Industries we mainly focused on what the topic of this module was going to be about and what exactly we were doing for our assignments.
03/02/25
On week 2 of Animation for Creative Industries, we had to pick three animations to analyze. In my team of 3 we had to answer the following questions:
- Who is the Target Audience?
- The Key Influences?
- The Mood it conveys through its Art Style?
- How does the Art Style Complement the Storytelling?
- The Pros and Cons?
- Three Rules that you would implement to communicate the style with a team?
Klaus
Its target audience and its key influences – The Klaus movie is a family/children’s film which is influenced by a small town based in the 19th century. The idea for this small tiny village was for it to be as unwelcoming as possible.
The mood conveys throughout its art style – The film creates a feeling of entrapment by its use of big abstract houses, trees and mountains. This also relates to a child’s perspective as children are known to be innocent, small and fragile. Seeing the world differently than adults. There is also a feeling of enlightenment as scenes with warm lighting show the ‘light in the dark’. Metaphorically telling the audience that there are always good positive things throughout life even though life seems so bad and cruel.
How the art complements the storytelling – Klaus’ art style complements the storytelling by its use of shape language for example the postman’s character design has smooth curves and no hard sharp edges, showing his soft personality through his exaggerated proportions, relating to the Kiki and Bouba effect.
Pros and Cons – The film can convey the good and bad characters. There is also a good effect from the lighting which creates the 3D look within the 2D layout. Creating an illusion of something being 2D looking like a 3D animation. There are not that many cons however as the film is great how it is, the only thing I would say is the character’s style could be improved a bit better but other than that the film itself is perfect.
Rules Ideas – For future animation ideas, I would like to include the film’s use of lighting, shape language and art style as it’s very nice and stylized.
Roy
Its target audience and its key influences – The TV series Roy is a Children’s TV show. Roy is a TV program that has a 2D character in a live world setting which gives a good idea of what it feels like to feel different.
The mood conveys throughout its art style – Roy conveys a feeling of happiness by the use of Roy’s personality as well as his abstract looks.
How the art complements the storytelling – The use of their mix media, having reality mixed with 2D.
Pros and Cons – It helps children feel safe and seen but the overall behavior of Roy can influence a more negative behavior towards children.
Rule Ideas – What I would like to implement in future ideas for my work is to experiment with mixed media animation, paper looks as well as the simplicity of animation instead of highly advanced works.
Arcane
Its target audience and its key influences – Arcane is a league of legends series that is mainly aimed for teenagers to young adults. The influence for this genre is steampunk and of course league of legends.
The mood conveys throughout its art style – It gives a feeling of awareness and mystery due to its use of colors and design in general for example, Powder aka Jinx shows she is a person from a difficult background by her use of clothing, her hair also covers her face, preventing her from revealing her face / emotions. Metaphorically trying to cover her happiness due to her traumatic past.
How the art complements the storytelling – The use of painterly designs which makes the 3D animation look 2D.
Pros and Cons – Arcane has the most beautiful art style as well as visual effects. The story itself is well proportioned and it makes the audience engaged.
This animation is good but the influence on young children is a rise of concern as some children may think Arcane is okay for children. Even though a lot of their content involves adult behavior as well as violence itself.
Rule Ideas – For future projects I would love to include the use of Color palettes, character designs similar to realism and cartoon as well the use of musical fragments for emotional sequences.