Norman McLaren worked as an animator after WW2 which had a great impact on many of the themes in his work. He made experimental pieces by drawing in ink directly onto film with abstract shapes moving in time with music. He is mostly known for his use of pixilation, a mixture of stop motion and live action. In "Neighbours" he sets a pleasant scene which quickly dissolves into chaos. The use of bright colours, quirky movement and cartoon violence gives such humour that the viewer feels even more disturbed when the outcome is the death of the two protagonists and their families. McLaren does well to make the film attractive and enjoyable whilst perfectly expressing the deeper meaning instilled into the scenario.
Oskar Fischinger left Germany to animate in America, but found that the big companies wanted to censor and over-edit his work for their own needs, something which he felt limited his artistic freedom. He was experimental in his work and often produced abstract pieces without narrative. He worked with many materials including liquids, wax and clay to create wild shapes and patterns that moved along to pieces of music. "Optical Poem" is one such abstract piece where Fischinger hung paper shapes on wires and animated them with stop-motion. He wasn't popular for commercial animation at the time but now he is revered for pushing the boundaries of his craft.
No comments:
Post a Comment