Wells/ AnimationReading Response

Animation Reading Response

I always loved animation since I was a child, Disney and Saturday morning cartoons like Hannah Barbera or Warner Bros. were at the top of my list of favorites, and I can remember them like it was yesterday. It was always a way to escape from the real world and make believe.  I really think animation is a cool way to make films due to the fact there are so many interesting ways/ mediums to create them.

 I took three 3d animation classes in the last three semesters here at UNCW and studied the principles of animation with the extremes and in betweens; there truly is a high degree of difficulty artistry to being a good animator. There is a lot more to it than people think and to become a great animator must take years and years.

This article really made me look at animation in a new light, instead of thinking as animation as strictly narrative, there is also a whole different aspect of experimental animation in which you can be as off the way and creative as possibly creating a whole new dream state kind of fantasy land. I like that you don’t have to stick with one medium of animation in experimental animation as well, for instance you can use cell animation, claymation, and 3d animation all in one film if you like so that you can give different feelings or moods to the scenes for the viewer.

The statement by Wells that experimental animation wants it to look more like Visual Music, is reminiscent of Brakhage and like minded avant-garde artists. I also see this type of musical feel in some of Disney’s films such as Fantasia.I also like how Wells described orthodox animation as prose and experimental animation is more poetic. I can definitely see his point in even some of the animations we’ve screened in this class so far this semester.

When I graduate in may I plan on having more free time to focus on becoming a better all around artist/ animator,  it's something I’ve always dreamed of doing.