Ss2-CBSO Chaplin Classics - 'Street Act' Live

Filled out symphony hall

Last friday was an incredible night as Street Act was being accompanied by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra live to just over 2500 people in attendance, such a great opportunity with the whole thing being so surreal after working on 'Street Act' since Christmas which has just about gave me  sufficient time for research and planning which enabled me to win the competition.

'Street Act' Live below-

The true beauty of the screening was hearing the audiences reactions to what is going on in the animation as this was my target audience there was no better way of seeing/hearing if my brief was complete.

The programme really did the event justice and my 100 words which was asked of me was published on the back of the programme photo below-

taken from cbso's programme

Also in the interval i was able to visit the directors lounge where industry professionals and drinks were available to mingle with, got to see some faces which i haven't in a while speaking about previous advice given and i was able to say how i was able to take on board the advice to better my outcome.

Meeting the likes of Myles McLeod and hear his opinions of my animation discussing how my animation got a warm reception hearing a laugh and applaud as well at the end. Also spoke with Andy Guest with whom i shall be doing a internship with once my Uni course is over, for becoming the winner of the cbso silent movie animation challenge.

 After then seeing two Chaplin Classics (City Lights and One A.M)

After such a great finish to the night in seeing Charlie Chaplin acompanied by the great composer and conductor Carl Davis who enjoyed a well desirved applaude. Then at the end of the night enjoyed a good chat with Carl Davis while he was signing programmes and cds.

Such an honour to speak to Carl Davies and so happy to talk about his work.

Before Chaplin Classics Night i received much granted publicity from CBSO (City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra) here are some photos where i featured on BBC Midlands talking about my inspiration for 'Street Act' and having my work played with one of the worlds best Orchestra.

Sadly the news article are only for 24hours but above are some stills.

Here are some recent articles on 'Street Act' and myself commending on winning animation prize-

Facebook page-

facebook.com/pages/GHAnimation/334135546644252

Silent London-
silentlondon.co.uk/2012/04/07/silent-birmingham-street-act/

Birmingham City University-
bcu.ac.uk/biad/viscom/news/silent-movie-speaks-volumes-for-talented-animation-student

Birmingham City Council-
birmingham.gov.uk/cs/Satellite?c=Page&childpagename=Lib-Library-of-Birmingham%2FPageLayout&cid=1223388052270&pagename=BCC%2FCommon%2FWrapper%2FWrapper&rendermode=previewnoinsite

The Guardian,Creative boom-
creativeboom.co.uk/news/silent-movie-speaks-volumes-for-talented-animation-student/

Birmingham Alive-
birmingham-alive.com/cbso-animated-silent-movie-challenge/

Ss2- London's Sculpture,Culture and Film Memorabilia

photo take in between shots on Street Act

 Some photos from the V&A in London last weekend, these are sculptures which i found all interested me from a Animation perspective as well as the obvious great detail that each one has, while animating i noticed a great deal of importance in keeping a pose a exaggerating everything to give a natural sense that makes what you're looking at realistic.
The photo at the top is of one of my characters in the middle of a scene reaching into his hat, the other point in looking at these sculptures was because of the sense of while looking at them you don't feel like they're posing but in the middle of something like the one below for example there is a great line of action which conveys movement a lot better which is what has influenced me to create longer lasting poses and get that line of action every time.

V and A

the line from hands right to the knee's

same sculpt from a different angle

Shadow silhouette

 Another thing that came across when animating after being to London was if my puppet was a silhouette would i know exactly what it was doing straight away,using each limb to bring across what a character is doing, look at the shadow of the sculpt above to see a great example.

Show power and authority with just one pose

Never boxing a character in, show exactly where everything would be in comparison before starting like  with a pose how a character would get there when animating.

Also something which i don't take into enough consideration is lighting

subtle movements always count to give something more life

Getting the the best angle while animating can make a total difference like these two images

 Great lighting and shape on this sculpt

bringing across the mood instantly

agression and chaos

These are great pieces which i remembered from a previous visit, especially the middle one the great detail to all the muscles and limbs and the effect light has brings texture and three dimensional quality.

London Film Museum

BIG BEN

Then hopped on the tube to the London Film Museum which was where the photo was taken from, once we got past all the crowds of tourists on the bridge and next to the eye we finally got into the museum.

Totally geeking out at all the things at the museum including a charlie chaplin section which i didnt know about until we got there,Ray Harryhausen gallery,Harry Potter section and a most amusing horror section with zombie heads.

chilling by a bizarre chaplin poster

recording device

Wind machine

Costume worn by Peter Sellers for Dr Strange Love

old school filming equipment 

Superman Costume from the latest version

And of course the batman costume!

Model of how the bear would look for Golden Compass

Harry Potter

Brumes and books from their classes used on the films

Last costumes of the three main 

Frame from Roger Rabbit

After a great day of seeing a lot of Sculpture, culture and film memorabilia it was time to get back to Euston station and get back to Birmingham in time to fix puppets ready for the next week of Animating on Street Act.

Ss2- Silent movie animation wanted i'm your man!

 The chance to exhibit my work with Charlie Chaplin would be an honour.

Just finished professional practice and this came up, what a great opportunity-

The challenge is open to anyone with a passion for animation. Using one of the originally composed Silent Movie tracks, recently rediscovered in archives during preparations for moving to the new Library of Birmingham (opening 2013) and recorded by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO), you're being asked to create a piece of animation that includes the word 'Birmingham' or an iconic image of the city. 

This was definitely something i would love to enter but at the time of seeing this thought also if slapstick physical humour would with 'tension with intrigue and love' as maybe a theme but then found out  Friday night classics: Charlie Chaplin was on the same night so guess it goes without saying.

After considering to enter after the only thing holding me back was time and wether to focus on one large animation for a long period of time of give myself the opportunity to win the silent movie animation challenge and give time to work on something small at the end of term too which seems to be the much better alternative.

The sounds were all very different i found myself liking four tracks but i can see animating two of them will be most fun because of the jumpy and cherpy side which would play well with the comedy. The next step has been to contact the competition to get the tracks sent to me to start working on a x-sheet (dope sheet).

Specialist study 2 schedule

Meanwhile - pictures of set and animation will be put up soon,slapstick photos and review of the festival    will come with.

Anecdote day and Ss2 work

Things which are more obvious after Friday's lesson

This last lesson was greatly beneficial for me as a task to bring a joke or as anecdote was set the week previous, As no one knew where this was going did so anyway and the results were actually better than anyone thought,joke wise everyone had a laugh or two.
Once each joke was told then the tutor would go over the joke/anecdote told see where it could be improved and Analise each persons performance visually with movements or how the joke was told. The main points learnt for me which can refract in my work will be the sense of timing,pause,positioning, posture and being ready is more about confidents than ready with lines as i found myself looking over my lines when i was reassured and got up and told the joke was fine.

One structure of telling a joke was,

1. (start off with) Recently . . . 
2. (relatable) Topical . . .
3. Explain . . . (empathy)

Also when telling a joke there was an element of if the end of a true story sucks simply "Don't let the truth get in the way". While telling a joke performance was greatly important to improve the telling of the joke and make it more visual. If talking with separate jokes to make explanations about something your talking about when going back to main joke make sure the punchline is clear.

If the gag is walking along talking to someone you think you know then when coming to the end of the explanation if animated make prop or door the end of the gag.

When telling a story if its true then smells and looks help tell the story rein acted. This is very implacable when watching creature comforts the sound isn't in a studio they have gone out and recorded them on the spot so gives a sense of atmosphere. When doing or getting someone for a voice over don't tell them the character just the way of the performance making the performance more open.

Lesson learnt - Making an animation from a joke or an anecdote is much clearer than thinking of one off the cuff in a library, a scene acted out can tell a lot more about a character than characteristics listed on paper.

Ss2 Update

For my character design sheets i will take less time on drawing out actions and traits and show them acted out or screen short for short animatics,Looking at research apart from the mood board the main thing most interested on going on was a short film called Easy street  a Chaplin film where the character sorts out a rough neighbourhood by becoming a cop where to take control has to take out the biggest pest.

                             


Also another film which was a referencing point from the silent films was Buster Keatons Cops film shows a helpless character just going about his day having cop after cop chasing him for something which   he isn't all to blame for, showing great humour in always getting out of the way of the cops then getting into trouble with another.


                              

Then next week i will be attending Bristols slapstick festival most likely go for just the Friday but hopefully will try and go to two of the events on the Saturday's as well, should have another post before.

Ss1-Acting Inspiration in Physical Comedy for the Animator

Buster Keaton (acting)


This is the first gag which really stood out by Buster Keaton which was simple yet effective because of the sutlety of what is going on as you think you know whats going on then suprises the audience with a little gag.

Chaplin film (acting -Downey Jr.)
the next gag which is simular to this is on the Chaplin film starring Robert Downey Jr. when he reads a post from the bottom to top which is a simple gag but to do takes inventiveness and creativity also to pull off is another thing.

Buster Keaton (acting-steamboat bill jr)
This hat gag has so many things which make it great the three part gags,the way buster can make the ausience know what is going to happen before it happens then still makes it funny with his reaction, there is also the camera being the mirror for the scene which works perfectly would like to bring a likeness of all these aspects into my animations.



The physical acting of keaton shown when can fall over with such acrobatics but also make it belivable this next clip show Keaton fighting the wind and going against it where just captures the audience so well.



This next clip is probable some of the best comedy acting ever just so well placed timed and reaction to what is happening.



The General -Buester Keaton
This clip as the train leaves is well put together and like before the timing for when he notices whats happening is spot on along with his reaction,there needs nothing else to that scene its kept simple which is a good thing.



Chaplin clips (Acting)
This next clip from Charlie Chaplin which is all about small movements not really full body acting just small actions at a time which the audience will pick up on and add to the empathy of the character which your portraying.



A scene from Goldrush showing Chaplin eating his own shoe was acted out so well i know he was known as a perfectionist and would do takes till something was perfect but the casual nature which eat mouthful is acted out just makes it that bit more beliveable.



there was another clip which is helpful from the goldrush where chaplin is excited from seeing this girl and is jumping round the room shown and analised by Ed Hooks last year.

Fred Astaire -(working with props/objects)
Found this guy great just flows with an objects and brings life and imagination to things around him which in a way is also used a lot in slapstick but this would have come after buster/chaplin era.



Jackie Chan
How Buster Keaton became a big infuence for Jackie Chan, Chan talks about this in his biography and openly says where he gets most his material from like Picasso said "Great Artists Steal" which is true if you watch this clip below proves how Buster Keaton made physical comedy great.

Slapstick Festival

Also the Slapstick festival i spoke about in my previous post which is very promising which is on this coming January in Bristol,recently found this showreel of pictures from this years slapstick festival-


this seems very promising and will be very excited if i get the all clear and get to go.

Shaun the sheep film you say!

taken from the bbc site

Aardman Animations plan new Shaun the Sheep film

Shaun the Sheep is filmed at Aardman's Bristol studio

Continue reading the main story

Aardman Animations, the Oscar-winning company behind Shaun the Sheep, has started work on a new feature film starring the character.

Writers at Aardman's Bristol HQ have begun developing a script for the film, which is hoped to be ready by 2013/14.

The company won an Oscar in 1993 for the Wallace Gromit film "The Wrong Trousers" and then again in 1995 for "A Close Shave".

The first TV episode of Shaun the Sheep was shown on the BBC in March 2007.

'Slapstick films'

Aardman creative director Richard Goleszowski, 51, said one of the inspirations behind Shaun the Sheep was the 1920s silent movie star Buster Keaton.

Mr Goleszowski said: "My goal is to make a modern day silent movie starring Shaun. When we started writing the television series we stuck a picture of Buster Keaton on the studio door.

"I grew up watching slapstick films and some of the jokes have become embedded in my psyche."

He said that the senior team at Aardman had been thinking about running screenings of silent films to help the newer animators develop their skills.

'Remain silent'

He said one of the reasons he had originally developed Shaun the Sheep as a non-speaking character was because animation with dialogue is time consuming and expensive.

He said: "I thought making him silent would make it cheaper and easier but it makes life more difficult.

"Telling a story through pictures means you can't cut corners. It's very cinematic and involved."

Richard Goleszowski will be speaking at the Silent Comedy Festival in Bristol on 30 January at 1400 GMT at the Watershed.

This proves great news for my future to aspire to work for a feature like this would be a dream come true and proves that silent slapstick comedy is ever important and should never be forgotten and would be proud to see it grow and be a part of that.