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.