Praxis

The need to entertain an audience in an evocative thought-provoking way has always been a priority for my work. My previous education in Graphic Design, New Media and Film sequentially led me to choose Animation as my language of expression and my career. In this complex ‘Globalized’ world that most of us are a part of today, I would like to situate myself as an Indian animation film maker globally, and as a global animation film maker in India. I use these words carefully, as depicting my culture has always been a subliminal necessity for me, and depicting it in a way that is inclusive, entertaining, honest, and as well as commercially viable – my current objective.

In his presentation on the KRAZY show at ECI in June 2008, Bruce Grenville spoke about the significance of an artist and his contribution to his medium “As either a A) Pre-cursor, who plants the seed of a movement or proposes a new way of interpreting the medium, or B) an Amplifier, who takes the work done by pre-cursors and propagates the medium to a wider audience, or C) a Projectionist, whose work exceeds previous standards and propels the future of the medium.”

In my Praxis paper, I would like to specify the context within which I situate myself in Animation (in India and globally) before I use my film ‘Key Tumi?’ as a working example of my Praxis, and where I hope to see it go.

The history of animation in India is a very blurry and second-hand one. A severe lack of documentation of the work done over the years has led to entire generations of films inaccessible to audiences. More importantly animation is a fairly new cultural entity in India, quite unlike other countries where the progress of the subject has evolved naturally- from within itself. However, if one were to trace back a trajectory to a pre-cursor in Indian animation, all roads would lead to Ram Mohan, whose career in animation spans 40 years of work in film and advertising. Commenting on the future of Animation in India, he says

"There is a lot of potential for the growth of animation in India. The ‘Cartoon’ image of animation from their minds should be taken out. As the countries in the west, animation is done at different levels- for children and for adults. Likewise it should be in India. There is lot of potential for original content but unfortunately the infrastructure is missing." (Design in India, 2008, July 28th. www.designinindia.net/design-thoughts/masters/ram-mohan/interview-animation-in-india.html#b)

I agree with Mr. Mohan, except for his cause and effect role of a ‘missing infrastructure’. A booming Industry of service providers, Indian animators today (as opposed to when the interview might have taken place) have no lack of infrastructure. What seems lacking is the need for fresh original ideas, along with the need to experiment. Rich and diverse heritage aside, I am tired of seeing my gods reincarnate themselves time and time again in different animated ‘avatars’ in the guise of speaking to a wide (generally religious) national audience. This orthodox need to stick to the trodden path, along with the fact that animation is not a ‘natural’ product of our culture, has resulted in a narrow view of what is possible in this medium. Perhaps it is a collective subconscious sense of denial, where we deny our developing country lives as unworthy or simply not ‘cool’ enough to depict on screen. The reality is that we are yet to represent our modern, contemporary India in animated shows or films next to the likes of ‘Dexter’s Laboratory’ or ‘Family Guy’ successfully. My films ‘Hua Noor’ (2004), ‘Ud Jayega’ (2005) and ‘Key Tumi?’(2008) have all tried to explore different realities and story-telling possibilities in the current Indian paradigm, with varying degrees of success.

"At the end of the long production road, it is the audience's reaction that counts - whether they are amused, challenged, transformed or just plan indifferent." (Noake 9)

In my experience of studying, watching and making films, the (apparent) ‘passive’ reaction of an audience to time based media is actually quite an active real-time dialogue between form, content and intent. Usually, the content dictates the form, which in turn reaffirms the intent. This complex cognitive decoding happens subconsciously within seconds for even the youngest most unassuming of viewers. This parametric balance applies to everything from 20 second commercials to 5 minute short films all the way to full length feature films. Exploring this balance between form, content and intent is what I see as my area of interest in Animation- regardless of technique.

Another major interest - Culture, for me is not a fixed notion of one’s past, but something that is an ever-changing culmination of our past, our present, and our aspirations for the future. My naïve and personal experience of middle class India today, coupled with my presumption that there is no one objective ‘truth’, led me to explore the only topic I felt I could talk honestly about- my family. Perhaps it is a reaction to the current trend in animation worldwide that shies away from references to the real world (or real people), it is still to be seen whether this personal form of storytelling will successfully entertain audiences world-wide and stand the test of time and the box office.

In‘Key Tumi?’ (Loosely translates to ‘Who are you?’) I have tried to depict the contemporary creation myth of my family, in a way that is personal, and still accessible, engaging and entertaining to a wide audience. On a conceptual note, my challenge was to make a film that portrayed an India of today (one of the millions that may exist) - one that challenges old stereotypes and perhaps forms new associations.

In his essay, “Defining Non-Fiction Film” Richard Meran Barsam quotes Andrew Sarris “All films are documentary films in the sense that all films are documents of someone, something, some time or some place.” (367)

My original intent was to make an Animated Documentary film, mixing live action interviews with animation- an old idea of marrying the two ends of the fiction vs. non-fiction genre spectrum. However, as I began thinking my form and content through, it seemed less important to convey the so called ‘reality’ of the story than it was to convey the ‘sense’ of the story. In other words, a created animated image that made no apparent claim to ‘reality’ would allow the audience to enter the film easier than the barrier and baggage of the live action ‘real’ image. Having let go of the need to stick to the truth, my intention was to focus on the universal aspects of this personal story, and tie them together in a cohesive and entertaining way. Learning the rules of dramatic structure- the ever important ‘arc’ (and the advantages and consequences of straying away from it) helped me understand how calculative and manipulative time based media needs to be.

At a time where everything (in media) has probably been done before, where even the most sophisticated special effect ceases to amaze us, where lines are drawn for people to choose sides, I choose to return to matters of the heart- Content, and to entertainment that stands the test of time, technology and nationality. To conclude, I would like to make films that follow the rules, models and commercial production systems of dramatic cinema in ways that leave the viewer amused, empowered and most importantly – entertained.

Talk the Walk and Walk the Talk

The burning bridge between Theory and Practice never seemed more obvious to me than Marv Newland’s presentation at ECI earlier in June of his work spanning the last 30 years. The fact that his presentation was strong, concise and laden with information further exaggerates the dilemma that exists in Animation- the inability of the medium to create a vocabulary that translates and speaks to a wider critical audience, including itself.

Marv Newland is an Animation Producer/Director who people in the animation community would refer to as one of the ‘old timers’ in the North American industry. An artist who has left his mark in the independent stream as well as the bigger mainstream production houses. One of the featured Animation artists in the KRAZY show currently on at the Vancouver Art Gallery, he catapulted into his career with ‘Bambi meets Godzilla’ in 1969, which by nature of its duration and dark humor stood him apart from the rest. He later founded his own company International Rocketship Limited, where he produced and directed several award winning shorts such as ‘Sing Beast Sing’ (1980), ‘Anijam’ (1984), ‘Hooray For Sandbox Land’ (1984), ‘Black Hula’ (1988), ‘Pink KomKommer’ (1991), ‘FUV’ (1999) and ‘Beijing Flipbook’ (2003).

If the medium is the message, Marv’s medium of presentation surely had a message. Instead of opening up a laptop notebook, he opened his attaché from where he took out newspaper clippings, cut outs from magazines and comic strips, and original cel paintings that dated back 50 years. He started his presentation by talking about his childhood interests, and his passion for comic art. He went over several artists in a chronological manner, naming (amongst several others) ‘Tom Terrific’ by Gene Deitch as an early inspiration and Saul Steinberg simply as ‘God’! His ‘pre-analog’ OHP presentation was as much of an animation history class as much as it was a timeline of his career.

During his presentation, he explained some of the basic techniques and methods involved in the animation process, like the ‘rubber hose’ style that was prevalent in the 1920’s. As the audience consisted of Visual Art students primarily, he broke down the various steps in creating easily animateable characters as well as the broader cel animation process. The two films that he ended his presentation with were ‘Anijam’ (1984) and ‘Black Hula’ (1988). As delightful and informative as his presentation was, the question and answer session that followed didn’t prove to be very inspiring. Some of the questions that students asked him ranged from old (and very obsolete) questions of whether he preferred Classical 2D animation, or the new age 3D style… He answered this question in a rhetorical way, linking Classical animation to drawing and art, and 3D computer animation to larger corporations, which he conceded was the way the world was moving towards. Another ‘pedestrian’ question that was asked was the specific name of the technique where an animated image ‘moved around and jiggled’, which he answered in one word- ‘Boil’. As an animator, I found these questions so basic and dated (and so hung up on technique), that I could not help but think that they were wasted on a person as knowledgeable as Marv Newland.

The only question that remotely hinted at ‘content’ from a critical position was from a lady who asked Mr. Newland about his political intentions while making ‘Black Hula’. This question, and more so his answer to the question introduces a new facet to my position in this paper- ‘How do Animators position themselves as critical producers of media?’ Or what I really want to ask is ‘Why don’t Animators think of themselves as critical producers of media?’ He answered her question jokingly by saying that A. He never had anything important to say and B. No one was listening anyway! His response was met with a laugh, and the topic of conversation moved to something else related to the film, but I couldn’t help but wonder how this question and answer resounded in a larger context of Media Literacy, both for producers as well as viewers.

In ‘Semiotic Domains: Is playing Video Games a waste of time?’ the author James Paul Gee argues that there are several forms of literacy, apart from traditional reading and writing. Commenting on the various forms of media (either visual, literary or auditory)

Each of these domains has its own rules and requirements. Each is a culturally and historically separate way of reading and writing, and, in that case, a different literacy. Furthermore, in each case, if we want to ‘break the rules’ and read against the grain of the text- for the purpose of critique, for instance- we have to do so in different ways, usually with some relative deep knowledge of how to read such texts “according to the rules”. (Gee, James Paul. What Video Games have to Teach Us about Learning and Literacy. New York: Palgrave Macmillan 2004, 14)

If Animation demands a form of audio-visual literacy, we as producers and viewers need to define the vocabulary and the means by which we can critique and assess it. There can be no doubt that this medium is very much a part of mainstream media, and thus a part of the larger scrutiny involved in media practice. James Gee goes on to say ‘On one hand, producers are deeply enough embedded in their social practices that they can understand the texts associated with those practices quite well. On the other hand, producers are often so deeply embedded in their social practices that they take the meanings and values of the texts associated with those practices for granted in an unquestioning way. One key question for deep learning and good education, then is how to get producer-like learning and knowledge, but in a reflecting and critical way?’ (Gee, James Paul. What Video Games have to Teach Us about Learning and Literacy. New York: Palgrave Macmillan 2004, 16)

We only need to switch on the television to open ourselves to the vast array of genres that exist only in the domain of animation. Are we to look beyond cartoons meant for children or Pixar’s latest seasonal blockbuster (amongst many other examples) as raw material for thought? Can we look deeper and examine how the cartoons and characters we create are reflections of the psychic that dominate the mainstream society of our time? The highly racist (and entertaining) cartoon series ‘Betty Boop and Bimbo’ designed by the Fleischer Brothers in the mid 30’s were a fitting reflection of how society perceived notions of equality, be it between the sexes or between racial stereotypes. In the same way, Marv Newland’s ‘Black Hula’ is as much of a political reaction and commentary to the timeless theme of colonization as much as any literary work that exists in a book. The challenge lies in creating a vocabulary that bridges the vast gap that exists between critical theory and the more ‘hands-on’ practice in the field of animation, and my hunch is that if this happens, the ever-burning bridge between technique and content will cease to exist.

Animation Objects!

The history of Animation is relatively new compared to that of the Visual/Plastic Arts. However ever since its inception a hundred years ago, the exponential growth of Animation as a medium (as well as an Industry) has forced us to look and re-examine how we situate it in the broader spectrum of Media and Art. For me, Animation imbibes, includes and exceeds various facets of Visual Culture. As a form of time based media, Animation is closely linked to Film (and other temporal subjects like Sound and Music which don’t share an obvious place in ‘visual’ culture). With regard to static media, Animation is born out of Drawing, Painting and Sculpture. And on a broader narrative level, Animation is a form of story telling. In recent years, Animation has evolved as a form of technology, and has developed into a commercial industry. However, all these mediums have their own sets of rules and standards by which they are critiqued and assessed, and to put one broad requirement over them would only serve as a constraint rather than as a benchmark.

The KRAZY exhibit at the Vancouver Art Gallery is a highly ambitious showcase of work that spans several co-dependant visual art forms like Anime, Manga, Comics, Cartoons, Video Games and Art. As a practicing Animation student/film-maker, I was immediately intrigued at how my favored medium was situated amongst the others. The fact that the venue was that of an art gallery (and not a cinema hall or an interactive virtual space or simply a printed catalogue) meant that it demanded the viewer to see it through a certain filter- one that isn’t the most natural for time based media.

Having shifted my lens, and re-looking at what I had seen earlier in a different context, I became aware of a conundrum of sorts – the ‘Animation Object’. For the first time I found myself putting a value to an ‘object’ in a medium that is broadly defined by objects within a two dimensional frame seen in time. Original paper cut-outs used by Lotte Reiniger from the oldest surviving animated feature ‘The Adventures of Prince Achmed’ (1926) suddenly gained an importance and value quite different than what the ‘film’ itself stood for. On a positive nostalgic note, here was an ‘object’ that I could give importance to- a physical evidence of history in the making. But it begged me ask myself whether the copy of the film sitting in my DVD collection at home was closer to the actual intention/purpose of the work, or the piece of cut-out paper placed behind the protective gallery enclosure.

Having thought about it for a while, it occurred to me that it had little to do with Animation or Art , and more to do with human nature. We, as consumers, are conditioned into giving an importance to objects, even if the object (in isolation) has little role in the reason for its importance. A famous musician’s instrument will sell for a million dollars even though it is only what it is- a consumer product made in an assembly line amongst many others of its kind. Yet, we give it value based on the fact that it played a part in creating the actual (often intangible) work itself. There are numerous examples in each medium that illustrates this idea of our love for objects.

At the VAG, there were other ‘objects’ in the Animation film area that comprised the rest of the Animation exhibit. Original storyboards, cel paintings and distorted film projections set next to one another constituted the design of the space. What it did succeed in doing was re-contextualize the several facets that went into making the medium what it is. What intrigued me was a sense of history and an idea of a process. If the experience of Animation can be compared to the experience of eating food, what one saw placed in glass boxes (at the VAG) were some of the visually pleasing raw materials and ingredients required in making food, but not the food itself. If a correct understanding and evaluation of food is in the tasting, a similar understanding and evaluation of Animation is in the act of watching and experiencing it.

The Animation exhibit in the KRAZY show had several positive elements to it. In a medium that is largely commercially and economically driven, what is missing is a sense of critical reflection and documentation. The KRAZY show at the VAG allows the viewer to take a step back, and look at the medium in a more holistic and culturally rounded way. In today’s paradigm of digital media, what I am left with is an open unanswered question… ‘What will the ‘Animation Object’ of tomorrow be? What will a similar show (like KRAZY) host in the near future as a tangible ‘Animation Object’ in a medium that is growing ever so intangible?

Thoughts on Michel Gondry

“To what extent does an aesthetic appreciation of Tarantino’s Kill Bill rely on a prior knowledge of Leone’s Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)? To what extent is contemporary cinema merely a cinematic performance of prior texts and passed traditions?” (Non Linear Narrative, ‘New Punk Cinema’, Nicholas Rombes)

If this be true, Michel Gondry is the exception that proves the rule. His refusal to be boxed in by formulas and patterns has led him to define a new paradigm in film making today. Born and raised in Versailles, France, and eventually going to Art College in Paris, he has scripted inspiring imagery in the form of commercials, music videos, shorts, feature films, and other media. He is partially credited with reviving the music-video format in the 1990's. His autobiographical documentary 'I've been 12 forever' is a substantial evidence of his wide palette and unique aesthetic in the medium.

In a world where we are taught how to fit into larger systems, Michel Gondry has chosen to define his own rules. Needless to say, he is one of the most sought-after directors in the mainstream media today, and his unique style of film making - a new path that has been defined. Even though his work is mostly in the realm of 'live action', he seems to think like an Animator.

"As a child I was interested in the possibilities that Lego and Meccano opened up, to create and invent new discoveries. My cousin and I used Meccano to build a prototype cartoon machine, quite similar to the zoetrope. It was a black circle with a gap to look at the little drawings. One of the stories we drew was about a journey in which you fractal zoom from a larger infinity to a smaller infinity. It started in space, with the planets, and then closed in on the Earth, then the continents, the countries and cities, the streets and the houses, down through a chimney, deep into the wood and right into the little atoms. Then it zoomed back out to the planets again. It was about a minute long, and we were 12 years old.” ('I've been 12 forever', Michel Gondry)

Unlike most 'film directors', he treats his picture plane as a layer amongst others, and plays with them in highly unorthodox ways. In 'Let Forever Be' (Chemical Brothers), he puns on this very aspect of 'multiple layers' in the real physical world. I find these self reflexive methods more a favourite with animators rather than live action film makers. Michel Gondry is responsible for several of the 'special effects' commonly used these days. One of them, the 'Zoom Morph' was first used by him in "Je Danse Le Mia" - IAM (1993) This effect is now a 'plug-in' in many Visual Effects Packages. Gondry was also one of the pioneers of the 'time slice' effect made famous by 'The Matrix'.

Since the release of Gondry's first feature film 'Human Nature' and more successful second feature ‘'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind', he produced a film he wrote called 'The Science of Sleep'. He is one of the few directors to have spanned the film, music video and ad commercial genres, and how. His next feature, 'Be Kind Rewind' to be released this year, will apparently be his most accessible film to date.

“Mise en scene in Animation”

I was a Graphic Designer until I saw 'Les Triplettes des Belleville' (2003) by Sylvain Chomet. Needless to say, the film affected me so much, that I decided to switch my major and devote myself to Animation. Only recently, having come to ECIAD have I been able to look at the film objectively, and not look at it as the ‘end-all’ of Animation. However, in this paper I will discuss the relevance of Mise en Scene (the process of setting a stage, with regard to placement of actors, scenery, properties, etc.), how it plays an important role in Animation story-telling, and how I have used these ideas and influences in my personal work.

I would like to compare 'Les Triplettes de Belleville' to 'Hua Noor' (The New Day) a film I made inspired by it. I will also touch upon another experimental film I did- ‘The Path to God’, and discuss the radically different mise en scene in the film, and how it is relevant to that form of storytelling.

'Les Triplettes' is unique in its style of story-telling in the current Animation world dominated by 3D production houses. It is an 80 minute film, created almost completely in 2D animation (a medium slowly becoming obsolete) with a few sections in 3D. The quaint and complex plot is divulged completely without dialogue, thus bringing the focus of the medium back onto strong animation that involves acting, evocative stagings and strong sound design. The film questions the usual audience of mainstream animation (which is now predominantly for children) and proposes a different 'world view' altogether than from what we see usually.

'Les Triplettes' revolves around Champion, a young quiet boy who is introduced to cycling by his over-protective grandmother Madame Souza in the rainy city of Paris. Champion grows into a dedicated cyclist (relentlessly trained by his grandmother) and enters the Tour de France. He is kidnapped by members of the French wine mafia and shipped to the mysterious city of Belleville to be a pawn in an intricate betting machine. Madame Souza and their dog Bruno travel across the ocean (on a heroic paddle boat voyage) in search of Champion, where they meet the old, haggard yet lively Triplettes from Belleville. Together, they rescue Champion from the 'bad guys' and head into the unknown future together.

'Hua Noor' (The New Day) is a fleeting glimpse of an old clock repairman's life as he looks back at the 'times' that have passed and wonders what the future holds for an old relic like him. The film is set in todays world, and tries to evoke the disparity that exists in our Modernity in India. He realizes that his ‘analog’ life will soon come to an end with the advent of new technologies and cultures, and thus render his obsolete.

In both films, what strikes me as vital in the storytelling style is the mise en scene. Both films use aspects of props, set design, lighting as an important storytelling tool to advance other cinematic aspects like acting, camera decisions etc… The mise en scene also goes hand-in-hand with the 'world view' that is proposed in the film and relates to the way 'reality' is addressed on-screen through architectural perspectives, lighting and character design. This form of ‘visualizing the world’ is strongly influenced by traditional lens based media like the 35mm camera. What results is a world not too far away from our own, and thus allows us to unknowingly enter into the frame of the film, and make the ‘make-believe’ animated world more believable.

In 'Les Triplettes' due to the absence of dialogue, all the script points where vital information is conveyed are expressed through mime and mise en scene. Everything is there for a reason, and ultimately helps in tying the plot together in the end. For example, Madame Souza is seen with a wooden platform beneath her feet, which is a result of the tilting of the house due to a newly constructed railway line which happens in the beginning of the plot. This detail seems rather unnecessary for most of the film. However, in the final chase sequence, she uses her wooden sole to 'trip' her adversaries once and for all.

In another example, when Madame Souza tries to help out and clean up the house where the old Triplettes live, they abruptly ask her not to. She is not allowed to clean the house with the vacuum cleaner, replace the uneaten food in the fridge or read the newspaper. This strikes us viewers as odd, and we are made to believe that the Triplettes are unusually queer in their habits. However, in an important Salon sequence that follows shortly after this they emerge on stage with these props, using them as improvised musical instruments. Thus the props in this film directly affect the plot and take it forward.

It is this type of storytelling that inspired me in 'Hua Noor'. It was my intention to convey vital information through physical/visual codes and create a strong environment and mood for the film. In my original script, there was to be no dialogue. However, due to a severe shortage of time and resources I had to re-edit my script and introduce a voice over to tie the story together. I see this as a severe compromise and can now (having gained a fair amount of objectivity from the film) analyze it critically.

In 'Hua Noor' what works well is the mood space in which the film is told. The objects that are there in the room all point a finger towards the intended assumption- that the old clock repairman is from a different generation from today. The poster on the wall is of the film 'Mughal-e-Azam', a landmark film in India as it was made in the 50's when colour film first came out there. The TV by the desk is the only link to the 'outside world' and is set on a Discovery Channel program about the Mughal Invasion in India. Later on, when the old man changes the channel, it switches to a modern day music video which starkly contrasts the content of the previous channel. This change is of great importance to the story as it signals the change in the ‘outside world’.

The mise en scene not only informs us about where the film is set, the time, social implications, but also sets an evocative mood and backdrop for the story. The clocks on the walls span several generations and quite literally point to the times that have passed.

Keeping 'Les Triplettes' as a reference, what works in ‘Hua Noor’ is the mise en scene. What doesn’t work in my film is the lack of closure in the story. It is my opinion that the film is too abstract and open ended, and leaves the viewer waiting for more. It was my intention to have an abrupt ending, but what emerges is a feeling of incompleteness. 'Les Triplettes' is an abstract and open film, yet all the threads and plot points tie up in the end together. The more one analyses the film, the more connections are made and things make more sense.

In stark contrast to these two films, is ‘Path to God’, a short Flash animation I did around the same time as ‘Hua Noor’. The film is set on one page of a comic book, and there are no pans or camera movements. The action moves from one frame of the comic to another as the film advances. The character is rendered simply and compliments the simple line drawing of the background. The story is simple- ‘Running after God is futile as you will find yourself in the same place as where you began’, and thus demands a simple mise en scene.

To conclude, mise en scene is critical to story telling and should be dictated by the need of the film. Every story has an intrinsic level of complexity inherent in it, and the decisions on how to best illustrate them will critically affect how the film is read. In Animation (as opposed to Live Action) mise en scene is of great importance as the world that is created does not exist, and the viewer sees only what is intentionally created.