Deciding on what I want to investigate for the Professional Practice part of my animation course initially focused on a country. I considered researching a country so that I would be more aware of how the animation industry in that country operates, leaving me in a better position to judge the possibility of working there. I thought about Germany as I can speak (intermediate level) German, so there wouldn't be so much of a language barrier. Also I though about Switzerland as I'd visited the Swiss mini-film exhibition at The Parlour Showrooms during the Encounters Film Festival. There were some great short films showed there and that highlighted how their industry is producing exciting films, in particular in 2D animation.
But when I filled out the questionnaire that our lecturer Arril gave us I found that I really just wanted to focus on a technique rather then a country. We'd had a few talks the previous week and it kept being mentioned that animators have to be flexible to move around for work. I didn't want to tie myself down to one country with my research and future job opportunities. Simply, I want to work on engaging projects and it doesn't matter as much to me if I have to move frequently around to accomplish this. I'd like to see where these projects are being developed so that I can tailor my job search in later years to these areas.
Therefore the subject of my Professional Practice will begin by looking at 2D (emphasis on traditional and flash)/ experimental contemporary animation.
My starting point came from an Eamonn O'Neill animation that I saw earlier this year: I'm Fine Thanks.
eamonn o neill, 2011. I'M FINE THANKS. [video online] Available at: http://vimeo.com/28264507[Accessed 3 November 2013].
When I first saw this it wasn't only the style, but also the content that amazed me. It has such a bold style: the use of geometric shapes with no fixed lines, limited colour schemes for characters, and the consistent boil. Combined with the subject which feels intensely relevant to modern life, it produces a stunning piece. Plus, the framing of the action to focus on certain aspects only enhances, it never feels unnecessary. It's quite dynamic. The animation is beautifully smooth and stylised in parts as well which helps to emphasise a motion.
Generally in art I love the use of block colour and the possibility of
using this style seems quite achievable in Flash, which is making me
consider it more alongside my initial thoughts of specialising in
traditional animation.
O'Neill's career:
"My route into animation is fairly typical. After school, I studied animation for four years. During my summers as an undergraduate I interned at different studios in Ireland. I graduated at 21 and worked in Ireland for just over a year.
Soon after that I left the seaside behind and moved London to do an MA in animation at the Royal College of Art. I finished the course in June last year and in September signed with Studio AKA as a commercial director."
Philip Dennis, 2013. Interview with BAFTA nominated animation filmaker Eamonn O'Neill. [online] Available at: http://apeonthemoon.com/2013/02/20/interview-with-bafta-nominated-animation-filmmaker-eamonn-oneill/ [Accessed 3 November 2013].
I'd been to ELCAF in the summer where Studio AKA exhibited some pieces and a showreel, so I knew that O'Neill was working for them. Plus he's part of the collective Late Night Work Club, whose recent animation Ghost Stories was equally inspiring. So I think my next point of research will be looking more into these as well as perhaps more of his work.
