Paprika (2006) - Film Review

Fig 1. Poster Art 

Paprika is a science - fiction, Japanese, Anime film directed by Satoshi Kon. He is known for being  unique in the way that he makes animated films, steering away from the "cliches of mass-produced Japanese animation – "robots and beautiful little girls," as he once put it – Kon sought to make animation that used ambitious and often disorientating editing, intercutting and scene-shifting." (Osmond, 2010)

The film enters the minds of its characters, letting the audience see all their weird and theatrical dreams. Through the surreal universes we can discover a person's true feelings and understand why they might be having those dreams.  In this case some of the feelings  were caused by stress, anxiety, guilt and loss of control.

The film stretches past the impossibilities of reality which is difficult to achieve in a live action. Kon even refers to the reasons why he did this: "In animation, only what is intended to be communicated is there," he once said. "If I had a chance to edit live-action, it would be too fast for audiences to follow." Kon made only sparing use of CGI in his mostly drawn films, relying on such superb animators as Shinji Otsuka and Toshiyuki Inoue." (Osmond, 2010) 

With the use of this medium the Director is able to achieve almost anything they want. Having this ability meant that Kon could even  morph and shape shift characters. Their technique really reflects how our wildest fantasies can always be achieved through a dream.  "Nolan has acknowledged Paprika as an influence, but Kon's film has far more fun with its dream worlds. Its titular heroine dashes through paintings and signboards while transforming into everything from a fairy to a mermaid to Pinocchio." (Osmond, 2010) This would have been much harder and more expensive by only using CGI. 

Fig 2. Film still

Although the film can be pretty creepy and "adult like in its nature"at times, the style of the film can often distract you from this, it "is a visually gripping film that renews one's faith in the power, imagination and beauty of hand-drawn animation." (Singer, 2007)
The film uses a beautiful array of colours. Each of the dreams portray masses of detail, creating carefully crafted scenes. The animation replicates a 2D, hand drawn style, making the animation a piece of art in itself. 

The film was often confusing at times. For example, the main character known as Paprika was actually the alter ego of Chiba. This character may be Chiba's real or alternative personality, that she suppresses in reality. "One of these people is the titular Paprika, a colorful and perky young dream therapist. She's the dream avatar of Chiba, one of the scientists involved in the creation of the DC." (Tv Tropes, n.d) The DC is a machine in which you can enter your own dreams or watch them. However the machine gets into the wrong hands and becomes a machine that brings nightmares into reality. 

Fig 3. Film still 

Illustration List
Figure 1. Poster Art https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNGQ2NDUyZGItZTFmYS00YjIzLWFmZDYtZWFiZWUzZDcxYzIxXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjE5MjUyOTM@._V1_.jpg
(Accessed 25.1.18)

Figure 2. Film still https://a.ltrbxd.com/resized/sm/upload/mp/6e/wk/u5/paprika-1200-1200-675-675-crop-000000.jpg?k=88023c17ba
(Accessed 25.1.18)

Figure 3. Film still https://a.ltrbxd.com/resized/sm/upload/mp/6e/wk/u5/paprika-1200-1200-675-675-crop-000000.jpg?k=88023c17ba
(Accessed 25.1.18)

Bibliography
Singer G 'Paprika': Satori With Satoshi https://www.awn.com/animationworld/paprika-satori-satoshi
(Accessed 25.1.18)

Osmond A Satoshi Kon obituary https://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/aug/26/satoshi-kon-obituary
(Accessed 25.1.18)

Tv Tropes, n.d http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Literature/Paprika
(Accessed 25.1.18)

Paprika (2006)

New Leaf Design/Ideas

Research - Infographics

I am currently researching the intricate and inner details that flow across the costumes and props within the film Stranger Tides. I am hoping to include these aspects in the Tile animation that me and Ruth are creating. Here are some of the key features that stood out to me in the video:

Inner Details - The Costues

Inner Details - The Props

Life Drawing - Lesson 12

Pencil and Water Colour - 25mins

3 Poses - 5 mins each (Pen and Back Charcoal)

Pen and Charcoal - 25 mins

OGR - Premise

OGR - Premise by Jennifer Ball on Scribd

Dissertation Proposal - Presentation

How Can Art Benefit Our Mental Health by Jennifer Ball on Scribd

Pepper - Modeled and Painted

Pepper Turnaround from Jennifer Ball on Vimeo.

Banana - Modeled and Painted

Banana Turnaround 1 from Jennifer Ball on Vimeo.

Pepper - Experimentation

Our task was to take any object that we created in Mudbox and to make it look rusty and old. I decided to do a Pepper. Although my pepper looks more moldy than rusty, I still like the effect it gives.

Mouldy Pepper from Jennifer Ball on Vimeo.

New Leaf Designs

New Leaf Designs

Quick Challenge: Junk into Gold

Banana in progress

Banana

Mary and Max (2009) - Film Review

Fig 1. Mary and Max film Poster

Mary and Max (2009) is a stop - motion, animated film. The film was created in Australia by writer, director and designer Adam Elliot. "The 42-year-old claymation artist's unique homemade-looking style is present in virtually any shot of any of his creations from any of his films." (Buckmaster, 2014) Mary and Max was released at Sundance Film Festival in 2009 and is the only feature film that Elliot has ever made. 

Elliot's narrative is truly authentic, even down to the way in which the film was made. Using clay, Elliot made his characters look very cute, similar to the characters found in  the Wallace and Gromit series.  Ordinarily, these films are  associated with children. 

However Elliot wanted a more adult story line and therefore characters that depicted this.  Whilst the film could initially be mistaken for a child's programme by its title and its look,the film speaks about the truth and hardships of "real life".  As the viewer gets to know the characters of Mary and Max they appreciate that their grubby, dreary and imperfectness are more typical of adult life. 

Taking a more traditional approach such as claymation takes time, patience and a lot of hard work. "It was a logistical nightmare," he said in 2009. " They worked out if I had animated it, it would have taken 225 years." (Buckmaster, 2014) His crew even made "133 sets, 212 puppets and 475 props. Elliot employed six animators who each completed roughly five seconds a day." (Buckmaster, 2014)

The film is narrated through Max's voice and references is own thinking and life. Max is a character who suffers from severe depression, obesity and mental illness. He is later diagnosed in the film with Aspergers, which due to the difficulty he has in communicating and understanding non verbal indicators, makes life much harder for him. He opens up to his pen pal Mary about it: "Recently, whilst I was in a mental institution. They diagnosed that I have a new thing called Aspergers syndrome. Which is a Neurobiological, Pervasive, Developmental, Disability. I prefer Aspie for short." He says this wearing an "Aspies for freedom shirt" created a light hearted approach to his disability. Back then, learning difficulties were only just being recognised. They were even trying to cure people of Aspbergers: "Here I will list some of the traits of an Aspie. Number 1, I find the world very confusing and chaotic, because my mind is very literal and logical.......Dr.Bernard Hasslehoff says my brain is defective but one day their will be a cure for my disability."

Fig 2. Film Still

Max also narrates 8 year old Mary's life from her own child like perspective. During the film, we see Mary's relationship with her mother.  Max narrates  Mary's feelings towards her mother in the following way: “To Mary, Vera always seemed wobbly. Vera liked listening to the cricket while baking. Her main ingredient was always sherry. She told Mary it was a type of tea for grown-ups that needed constant testing. Mary thought her mother tested the sherry way too much." 

The film shows a very dysfunctional family that consists of an  alcoholic mother and a dad who likes to keep his distance by staying in the shed stuffing dead birds. Mary is a very sweet and kind child but feels extremely lonely, so she confides in her adult pen pal Max. 

Fig. 3 Film Still

Many people seem to unexpectedly enjoy this film. It is what you expect from an animation, its playful, humerous and fun. However it also depicts many adult themes that can be hard and uncomfortable to watch. These include: suicide, substance mis-use, mental illness and the mild suggestion of  inappropriate relationships.  I have alluded to the fact that the claymation immediately suggests 'for children'. Yet the themes, the plot and sub-plot  are only understood by adults. 

"It’s half-term, but that’s not quite why the singular claymation cartoon Mary & Max is getting an airing. One of the title characters has Asperger’s, and the other tries to kill herself — fun for all the family!" (Robey, 2010) 

It is difficult to place this film into a particular genre because it doesn't fit neatly.  Its  unique and unpredictable story and message places it in many categories. 

Illustration List
Figure 1. Mary and Max film poster https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Mary+and+Max+2009&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiHis6LqebYAhXkD8AKHaS3BNoQ_AUICigB&biw=1229&bih=607#imgrc=uYiOYr9NJvSvUM:
(Accessed 20.01.18)

Figure 2. Film still https://blog.animationstudies.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Figure-3.png
(Accessed 20.01.18)

Figure 3. Film still https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDvVL1500w1k2GbfUBzk-dgNeMFcVLlMknr2481O6aiW8nVl5yFNUPyULZQX5bHntYvCVDXPzcf9hfJjY50HI84DvdnpeKYwBx3glQhPvZxbcCEnU-IUDo6MI41tyof8ya8DKwmCkXJo0/s1600/mary's+mother.jpg
(Accessed 20.01.18)

Bibliography
Buckmaster L (2014) https://www.theguardian.com/film/australia-culture-blog/2014/may/30/mary-and-max-rewatching-classic-australian-films 
(Accessed 20.01.18)

Robey T (2010) Mary and Max Review http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/filmreviews/8078477/Mary-and-Max-review.html
(Accessed 20.01.18)

Mary and Max (2009) Film

Basic Shape/Colour of Wheel and Leaves

Here are some basic thumbnails to get an idea of the shapes and colours we want for the wheel and leaves.

The Wheel 1 - 6

Leaves 1 - 6

Fruit Bowl - Progress

Fruit Bowl Video from Jennifer Ball on Vimeo.

Colour Pallette

Influence Map - Infographics

Me and Ruth have decided to collaborate on this project. We are hoping to create a slick, classy and fluid title credit animation.

Main Themes

Plum - Mudbox (Progress so far)

Plum

My Ideas for my Animation

Initial Ideas - A Beautiful Symphony



In terms of style I'd like my animation to interpret the abstract and playfulness of the UPA genre of  animation. This will enable me to play around with the shape, colour and sounds of the musical instruments.

I am also considering designing imagery that matches  the sounds that the instruments make, creating a quirky, bright and colourful atmosphere and space.

Narrative
A group of musical instruments are stored and tucked away in cupboards within a music room. When the humans leave the room they come to life. There are some old, rusty and dusty instruments who feel no longer useful or needed.  They are jealous  of the  young, new, bright  and shiny instruments that seem to get all the attention.

Each instrument has their own personality and communicate to each other through their unique sounds. There is some obvious and understandable rivalry between the instruments and  a power struggle ensues as each tries to gain superiority.

After making individual contributions which become a noise of  ugly sounds, they realise that they need to be in harmony with each other to create a beautiful symphony.

In the final scene that symphony is heard and the contribution of each instrument is valued.

Influence
The beginning of this video depicts a group of instruments making individual sounds. The noise is harsh, raucous and messy. The end of the video is tuneful, harmonious and tidy.



This influence map shows the style and character of the animation that I hope to create:

My Questions

1) Perhaps the animation could start in black and white? Then end in a diverse and bright array of colours?

2) How characterful are the instruments? Or will they be more mechanical?

3) How would I create a 'UPA Style' in 3D Maya?

4) Is my time period old or modern?

Part 5 - Gloved Hands

Part 5 - Gloved Hands

Life Drawing - Lesson 10

Black Pen - 10/15 mins

Black Pen - 10 mins each

Sharpie Pens 2 - 5 Minute Poses

Mudbox - Sculpting

My first go at sculpting a pepper in Mudbox. My progress so far:

Mudbox

Toolkit Submission and Character Production Bible

Character Production Bible by Jennifer Ball on Scribd

Character Design Posts: https://jnl146.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Toolkit%202%3A%20Character%20Design

Tutorials:
https://jnl146.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Year%202%3ACG%20Artist%27s%20Toolkit

Life Drawing:
https://jnl146.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Life%20Drawing

Moom Weightlifting:

 

Gesture Sheet and Final Design

Gesture Sheet

Final Design

Designing a new Bob the Builder Character

Lizzie - New Member 

The Spring Rockets

Environment Concept Art - Character Design

Environment Design

Part 4 - Legs and Boots

Part 4 Legs and Boots

Part 3 - Legs and Pelvis

Part 3 - Legs and Pelvis

Environment Concept Art - Character Design

Sunrise - Wild West