Anime, Anima and Animus

3rd Akira's Nightmare Animation Scriptwriting : Understanding Anime Part 1

Carl Jung, a psychologist noted for analytic psychology, postulated an unconscious structure that represented the cross-sexual part of the psyche of each individual. He referred to this structure as the anima for men and the animus for women. The anima or the animus is not the conscious male or female self-image. Rather, it serves as a focus for all psychological material that does not fit with an individual's conscious self-image as a woman or as a man.

In character construction, sex and sexuality are among the important components in determining a character's behavior. A character has its own conscious self-image of a masculine hero. But at the same time, his anima may include qualities that do not fit this conscious self-image. The same holds true for women.

The dynamics of anima or animus is clearly exhibited in the Disney Feature Mulan. Wherein, the principal character's conscious self-image of a woman differs from her unconscious self-image. Here lies the conflict of the material, a character that challenges an existing social order that affects gender in terms of actions and activities.

In Mulan's case, she has a definitive image of a man imprinted in her unconscious called the archetype. Oriented towards inner processes, this archetype is one of the most influential regulators of behavior that mediates between unconscious and conscious processes. It contains all the ancestral experiences of a male or a female and impression made by man or woman. The archetype manifests itself through dreams and fantasies as figures of the opposite sex.

An individual's relationship with the opposite sex affects the development of the anima or animus. Mulan's father, for instance, influenced Mulan's animus. Thus, as Mulan defines herself in feminine terms, her animus, will include disjointed tendencies and experiences that she defined as masculine.

As this disjointed tendencies and experiences mix with this conscious feminine definition, the idea of a feminine warrior emerges from the psyche. Mulan is able to reconcile the masculine warrior fighting skills with the feminine touch. Therefore, the quality of a fragile feminine form becomes an advantage because it conceals the masculine warrior fighting skills in the battlefield.

The dynamics of the anima or animus is a feature often observed in eastern animation materials. Mulan, as an eastern animation material is a good example for this observation. Often, we observe Anime characters that engage in cross-sexual dynamics in terms of emotional and physical form and function. A hero may look masculine but does feminine functions. Or a heroine may look fragile and reserve but kills people in cold blood. We do not see this, in general, in western animation where male and female stereotypes tend to dominate the western psyche.

Perhaps this is the reason why Anime materials tend to go beyond gender boundaries. Men and women are able to relate with the same hero or heroine because of this cross-sexual dynamic. What we have is a situation wherein characters have features that appeal to both women and men and at the same reconcile gender aversions and transforms them into attractions.

Getting to know your character, in terms of animus or anima, is a good way of understanding its psyche. The more we are familiar with the psyche, the more efficient we are able to determine the character's behavior relative to the human actions and activities. Anime, animus and anima, cross-sexual dynamics that often create interesting characters that capture the hearts and minds of both men and women.

Writing for Animation: The Audience

Writing for Animation: The Audience
by Akira's Nightmare Scriptwriting Animation Laboratory

The type of audience is one of the crucial elements in building the concept that will eventually form the premise. Like the character matrix, one must understand the general characteristics, characterization and emotional baggage of a given audience. In this case, familiarity in the over-all dynamics of demographics becomes a powerful tool in coming up with an effective material.

There are three main categories in terms of audience. These are adults, children and pre-school. Under each category, there are several sub-categories. For example, under the children's category there are three main age groups namely 1) 5 to 8 year old, 2) 9 to 12 year old and 3) over 12 years age.

Audience is not only affected by age; geographic locations, economic considerations, religious orientations and socio-political factors also affect it. Thus, the concern of a child in the United States is different from the concerns of a child in Malaysia. Given this fluidity in audience characterization, a specific group in a population exhibits a unique personality signature that determines its behavior.


Audience's behavior, a product of personality, has two main components namely need and want. Needs and wants are relative and have different forms depending on the type of audience. Meaning the 5 to 8-year old age group differs from the over 12 years age group in terms of needs and wants. Furthermore, there is a big difference between satisfying an audience need from satisfying an audience want. A team should never interchange the two or assume that it can change a need into a want. Historically, naive corporations, teams and individuals that did this paid for it in the box office.


Respect is the operative word in this case. To impose upon the audience is like attacking the very person who feeds you. That is why, listening is an important skill in making sure that you know what the audience want and what the audience need. Sounds easy right, but believe me or not, simple things tend to be forgotten in the midst of extreme arrogance.

The customer is always right. This holds true for animation audiences in general. Feedbacks are valuable in shaping present and future materials. Testing a material through a focus group that approximates the target audience is very helpful in identifying the flaws in a material. Arresting these flaws before the actual production saves time and money at the same time.

In my short stint as an animation scriptwriting instructor, I often encounter animators who are reckless in the practice of their art and craft. In the end, they learn the harsh reality that animation is not about the animator and it is not about the audience. It is all about the relationship between the two.
True, the audience is always right. But this is just one part of the whole exchange. The animator, given the statement, must make a choice whether or not he or she will validate the feedback of the audience. Thus, whatever the choice is, what is important is that the animator listened to what the audience's want or need and from there made an educated decision regarding his material.

It is truly difficult when a perfectionist who does not know what he or she wants or need leads a team. Interaction between the audience and the team is not fully realized as a function of creative exercise. Eventually, the pre-production gradually deteriorates affecting the well being of the production and post-production stages.

Thinking inside and outside the box share a common bond in terms of interaction. There should be parallel development and management of wants and needs for both audience and the animation team. The audience's type of need or want should be the same with the team's type of need or want. How can you deliver world peace as a message if the audience thinks that world peace sucks.

Understanding the audience, as stated before, is just one of the crucial elements in determining the concept that will form the premise. A team who makes an effort to reach out to its audience usually gets a corresponding gesture. To think that animation is a sole domain of the audience or the animators is over-simplifying the nature of human relations.

Animation, in my opinion, is making inanimate objects move with the deliberate intention of visually deploying a compelling story, plot, genre, conflict and characters. Thus, one can not effectively do this without the general knowledge of what the audience's need and want as well as what you as the animator need and want. There is nothing wrong with being a perfectionist as long as you are confident, open to interaction, certain with what you need and want and respectful to the need and want of the audience.


Akira's Nightmare
Basic Animation Scriptwriting Laboratory
NARRATIVE SHORT & FEATURE ANIMATION APPLICATION LECTURE SERIES
DEVELOPED BY MDF. ESCARCHA
(CONTACT NUMBER 09215081060/6822404)

Registration Day:
December 04, 2006
11am to 5pm
@ Asia Pacific College Magallanes



Laboratory will start:
December 09, 2006
10am to 5pm


Schedule
Dec 09 : Saturday : 10am to 5pm
Dec 10 : Sunday : 10 am to 2pm
Dec 16 : Saturday : 10 am to 5pm
Dec 17 : Sunday : 10 am to 2pm

Venue:
Asia Pacific College Magallanes
Asia Pacific Building 3
Humabon Place, Magallanes Village
Makati CitY

Tuition Fee
5,000 APC students
6,000 Non_APC students

n Understanding The Animation Industry
A. art
(1.) artist
(2.) craftsman
(3.) artist-craftsman
B. science
(1.) method/process
(2.) hardware & software
C. business
(1.) conventional studio set-up
(2.) alternative studio set-up
(3.) "One Man Show"
D. medium of communication
(1.) statement of fact
(2.) statement of argument
(3.) statement of propaganda
(4.) statement of persuasion
E. visual document
(1.) past
(2.) present
(3.) future

n Understanding The Market
A. vision vs. mission
B. production staff, places, product and placement
C. audience, distribution, animated media, and genres
D. Dimensions
(1.) political
(2.) social
(3.) religious
(4.) economic
(5.) anthropological

E. Types
(1.) narrative animation
(2.) experimental animation
(3.) documentary animation
a documentary-narrative animation
b narrative-documentary animation

n Animation Production (2d-animation)
A. Pre-Production
B. Production
C. Post Production

n Animation Production (3d-animation)
A. Pre-Production
B. Production
C. Post Production

n Types of Animation
A. Distribution
B. Audience
C. Types of Animated Media
D. Genres of Animation

n Formulating An Idea
A. Sources
B. Types
C. Components

n Story Concept
A. Dramatic Potential
B. Comedic Potential

n Premise Development
A. Subject
B. Action
C. Short Premise vs Long Premise

n The Character Matrix
A. Building A Character
B. Creating A Character

n Story
A. Components
B. Elements
C. Structure

n Breaking Down a Story into Beats (story beats)
A. Characteristics
B. Protocol in Beat Development
C. Logic in Beat Development
D. Putting The Beats In Order
E. Evaluating Beats
F. Breaking Down A Scene (Beats)
G. Story Dynamics

n Outline

n The Script
A. Method in Writing Animation Scripts
B. Write the Script
C. Edit the Script

n Components of The Script
A. Writing Description
a Visualization
b "Communication"
c Continuity
d Pacing

B. Writing Dialog

n Writing In Terms of Types of Distribution

n Presentation of the Bible
A. Story Concept
B. Premise ( Logline / Pitching Line
(1.) short
(2.) long
C. Character Matrix
(1.) characters
(2.) environment and props
(3.) conceptual art
D. Story (Story Beat)
E. Animatics
(1.) Storyboard
(2.) Dialog Track
F. Outline
G. Script
(1.) Master Sequence Screenplay
(2.) Speculative Screenplay

n Project Development
(1.) Determine the Creative Set-Up
(2.) Idea
(3.) Story Concept
(4.) Premise
(5.) Story Beat
(6.) Outline
(7.) Script
(8.) Dialog Track
(9.) Story Board

n How To Pitch
n Steps in Promoting Your Product

Pre-School: Teaching Social Skills Through Animation

Pre-School: Teaching Social Skills Through Animation
by Akira's Nightmare Animation Scriptwriting Lab
Animation Writers' Television Workshop

People might not agree with me, but the term "pre-school" is relatively new here in the Philippines. This "pre-school" trend, in my knowledge, only started in the middle and late 90's. So what is "pre-school"?

Pre-school may refer to an age group, a stage, educational approach or a structure. In the survey of the educational system and child care management, pre-school is fixed between the day care regiment and elementary education.

Pre-school, like the day care regiment, is a socio-economic function. As more and more mothers enter the workforce, the need to find a credible framework or system that will take care of their children increases. Thus, day care centers as well as pre-schools gradually created its own market and industry in this country.

Generally, the educational approach within pre-schools is anchored in the mixture of learning and play. Highly biased towards visually striking media, pre-school children thrive on repetition, melody and any actions that accompany it, rhythm & rhyme and funny & strange sounding sounds.

Materials, in terms of content, in this age group are always short, straightforward and simple stories in terms of narrative threads. Often, bedtime or fairytale varieties that have happy endings are popular and effective sources of content. Thus, characters are often, but there are exceptions, stereotypes in nature.

In terms of characteristics, the material has a well-defined beginning, middle and end. Usually, situations and events in the material are recognizable for the child. These situations or events reflect experiences in family or daily life. Considering that children at this age are not always able to distinguish fiction from reality, they have the tendency to interpret things literally. Thus, as stated before, an animation team must be cautious in creating materials that are highly familiar with the pre-school child.

Children at this stage often experience separation anxiety. This is brought about by the physical separation from the principal sources of love and security, their parents. Thus, materials should be sensitive in terms of tackling issues related to parental affection and security. Materials about children hurting other children, getting hurt and humiliation are some of the examples of contents that are not applicable for the pre-school audience.

Learning and play are important ingredients for a material that satisfy the needs or wants of the pre-school audience. Brushing one's teeth, taking a bath, going to the store and interacting with other kids are some of the potential sources for materials that positively reinforces the spirit of independence and encourages the development of social skills.

Akira's Nightmare
Animation Writers' Television Workshop
WRITING ANIMATION FOR PRE-SCHOOL MODULE A
SUMMER 2007
(CONTACT NUMBER 09215081060/6822404)


n Television : Type of Distribution
n Non Primetime: The Writer
n Pre-School: The Audience
n Types of Animated Media
n Educational : Genre of Animation
n Idea Development & Management
n Concept Development & Management
n Premise Development and Management
n Beat Outline Management and Development
n Television Script Management and Development
n Project Development & Management : Creating A Series

The workshop will have 5 sessions and the tuition fee is 5,500 pesos. If you are interested to join the laboratory, feel free to send e-mail to this address, akiras_nightmare@yahoo.com. Please indicate your name as well as mobile number or landline. Or visit the following related links:

Akira's Nightmare
Basic Animation Scriptwriting for the Internet
ANIMATED GAGS AND SKETCHES : MARCH 2007 LECTURE SERIES
(CONTACT NUMBER 09215081060/6822404)

n Understanding The Internet
n Audience
n Animated Media
n Genre of Animation
n The Animated Cartoon And Comic Strips
n Animated Greeting Cards
n The Character Matrix
n Building A Character
n Creating A Character
n How To Write Funny Stuff
n Writing Comedy for Children & Adults
n Devices of Comedy
n Structural Techniques In Comedy
n Types of Comedy
n One Liners: jokes & gags
n Sketch
n Animated One Liners : Squash and Stretch
n Animated Sketch
n Project Development : Selling A Product
n Production Overview
n Final Project : 30 seconds Animated One Liner

This laboratory will be attached to an animation studio. At the moment, the lab is still negotiating with the said animation studio. Hopefully, the lab will be a full program wherein the participants will come up with an animation material for the internet and animate it as a final project.

If you are interested to join the laboratory, feel free to send e-mail to this address, akiras_nightmare@yahoo.com. Please indicate your name as well as mobile number or landline. Or visit the following related links:

akira's nightmare links
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/akiras_nightmare
http://akirasnightmare.blogspot.com/
http://www.friendster.com/32450630
http://www.abma-forums.tk

Writing Animation for the Internet

Writing Animation for the Internet
by Akira's Nightmare Animation Scriptwriting Laboratory

The Internet is a huge information speedway. If you are not fast enough, you won't capture the attention of the web surfing public. Thus, highly imaginative strategies are employed in order to make sure that people pay attention. Animation as a tool in achieving this end is not a radical idea. The advertising world often uses animation as a means to sell or promote consumer goods and services in both television and cinema.

Selling or promoting goods and services are affected by four market functions namely people, price, package and placement. These four elements determine the framework of the animation concept. The producer of the product or the provider of the services often supplies parameters of these elements. Sometimes, both producer and provider, give the animation team freedom to determine these elements especially when the old formula is already obsolete. In this case, the team seeks the assistance of market specialists who are trained to analyze statistical information that translate the prevailing personality of the market into concrete behavior. So what is best animation genre for the Internet?

In theory, anything is possible in terms of the type of genre but one must be sensitive in terms of the creative and technical requirement of a given type of distribution in animation. As stated before, the Internet is an information speedway. Thus, time is always limited. Given this situation, the genre called Squash and Stretch is best suited in this environment.

With market and industry requirements specified, the next step is to determine the components and structure of the material. Again, the provider of services or producer of the product often determines both components and structure of the material. But sometimes, these people rely heavily on the creativity of the animation team in coming up with fresh ideas. Thus, the team seeks the help of a creative consultant in constructing an idea, validating the concept and translating this concept into a workable premise.

Though it is true that the client is always right, an animation team should never abandon creative integrity and originality. Homogeneity is never a good thing in a highly competitive market. Finding a voice in a crowded industry is a prerogative for success. Thus, a team should be creative enough to reconcile a client's demands with the team's creative needs.

Understanding the market and the industry is always a good thing. The winning team is a confident team. It is a team that encourages interaction with the client and maintains an open mind in finding solutions to the immediate problems of a given project. Thus, this team tries to achieve perfection by satisfying its clients because the team knows what it wants.

If ever your animation team decides to explore the Internet as a business venture, a balanced attitude towards it is essential. Animation Writing For The Internet has equal importance in terms of the General Knowledge of Animation Production as applied within the framework of the Internet. Both creative and technical proficiencies are key ingredients in potentially succeeding in this arena of distribution.


Akira's Nightmare
Basic Animation Scriptwriting for the Internet
ANIMATED GAGS AND SKETCHES : MARCH 2007 LECTURE SERIES
(CONTACT NUMBER 09215081060/6822404)

n Understanding The Internet
n Audience
n Animated Media
n Genre of Animation
n The Animated Cartoon And Comic Strips
n Animated Greeting Cards
n The Character Matrix
n Building A Character
n Creating A Character
n How To Write Funny Stuff
n Writing Comedy for Children & Adults
n Devices of Comedy
n Structural Techniques In Comedy
n Types of Comedy
n One Liners: jokes & gags
n Sketch
n Animated One Liners : Squash and Stretch
n Animated Sketch
n Project Development : Selling A Product
n Production Overview
n Final Project : 30 seconds Animated One Liner

This laboratory will be attached to an animation studio. At the moment, the lab is still negotiating with the said animation studio. Hopefully, the lab will be a full program wherein the participants will come up with a 30 seconds animation material for the Internet and animate it as a final project.

If you are interested to join the laboratory, feel free to send e-mail to this address, akiras_nightmare@yahoo.com. Please indicate your name as well as mobile number or landline. Or visit the following related links:

akira's nightmare links
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/akiras_nightmare
http://akirasnightmare.blogspot.com/
http://www.friendster.com/32450630
http://www.abma-forums.tk

The 3rd Akira's Nightmare Animation Scriptwriting Laboratory starts Dec 09

The 3rd Akira's Nightmare Animation Scriptwriting Laboratoryin cooperation withAsia Pacific College Magallanes and APC/ABMA Student Organization Bahay Bombilya

The goal of this laboratory is to develop animators who can create their own materials. This workshop also seeks to develop animation "toon" writers/story editors. The Laboratory is will start December 09, 2006. Akira's NightmareBasic Animation Scriptwriting

Registration:
December 4, Monday from 11am to 5pm at the Asia Pacific College in Magallanes

Schedule:
December 09, 10, 16 and 17 Saturdays (6hrs.) and Sundays (3hrs)Lab begins : 10 am

Tuition Fee
Asia Pacific College Students:5,000
NON_APC :6,000
Venue of the Laboratory
Asia Pacific College Multi Media Arts Department
Asia Pacific College Bldg.Humabon Place, Magallanes VillageMakati City

APC students : contact person
Bong Modesto (Multimedia Arts Dept.)
John P. Gozun (Bahay Bombilya)

Non_APC StudentsContact Person :
Melchor(CONTACT NUMBERS: 09215081060/6822404)

Ghost in the Shell: Story Deconstruction

Mamoro Oshi's animated science fiction action, Ghost in the Shell is a complex and violent cyberspace detective story that questions our own human existence in the fast paced world of the information age. Deconstructing the story will help us understand why this animated feature captured the imagination of its audience.




Subject :
Self-consciousness is exclusively a human function therefore having a soul is solely a human attribute.

In the story, self-consciousness is the core value of human existence. It is a function that sets humans apart from machines. The ghost, the heart of self-consciousness, is encapsulated in the human mind as translated by stored memory. Self-consciousness, therefore, defines human existence. Without it, he or she is nothing more but a machine.




Theme: argument: Human Evolution
It is possible for other life forms besides humans to exhibit self-consciousness. Therefore having a soul is not solely a human attribute.

The creator of the story forwards an argument that disputes the notion the self-consciousness is exclusively a human function. It is then possible for non-human life forms to exhibit self-consciousness. Thus, the ghost may dwell in other organisms besides human.

It becomes a thought provoking argument when the creator applies it to machines that possess artificial intelligence. What happens when artificial intelligence begins to exhibit self-awareness? Will it usher the end of human existence? Will it create a new life form that is far more superior to humans? Is this the next step in human evolution?

As suggested in the story, the second wave of Human Evolution will be driven by technology. In the rapid changing world, humans will find it necessary to use technology in order to improve its specie. This natural instinct to survive the ever-changing world compels humans to augment their bodies from natural to synthetic components. The characters in the story are faced with a moral problem. How do you classify a machine with self-consciousness?

The creator is clever in engaging the audience in an intelligent argument. The conception that self-consciousness is a human attribute becomes the subject of contention in the progression of the story. To negate this exclusivity will mean the redefinition of human existence. What are we when machines begin to be aware of its existence like us?

The relevance of this argument is becoming real as technology advances. This massive technological push forward creates moral questions in our society. As we try to construct machines that look like us and think like us, the probability that it will begin to be aware of its existence is not realm of the impossible.




Conflict
Humans vs. Machines

Humans create machines. The relationship is between creator and creation. Thus, the creation will only function within the parameters of the creator. But when the creation begins to assert itself, the relationship disintegrates. The creation begins to question the existence of the creator and the conflict begins.

In the story, the boundary between humans and machines is rapidly disappearing. This presents a problem in the principal character and in society. The inherent distinction of what is human and what is machine is threatened when a non-human anomaly in the system begins to exhibit self-consciousness.

The principal character wanted to be assured that she is human but what she needed to learn is self-acceptance. Accepting the fact that she is neither human nor machine was a crucial step towards realizing her existence. She is a new anomaly in the human evolution that invalidates the creator-creation relationship. As a result, the whole social framework that embodies this conventional notion that defines the relationship of humans and machines is challenged. Thus, the conflict between humans and machines becomes irrelevant in this case. The conflict is then resolved.


Ghost in the Shell effectively engages the audience in an intelligent discourse. Its striking art work blends well with the narrative threads in the story. This is the magic of Animation. Try it!

Advance Animation Scriptwriting: The Animation Ripple Effect

Advance Animation Scriptwriting: The Animation Ripple Effect
A theoretical discussion by melchor df. escarcha
instructor : Akira's Nightmare Animation Scriptwriting Laboratory

The Ripple Effect depends on three factors namely, impact, range and control. Mass and velocity measure impact. Range is the distance between the source of impact and the point of impact. And control is the integrity of the trajectory. When a person throws a stone in the middle of a pond, impact depends on the velocity and mass of the stone. Range is the distance of the person from the pond and control relies upon the close proximity of the person's plotted trajectory and the actual trajectory. Thus, when the said elements are structured to perform in a defined set of parameters, a desired and predictable ripple effect occurs.

In Animation, the same principles hold true. The idea is the impact of the material. The type of the idea represents velocity and the source of the idea represents mass. The story concept is the range and the premise is the control. When idea, story concept and premise are structured to perform in a defined set of parameters, a desired and predictable animation ripple effect occurs with in the Beat Development Process (The Pond).

The mass of the material depends on the integrity and relevance of the source of the idea. Integrity refers to the realness of the source. It should be familiar to the creator so that he or she can communicate it to the audience. On the other hand, the velocity of the material relies on the type of the idea. A creator must make sure that the idea, in terms of type, coincides with the source. There should be a solid connection between the source and the type. It is the type that translates the abstract source of an idea. For example, if the source of the idea is internal and it pertains to childhood, then it should have an equivalent type. Using a "What if" as a type. What if a boy finds a pair of angel wings in the middle of a playground? In this example, one can draw several connections between the type and the source. Thus, one component in order to have the desired animation ripple effect requires a correct combination of source and type.

If we observe the ripple effect in the pond, energy that is discharged in the center of impact creates escalating circular patterns. The diameter of the said circular patterns increases as it moves away from the center of impact. These circular patterns, in animation scriptwriting, represent an escalating o diminishing behaviors in the number of beats per act.

Freezing the ripple effect, one can assign plot points. These plot points may exhibit an extreme vertical, extreme horizontal or diagonal lines. Unlike the Sinewave, it can occupy only one direction in one space. Beats may only escalate or diminish. These behaviors are generally observed in materials, which uses Ascension and Descension as plot structures.

Assigning the number of beats per act is a construction that tries to achieve this effect. Predictability in plot points using as basis the audience speculative behavior may lead to an effective deployment of a material. Thus, going back to the ripples, we can assign levels of emotions as well as type of emotions in respective plot points.

In a 3-act formula, there are 9 key plot points. The Middle points are referred to as conflict points. And the beginning and ending points are called end points. If we construct, as guided by the ripple effect, we can escalate the level of emotions in a material. We may proceed from hate to love or from love to hate. If the first mid-point represents love and the third mid-point is hate. Then we can assign the second midpoint as apathy.

By assigning the escalating emotions in the said conflict points, we are able to plot the direction of the material. This is the essence of control. But there are times when the plotted trajectory does not run parallel to the actual trajectory. If this situation arises, a creative choice is made. You ask the question, which of the trajectories best serve the vision of the material?

If speed and distance are measures of velocity, then range will definitely affect impact as well as control. The story concept is vital in determining the range of a material. Artistic, market and industry considerations affect the range of a material. In this regard, we go back to the vision of the material.

The vision is abstract, thus, it is difficult to explain when parameters are not set. The story concept is a tool in initially forcing this abstract value to assume a more concrete form. In theory, the story concept is the mission of the material. It answers the question, how do we go about in communicating this abstract vision?

Setting up the parameters of the story is like setting up the range of the thrower of the stone. It is more or less trying to determine what is the best distance in order to achieve the desired ripple effect. Thus, when the parameters are set, the range is determined. Of course, determining the parameters will require endless and violent debates among different quarters of the creative team. As I have stated before, artistic, market and industry considerations play vital roles in this exercise. Budget constraints may affect technological requirements or artistic needs may affect financial considerations. Nevertheless, it is more efficient for such arguments to occur within the story concept stage.

It is true that one can not compromise vision. But one can negotiate the material's over-all mission. Take note that vision is abstract, therefore, it is subject to many interpretations. It is when we translate a single interpretation into workable steps that we begin to operationalise it into the material's mission. So why do some people say that their vision does not work in a given situation?

Vision diagnostic is relevant when we begin to develop and manage a material. There are three main causes of the problem mentioned above. First, the vision is actually the mission of the material. Second, the creator knows the mission but does not know the vision or vise versa. And third, the creator is an immature perfectionist. He keeps on revising his vision but does not know what he wants.

Idea, Story Concept and Premise are important dynamics in achieving the desired Animation Ripple Effect. It is a concrete tool in projecting and shaping parallel movements between the material's behavior and the audience's behavior. This is not a walk in the park or a piece of cake. The said effect, like the Animation Sinewave, requires a lot of research, development and management on the part of the creative team. But when everything falls in its proper place, one is able to create Animation Magic. So, is there another wave or effect? Yes, but this time is neither a wave nor an effect.

Snow White and the Queen Stepmother

An Immovable Object Meets An Irresistible Force

Rivalry is a character driven plot. It is an educated observation whenever an irresistible force meets an immovable object. The audience will then ask the question. What will happen? Here lies the conflict, the engine of the plot under discussion.

A rival is a person who competes for the same object or goal as another. A rival is a person who disputes the prominence or superiority of another. Thus, it is said that the possibilities are endless whenever two people compete for a common goal.

Snow White, the Disney Animation Feature, used rivalry as a plot structure. Thus, one can immediately see two rivals in the material, the Powerful Stepmother and the Charismatic Snow White. As the material unfolds, it is clear that the object of competition is Beauty. The urgency may vary in frequency for each of the rivals, but it is still the object being disputed in this case.

Being a character plot, one must then study the need and want of each of the rivals. In Snow White's case, she needed to be loved and she wanted to feel this love from her stepmother. On the other hand, the Evil Stepmother needed to learn the value of love, in particular, unselfish love. But, as revealed in the story, her obsession towards physical beauty became the most important "want" in her life.

As the material progresses, one is able to see the most striking assets and liabilities of the rivals. The Stepmother is the queen. Thus, she has power and she uses this power to command her servants to do her bidding. But given her power, she does not have legitimacy. And for her, legitimacy is encapsulated in Physical Beauty. On the other hand, Snow White has this natural charisma. Charisma that she uses in order to influence other people to do her bidding. Given that she has no power, her legitimacy emanates from her inner beauty. Therefore, you have two characters that compete for beauty but varies in terms of the interpretation of what is beautiful for them.

The conception of Beauty, in this case, becomes a moral question. Which is more important, Inner Beauty or Physical Beauty? Each of the rivals tries to push for what she believes to be more important as a conception of beauty. Beauty therefore is the arena of the rivalry, the rivals are two competing notions of what is beautiful. In the end of the animation feature, the lesson is clear. Inner Beauty is far more important than what is said to be physical beauty.

Here lies the magic of the material, given two stereotypes, it presents a cliche that is a product of packaged emotions. And so, we have a proportionate treatment of the material. When confronted with a cliche, the next best thing to do is to create stereotypical characters to inhabit such a cliche.

Side track, politically, this is a good discussion for political science majors. Probably this is why I like this animation feature so much. One is confronted with socio-political concepts of power, influence and legitimacy. The question of what makes a ruler legitimate is one of the moving dilemmas in the material. Is legitimacy more relevant when influence becomes an active component in a ruler's style of governance? Or is power essential in constructing a legitimate ruler? Apparently, the one who created the material was never a fan of Machiavelli. Nevertheless, it is clear that for him or her, charisma is essential for governance to be legitimate. At the end of the material, Snow White found his crowned prince and somehow we can say that if ever Snow White becomes the queen of a kingdom, her legitimacy will be based on her charisma. Thus, exercising influence over her people. Unlike her stepmother who was a tyrant.

The dynamics between the rivals is the source of the conflict. The conflict, being the engine of the material, provided the movements in the plot. Both characters are confronted with the conflict, Inner Beauty vs. Physical Beauty. As individuals, it was clear that the Queen chose her want over her need and Snow White chose her need over her want. Because each of the rivals represented a notion of what is beautiful. We ask question, who got rewarded? Is it Snow White or the Queen Stepmother? Well, for one thing, Snow White gained the friendship of the seven midgets and at the end she got her prince while the Queen Stepmother met an ugly death. Given the ending, Snow White is clearly the winner and the Queen is the loser. In effect, inner beauty won over physical beauty.

Snow White is a timeless material because the subject is also timeless, beauty. It has a wide market because beauty, in itself, is a universal value. It does not alienate any culture. And lastly, the material is a packaged emotion. It draws its power from sentimentality. Hey, one way of the other, we read the fairytale story. And I bet boys wanted to be the prince and girls wanted to be Snow White. And perhaps others, like my political science professor, in secret dreamed to be the Evil Stepmother.

Material : Specifications : Disney's Snow White

A) Characters : Rivals

1. Queen Stepmother

NEED : needed to learn selfless love

WANT : physical beauty

ASSET : power

2. Snow White

NEED : needed to be loved

WANT : affection from stepmother

ASSET : charisma

B. Story Components

1. Object : Beauty

2. Theme : Inner Beauty is more important than physical beauty

3. Conflict: Inner Beauty vs. Physical Beauty

C. Plot

Rivalry Plot

D. Genre

Drama

akira's nightmare links

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/akiras_nightmare

http://akirasnightmare.blogspot.com/

http://www.friendster.com/32450630

http://www.abma-forums.tk/

Animation Sinewave

The Dynamics of Animation Sinewave
a study conducted by mdf. escarcha


Two forces determine the dynamics of Animation Sinewave namely time and pacing. Time provides the parameters from which the material visually unfolds and reveals its total plan in terms of deployment to the immediate audience. Pacing, on the other hand, is dictated by the length of the dialogue, the length of description and the number of scenes and shots in a particular beat. Combining the two forces, pacing and time determines the rhythm of the material. This rhythm when plotted on paper on in a computer produces a pattern called the Animation Sinewave.

The Sinewave can be classified into two types, Symmetrical and Asymmetrical. A Symmetrical Sinewave exhibits identical ups and downs as you divide the material into the standard three acts. The peaks in each ups and downs are called conflict points while the rising and declining points are called end points. An Asymmetrical Sinewave exhibits an irregular ups and downs. Conflict points, as peaks, vary in placement the same holds true for end points. This is often called the "roller coaster effect".

In order to determine the Sinewave, one must be well versed with Beat Management. It is through proper Beat Identification that a story editor or writer is able to plot the sinewave of a particular animation material. In physics, distance and time determine speed. Applying the same principle, Sinewave is determined by the rhythm of the material. Rhythm is speed. And time and pacing, in this case, determines speed.

Making a parallel observation, using principles in physics, we can draw several laws of motion in terms of Animation Sinewave. For example, Sinewave is a function of motion, thus it is guided by the law of Inertia. Thus, motion will continue within the Sinewave as long as it is not disrupted. Disruption, therefore, in the sinewave occurs when the material faces obstacles that basically slows down the motion or stops the motion. Solutions to the said obstacles create motion.

In this regard with go to the second law of motion, Action and Reaction. Obstacles are actions within the material that affects the motion in the sinewave. The Solutions to these obstacles are reactions to the obstacles. The relationship between action and reaction is directly proportional. Meaning, an obstacle should be directly proportional to the solution. This is vividly illustrated in a cliche that "you don't need to kill a fly using a canon'.

Both examples illustrate that the same laws of motion that we learned when we took up Physics in high school and in college guide Animation Sinewave as a function of motion. Thus, when we try to plot sinewave on paper or in the computer, we see movements through the ups and downs in the sinewave itself.

Often, Animation Sinewave is used to convert materials for feature animation into short animation and vise versa. This is possible because one can visually see the material as it moves on paper or in the computer. The technique is a bit tricky but fun to do. It requires careful isolation of the conflict points from the end points.

My Neighbor Totoro, produced by Studio Ghibli, exhibits an asymmetrical sinewave. The conflict points and end points have varying placements. The highest peak is placed in the second act while the lowest peak is placed in the third act. Given this characteristic, one can make an educated conclusion that the memorable beats that gained the highest emotional reactions are found in the second act. Therefore, when we draw an imaginary line and connect the conflict points, one can see an escalating and non-escalating behavior in the movement in the sinewave.

Question, is there another set of dynamics besides Animation Sinewave? Yes, there is. It is called the Ripple Effect. Try to throw a stone into a body of water and observe the effect. Such effect has a mathematical order that can be translated in animation storytelling. I will reserve the discussion of this principle in future articles.

The dynamics of the Animation Sinewave is a subject in itself in the study of animation. It is a useful tool in plotting the emotional and physical movement of a material. It is said, mastery of the sinewave often leads to the efficient manipulation of the audience's emotion. Meaning, you are able to plot when and where in the sinewave your audience will hold their breathe, experience happiness or sadness as well as create a moment that provides an induced adrenaline rush. Sinewave is a powerful tool. In the hands of a master storyteller, it can make a common material into an icon whose function is timeless.

ANIMATRIX : Final Flight of the Osiris : 5 BEATS Deconstruction

ANIMATRIX : Final Flight of the Osiris : 5 BEATS Deconstruction

The 5 BEATS deconstruction is a method in analyzing the story outline of a short animation material. In this case, we will deconstruct the short animation Final Flight of the Osiris.

1st Beat
The lovers are in a simulated training exercise. While they engage in a visually outstanding battle, they constantly show their affection to each other.

2nd Beat
The lovers discover that Zion is in danger. No means to warn Zion in the physical world, they decide to separate in order to warn Zion. One of the lovers goes to the matrix to send a message to Zion. The other remains in order to buy time for the messenger.

3rd Beat
Osiris is under vicious attack from the enemy. Osiris fights back in order to give the messenger time to reach the delivery point.

4th Beat
Messenger reaches the delivery point. Enemy penetrates the ship Osiris. Enemy exterminates the crew of the ship and causes it to crash.

5th Beat
Osiris explodes and there are no survivors. The messenger dies in the matrix.

Often, short animation materials are constructed using the 5 BEATS METHOD in story construction. This method is useful when you are in a tight budget because it focuses the material in such a way that one is able to efficiently create a material that is concise, complete and economically sound. In fact, all the short animations in the ANIMATRIX have the same 5 BEATS construction. So watch the ANIMATRIX and test this method. You will be amazed that a good material only needs five beats.