Animation Appraisal Task

“Glorious Visions”

- By Miwa Matreyek

1. How did the film make you feel?

I found this film very fascinating, as it was nothing like I had ever seen before. At the start I was so intrigued to find out what would happen next and how the performer ‘Miwa Matreyek’ could possibly time all of her movements so precisely. It was actually really relaxing to watch as well. Especially during the scene where she used her entire body shadow to act as a little island for the little person and the bear. All of her movements were really graceful and it still really intrigues me to find out just how long she would have had to rehearse every movement until they was faultless.

2. In your opinion, what was the most striking element of the film?

To me, the most striking element of the film was definitely how the animations in both the foreground and background worked so well with all of Miwa’s silhouette movements. The music and sound effects also made the film flow really smoothly, and I think all of these aspects contributed to the film being such a great success. 

3. List three other things that you found interesting?

Three other things that I found interesting in this film were:

-       How moving drawings had been added to certain scenes of the film to create a more ‘animated’ and ‘illusion’ effect. Here is are included screenshots from 1:13 and 1:22, for examples of this technique. As you can see in the first screenshot,  her finger appears as if it is pressing a button in the book. At the point where her finger appears to be touching the paper, drawn on animated lines and circles expand as she presses, creating the illusion that she is pressing a button. In the second screenshot, the red shapes on the book in the background have been drawn onto the original film and were moving in a circular motion. 

- I also really liked the fact that in the scene where Miwa was an island, the trees growing on her back grew roots right through her body, as her body was the soil that fed the trees.

-       The third aspect of the film that I found interesting was how Miwa’s silhouettes of her hands were behind the film of a human se of hands. The hands really looked like they were Miwa's, creating another illusion that really intrigued me. 

4. What meaning did you think the artist was trying to convey?

There could have been many possible messages the film was trying to convey, however I interpreted the message of everything working together to make something happen. Miwa had to combine her memory skills and hand gestures with the sound and animations around her. A good example of this is from the scene where Miwa uses her body as a little island of shelter and safety for a person. She was focusing on providing an island for the character while a star that fell from the sky provided the person with a fire for the warmth during the cold of the night. The fish in the ocean then provided Miwa (the island) with food to eat and when Miwa made a small kick with her foot at the end, she kicked up a wave that washed over the island (her back) to clear it and make way for another scene. Every aspect had to work together to create an overall product that I think was very successful. It helped me realise that every little thing you do counts and everything happens for a reason.

5. What is your overall impression of the film’s mood?

Overall, I think the film’s mood is quite meditational and creates a peaceful mood in the viewers who watch it. The graceful and elegant movements, combined with calming colours and music help viewers to relax and open their minds to not only the fascinating world of technology, but also to the world we live in.

6. Did sound play an important part in your response to the film?

Yes I think sound plays a very important part in the response and impressions I got from the film. Both the music and sound effects gave the animation rhythm, emotion and helped capture my full attention. Now thinking back, if the film didn’t have any sound included I wouldn’t have been left with the same relaxing impression, nor would I have been able to interpret and enjoy the film as much as I intentionally could have.

7. What comments can you make about the animators technique?

I think the animator’s technique was quite technically complicated, but the final outcome disguised this fact as the film was really smooth and flowing. There would have been several projectors for the film in the foreground and for the film in the background, leaving a space in between where Miwa stood or placed her hands to cast silhouettes. If Miwa’s body language and movement wasn't as graceful, the film would not have had the same overall effect, as the mood interpreted by the viewers would be more agitated.

8. Do you think that this animation would have been well planned?

Yes I definitely think this film/animation would have had to be well planned considering every animation or film n the background would need to be drawn or created, and all of Miwa’s movements would have had to be choreographed, rehearsed and learnt off by heart before any performance could be undertaken. Her movements would have had to be performed at the same time as certain sound effects and film occurred, otherwise the whole film would be a bit of a disaster if everything were out of time. All of the projectors projecting the film would’ve also needed to be positioned precisely so Miwa’s silhouettes could be cast over an exact spot to work alongside with the animation.