Over the past four weeks, we have come back every now and again to the question of why we make art. We have developed an answer, and it's much too complicated to stick into one or two sentences in this blog post.
Rather, I will be asking the following question. Why do we use the medium of animation to convey our artistic ideas as opposed to other media? There are some obvious answers for many animated films, advertisements, and TV shows. Many effects are made possible through animation. Things that cannot be faked in live action can be created via animated means, whether CG or 2D. Or maybe the effects, settings, and actions are possible in live action, but it is much cheaper to animate them rather than spend money traveling, retaking shots, and planning complicated live-action effects.
For example, the movie Beauty and the Beast has moving and talking objects that are normally inanimate. It is set in France as well. Going to France or faking France and somehow conveying talking inanimate objects in live actions would have been very difficult and looked very poor.
There is also something about animated films like Beauty and the Beast that attracts children. I think that it is the fairytale effect. Children are drawn into fairytales. Fairytales are a wonderful place that every child wants to be at in some point in their life. More adults should be open to fairytales as well.
The following music video is animated when it didn't necessarily have to be. It is a dance choreographed by real choreographers. It could have been done by real people (except perhaps for the parts where the woman disappears and reappears in vapor). But there is something about this ridiculously amazing, wonderful animation that draws me in more than a live action music video would have. It is completely awesome.
Rather, I will be asking the following question. Why do we use the medium of animation to convey our artistic ideas as opposed to other media? There are some obvious answers for many animated films, advertisements, and TV shows. Many effects are made possible through animation. Things that cannot be faked in live action can be created via animated means, whether CG or 2D. Or maybe the effects, settings, and actions are possible in live action, but it is much cheaper to animate them rather than spend money traveling, retaking shots, and planning complicated live-action effects.
For example, the movie Beauty and the Beast has moving and talking objects that are normally inanimate. It is set in France as well. Going to France or faking France and somehow conveying talking inanimate objects in live actions would have been very difficult and looked very poor.
There is also something about animated films like Beauty and the Beast that attracts children. I think that it is the fairytale effect. Children are drawn into fairytales. Fairytales are a wonderful place that every child wants to be at in some point in their life. More adults should be open to fairytales as well.
The following music video is animated when it didn't necessarily have to be. It is a dance choreographed by real choreographers. It could have been done by real people (except perhaps for the parts where the woman disappears and reappears in vapor). But there is something about this ridiculously amazing, wonderful animation that draws me in more than a live action music video would have. It is completely awesome.
I really enjoyed the clip you showed! I agree, I think animation is a great way to captivate an audience, and adds a certain charm to the film. Animation can also give a film a whole new range of possibilities. I think the way a character walks can tell an audience a whole lot about the character before he or she even speaks a word, for example.
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