What was your initial idea, technically and conceptually? How has it changed in the process?
My initial idea was to make a film about a family relationship, however, several problems arose, amongst them being loss of footage and lack of time. It involved a gouache simplified color theme, and a piano playing.
However, I decided to do the film that I had been planning to do as my final at the beginning of the semester, and had done an animatic for. This concept arose actually scene by scene. I knew I wanted it to be loosely based off of the book that I had made last semester titled “Because Your Tears Are Like The Rain” (both stylistically and story-wise). However, during the process of animatic the story and the theme evolved, as can be seen in the film.
What is the most successful aspect of you film?
Personally, I would say both the timing and the middle. I know this isn’t apparent to anyone viewing the film, but I am most proud of the small solutions I came up with for the problems that arose during the making. To a viewer, I would probably have to say the unusual nature of the story? I wanted to tell one that came out of nowhere and was new and unexpected, and I think I succeeded in that.
What could you have done better?
I think the story could have been clearer. I am wishing it had been longer, and I had had ways to show what I was writing through the animation itself. I understand that I violated the golden rule of “show don’t tell”.
Please reflect on what you feel you have learned in the process either about your own creative practice, animation in general or both.
In the process of this film itself, I learned rotoscoping. Or, at the very least, the basics of it. It was certainly a challenge, especially with a looming deadline. However, I believe it ended up being the best part of the film. Naturally, I learned a lot about working with After Effects. The small things you learn that are time savers always feel the most valuable.
In terms of my own creative process, I learned this during my midterm, but it was really nailed into me here. I create as I go along with animation. Planning it out never really seems to be what gets me the best results. Since animation is a tedious (but lovable) process, I find that when I’m actually sitting down and doing it, I develop tons of ideas for the direction of the film. Even jumping on some of those opportunities as I work.