Autor: anna-katharina.hammerer

Animation has often been neglected (or at least marginalised) in film theory and history. For example, the authors David Bordwell and Kirstin Thompson categorise in their publication Film Art: An Introduction documentaries, experimental and animated films as alternatives to the fictional, apparently mainstream and live-action film (vgl. Beckman, S.2-12). Another differentiator is animation’s definition as „expressive medium“, which in contrast to live-action film can reach from hyperrealism to experimental. Also the different animation techniques like cell- or flash animation, stop-motion animation, 3D animation and many more add to the animations overall aesthetic. These techniques can be then again separated into different styles. These various styles can be perceived differently. So I had a closer look of how people recognise and analyse materials in different way. This blog entry is based on Matthias C. Hänselmann’s article „Das Gemachte als Bewusst-Gemachtes – Produktive und rezeptive Dimensionen von Materialität und Materialtransparenz im Film“, which was published within „Ästhetik des Gemachten – Interdisziplinäre Beiträge zur Animations- und Comicforschung„.

Different ways of Perception

Most of the times we humans perceive man-made products as self-evident and do not question why it is the way it is. But every object communicates. That’s why Matthias C. Hänselmann takes a closer look in his essay „Das Gemachte als Bewusst-Gemachtes – Produktive und rezeptive Dimensionen von Materialität und Materialtransparenz im Film“ on the qualities of the conscious experience. He subdivides the conscious experience into two categories:

• The production process: It concerns the intention of the produced product. In more detail this aspect focuses on the awareness for the decisions which have been made in order to design the product in question. Intention, purpose, its production and the unique way of its appearance are key figures when analysing a product. In this regard the term man-made is applicable on the intentional manufacturing and also on the manufacturer. Therefore is the man-made product measured by its quality and every decision has a semiotic relevance at the end. Explicitly for animation it means that for the production there has to be a decision made with which technique to accomplish the resulting animation. Furthermore, this exclusive choice of technique has a significant character for the end product, since it makes a difference whether a particular topic is realized in traditional drawing or on the basis of computer generated 3D graphics. Depending on the chosen technique, stylistic peculiarities arise, which influence the overall significance of the film’s communication.
• The perceptibility of a media product: This approach focuses on the aspect of perceptibility of a certain material quality of a specific product. In this regard, the man-made as consciously made refers to the fact that the material condition of a media product is explicitly defined, experienced and perceptible and therefore particularly noticeable in terms of receptivity. Something is ‘conscious’ in this regard, because it is made noticeable, sensually perceptible. In this dimension, the focus is placed on a certain effect of what is created – in other words: the quality of the media product, which (partly) emphasises its artificiality, objectifies it noticeable within film communication and– at least theoretically – keeps it constantly awake in the consciousness of the recipient.

Especially the second aspect of the perceptibility of a media product has been theoretical discussed by many. The russian formalist Victor Šklovskij examined and compared in his essay „The theory of prose“ specific characteristics between artistic texts and aesthetically inefficient texts. Unlike Hänselmann, Šklovskij was of the opinion that art is method for the experience of a certain product, while the product itself is in regard to art irrelevant. His distinction amounts partly to what structuralist narratology later distinguished with the pair of concepts of discourse and history.

• Discourse is the (materialistic) surface dimensions of the particular product. For example in regard to film it reaches from each frame, the colourfulness, design techniques and production to the principles of sequencing and montage.
• History focuses on the chronological sequence of a specific narration. It is more about the storytelling and displayed plot than about how it is achieved. For Šklovskij history is irrelevant.

Hänselmann combines his defined production process and the perceptibility of a media product with the theory of discourse and history. The result is the following diagram. As shown are both aspects important to form a discourse and subsequently a history.

Material vision and immersion vision

Matthias C. Hänselmann introduces the model of the levels of consciousness of film perception by Anselm Kreuzer to demonstrate his model in regard to film. Kreuzer’s model originally focuses more on film music theory, but is according to Hänselmann also applicable on materials. In this model, Kreuzer distinguishes three levels of consciousness of film-perception, starting from a certain recipient who deals with a film. In doing so, he considers:

1. the living environment of the recipients
2. the virtual space conveyed by the film
3. the depth dimension of consciousness

When viewers are fully absorbed in the virtual world of the film and captivated by the action depicted as if it were a real, current event, they primarily perceive the film in terms of its illusory history (history aspect of the model). The key characteristic of this type of reception is immersion. Initially associated primarily with the explanatory concepts of virtual reality, the term immersion is now used more broadly in various cultural sciences to describe states in which the recipient gradually merges imaginatively with the perceived work of art. A film achieves an immersive effect when the medium itself, as a means of mediation, becomes invisible to the audience and the specific medium or the material representation of the film is perceived as real. In relation to this aspect of film reception, one can also refer to it as immersive viewing. On the other hand, the more clearly and skillfully it can be concealed that the narrative is conveyed through a medium, the more easily and effectively immersion is achieved.

However, immersion is disrupted or even completely prevented when certain effects arise, revealing that what is been shown is in some way an illusion, a fabrication, mediated, or invented – in other words, „made“. These effects primarily occur at the level of discourse and are particularly noticeable when deliberate disruptions or intentional attention to materiality are built into the film. When such effects occur, they often overwhelm the history aspect and may even bring the audience back to their reality since counter-immersive effects always remind them that the film is merely a constructed material, something that has been „made“, and therefore an element of the real world. Hence, in relation to this aspect of film reception, one can also refer to it as material viewing, since the material qualities and factors of the film are predominantly perceived. But both, immersive viewing and material viewing accompany, complement and interact with each other. That is why the aesthetic component in the narrative process of a film can be used productively, informatively and communicatively.

Illusion of life principle

The illusion of life principle is coined by Disney and describes a concept in which the aesthetic of the animation should be as life-like as possible. Every aspect like the material’s intrinsic value disturbs the immersive experience which results in complete negligence. So the intrinsic value of materials is kept on a minimum. The three key aspects of the illusion of life principle are the following:

1. a completely smooth, closed, opaque surface that shows no signs of manufacturing or manipulation (usually computer animations with optimal shading, but also classic Cel-animations with acrylic paints)
2. a stringent, eventful and unbroken narrative with a (often single) central narrative line
3. the renunciation or the deliberate avoidance of any media-reflective reference to the formal-material composition of the film

From the point of view from the discourse variable, material in this case is solely carrier and does not have any intrinsic value on its own. The main focus lays on the history variable. Hänselmann calls this state: Materialtransparenz.

Like language a viewer learns to read film. If a person is used to watch western animated films, for example, they will probably struggle at first while watching traditional Japanese anime. But as soon as they get used to the Japanese animation and develop a feeling and understanding for it, it turns automatic and will be seen as a given. The material of the representation is neutralised, therefore it descends to the level of the self-evident and is no longer seen as itself (it is transparent). That also indicates that the discourse looses its significance and the main focus is on the history – in brief: Medientransparenz occurs.

To break Materialtransparenz the film/ animation, the film can use tools in the form of self-referential or material-accentuating structures. This can be reached by alienation of the happening immersion or by accentuating the material itself. For example if you use a material which is unconventional or is highly contrasting the narrative and therefore is in the foreground while watching the animation, the material itself communicates and has a higher significance in the perception of the animation.

To conclude this blog entry I have to say, that I got a better theoretical understanding of the perception of material within an animation. For further understanding it would be ideal to use Hänselmann’s theory when it comes to analyse animations – especially it’s usage of material.

Used literature:

Backe, Hans-Joachim; Eckel, Julia; Feyersinger, Erwin; Sina, Véronique; Thon, Jan-Nöel (2018): Ästhetik des Gemachten – Interdisziplinäre Beiträge zur Animations- und Comicforschung. Berlin: De Gruyter Verlag.

Beckman, Karen (2014): Animating Film Theory. London: Duke University Press.

Hänselmann, Matthias C. (2018): Das Gemachte als Bewusst-Gemachtes – Produktive und rezeptive Dimensionen von Materialität und Materialtransparenz im Film. In: Ästhetik des Gemachten – Interdisziplinäre Beiträge zur Animations- und Comicforschung. Berlin: De Gruyter Verlag.

Further research into the topic of moving picture in the context of exhibitions

The idea to integrate the moving image into our daily environment is not new: Especially since the invention of the moving image. Nowadays you will find moving images in public transport, in museums or in our hands – in other words: everywhere. Also its technology is developing rapidly, so that it feels like something which was new yesterday can be already old today. These swift innovation cycles have an enormous impact on the designing process in every field. In this blog entry I will have a closer look on the moving image and its usage within the field of exhibitions. But beforehand I will discuss shortly some useful parameters which are very much relevant while working with digital visual media and spacial environments.

Some specific parameters shortly explained

Resolution

Every digital image is constructed out of different pixel, which vary in brightness and colour. In order for the human eye to register the 2D-grid arrangement as an image, it has to have a certain density of pixels (The more pixels, better the resolution). Another variable for the resolution is the distance between the viewer and the monitor. When the viewer is too near to monitor, they only will see dancing light points. But, probably the most important variable for the resolution is the capability of the human eye, which of course differs between human to human.

Circle of Confusion

A useful term used in photography and optics to mention is the circle of confusion (CoC). The term describes the area on the camera sensor or film where a point of light is recorded as a blur instead of a point. In other words, it is the smallest circle that a point can be imaged as, which still appears acceptably sharp to the human eye. This circle of confusion is influenced by various factors, including the lens aperture, focal length, subject distance, and the size of the camera’s sensor or film. Generally, a smaller circle of confusion is considered better as it produces sharper images with more detail. The concept of the circle of confusion is particularly important when considering the depth of field in photography and film. It helps determine the acceptable range of distance in an image that appears sharp, both in front of and behind the focused point. By controlling the size of the circle of confusion, photographers and filmmakers can manipulate the depth of field and achieve desired effects in their still/ moving images. Within viewing experiences in spacial settings, it always depends on the viewer’s distance to the display. In order to get good results for many different occasions, there is a useful rule of thumb: < 1 mm of pixel size per 1 meter viewing distance.

Contrast and colour

Another important factor for the perception of image based media is contrast and colour. Especially for this case, there are 3 criteria which are crucial while working with images in spacial environments. They are the following:

• Contrast range: Humans have already a presumption from reality which range of contrast something has to have to feel real. Contrast is the difference between the brightest and darkest pixel among digital visual media. In general, the more contrast exists, the more custom quality an image has. Alone to graphics this rule does not directly apply. Usually graphics have an advantage next to images when there is not a great contrast range.
• Colour gamut: The colour gamut describes how widespread and nuanced the colour display of digital media is.
• Surrounding-media-contrast: The perceived contrast range is dependent on the brightness or darkness of its surroundings. If it is too bright or too white the observer will register the displayed image as glaring. If the image is too dark for the environment, there will not be white displayed and therefore the range of contrast will be registered as too shallow.

Frequency

Film is the sequencing of still images. In order for people to see movement in an image sequence, it needs to reach certain frequency. Frequency is either measured by Hertz (Hz) or Frames per Second (fps). Also frequency heavily relies on the type of displayed movement and the quality.

Already with 12 to 15 fps, small images or small movements will be seen as fluent motion. Traditional film cameras record either in 24 fps, 25 fps or 30 fps. If in need for a more smooth display of motion 50 fps or 60 fps are the standard. For even bigger image areas with faster motion and strong contrasts there will be more fps needed in order to display a fluent viewing experience. If the object is too fast there will be motion blur, which enhances the softness of the motion.

Visual media in the context of spacial environments

The german word „Mediatektur“ is a compound word of Architektur (architecture) and Medien (media). In the field of Mediatektur the space is orchestrated with the help of digital media/ images. So the real space will be expanded with virtual space in many different ways.

The cooperation between digital media and space and form takes primarily place within two sections: the virtualisation of meaning and the virtualisation of the spacial geometry.

• Virtualisation of meaning: The virtualisation of meaning is an existing space/ form which meaning is extended by digital media. Examples for this phenomenon are a wall which is transformed to a digital canvas or a chimney to thermometer. In conclusion a corpus gets a virtual identity and adopts the functions of that identity.
• Virtualisation of the spacial geometry: The term virtualisation of spatial geometry means that the geometry of an object is altered with the help of digital media in such a way as to create an optical illusion. This can range from small changes to the complete dissolution of the physically existing geometry.

In both cases there are 3 different ways/ directions, which can be useful when it comes to designing media for spacial environments.

1. Expansion: The virtual world extends the real world without replacing the existing real form with a virtual one. Space and form will be charged solely with meaning.
2. Expansion and partial dissolution: It means that a designed cooperation between real and digital elements receive a meaning and hence take up a key role in the experience. Also, the virtual dissolves partial the real space/ form. An example for such a case is project mapping, which is guided by the already existing physical attributes and which from time to time dissolves it.
3. Complete dissolution: Complete dissolution is the abandonment of any real form within a immersive experience. The reality dissolves itself to make space for the virtual world like VR glasses. Meaning in this case is not bound to the physical space.

To conclude my blog entry I will end with a quote by Andrea Rostásy and Tobias Sievers. This quote sums up the previous discussed aspects and also showcases that at the end the only thing that counts is the perfect designed cooperation between the different components to create a cohesive experience.

„Während Mediatektur im funktionalen Gestaltungsaspekt durch eine assoziative Formaussage ihre Intention einlöst, leben die weiteren beschriebenen Gestaltungsaspekte – Material und Oberfläche, Raum sowie Form und Objekt – davon, dem Zuschauer Virtuelles als Teil seiner realen Erfahrung zu vermitteln. Dabei ist das Ausmaß der virtuellen Illusion nicht entscheidend für das Erlebnis – im Gegenteil ergeben sich die interessanten und eleganten Lösungen dort, wo sich das Erlebnis vom Realem und Virtuellem ergänzt, wo Form und Medium ein magischen Zusammenspiel finden“.

„While Mediatektur fulfills its intention in the functional aspect of design by means of an associative statement of form, the other design aspects described – material and surface, space as well as form and object –live on conveying the virtual to the viewer as part of their real experience. The extent of the virtual illusion is not decisive for the experience – on the contrary, the interesting and elegant solutions arise where the experience of the real and the virtual complement each other, where form and medium find a magical interplay“.

Rostásy, Sievers 2018, S.175

Used literature:

Rostásy, Andrea; Tobias Sievers (2018): „Handbuch Mediatektur – Medien, Raum und Interaktion als Einheit gestalten, Methoden und Instrumente“. Bielefeld: transcript Verlag. 

Topic 01: Main Title Design

Many people skip the credits scene at the beginning of an episode or film on Netflix and Co. But this sequence is often so much more than just the listing of actors and others involved in the project. So, what makes this sequence so important for films and TV series? What is it exactly? Where did it come from? How is it constructed? Are there rules? Are there specific classifications for different types of credits scenes? Could main title design in TV series be for each episode different and used actively as a storytelling device?

Consulting the internet for first quick research into the topic of credit scenes I tumbled upon other terms for this sequence: main title design, title sequence, opening sequence or intro. Wikipedia describes it the following: 

Also, other sources describe like the film term glossary of filmsite.org describe it as initial titles which are usually placed at the beginning of a film. It states that its often an ignored aspect of films, but that they are an aid for creating an introduction into the time period, mood or design of the film / TV series (vgl. titles, 2023).

There are two websites which are solely dedicated to archiving title sequences. In addition, they publish discussions with creators about their process behind their main title design and general articles about specific designers (artofthetitle.com [up-to-date] and watchthetitles.com [believed to be last updated 2013]). 

Other literature I found, and I would have a closer look at for further research: 

• Bass, Jennifer, Pat Kirkham: Saul Bass: A Life in Film & Design – London: Laurence King Publishing, 2011 About Saul Bass (important figure in the history of title sequences) and his work
• Betancourt, Michael: Semiotics and Title Sequences: Text-Image Composites in Motion Graphics. USA: Taylor & Francis, 2017 Focuses on the relationship of text and background image and its meaning.
• Buhse Eric: Der Vorspann als Bedeutungsträger: Zu einer zentralen Strategie zeitgenössicher Fernsehserien – Darmstadt: Büchner-Verlag, 2014  In German, but it contains the history of title design, and focuses more on TV series.
• Krasner, Jon: Motion Graphic Design: Applied History of Aesthetics – Burlington: Focal Press, 2013 Contains history, focuses on motion graphics in the different subgenres, also elaborates on the process.
• Schaudig, Michael: Das Ende vom «Ende». In: montage AV – Zeitschrift für Theorie und Geschichte audiovisueller Kommunikation, 12/2, 2003, S. 182-194 Article focusing on the end credits and its history.

Links

• “Title sequence” (2023): In: Wikipedia, Online: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Title_sequence (Last opened: 11.10.2023).
• “Title” (2023): In: filmsite.org, Online: https://www.filmsite.org/filmterms19.html (Last opened: 11.10.2023).

Topic 02: Moving visuals within exhibitions and museums

For my bachelor’s Thesis I already touched upon exhibition design theoretical and practical. Since exhibition design unites lots of different fields of design, I wanted to take a closer look into the possibilities of the moving visuals within the field of museums and especially exhibitions. From my experience I came up with the following different usages of moving visuals within exhibition: as exhibition pieces (artistic nature and historical nature), as (additional) explanation videos (can be visualised as interviews, motion graphics) and as part of immersive experiences. Now I ask myself if there are further ways of usage within exhibition I didn’t come up with. 

Further questions that popped up in my head are: Are their untouched possibilities for the video within exhibitions? How does the popularity of immersive exhibition affect the museum/ exhibition landscape? How beneficial is the knowledge transfer in form of video content?

While researching into the topic, I stumbled upon a research paper called “Immersive experiences in digital exhibitions: The application and extension of the service theater model” by Sharleen Xiaolian Chen, Hung-Che Wu and Xiaoyuan Huang. As the title already suggests, it focuses mainly on the possibilities and benefits of the audience’s immersion in digital exhibition. But they also state that: 

Therefore, I concluded that in my master thesis I would like to further explore the benefits and possibilities of the video as a format within exhibition. There is only one problem I experienced while my first research: literature for that specific field is rather rare. So maybe I’ll have to extent my research to the possibilities with space and video projection/ projection mapping.

Other literature I found, and I would have a closer look at for further research: 

• Chen, Sharleen Xiaolian; Wu, Hung-Che; Huang, Xiaoyuan: Immersive experiences in digital exhibitions: The application and extension of the service theater model. In: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, Volume 54, 2023, Pages 128-138, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhtm.2022.12.008 The articles focuses more on immersive experiences and its effect upon the audience.
• Menotti Gonring, Gabriel; Crisp, Virginia: Practices of Projection: Histories and Technologies. USA: Oxford University Press, 2020. Focuses on projection mapping and its history and its role as practice, technology and expressive form across multiple cultural, temporal and geographical contexts. Not necessary on exhibitions.
• Rostásy, Andrea; Tobias Sievers: „Handbuch Mediatektur – Me-dien, Raum und Interaktion als Einheit gestalten, Methoden und Instrumente“. Bielefeld: transcript Verlag, 2018. In German; It contains a chapter about visuals, projection mapping and their technical parameters which should be considered when working with them. 
• Saba, Cosetta, et al. Preserving and Exhibiting Media Art. Amsterdam University Press, 2013. The book focuses more on media art as exhibition piece, its challenges in the field of media art preservation and exhibition, providing an outline for the training of professionals in this field.
• Schmitt, Daniel; Burczykowski, Ludovic; Thébault, Marine: Image Beyond the Screen: Projection Mapping. UK: Wiley, 2020. Focuses on projection mapping its history and its limitations, possibilities and much more. I cannot tell to which extend its relevant for projection mapping in exhibitions.

Topic 03: Emotional impact of Materials

In fine arts the visual aesthetic of an artwork is partly defined by the chosen technique/ material. The same is applicable to film and photography. It matters if you shoot your film on a 35mm analog film, on a Camcorder or on the newest DLSR. So I would argue that material is an important part of a product, even when it’s more or less 2D. 

Mixed media animation uses this characteristic, and it focuses on the different materials, the different mediums as well as the different techniques and merges them to its own aesthetic. It involves combining traditional hand-drawn or computer-generated animation with live-action footage, stop motion, claymation, puppetry, or other forms of visual arts. This allows artists to experiment with different styles, textures, and aesthetics to create unique and visually dynamic animated sequences.

Now I’m asking myself if the usage of different material can be used as a storytelling tool like color? Does different material convey specific emotions to the audience? Can it be a tool for Character Design? What is the benefit of combining analog and digital workflows? Does the integration of different materials simulate dimension towards 2D animations?

Literature:

I was struggling a bit for literature on this topic because there isn’t really theoretical work on mixed media.

• Genz, Julia, and Paul Gévaudan. Medialität, Materialität, Kodierung: Grundzüge einer allgemeinen Theorie der Medien. Bielefeld: transcript, 2016. Print. In German; It’s more theoretical literature about the importance of material within semiotics.
• Harris, Miriam; Husbands, Lilly; Taberham, Paul (Eds.). Experimental Animation: From Analogue to Digital (1st ed.). Routledge, 2015 https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315203430 This book could be interesting for the different inputs from animators and their workflow, but also for the theoretical input.
• Ohnmacht, Tina. Wasser in Animationsfilmen: Materielle Transformationen, diskursive Interaktionen und strukturelle Analogien. Deutschland, Schüren Verlag, 2022. Even though it’s just about water as a material. It could be interesting to have a closer look on one material in particular way. 
• Schleicher, Harald, and Hans Beller. Filme machen : Technik, Gestaltung, Kunst – klassisch und digital. Orig.-Ausg., 1. Aufl.., 2005. In German, This book would be helpful in regards of structuring the product itself.
• Schröter, Jens, et al.  Analog/Digital – Opposition oder Kontinuum? : Zur Theorie und Geschichte einer Unterscheidung. 1st ed.., transcript Verlag, 2015. In German. It’s less about materials or mixed media and more about the terms analog and digital. Maybe there would be aspects I never considered when thinking about these two terms.