I have decided to analyse a StopMotion Animation short film, due to the fact that the one of the main findings from speaking with our peers, tutors and target audience was that the ending scene, where Sophie purchases the drugs from the drug dealer, is one of the weakest scenes of the entire production. One idea to change this is to implement an aspect of StopMotion animation. StopMotion animation is a way of taking many still frames one after the other, and aligning them closely together to give a sense of a video production.
I chose to analyse this short film in particular as it seems to feature many of the same themes as my own production: drug culture, and urban setting, all with a slightly surreal touch. From doing so I hope to gain inspiration for 'Flight's' new style of the drug exchange sequence. The beginning of the short film is the weakest aspect of the entire production. This is because of the repetition of the title - 'Delirium' being shown to the audience repeatedly. This bored me and took away from the overall feel of the film, despite the surreal aspect that it offered. This shows that using text in a StopMotion sequence may not be effective as it makes it either too difficult to read or it becomes dull. If I do choose to use this method of filming within 'Flight', then I will ensure that it does not involve text. The fact that the short film is shot in black and white is visually appealing, as it offers a grainy effect. Mixed with the StopMotion element, it adds a surreal tone to the film, which hints at the effects of drug-use on the individual. Due to the fact that StopMotion and dark colours seem to compliment each other well, I will consider using a toned-down theme in my own StopMotion sequence. The latter half of my production is already filmed in the natural dark-evening light, which will compliment the StopMotion technique well. Some of the key shots within 'Drug Brain Delirium' include the shot of the syringe going into the character's arm, and the pupil of the individual widening. The animation effect lessens the impact of an otherwise graphic scene, which I feel enhances the message that the film is trying to portray. If the scene was shown explicitly, without the use of the animation technique, I personally feel that it would be too graphic. As 'Flight's target audience is teenagers and young adults (with a certificate of '15'), we want to keep the film accessible to younger audiences to raise awareness about the dangers of drug-use. From looking at this short production, it is clear that StopMotion is a useful tool to lessen uncomfortable scenes. Although in our script and shot list it is outlined that Sophie is not shown taking the drug, this technique could be used for some of the high tension scenes within our film. The point of view scene when the character descends the stair-case, although using StopMotion effectively, seems to become repetitive. The coloured tint on screen in some of the scenes if also effect, as it adds another element to the film. Overall, I feel that this production harnesses StopMotion well, although due to the linear structure and point of view perspective, aspects become repetitive.
Advantages of using StopMotion:
I chose to analyse this short film in particular as it seems to feature many of the same themes as my own production: drug culture, and urban setting, all with a slightly surreal touch. From doing so I hope to gain inspiration for 'Flight's' new style of the drug exchange sequence. The beginning of the short film is the weakest aspect of the entire production. This is because of the repetition of the title - 'Delirium' being shown to the audience repeatedly. This bored me and took away from the overall feel of the film, despite the surreal aspect that it offered. This shows that using text in a StopMotion sequence may not be effective as it makes it either too difficult to read or it becomes dull. If I do choose to use this method of filming within 'Flight', then I will ensure that it does not involve text. The fact that the short film is shot in black and white is visually appealing, as it offers a grainy effect. Mixed with the StopMotion element, it adds a surreal tone to the film, which hints at the effects of drug-use on the individual. Due to the fact that StopMotion and dark colours seem to compliment each other well, I will consider using a toned-down theme in my own StopMotion sequence. The latter half of my production is already filmed in the natural dark-evening light, which will compliment the StopMotion technique well. Some of the key shots within 'Drug Brain Delirium' include the shot of the syringe going into the character's arm, and the pupil of the individual widening. The animation effect lessens the impact of an otherwise graphic scene, which I feel enhances the message that the film is trying to portray. If the scene was shown explicitly, without the use of the animation technique, I personally feel that it would be too graphic. As 'Flight's target audience is teenagers and young adults (with a certificate of '15'), we want to keep the film accessible to younger audiences to raise awareness about the dangers of drug-use. From looking at this short production, it is clear that StopMotion is a useful tool to lessen uncomfortable scenes. Although in our script and shot list it is outlined that Sophie is not shown taking the drug, this technique could be used for some of the high tension scenes within our film. The point of view scene when the character descends the stair-case, although using StopMotion effectively, seems to become repetitive. The coloured tint on screen in some of the scenes if also effect, as it adds another element to the film. Overall, I feel that this production harnesses StopMotion well, although due to the linear structure and point of view perspective, aspects become repetitive.
Advantages of using StopMotion:
- It can effectively portray short ellipsis' of time, as the footage does not have to flow in a linear, strict progression.
- StopMotion adds another element to the film, as opposed to regular filming. This keeps the film interesting and fresh to the audience.
- It hints at elements of distortion and surrealism, which is a key element when trying to effectively portray the dangerous effects of slipping into the drug culture.
- It can combine many different shots together without distorting the audience too much.
- It can add a surreal feel to high-tension scenes which makes the film easier to watch.
- The footage taken can be too 'shaky', if the images which are captured are not too similar to the ones which are shown previously, the shaky effect can make the film unenjoyable to watch.
- If it is not used correctly, it can make the film look unprofessional.
- When mixed with regular footage, it may look out of place if the scenes towards the beginning of the production are not linked. It may seem like an unnecessary add-on.
- Issues with consistency in lighting may arise that cannot be scene until the animation is pieced together. A lack of consistency will take away from the professional feel of the film and will lessen the impact of the message it is trying to convey.
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