Objectives Students will collaborate to complete an animation
using the technique of pixilation. They will also be able to identify
and discuss the work of Norman McLaren and they will explore more
advanced concepts of framing.
Introduction
Pixilation, a middle-tech method for making animation, is great to
use with learners of all ages and abilities because it is engaging,
participatory, and can be made without special props or materials.
Have students view and discuss Norman McLaren,
who created many examples of pixilations including the Oscar-winning,
anti-war film Neighbours (1952), as well as the amusing and
surreal The Chairy Tale (1957). More recent examples are
the Bolex Brothers' The Secret Adventures of Tom Thumb (available
on video) and the films of Paul
De Nooijer.
Critical
Viewing
Described as the most eloquent plea for peace ever filmed, Neighbours
shows how a neighborly misunderstanding escalates into genocide.Viewing this animation can also lead to an interesting class
discussion regarding how the movie’s climax (in which wives
and children are slaughtered) was sometimes censored because the sequence’s
effect was so shocking to sensibilities of the time.Click
Here To View Questions.
Shooting 'stills' in camera and then using FrameThief
to capture the frames as you play the tape back. Capturing 2 to
4 frames per still will work unless you want the fast 30fps look.
Shooting straight video and then use Final Cut to pixilate it
by speeding up the video (which will remove frames), exporting
it, re-importing it, and slowing it down again. The result will
be the loss of the intermediate frames (uncheck frame blending
in the speed dialog). It is important to remember
however, that pixilation is more than just accelerated or stuttering
video!
Exercise
1: Class Collaboration Discuss ideas for a class collaboration
using pixilation as the primary technique. Ask for two student volunteers:
one as the leader, who will decide on the pose and lead the others
in a line, and another who will act as the director for this animation
exercise.
Exercise 2: Small Group Collaboration
Have student form into groups of 3 to 5. Each group will be in
charge of creating an animation using pixilation as the primary
technique. The duration should be at least 30 seconds but no longer
than 2 minutes.
Advance planning is critical. Pixilation
is very expressive and surprising, so it is often used with
humorous intent.
Pixilation excels at presenting
things in a believable way that are otherwise unbelievable.
Pixilation permits the impossible
to appear possible. For example, a person can appear to fly,
which is achieved by having the subject jump into the air precisely
as the camera clicks off a single frame, over and over again.
The footage can be manipulated
using different programs to create a variety of visual variations:
color shifts, pace shifts, blurring, backwards, etc.
Be sure you light appropriately
and consistently; nothing can ruin pixilation like having the
lights moving in every still shot (unless it is perhaps done
deliberately for a 'flicker' effect.)
Sometimes pixilation is not easy
for the performers because each individual pose for every frame
should be completely controlled.
Evaluation Instructors may evaluate this project
using the general rubric provided.
Select or add criteria depending upon the needs or levels of your
students, and/or other curricular concerns. This
lesson introduces new terminology therefore instructors should give
a quiz about vocabulary such as pixilation and framing, about the
artists Norman McLaren and his work, and about new software and
its uses if applicable. In addition to that formal final
assessment, I encourage teachers to conduct informal, in-progress
assessment thinking about questions like these:
How consistent is each group's style throughout
the pixilation process?
How identifiable and consistent is each group's
style throughout the animation process?
