5 Principle Study (4): What is key to a reliable and creative process?

When concluding as to which key principle correctly described my general method of creating a unique or interesting visual language that would be used to speak to a particular audience views and agendas. It was immediate to me which principle i felt best described my work ethic, were the fourth and fifth options.

I tend to be drawn to works, whether visual illustrations or animation that is limited by the boundaries. I feel generally more comfortable and willing to engage in works that occur in a set situation and then are able to study the characters and then their environment in detail within it.

For example, my choice of current TV comedy would be the American show ‘Community‘. This is a study of diverse but equally flawed individuals, set within the confines of what would be generally be considered the rather bland and unfulfilling study life of community college.

Main Cast

Pierce in Stop Motion form (Christmas Special)

With the look and style not being the main feature to draw in the viewers attention, the viewer can instead engage in the scraps and varying complications that beset the main, and supporting cast of characters. Utilizing the combined comedy setups that this cast of misfits, regardless of their many differing views and personalities, will share and experience, shows that they stand upon equal grounds regarding many contemporary and modern problems that would be far too tedious and forced if they were to be covered to their full expanses too quickly.

From this i feel that my work reflects at least the key elements and restriction expressed beforehand in the same way.

Examples of this from my own work, are shown particularly in a stop-motion film project i did for my unit assignment at college.

The whole idea for the short film, came from my retrospective approach to work, where i’ll tend to look back on previous efforts or random jolts of inspiration that i may have catalogued, and then utilize those that best suit the particular subject or general premise for the piece.

In the case of my film ‘Gastropod‘, the original idea for a giant snail eating a greenhouse, didn’t really need to evolve much from its inspiration, of a comic strip i did when i was between the age of 7 and 9 of essentially the same story. This was then worked on to make a little more sense (the plain house changed instead into a greenhouse, making the target seem more sensible for a giant snail to hit), then later constructed and filmed.

Original drawing from between ages 7 and 9

Second panel

Third panel

Large gastropod (snail) model built for film

Smaller version of the same snail

Main antagonist, a french gardener

 In terms of understanding and having a general knowledge of an audience’s interests, i’ll tend to stay within boundaries that could be considered more cartoony or more child-oriented, but from these apparent boundaries i use these simply constructed characters and their worlds to explore generally deeper subjects that would be aimed at a more adult audience instead.

To give the best example of this would be from the works of the late Osamu Tesuka, who seemingly friendly and cute cartoon creations maintain the visual cue, while at the same time reflecting on much more darker subjects or genres.

       

The cute,child-friendly themes found in 'Unico', which are intended for younger audiences 

Are in contrast with those of the more adult oriented series 'Black Jack'

But they all retain a distinct visual flair that makes them immediately appealing to all audiences, even if the theme within its contents is not.