Situating the Practice

 My animated music video fits into a few areas of professional practice. Creating a venn diagram of these areas has helped me to categorise the different fields of interest.

The Diagram has helped me define and consider which studios may be in line with my work, and which festival entries are applicable. The Trimester has seen much more practical experimentation than networking skills (which were set out in my initial targets). Luckily, there is a contingency to this work. When the production module comes round, expanding on this should be a key part of my research to start pushing the film, and my skills, down the right avenues. 

Here are a few initial ideas:

Blink Ink:

Use current animation discourse to create short films for companies. They delve into music, fashion, general advertising and some feature films. I have done work experience with them in the past and they are a viable studio for me to work at.

Over Lockdown, they were creating animated content for musicians like Dua Lipa, utilising lack of human contact to create content for artists and creating fantastical worlds of music, art and colour.

Club Future Nostalgia Mixtape (2020) Directed by James Papper [Short Film]. London, Blink Ink.

International Music Video Underground:

Just one festival I found on Film Freeway (previously recommended for multiple animation awards). They have entries for short films, animated music videos and other awards relevant to my film's themes. Film Freeway will be a good resource in general.

A note about film festivals is that my entry cannot be made until the film is completed (in July) as many awards may have passed, I may have to wait to enter in the coming year, meaning I would have to keep the film under wraps. A benefit of this is that it allows ample time to create promotional material, which I have learned to a good level recently through event organising and a decent knowledge of brand identity and promotion.

Science-Fiction and politics:

Animation is a good way to make commentaries on the world. It can be exaggerated or simplified. Big Smoke highlights problems in the world at the moment of isolation, Government misconduct and increasing violations on privacy, identity and freedom. Finding films which exaggerate such themes (particularly in a dystopian style) can help me see stylistic features of a breaking world.

Orang Tan - Greenpeace

Greenpeace International (2018) Rang-tan: the story of dirty palm oil [online video]. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQQXstNh45g&t=24s [accessed 21/03/2022]

Monster - Greenpeace

Greenpeace International (2020) There's a monster in my kitchen [online video]. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rIjVDo_u8c&t=132s [accessed 21/03/2022]

Akira:

In an overpopulated world post World War 3, Akira is at the epitome of dystopian animation. With a higher budget, more time and a team, I would want Big Smoke to evoke much of the visuals within this film, the colours, character and backgrounds all evoke a beautifully represented dying world. 

Akira (1991) Directed by Katsuhiro Otomo [Feature Film] Japan: Toho Co., Ltd.

THE BEST TIL LAST....

Jordorowsky's Dune:

Jordorowsky's Dune (2013) Directed by Frank Pavich [Documentary] Snowfort Pictures

Veering away from Dystopia and more towards Sci-Fi, this documentary about the Arthaus film that never happened was fascinating, involving a show-stopping team (including Mick Jagger, Pink Floyd and Salvador Dali). Discourse about this film is ongoing. Storyboards and pre-production were completed in a book going for auction for millions. Somebody has bought this book and is creating a community through a crypto-currency called Spice. Aptly named for the fans of Dune. There is talk of an animated version of the film to be produced. It is a whimsical idea through all the rights involved in creating the film. However this is a bit of a future dream so I thought I'd include it in this post.