MAF 2016: Films in Competition: Student 1

The next event I went to was Films in Competition: Student 1. I was really looking forward to this screening, as it would give me an idea of what other students, both from the UK and other countries, were creating and what the festival was expecting in terms of submissions.

Although I found this screening to be interesting, I must admit that it wasn't as good as the first screening I went to and there weren't as many animation that stuck with me this time around. Having said this however, there were a few that made me pay more attention than others.


1) The Wrong End of The Stick by Terri Matthews

The Wrong End of The Stick was by far the most interesting, bizarre and funny animation out of the collection in this screening. The story follows a man who has a secret that may not be so conventional, one that his wife finds out about and is distraught by. However, although the story was incredibly funny, for me it was the use of mixed media and animation that pulled me in.

The environments and objects are a mixture of live action and rotoscoped elements with the animation being rotoscoped, yet caricatured. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of rotoscoping, but this animation is a good example of how the technique can be used to aid in animation and help to make the movements realistic.
I really enjoyed this animation and I found the overall film to be very funny and nicely animated.


2) Wildfire by Hugues Opter & Co.

The reason I enjoyed wildfire wasn't necessarily for the story but more for the visuals, particularly the textures in the backgrounds and sometimes the characters. Working with textures is something that I have always wanted to incorporate into my own work but sometimes struggle with ideas of how to do so and which materials to use. However, watching Wildfire has demonstrated to me that the use of mixed media can be to my advantage when it comes to creating texture within my own work, as when it is done right, it can help to create wonderful backgrounds that portray strong atmospheres.


3) Once Upon a Line by Alicja Jasina

The final animation of the screening, Once Upon a Line, was another animation that stood out to me because of the simplistic aesthetic of the piece and the way that the story was shown. Usually I struggle with repetitive animation, as I struggle to stay interested and feel as though I am watching the same thing over and over again. However, although this story was repetitive, it was done in a way that demonstrated the chaos and frustration felt by the character at having his life turned upside down. Overall, I found the animation to be quite funny and simple yet effective.

I have enjoyed watching these shorts and it has definitely given me an idea of what I should be aiming for when I think about my extended practice. It has also given me a few animations that will give me inspiration at a later date for future projects.