Magen Thornhill
The Computer Revolution and Pixtar: Blog 13
I can really see where Fritz the Cat lead to adult animation such as shows like South Park and the stuff on Adult Swim. It dealt with world issues, issues of sexuality, race, and religion. The one thing I didn’t see too much of was intertextuality. Although I may have over looked it, I just didn’t recognize any. Shows like the Simpsons though and South Park have so much of it.
I really liked this weeks reading since I could think of a lot of examples of what they were talking about. It dealt with how live action and animation are two separate things. It is not impossible for animation to completely simulate the real but it can look very realistic. It can be photo realistic or provide learning models. It’s also gotten to look more real over the years.
I can really see this in Final Fantasy. I played Final Fantasy VII that came out in 1997. The graphics are not very good. The characters look box like, have defined polygons, no facial expressions, and there is not any voice acting. However, a game now such as Final Fantasy XIII looks amazing. The characters are so life like and the backgrounds are so in depth and stunning. I can also think of Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within which I saw in theaters. I think it was the first movie to have realistic computer generated characters.
Here’s a link that compares the opening of Final Fantasy VII to what it would look like now:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVAs5B-BMB8
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The recent proliferation of animation for adults can be attested to Fritz the Cat and a show like The Simpsons. It is amazing to think about the number of animated shows that have become such major successes in the last decade or so. With South Park, The Simpsons, Archer, Futurama, American Dad and others all lasting for many seasons.
ReplyDeleteLook at most Dramas and Sitcoms. Many of those are quickly cancelled after one season, or even before that. Then look at animated shows. It seems to me like a lot of them last for many seasons. Of course there have been some that have been cancelled (Sit Down, Shut Up) but many of the more risky and edgy animated shows do very well.
I am not sure what intertextuality means, but I am going to assume it has something to do with referencing another story such as the 'Grapes of Wrath' and using it in your own story. This is one of the main reasons I tune into 'South Park' every week.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your comments on how live action and animation are separate yet are connected by the fact animation can simulate reality. That's what I love about digital animation. When I watch cel animation, I expect more of a "cartoon-y" image. When I watch digital animation however, I expect the film to be much more realistic in the textures of the characters and their environments. That is my favorite thing about technological advancements in animation; the textures that computer animators can create captivate me because of the realness and depth that they give to the created world.
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