Bradford Animation Festival (Thursday)

Student 2

• The Odd Sound Out - A cute short that follows sounds which are given forms and characteristics that match the person that they follow. However one sound cant find it's place in the world. This animation uses a digital 2-D pose pose process that makes the characters appeal to a younger audience, matched with the vivid and pastel mixture of hues.
  
  
  
  
  

• Rabbit & Deer -This animation uses a mixture of stop motion and 2-D processes which appeals to a young audience though the simple and adorable illustrations matched with a well put together storyline.
  I felt that this was one of my favourite animations that I have seen at BAF as it is clever through its incorporation and changes to different animation processes/styles.
  
  
  

• The Shirley Temple - This short uses 2-D pose to pose animation which holds a monotone approach with highlights of red. I found this intriguing though the portrayal of the plot through the boys and mothers view. The ending could be interpreted in different ways however I felt that the boy killed his own mother and became distant/cold through the connection with the astronaut.
  
  
  
  
  

• The Magnificent Lion Boy - Created using 2-D computer and drawing on paper techniques. This animation is stunning. The amount of time and dedication spent on this short can be seen and is definitely worth the effort. I loved the way that the animation moved with the erasing of the chalk, charcoal and pastels as to make the next frame, it gave it that edge, an uniqueness that worked.
  
  
  
  
  
• Sockskewerstreet 8 - A wonderfully weird animation that uses a 2-D animation process. I didnt follow the story well but I did like how surreal the design was, and how she had to collect these socks to remember what she had forgotten.
  
  
  
  
  
• Miss Todd - Uses a cut-out animation technique that incorporates textures, cloth and 3-D enviroments/props. I liked the presentation, composition and the whole aesthetics to the short, however I didnt think it needed to incorporate the whole musical to go with the plot. It felt, to me, that the animation was trying to direct it solely to a young audience, which does go with the plot of the story however, it made me feel that it was tedious and that I would have enjoyed the short more and give more interest to the plot as well, rather than just admiring the aesthetics of the composition. It is definitely worth a watch as it inspired me with the blend of different animation techniques.
  
  
  
  
  
• Memoria - A dark animation that shows the regrets of a man who ultimately ends up leaving life. It uses a computer generated and 2-D process.

Professional 3

• Hollow Land - A stop motion short that is surreal and tells of the hardships of finding an utopia, only to be tricked and forced to live under a set of regulations. The plot has its dark and happy moments and attracts the viewers attention well with the vivid colours and happy ending.
  
  
  
  
  
• Resistant Soul - A beautifully presented, drawn on paper, animation that is full of detail and another surrealist approach to the plot. This short really inspired me through the illustrations used and the expressions shown.
  
  
  

• Carne - Another aesthetically pleasing animation that uses media, paint, to portray an emotional and dark perspective of the colombian countryside. I was so inspired through this video through the art and how you could see the time and effort that went into the video.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Obida - I loved this short. The style of the 2-D animation had a gorgeous grainy and sketchy look which gave the composition a uniqueness that took my attention and made me love the characters portrayed in the short. The character design worked well alongside the plot of the story,  and the idea of the creature which she drew and came to life was so inpiring and made me think of ideas that I could incorporate into my own work.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Marilyn Myller - A very clever and amusing stop animation that uses a simple yet aesthetically pleasing models and backgrounds. I loved the monotone approach to the short which made it more appealing to the audience.
  
  
  
  
  
• Mr Hublot - An adorable and beautifully portrayed CG animation that attracts both an old and young audience through the concept and character design, and the plot used in the animation.
  
  
  
  
  
• My Three Grandmas - Based on the directors grandmas, presented using 2-D animation. I liked the blend of textures alongside the cartoony characters and the individual stories of the characters. Each grandma had their own key point, for example one was short, another really tall, the other had eyes like a cat.
  
  
  

Animate Projects Random Acts

This screening showed 15 animations that were given the same theme of cryptozoology (the hidden, unsolved or untrue monsters) funded by channel 4.
I particularly enjoyed the shorts "The Golem", "Apocalyptic rhyme" and "Re-Tolled".

• The Golem - A beautifully portrayed animation which merges film, stop motion and traditional pose to pose processes. 
• Apocalyptic rhyme - this short uses movement of typography which merge and form different shapes and words that create a tense and dark atmosphere. 
• Re-Tolled - this short contains a gorgeous surreal twist to the models used. The work reminds me of the artist Stephen Rockwell, through the victorian and dream like state of the models.