Animation or God v2.0?

In the article “What is Digital Cinema” by Lev Manovich, the development of cinema is discussed, from its humble beginnings of basic animation to what we now consider cinema; a film-based record of reality. The article discusses how cinema gradually broke ties with its animated origins and reduced animation to being little more than a “bastard relative” living in the shadows of its larger sibling. However times are changing.

Animation is slowly gaining respectability as an entity unto itself but also as an integrated component of cinema, creating digital cinema. In discussions about this shift in interests our group was intrigued by what underlying element or desire of society was responsible for this change. Why are people slowly finding more interest and satisfaction in animation?

Part of human nature as it is and has been for as far back as history can show us is that people have a need to feel in control. So much of our daily routines are about a search for power and a control over the world around us. Consider even actions seemingly as simple as driving to work instead of taking the bus: we can be more in control of getting to work on time or adjusting our route to avoid traffic, setting the air conditioning to make sure the cabin of the car is just the temperature that we like, adjusting the radio station and volume to what we like or perhaps listening to a cd so we can hear just the songs we’re looking for. Think about your actions in a day, how many of them are at least to some extent about grasping at whatever little bits of control we can get a hold of. Why do we hate being told what to do? Why do we insist on our independence and doing our own thing? It’s because we have a need to feel in control of who we are and where we go in life. (Admittedly its more subconscious in some than it is in others.)

People that are especially and obviously driven, we call power hungry, motivated or real “go getters”, but what about those that are really quiet and shy? Those that don’t seem to make any obvious grabs at power? Often times it only requires looking at them a little closer. They may be too introverted to try and control the people around them but chances are they, like most people, exhibit some symptoms of OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder). Perhaps they fulfill their need for control by being excessively organized or detail oriented?

And now you’re thinking to yourself: “alright, I’ll buy that, but what does it have to do with the increasing popularity of animation and digital cinema?”

Cinema, the film based media, is a record of reality, so what you record with the camera has to actually happen in front of the lens. Because you’re filming reality, you’re always going to be limited and controlled by the laws that construct reality. Physics, time; basically the laws of nature will always define what you can film. Admittedly there are tools and tricks that can help you to bend these laws (wires can help even the least aerodynamic people defy gravity) but those tools will only take you so far.

Enter animation. What’s the sure-fire way to ensure you have complete control over the environment and events within your film? Build the reality yourself. The ultimate expression of a “god complex” animation allows us to create and dominate over a world of our own. Suddenly that perfect lighting for a show is as easy as 3 clicks on a mouse, characters defy gravity with ease, buildings are destroyed, characters are killed and all without those annoying things like costs, insurance and death. If the reality in which your film is created is entirely under your control, the only limits are your imagination.

In the history of animation the technology hasn’t always been present to achieve illusions of reality but imagination and the desire to control the presentation of reality has always been present. Check out this wiki for a quick history of humanity’s attempt to create artificial realities: Even in prehistoric cave paintings, the desire is evident to create a controlled illusion of life.

Today, as the technology of animation develops, and more and more realism is achievable using computer graphics these fabricated realities become more believable, more tangible, it becomes a greater sense of control to be able to hold power over an environment that is becoming ever closer to simulating the world we live in.

Consider this Scanline demo reel of digital water physics.

There is no need for expensive travel to specific locations, for careful planning of shots to get lighting and location just right, or the building of massive studio spaces to shoot a smaller controlled water effect: you have whatever effect you desire at your fingertips.

In a power hungry, escapist society, realistic recreations of the world we live in, which we can control and bend to our will, fascinate us. Whether we’re animating and controlling the world ourselves or watching, and enjoying the idea of a world without limits and rules: a world of absolute power.


And just for fun, here’s a website to check out:

Augenblick Studios

It is a collection of traditional-style animation with a bit of a bite.


Group:

Tyler Williams
Dona Renz
Nadine Gorham
Kim Smith
Ashley Vercekaites