BeIore University I never really considered experimental art to be too serious and

rarely came upon something that impressed me. But in my Iirst year in University, I was
introduced to the works oI Norman McLaren and that wall quickly shattered opening up
my eyes to the potential oI experimental works and Iinding what I believed to be the true
essence oI animation. II someone asked me to name the best animator in history and I had
no choice but to answer, I`d have to say it is Norman McLaren Ior his works deIine both
the medium and cinema in ways many others have Iailed to see.
That being said.

I have decided to create an experimental animation that I hope will carry the ideas and
themes Norman McLaren pursued in his animated works. When looking to an idol Ior
inspiration, it can be diIIicult so you don`t lose your own originality when working. But
rather than copy McLaren in the mediums he used best, I am going to try and incorporate
his ideas that deIined his style into a medium he was not versed in and that`s the medium
oI 3-D. 3-D computer animation is quickly becoming a standard in the industry and Ior
better or worse, by the time it developed, the typical Iilm is in direct lineage with theatre
and more diverse works are Iew and Iar between compared to the older days, or so as I
believe. I think in the works oI 3D today there is an emphasis on realism, story, character
and character development and those sorts oI things.

In preparing Ior Iilming I have spent extensive time studying and viewing the works oI
Norman McLaren and reading his thoughts on the medium and the creative process itselI.
Luckily, he was always willing to share his ideas and methods and leIt behind a large
amount oI material in which one could learn exactly how he made things and what he
was hoping to achieve as this is not the case with all great artist oI the past. Amongst the
things I have learned include that he believes that the illusion oI movement created in an
animation does not have to be a drawing or even an object. He believes in animating
light, shadow, texture and other aspects oI a Iilm that one may not always consider when
dealing with animation. He is certainly most known Ior his abstract animation but there
are times when he would use easily recognizable Iorms oI varying degrees Irom the
impression oI a bird in the Iilm La Merle` to Neighbors` having actual people in what at
Iirst appears to be a world like our own. I will keep these amongst other elements in mind
when Iilming and I`m sure this intensive studying will continue throughout the process oI
production. As oI right now, I stand on the idea oI primarily using the abstract side oI
McLarens mind and using principally squares and spheres in my execution with an
emphasis on light and color and careIully planned movements. The idea is to return to
what animation is and to try and create a Iilm that can only be animation as that is what I
Ieel many oI McLaren's works share. II you look at a Iilm like 'The Iron Giant', while I
think it's one oI the best Iilms oI its decade, I think that it would lend itselI to a live-
action adaptation Iairly easily when compared to something like Begone Dull Care oI
McLaren which I Ieel can only be animation. I think it's an idea to try and go back to
'What the art oI animation is?' and how its a Iocus on movement and the idea oI
movement.Then there is the idea oI showing the world how he made his Iilms. He simply
scratched into the Iilm and this is the most basic way to make a Iilm. It's how a Iilm is
made! Perhaps this raw idea will also Iind its way into my work and keep up that
animation can be used to express absolutely anything Irom emotions and ideas without
catering to the expectations established by the many works oI today.

Another very distinguishing mark oI McLaren was that he made Iilms entirely without
traditional recording equipment and that includes both a camera and audio recorder. He
would Irequently scratch into the Iilmstrip`s sound track and masterIully animate` his
sound alongside his abstractions. From time to time, he would use pre-recorded music or
improvisatory music depending on what he Ielt necessary. He admitted and I whole-
heartedly agree that iI you use pre-recorded music, it is a very easy way out. It`s not a bad
thing or anything to be Irowned upon, but it does take a load oI the director`s shoulder
should he just have Iind a particular Iitting song in the catalogue in the history oI music.
There are also times where this music would be pre-recorded speciIically Ior the
animation and he would have the animation based to the track or the click track
depending on how much oI the music was completed. As I want to get started animating
very soon, I won`t worry about the music too much right now and that`ll give me more
leeway in my animation. As I am an amateur musician, I will consider providing the
music myselI although I`ve never delved too much into the world oI composing and
improvising. I have obtained copies oI the same books on composition that McLaren used
himselI and maybe through sheer will something can inspire me as it did him. Because
my principal instruments are keyboards I would primarily used the electronic keyboard,
piano, and melodica at my disposal. But as I've said, I'm new to this process and will
probably spend a great deal studying the Iundamentals oI composition again and trying to
reIresh what knowledge I learned Irom a college music theory course I took and while
doing this will be animating alongside it and letting the two develop together iI possible.
II I can Iind success in this means, then I will certainly do so but only to the good oI the
animation. Ultimately my musical inIluences in creating this work are that oI J.S Bach
and the avant-garde composer Moondog and I will animate by musical Ieeling and
hoping the rhythms will lend themselves well to the sound. But alongside with the music,
I will consider having an extended period oI silence because then that is, I believe, a
much more pure animation. For a long time, especially aIter seeing the works oI Oskar
Fischinger who goaded people to not to add sound to his animation, I agree that
animation is a ;8ual medium and does not need sound to supplement it all the time.
McLaren himselI pointed out the radio is something that has audio but no visual so why
is it so diIIicult to convince people that visual without audio can be stimulating as well. I
will try to work this theme into the animation as well, but again, only to the advantage oI
the animation.

I have it in mind to use 3-D animation Ior the completion oI this project, and the primary
program will be Autodesk Maya. The reason Ior this is choice oI the age. It is the year
2011 and while I love working in traditional mediums such as paper and pencil and such,
I think that it's important to utilize something that has recently been granted to us. What I
Iind more important in this project is because McLaren used some oI the most primitive
methods to create some oI his works and Ior me it's important to distance myselI as Iar as
possible Irom his mediums oI choice because the idea behind the project is to portray his
thoughts and themes on animation and that those are not to be Iound in the materials he
used. In a latter interview in his liIe McLaren stated that iI he were younger he would
jump into working with a computer because that's what's relevant today and it's
something that was not available to him. He wasn't someone to criticize the new medium
and become a curmudgeon about it, but instead encouraged the idea oI just taking
advantage oI what's available to you. This statement just conIirms that and the idea oI
computer animation with Norman McLaren's ideas is something he thought oI himselI in
his liIetime and so in a way I could be speculating what he may have created but at the
same time, there is no possible way to know what he would have done and it is only his
inIluence that will be Iound in this project. The Adobe program AIter EIIects may come
into play as well and this will be my equivalent to Norman McLaren`s use oI the optical
printer. Individually both programs are incredible on their own and I hope in combining
the two, I will be able produce something rather interesting and worthwhile.

As Iar as the idea stands right now in my head, I have it loosely divided into three parts
primarily in terms oI rhythm. The Iirst portion will probably not go past a tempo oI
moderate (70bpm) and will be an introduction oI sorts. The middle section will be much
more slower (possibly as slow as 40bpm) and possibly the longest section oI the entire
piece. The Iinale, in classical tradition, will probably the shortest section and also the
Iastest and iI possible, I will try to emphasize some oI the 12 principles oI animation as
learned by the men at Walt Disney. At the end oI the day, I realize that this could be an
enormous task and I hope that any one oI these sections can stand by on their own like
the movement oI a sonata. A beneIit to doing experimental animation is that it I oIten
Iind it can reach its conclusion at almost any given moment and doesn`t have the
obligation oI a narrative to complete the story. I think any one oI these sections should
stand well on their own and accordingly, will admit that I will most likely see the
completion oI 1 in reasonable time iI the proper eIIort is concentrated to make them the
best they can be and the only way to know is to move Iorward.

P.S- As I continue to toss the idea around in my head, rather than edit the last paragraph
I`ll just start anew. I have decided to truly Iocus on one oI the three sections whole
heartedly beIore delving too much into the others. Which one, I`m not sure, but I
remember the imperativeness oI keeping things simple and very oIten I get carried away
with ambition. So as oI right now, everything above remains true, except the amount I
can reasonably expect to Iinish. But as aIorementioned, should I get lucky or possessed,
the remaining ideas will be carried out.