3 Reasons Why Stop-Motion Animation Matters
Now I am no movie buff. In fact, I'm often the one that leaves you in cold, slack-jaw-shock at my honest "Well, no." when asked the question "Have you seen such-and-such a movie?" Maybe you can relate.
But from what I have noticed, stop-motion animation seems to appeal to a very niche audience. I would be one of them. And usually the first images that come to mind at the phrase "stop-motion animation" are the lovable British cheese-enthusiast and his loyal dog rocketing to the moon, or a raging prehistoric reptilian battle - captured in those charming, rather distinctly jerky movements that sets stop-motion animation apart. Being someone who really loves the technique though, and wishes there were more films out there like them, I want to contribute some observations about the method, which I hope will bring more attention to why stop-motion animation matters and why it remains a critical innovative medium in the 21st century film-making industry. Here are my 3 reasons. Craftsmanship: Beauty Behind the Believability As a visual artist, I am highly attracted to materials and their surfaces, and I hold the skillfully handmade object in high regard knowing that skills take time to train, hone, and perfect. The thing I love most about stop-motion films is the visual spectacle of real materials appearing under real lighting in real space. The beauty of the fine workmanship intrinsic to the puppets, sets, and costumes, which augments this method of storytelling is deliciously rich. And almost every story told requires believability in order to obtain its credibility. By filming three-dimensional forms in a three-dimensional space, artists with a human touch create a new world and a new believable reality. If you were a kid like me raised in the 80s and 90s then you've seen a spread of special effects and its sophisticated evolution from awkward green-screen splicings to the introduction of CGI animation. Like many trends in visual media, there seems to be a gradual growth, first towards achieving convincing realism and then towards abstraction or impressionism. This stands true for many CGI films today such as Mark Osborne's captivating film "The Little Prince" (2015). Where CGI has been able to make fantastical feats possible in breath-taking and affordable ways, there is still something hauntingly and inescapably authentic that stop-motion animation retains, setting it pricelessly apart from other media. Maybe CGI technology will one day surpass this standard, but for the time being, the hand-stitched, hand-sculpted, and hand-painted look brings a vitality to the big screen that still holds me captive. Commitment & The Reward of Delayed-Gratification
If you you've heard the term "art for arts sake" before you'll know there are basically two directions any artform can take: art that's made to sell or art that's made in the name of art. Now spending more money than your product can earn isn't just bad business. It's ridiculous. And the time and money it takes to birth a well-made stop-motion movie might just be ridiculous. However, what the teams of engineers, artists, and magicians risk to achieve is not just a product to sell. Stop-motion animation is a storytelling media that actually keeps the innovative spirit of art alive - even thriving - because it requires so much care and cost. When you stop and study the lifelike marble sculptures of ancient Rome, the magnificent architecture of the Vatican, or the astounding pyramids of Egypt, you can't help but gape in wonderment asking "How was this possible?" And yes, this comparison might teeter on the edge of laughable, but in an industry where great minds work to communicate their ideas, experiences, feelings, and beliefs - why not go all out, pushing boundaries and doing the ridiculous? This is another reason why stop-motion animation matters, because is gives the world something beautiful to marvel at. And the animator's commitment to their craft is testament to human-kinds' devotion to the reward of delayed gratification for the sake of art. Innovation: An Outlet for the Dreamers
Finally, because stop-motion animation is a media that requires handmade-skills and extraordinary commitment, it also attracts innovators and collaborators who keep this artform alive. Stop-motion has historically been a more costly media and consequently much slower in its evolution compared to its 2D and computer-generated competitors. But even just in the last few years there have been more and new changes as dreamers have introduced new technologies to enhance the craft. Looking at Laika's film "Kubo and the Two Strings" (2016), for example, new processes like 3D printing, digital compositing techniques, and the use of digital SLR cameras are revolutionizing the traditional methods and saving time. Notably, when a media is willing to change and utilize new resources, it is a sign the media is quite far from going obsolete. And if stop-motion animation has gone through periods of lulls, it's irrefutably not remaining stagnant. This is a third reason why stop-motion animation matters. It provides an incredible outlet for dreamers and visionaries, who celebrate the license to impress and persevere. But they also preserve a media that deserves recognition and is still relevant in our millennial generation. I hope you've enjoyed pausing to consider this remarkable media. And if you, like I, also appreciate craftsmanship, commitment, and innovation I hope you'll enjoy a few recommended favorite films listed below. And hey, go out and buy them to show the makers how much you think their work matters! Cheers. • Tim Burton's "Nightmare Before Christmas" (trailer) • Aardman Animation "Wallace & Gromit: The Wrong Trousers" (clip) • Laika's "The Box Trolls" (trailer) • Laika's "Kubo and the Two Strings" (trailer) _______________________________________ Sources Cited: "5 Major Innovations of Stop-Motion Animation" by Ian Failes, 2016 "Ray Harryhausen" by Jed Gibbs, 2014 "The Man Who Brought Stop-Motion Animation to the 21st C", by Cailtin Roper, 2014
