Generative Animation, AI, and Data-Driven Animation

This was a really important and interesting animation about A.I. in animation – the use, state, and ethics of utilizing it specifically.

As we all know, A.I. is here to stay. The big question is if A.I. animation is even good, and how it can help or hinder animation workflows.

My biggest takeaway from the presentation is that I need to better understand A.I. as a tool in order to utilize it efficiently without damaging careers or the environment.

Of the films presented, I really loved watching “The Making of the Zizi Show” since it was using A.I. with intent to disrupt patriarchal and cis-normative systems of representations. I do believe A.I. can be used for good when it is not in the hands of corporate tech bros. I just have to be an active participant who understands how it works, and to go from there.

Games and Animation: Yu-Hsia

This was such a fun presentation! I really love games and seeing everyone’s varying experiences with games was really interested. I play fighting and mobile games pretty regularly so it was fun to expand the discussion to seeing different genres and types of games.

Seeing the different game to animation and animation to game adaptations was really interesting as well. Ultimately, what I took away from this presentation was that when we’re adapting stories (game <-> animation), we have to understand the medium’s level of interactivity versus passive engagement.

It was nice to see commercial examples like “Arcane” from the game series League of Legends, as well as game-inspired short films like “Octane” (2018).

I was a bit traumatized by the film “Delusional” (2020) and had a few restless nights as a result #lol?

Expanded Platforms: Sophia

This was a really interesting presentation about the scientific foundations of animation (which I would argue is the origin of all cinema), and how the presentation and projection of film can be deconstructed and reconstructed into new spaces.

I really loved the short film “Line Describing a Cone” because it explicitly deconstructs what film projection is: a scientific marvel that utilizes light, machinery, and rotation to create the illusion of moving images.

The clip exploring the Museum of Jurassic Technology was really fun too.

“Congregation” was a really moving and interesting film, and it made me think about how the immigrant experience is closely correlated to religious institutions in their non-native countries.

I was really moved and inspired by the expanded presentation of Studio Ghibli features via an installation in the Studio Ghibli museum, thereby making movies a social experience rather than a passive viewing experience. It gave me a lot to think about in terms of what kind of filmmaking I would like to pursue in my career while adhering to traditional 2D animation.

Sloppy Craft: Jerry

I happened to be competing at Powerlifting America 2025 Nationals this week so I wasn’t able to attend Jerry’s class in person and ended up watching the Zoom presentation afterwards #sad

It was really interesting to learn what sloppy craft was, which is:

•The definition of "sloppy craft" can be summarized as an animation style in which the animator chooses to be technically sloppy. 

• Animators who create sloppy craft animation are not necessarily lacking in traditional artistic skills.

•Sloppy craft animators are exploring new ways to use highly technical CG tools in new and expressive ways.

Seeing sloppy craft in indie and commercial animation work was really interesting, and to be honest, finally learning a term to describe an animation style I’ve seen before was really helpful.

I really love Masaaki Yuasa’s reel since I’m a huge fan of his work. It really embodied the strength of sloppy craft.

Crafty Animation: Sophia

This was a really fun and great presentation on craft animation, and what craft versus fine arts versus craftsmanship means in terms of socioeconomic hierarchies pertaining to gender and class. It was really cool to see the use of craft animation in both the independent and commercial spaces. It was really cool to see the connection of craft to witchcraft, and how the inherent gender dynamics inform what is and isn’t ‘fine art’.

I loved that Sophia talked about Lotte Reiniger and how he amazing art and craftsmanship was diminished by media outlets her day. Sadly, it doesn’t seem like much has changed since her time #PatriarchySucks

I was particularly shaken by the short film “Lucia” (2007) because of how the animation technique was creepy and haunting (I had a bit of a hard time sleeping to be honest). It was really cool to see the film was created via set.

I have very strong opinions about the fine artist Martha Colburn saying she “isn’t an animator” but that’s just me. I really don’t like the idea of someone saying they’re not an animator because of class connotations, but perhaps that’s just me being picky.

I was deeply affected by the clip from “When The Wind Blows” (1986) because of how the film tackles the inhumanity and effects of war on everyday people. As someone who is staunchly anti-war, this hit hard.

Animation for all Bodies and Minds: Ziyun

I really loved the discussion of disability representation in animation, and especially the distinction of disability animation versus crip animation. These were new concepts for me and something I will keep in mind going forward when it comes to disability representation in animation.

In terms of various disability topics, I really enjoyed the spectrum of issues that Ziyun presented:

  • Synthesia

  • Multiple sclerosis

  • Autism Spectrum Disorder

  • Asperger’s Syndrome

  • Alzheimer’s Disease

  • PTSD

Of all the films shown, I was most affected by 'An Eyeful of Sound' (2010), "Orgesticulanismus" (2016), "Sensory Overload" (2013), "Mémorable" (2019), and a clip from "In the Shadow of the Cypress" (2023).

This lecture was a beautiful and important overview about how to properly and sensitively represent various disabilities in animation, and how animation can be a radical act of expression for many disabled folks in the world.

Queering Animation: Hannah

This was such a fun and much needed presentation about queer representation in animation given the state of the world right now.

There was a great discussion about how ‘Pixar-esque’ the short film “In A Heartbeat” (2017) was, and the value of making commercial-like queer films. I would argue that there is always a space for more commercial-like queer stories that don’t necessarily push narrative boundaries because queer representation matters in all aspects of life, elementary and advanced understanding alike.

I really enjoyed the discussion about queer-coding in animation and the interactive moment of seeing which characters in Disney animated films were positive and negatively queer coded. Also, Sailor Moon LBTQIA+ representation is the absolute GOAT #fightme

Radical queer animation is so beautiful to watch and I’m so glad we got to see some during this presentation.

I really enjoyed “Eyes and Horn” (2024) and “1977” (2011) for their radical animation styles and takes on queer identity.

“Blood Bound” (2023) was a fun short film that involved very queer Vietnamese girls who commit murder. It’s nice to see queer people being bad not because they’re queer, but because they’re just petulant girls being petulant.

Lastly, I absolutely LOVED “Coming Out” (2020) as an allegory for trans youth and acceptance. It made me so happy to watch.

Centering Racial, Cultural, National and Ethnic Identities: Hank and me

Hank and I were co-presenters this week, so it was interesting to see how the materials in Hank’s presentation could complement the materials in my presentation. Hank gave a broader overview of world animation while I focused primarily on Indigenous and Native representation in animation around the world.

For Hank’s presentation, I was really interested in the film “Semaforo” (2013) since it used animation to address the social and political violence in Colombia.

I was also really moved by the films “Mine” (1999) and “Sister” (2018). “Mine” was an apt short film that really dove into the horrors of South African apartheid, and “Mine” was a heartbreaking short film about the effects of China’s one child policy.

Hank’s presentation also allowed for a larger discussion about who is and who isn’t allowed to tell which stories, and how the intent, research, and power dynamics play into which films are showcased.

For my presentation, I had a lot of fun creating an interactive environment to get everyone thinking about Indigenous/Native representation around the world, and how animation can help preserve and expand upon Indigenous and Native storytelling. It was really interesting to see differences in how people could identify Indigenous/Native populations in certain parts of the world versus other parts.

Women/Feminism/Sex/Love/Trauma: Yu-Hsia

This past week, Yu-Hsia presented a great overview of the state of women in animation – specifically, how inclusive is the animation industry to representing women in frame and in production.

There were some interesting statistics that she shared from WIA and the Annenberg Inclusionist, as well as the history.

She showed a bunch of great films around womanhood, a lot of which has to do with menstruation, the commodification of the female body and the resistance against such, and trauma.

I was particularly affected by the films “Hemorrhage” (2023) and “Thread” (2019). (Note: I actually saw the WIP of Thread before it was finished, so it’s great to see the film continue to do well 4 years later.)

Non-Linear Narrative: Ziyun

This week’s lecture dealt with non-linear narrative, which is “a storytelling method presented out of chronological order or through other non-linear approaches – aka, my favorite kind of storytelling. Non-linear narratives include storytelling with parallel plot lines, dream sequences, or stories embedded within the main plot, avoiding the typical cause-and-effect sequence of events.” 

I was really interested on the evolution overview of non-linear storytelling as it related to the 20th century cinema. I am curious if there is anything beyond the the 1950s and post-WWII era that relates to non-linear storytelling, but that’s perhaps another day of library research. 

One thing I noticed with all of the short films presented was that while there wasn’t a linear narrative occurring on screen, there was always an encompassing musical melody that tied everything together. The musical melody took over the story or linear narration, and the visuals became secondary to what we were hearing. This was most noticeable with short films like “DADA” (1936) by Mary Ellen Bute. 

I especially enjoyed “The End of the World in Four Seasons” (1995) by Paul Dresden because it breaks the fourth wall and really leans into the strength of animation. It’s an experimental film that utilizes Vivaldi’s Four Seasons as the musical cohesion to create comedy within each seasonal segment. 

I had a similar reaction watching “EMPTY PLACES” (2020) by Geoffroy De Crecy, which manages to find comedy in the dystopia of late-stage capitalism. 

Lastly, I found “The Burden” (2017) by Niki Lindroth Von Baer oddly sweet despite being a dark comedic critique of late-stage capitalism. There is something hopeful and sweet about animals finding ways to express themselves creatively while being crushed by the confines of corporatism and consumerism. 

I was warding off a cold and ended up attending this class remotely, so I had a lot of FOMO when Ziyun introduced the interactive part of her lecture and had our classmates rate a film on the narrative and expressions scales. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed the short films we got to watch. 

Notes:

New Narrative: Jerry and Xiaolong

This past week, Jerry and Xiaolong presented doctoral level theories on narrative and animation, and it was incredibly impressive to see both of my classmates explain and articulate doctorate-level knowledge in their non-primary language. 

“When the Past Lies Ahead and the Future Lags Behind: Backward Narration in Film, Television and Literature” (Brütsch, Matthias)

URL: https://www.zora.uzh.ch/id/eprint/70981/1/Bru%CC%88tsch_Backward_Narration_2012-1.pdf

I was extremely fascinated by Xiaolong’s presentation on new narrative structures, especially when it was broken down into four types as defined by plot vs. events, and episodic vs. sustained. The Brutish theory table that he presented was insightful and interesting, and I am still processing the new concepts. I really enjoyed Jerry’s examples of new narrative structures being incorporated into more mainstream animation, as well as his explanation as to why he chose primarily new American and Japanese animation to showcase this trend. 

Of all the films we watched, I was especially moved by “The Flying Sailor” (2022), and I thoroughly enjoyed the discussion we had on different ways of approaching the story thereafter. 

I did laugh a bit too hard at “A Single Life” (2014), and then it gave me pause on simply enjoying life in the moment instead of trying to skip to the ‘good’ parts. But also, dark comedy for dark times.

This class made me rethink my approach to Nolan’s “Inception” (2010), which I am still deeply critical about because I consider it an inferior derivative of Kon’s “Paprika” (2006) – but I am willing to watch Nolan’s dream heist again just to see how the film could have incorporated new narrative structures instead. 

Notes: