This was one of those weeks where I was feeling like absolute garbage (aka on the verge of being sick), so I had to stay home and zoom into the presentation.
I super familiar with Studio Ghibli’s filmography, as well as the ethos and philosophies of founders Hayao Miyazaki and the late Isao Takahata. What I found very interesting was the discussion of what kind of filmmakers we wanted to be: a collaborative type or a dictator.
To be honest, while I understand Miyazaki’s stance and position when it comes to his animation workflow, I also see his strength as an inherent weakness and a product of his time. Japanese society is still incredibly patriarchal and hierarchal, and he could only achieve the kind of work he puts out with the social structures in place that he is also deeply critical of.
I really enjoyed watching the documentary “Never Ending Man” (2016) since it was such a great overview of how he works, and especially his stance on the use of A.I. in animation.