Regarding Animation

The author of this article on animation brings to light many interesting aspects about animation. His initial description of Orthodox animation was one that I had never fully considered; that is, that it “facilitates an industrial process.” But it makes so much sense, that the most effective mode of narrative animation would involve many facets and therefore many different jobs. The other properties of Orthodox animation - configuration, specific continuity, narrative form, etc. - helped me to see more clearly the distinction between Orthodox animation and Experimental animation. The author’s description of abstract animation as “redefining the body” with regards to configuration made clear that narrative content isn’t the primary focus of Experimental animation. I had always had some sort of implicit quasi-understanding of what made Experimental animation different from the typical Disney cartoons, but reading about each categorical distinction really hammers the nail on the head. For example, the difference between the evolution of context vs. materiality - Experimental animation doesn’t put forth ideas and characters that fit into a narrative context. The context for Experimental animation is often just the very materials used for animation. Coupled with sound, the result can be something intended to challenge the conventional expectations of the typical animation viewer. Hooray for challenging expectations!