After the last week, I went and did some research on the potential topics for a critical report. I found a lot of journals and reports that can be useful in creating a complex and academically challenging question. In my essay, I would like to be precise and focus on the details. The challenge may be not to overdo the research or create a subject that already has an answer to the research question. Therefore, I decided to structure my report around the analysis of one animation work – Fish Night, the twelfth episode of the first volume of LOVE DEATH + ROBOTS. Not only is this a great piece of art showing the thoughtful use of colour theory, but it’s also a work by a VFX studio that I admire a lot – Platige Image. The Film Language and Research lecture also influenced my thinking about colours in the context of the mise-en-scène; the relationship between shots and colour, animation staging, etc. In response to the assignment, I came up with the following brief:
Title: A study on the immersive value of colour art in TV animation focused on the short “Fish Night” from the TV series “LOVE DEATH + ROBOTS”
Introduction: Colour art explains the effects of colours on people and sets off the overall emotional tone of TV animation, expressing the value ideas behind the creation. I would like to examine how choosing bold colours based on the colour theory can effectively convey the character’s thoughts and feelings without losing the medium’s immersion.
Keywords:
Colour theory
Animation
Immersion
Atmosphere
Aesthetic value
Bibliography:
Ambrose, G. and Harris, P. (1971) Colour. Lausanne : AVA Publishing SA.
Curtis, C., Dart, K., Latzko, T., and Kahrs, J. (2019) Non-Photorealistic Animation for Immersive Storytelling. Genoa: The Eurographics Association.
de Ruiter, E. and Lacet, M. (2006-2007) ‘Immersive Animation’. Gatze Zonneveld EMMA ISCA. Available at: (Accessed: 16 October 2022).
Glebas, F. (2013) The animator’s eye: adding life to animation with timing, layout, design, colour and sound. Burlington, Massachusetts: Focal Press.
Guild, T., Back, A. and Merrell, J. (2013) Colour deconstructed. London: Quadrille Publishing.
Shamsuddin, A. (2013) ‘Evaluating Content Based Animation through Concept Art’, International Journal of Trends in Computer Science, 2 (11)
Zollinger, H. (1999) Color: a multidisciplinary approach. Zürich: Verlag Helvetica Chimica Acta.
Additional resources:
https://platige.com/project/feature/fish-night/.
https://www.behance.net/gallery/93472199/LOVE-DEATH-ROBOTS-Fish-Night
Feedback: My research question is unclear, especially since the word “value” has many definitions, so I should change it. There is also a problem with the assumptions around colour theory because I should not try to assign uncertain meanings without reliable sources.
Instead, I decided to focus more on the narrative use of colour scripts rather than emotional responses. Colour is assertive non-verbal communication. I could write about many aspects of this storytelling device: tints and filters, specific objects, transitions and symbolism, and costumes. However, I believe studying colour as an element of mise-en-scène can help me focus on the topic and make it more specific. I should also consider the purpose of using certain colours or having an absence of colour. I plan to analyse the meaning of colour palettes and how they help visualise the entire movie.
https://www.fourthwallcontent.com/post/colour-in-film
Possible research questions:
- How do colours influence the animation staging (how it affects the placement and settings of the characters, as well as the length of the shots, etc.)?
- Do the colour palettes of subsequent scenes comply with the principles of screen direction and continuity? How does it work with an animation layout?
Task 2: Evidence of understanding the term mise-en-scène.
1. Settings & Props:
The repeated shots of the clock end at the most decisive moment when the minute hand reaches noon.
The use of spatial composition at the intersection from the railway track shot to the church interior shot. It is almost like an announcement of impending death.
Similarly, an empty chair and shots of an abandoned city build a mood of horror.
2. Costume, Hair & Makeup:
The costumes indicate that there are likely two opposing groups in this conflict (one in messy clothes and one well-dressed).
3. Positioning of characters/objects within the frame:
Shots are consistently getting closer and closer, from long and medium shots to big close-ups.