Animania

I make no secret of it; Walt Disney was (and still is) my biggest idol and inspiration. While my writing style isn't quite the same, it is something like his position that I dream of being in (and I'm not entirely talking about the wealth ;)).

As I begin this paragraph, it is about 5 hours later. Mainly because the power went out for 3 or so hours. When sitting in darkness, one has plenty of time to think; and sing the numerous Disney songs remembered from childhood (and more recently), but that's another story :)

I'm stating an obvious point here, but, when the power goes out, it becomes quite clear how much we depend on electricity. I had a brief moment of panic when I realised I couldn't access the internet, and wondered how I could possibly get to Facebook to alert people of the fact (I had left a few people mid-conversation; I am not really that vain ;)).

Not only that; shock horror, I had to rely on the stove for cooking, since the kettle, oven and microwave all run on electricity (thank goodness we have a gas stove!).

Now I've been through all that, I'll introduce the point of this post; the evolution of artistic expression (and I realise I've partly touched on this in another post). By 'artistic expression', I mean in two forms; firstly, the expression of mental images. Setting down on paper, or animating on screen, those ideas and images which are born from individuals' imaginations. Secondly, the benefits and drawbacks of modern technologies used to create these images.

Before I get on with that, I want to get the minds rolling; this video is a behind-the-scenes look at the first works of the legendary Walt Disney.



What I found most incredible about this video was the amount of work, and patience, that must've gone into those drawings. Looking at a movie like Avatar, or more recent flash animated films, they are amazing works, but I wonder whether they are truly expressing the imagined images of the creator, or if technology is actually allowing special effects to manipulate them into something, perhaps more pleasing / exciting / unpredictable, for the audience? I suggest this not out of lack of appreciation for classic film (because, I assure you, I feel quite the opposite), but because I know audiences tire of predictability, and people constantly crave new inventions; the latest fashions / trends.

Which brings me to my next point - technology makes most things easier, and generally allows us to use our time more efficiently. However, is the decrease in mental and physical stimulation perhaps causing greater problems for our emotional welfare? Statistics show the cases of depression are increasing ... but I won't go into that now. I think the point I'm trying to make (which I've only discovered as I've been writing this) is there has got to be some kind of healthy balance between preserving classic artistic expression, incorporating modern technologies, maintaining and increasing mental welfare, and protecting the environment (the toss up between classic and modern animation.. although both use a ton of paper).

The easy part was stating that. Unfortunately, it's a lot more difficult to find the balance; hopefully it is possible.

Also, I just really wanted to include that Disney video in this blog somehow ;)