ART 343 History of Animation

Spring, 2011 Thursday 4:00 - 6:50 PM, PUP 105
Instructor: Dan Bailey bailey@umbc.edu
Office: ITE 101E, 410-455-2163
Office Hours: by appointment

 

Course Description: Art 343 History of Animation will survey the international evolution of animation from its origins in late 19th century cinema to contemporary times. We will analyze animation as both a popular and a fine art, and try to understand how the intersection of art and commerce has shaped the field. We will consider a wide range of works from cartoons to "absolute" animation, and try to discern how this mode of filmmaking can express both an individual artists' vision as well as reflect society's myths and mores. We will study the rise of the American and European animation studios, and contrast their output with the tradition of the independent artist-animator. We will consider the development of animation as a distinct and original form of film language, and try to see how it has been both influenced by and an influence on the wider world of cinema.

 

Course Goals: To expose students to the broad rubric of animation and to see how this diversity of making reflects cultural, historical and artistic values and norms.

 

Course Structure: Class time will be divided between screenings of seminal animated films, lectures and class discussion. Both the lectures and the assigned readings will introduce the wider historical, cultural and technological contexts that gave rise to the films being studied. Students will be expected to have read the assigned readings for each class and to come prepared to participate in class discussion.

 

Course Requirements: The required text is Of Mice and Magic by Leonard Maltin (New York: Plume Books, 1987). Additional readings will be on E-Reserve through the library (E-Reserve, username = art343sp11 password = mickeymouse). Students will be expected to arrive on time for all classes and to have completed assigned weekly readings before each class. Cell phones should be turned off for the duration of class. Attendance will be taken at each class and more than two unexcused absences and/or chronic lateness will result in a lower final grade. If you miss a quiz, you will need to have emailed me in advance of your inability to attend that class or have provided a doctor's note (or equivalent excuse) by the following class in order to take a make-up quiz.

 

Grades: Grades will be based on a mid-term exam (25%), a final exam (25%), the "Crowd Source Curating" animation clip with written context assignment (20%), and on a series of four quizzes (30%) to be given at unannounced times throughout the semester. Only the top three quiz scores will be used to calculate final grade.

 

Quizzes, Final and Mid-Term exams: The final and the mid-term exams will consist of short-answer questions drawn from the material presented in the lectures, the readings and the films. The quizzes will be short-answer questions based on the material presented in the previous week's class along with that week's reading assignment. Students should plan to take careful notes both in and out of class.

 

Crowd Source Curating: Animation Clip with Written Context: Students will share a short online video clip (YouTube, Vimeo, etc) of an animation that they find compelling and relates to the History of Animation. A link to the clip along with a short paragraph putting the animation in context (why the individual finds it interesting, and how it relates to the history of animation) is emailed to the Instructor by May 1. During class these clips will be selected randomly to be screened along with the paragraph of context. Clips will be screened until class ends or there are no more clips. Optional: bring popcorn and a friend. A full list of links, clips and text will be available to all class members in case all the clips cannot be screened. Clips need to be under 3 minutes or realize that just the first 3 minutes will be screened.

Academic Honesty: By enrolling in this course, each student assumes the responsibilities of an active participant in UMBC's scholarly community in which everyone's academic work and behavior are held to the highest standards of honesty. Cheating, fabrication, plagiarism, and helping others to commit these acts are all forms of academic dishonesty, and they are wrong. Academic misconduct could result in disciplinary action that may include, but is not limited to, suspension or dismissal. To read the full Student Academic Conduct Policy, consult the UMBC Student Handbook, the Faculty Handbook, or the UMBC Policies section of the UMBC Directory.

Grading Rubric

All exams, quizzes, and the "Crowd Source Curating" assignment will be graded on a 100 point scale where:

90-100 = A
80-89 = B
70-79 = C
60-69 = D
Below 60 = F

The average of these scores will constitute the final grade.

Of the 4 quizzes, the lowest quiz score will be thrown out. Only the highest 3 quiz scores will be used in the final grade average.

Missed quizzes due to unexcused absences or late arrivals will be scored as a zero and will not be thrown out.

Quizzes will test information from the week's reading assignment and from the prior classes' lecture.

Mid-term and final exams will test the following broad areas:

* Knowledge and understanding of the variety of animation genres.

* Knowledge of those who have significantly contributed to the history of animation.

* Knowledge and understanding of animation history as a global phenomenon.

* Knowledge and understanding of the historical development of animation styles, techniques and technologies.

* Knowledge of animation vocabulary.

* Ability to critically analyze animated films as reflections of social, political and aesthetic values and conditions.

 

 

ART 343 History of Animation

Calendar and Screening Schedule
(Schedule subject to change without warning)

 

January 27

Defining the Territory: towards a definition of animation. Selected excerpts of animation and near-animation films from origins to present day will be screened to introduce us to the range and complexity of the question, what is animation or where do we draw the lines?

Cinema Beginnings: pre-animation toys, beginnings of filmmaking.

The Toy That Grew Up

Biography of the Motion Picture Camera

Lumiere, Premiere Program

Fantasie de Melies, 1903, Melies

Great Train Robbery, 1903, Edwin Porter, Edison Films

Assignment for Next Class: Reading for Feb 3rd: Chapter One, The Silent Era, in Of Mice And Magic, pp. 1-28

 

 

February 3: First Animated Films: Blackton, Cohl, McCay

Humorous Phases of Funny Faces, 1907 Blackton

Fantasmagorie, 1908, Emil Cohl

Joyuous Microbes, 1909, Emil Cohl

Automated Moving Company, 1910, Emil Cohl

Little Nemo, 1911, McCay

Gertie the Dinosaur, 1914, McCay

Sinking of the Lusitania, 1918, McCay

Cartoons on the Beach, 1915, Raoul Barre

Colonel Heeza Liar, 1917, John Bray (excerpts)

Bobby Bump Puts a Beanry on the Bum, 1918, Bray, Earl Hurd

Dinosaur and the Missing Link, 1916, Willis O'Brien

Assignment for Next Class: Reading for Feb 10: Chapter 3, Max Fleischer, in Of Mice And Magic, pp. 79 - 120

 

 

February 10: Beginnings of American Studio Production: Messmer/Sullivan, Fleischer Brothers

Felix in Hollywood, 1923, Messmer/Sullivan

Felix Dopes It Out, 1924, Messmer/Sullivan

Comicalamities 1928, Messmer/Sullivan

Reminds Me of You, 1934, Fleischer Brothers

Modeling, Ko-Ko the Clown, 1921, Fleischer Brothers

Dizzy Dishes, (excerpt) 1930, Bimbo and Betty Boop, Fleischer Brothers

Bimbo's Initiation, 1931, Bimbo and Betty Boop, Fleischer Brothers

Boop-Oop-a-Doop (excerpt) Betty Boop, 1932, Fleischer Brothers

Betty Boop's Penthouse, Betty Boop, 1932, Fleischer Brothers

Snow White, Betty & Cab Calloway, 1933, Fleischer Brothers

Little Swee'Pea, Popeye, 1936, Fleischer Brothers

Popeye Meets Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves, 1937, Fleischer Brothers

Superman, 1941, Fleischer Brothers

Assignment for Next Class: Read on E-reserve: "E1", Pioneers of Pictorial Animation in Europe, Chapter 3, Pages 72-99, from Experimental Animation 3.

 

 

Feb 17: Beginnings of European Pictorial Animation

Revenge of the Kinematograph Cameraman, 1912, Ladislas Starevitch

Three Wishes, Lotte Reininger,

Prince Achmed (excerpts), Lotte Reininger, 1926

The Animation of Lotte Reininger Documentary

L'Idee, 1931, Berthold Bartosch

Alexieff at the Pinboard, Documentary

The Nose, 1963, Alexander Alexieff and Claire Parker

Night on Bald Mountain, 1933, Alexander Alexieff and Claire Parker

 

Assignment for Next Class: Reading for Feb 10: Chapter 2, Walt Disney in Of Mice And Magic, pp. 29 – 78

 

 

February 24: Disney and Warner Brothers

Alice Rattled by Rats, 1925

Great Guns, Oswald the Rabbit, 1927

Steamboat Willie, 1928

Skelton Dance, Silly Symphony, 1929

The Three Little Pigs, Silly Symphony 1933

Music Land, Silly Symphony, 1935

Snow White (excerpts), 1937

Porky in Wackyland, 1938 (Dough for Do-Do 1949 Bob Clampett

Daffy Doc, 1938, Bob Clampett

You Ought To Be In Pictures, 1940, Fritz Freleng (Daffy and Porky)

DuckAMuck, 1953, Chuck Jones (Daffy Duck)

Wackiki Wabbit, 1943, Chuck Jones (Bugs Bunny)

What's Opera Doc?, 1956, Chuck Jones, (Bugs Bunny)

Rabbit of Seville, Chuck Jones (Bugs Bunny)

Coal Black and de Sebben Dwarfs, 1942, Bob Clampett

 

Assignment for Next Class: Reading for Feb 10: Chapter 9, Warner Brothers in Of Mice And Magic, pp. 220 – 274

 

March 3: European and Japanese Studios

Class cancelled due to Fire

Assignment for Next Class: Study for Mid-Term Exam

 

 

March 10: Mid-Term Exam, 1 hour.

Motions Studies, Oskar Fischinger

Fantasia, Walt Disney

Allegro Non-Troppo, Brunno Bozetto

Assignment for Next Class: Read on E-Reserve: "E2", Pioneers of Abstract Animation in Europe, Chapter 2, Pages 33-71, from Experimental Animation

 

March 17: Absolute Animation: Part 1

Lichtspeil Opus I, 1921, Walter Ruttman

Richter on Film, Cecille Starr Documentary

Rhythm 21, 1921, Hans Richter

Diagonal Symphony, Viking Eggeling, 1921-24

Studies, excerpts from various studies, Oskar Fischinger

Murratti Privit Cigarettes, 1935, Oskar Fischinger

Composition in Blue 1934, Oskar Fischinger

Allegretto 1936, Oskar Fischinger

Color Flight, Len Lye, 1938

Color Cry, Len Lye, 1952

Free Radicals, Len Lye, 1957

 

Assignment for Next Class: Read on E-Reserve (All from Experimental Animation):

"E5" Norman McLaren and the National Film Board, Chapter 5, pages 116-118

Sections of "E3" Pages 160-162, and 137-141, on Paul Sharits and Harry Smith,

Sections of "E4" Pages 178-196, Introduction and the sections on Whiney, Schwartz, and Knowlton

 

Spring Break: March 21-25

 

March 31: Absolute Animation: Part 2

Early Abstractions #1-5,7, and 10, Harry Smith, 1939-57

Mothlight, Stan Brakhage, 1963

T.O.U.C.H.I.N.G. Paul Sharits, 1968

Begone Dull Care, Norman McLaren, 1949

Blinkity Blank, Norman Mclaren, 1955

Synchromy, Norman McLaren, 1971

Experiment in Motion Graphics Documentary on Whitney Brothers

Lapis, James Whitney, 1963-66

Permutations, John Whitney, 1967,

 

Assignment for Next Class: Read on E-Reserve (All from Experimental Animation):

Section of "E3" Pages 131-136, on Robert Breer,

Sections of "E4" Pages 197-202, on Stan Vanderbeek

 

April 7: Rise of Independent Artists

Pixillation, Lillian Schwartz, Ken Knowlton, 1970

UFO's, Lillian Schwartz, Ken Knowlton, 1971

Two Space, Larry Cuba, 1978

Moonbird, John and Faith Hubley, 1959

Windy Day, excerpt, Faith Hubley, 1967

Science Friction, VanDerBeek, 1959

Breath Death, VanDerBeek, 1964, excerpts

Gulls and Buoys, Breer

LMNO, Breer, excerpts

Bang, Breer

Optional: Look ahead and do the Video Clip Assignment that is due May 1.

 

April 14: Independents Continued

Crocus, Susan Pitt, 1971

Asparagus, Susan Pitt, 1975

Joy Street, Susan Pitt,

Drawing the Passing, 1998, William Kentridge

Fun on Mars, Sally Cruikshank, 1971

Quasi at the Quackadero, excerpt, Sally Cruikshank, 1975

Credit Sequence from Ruthless People, Sally Cruikshank, 1986

Balloon Guy, Chris Wedge, 1987

Bunny, Chris Wedge, 1998

Gone Nutty (Scrat), Chris Wedge, 2002

Bambi Meets Godzilla, Marv Newland, 1969

Optional: Look ahead and do the Video Clip Assignment that is due May 1.

 

April 21: Stop Motion and Puppet Animation

The Hand, Jiri Trnka, 1965

Dojohi (Temple) exceprt, Kinochiro Kawamoto, 1976

Dimensions of Dialogue, Jan Svankmajer, 1982

Alice, Jan Svankmajer, 1988

Street of Crocodiles, Brothers Quay, 1986

Sledgehammer, Music Video, Peter Grabiel

Tom Thumb, Bolex Brothers

 

Assignment for Next Class: Read on E-Reserve (All from Experimental Animation):

Sections of "E4" Pages 203-205, on Peter Foldes

 

April 28 Early Computer Animation

Hunger, Peter Foldes, 1974

The Story of Computer Graphics, SIGGRAPH, 1999

Luxo Jr. PIXAR, excerpt, John Lasseter, 1986

Tin Toy, PIXAR, excerpt, John Lasseter, 1988

Snack and Drink, Bob Sabiston, 2000

Bingo, Chris Landreth, 1998

The End, Chris Landreth, 1995

Ryan, Chris Landreth, 2004

The Spine, Chris Landreth, 2009

Walking, excerpt, Ryan Larkin, 1969

Street Musique, excerpt, Ryan Larkin, 1972

 

 

Assignment for Next Class: Find an online Video Clip of an animation that you find interesting, compelling and relates to the History of Animation. Email this link to the Instructor along with a short paragraph explaining why you selected this clip and how it relates to the History of Animation. Deadline for emailing is the evening of Monday, May 1.

 

May 5: Open Source Online Animation Clips

Students will share a short online video clip (YouTube, Vimeo, etc) of an animation that they find compelling and relates to the History of Animation. A link to the clip along with a short paragraph putting the animation in context (why the individual finds it interesting, and how it relates to the history of animation) is emailed to the Instructor by May 1. During class these clips will be selected randomly to be screened along with the paragraph of context. Clips will be screened until class ends or there are no more clips. Optional: bring popcorn and a friend. A full list of links, clips and text will be available to all class members in case all the clips cannot be screened. Clips need to be under 3 minutes or realize that just the first 3 minutes will be screened.

 

May 12: Final Exam