Fmp2 research

Target Audience Research-Animation
This (top) graph is not the best source of stats on my target audience
because it is not data for the UK but I can infer that there will be a
similar trend with UK audiences. Also the graph is not accurate as
some of the age groups are larger than others which means that
these sections should have a lower percentage than is represented
on the graph. This graph shows that animations mostly appeal to
children.
The second graph shows the thirty highest grossing animated films. I
have noticed that every single one of these is animated using CGI
animation which may be due to the fact that as a rule of thumb CGI
needs a larger budget and the larger animated films are usually
made by Disney or Pixar those movies will get a lot of publicity
automatically. This also confirms the theory that that animations are
mainly aimed at children. I will, however, aim my animation at the
18+ audience because it will be quite graphic.

Target Audience Research- science fiction content
• There is a more interesting piece of online research that gathered used 909 respondents and was aimed at
primarily readers of science fiction and fantasy. One of the conclusions from this piece of research is that
people who read science fiction are characterized by ‘openness to and belief in science.”
• Even though the research was done on readers of science fiction and fantasy these respondents tended also
‘to watch tv film science fiction or fantasy as well as reading” (Menadue, C 2018). The majority of the
respondents also tended to believe that “the reading of science fiction inspired comprehension” of science
itself ((Menadue, C 2018) The mean age of respondents was 42. and females made up 54.5 percent of the
respondents though ‘mean, mode, and median ages were all lower for females”(Menadue, C 2018)
• The fact that females however have a higher percentage of readers in this one online survey does not mean
that they are bigger consumers of sci fi films which tend to appeal more to males. For instance if you look at
the user ratings for a sci fi like Dune below the vast majority of respondents will be male even though for this
film both males and females in overall age categories, as a percentage, rated it equally at 6.5. By far the
largest viewing group though for this film are males from 30 – 49. See graph on next page.

Target Audience Research- science fiction content - Dune
There seems to be a general consensus that sci fi films tend to appeal
more to a young male audience. One piece of study suggests it appeals
mostly to “males between 17 and 29.” (Dalesio 2021).
There appears to be similar results when we look at the demographics of the user ratings for two of the
films I looked at which have influenced my own product Elysium and District 9. Both films appear most
popular though with females under 18 at 7.3 but females make up far less of the respondents. I it has
highest user rating with males for the age group between 18 and 29 again.

District 9
Elysium
One of the limitations of using the menadue
research to inform my own production is the target
audience tend to be heavy readers which may not
be the case for my own target audience of people
who are interested in a sci fi animation/movies. If
you look also at the top grossing sci fi movies as
listed below very few of them are films, with
the exception of the matrix reloaded, that deal
with complex scientific concepts. They tend to be
action and adventure sci fi movies. However, my
own production will be also be action based rather
than purely science-concept based so it may
appeal to a similar audience that goes for the top
grossing list on the next page.

Top-Grossing Movies 1995-2021, Adjusted for Ticket Price Inflation

Existing Audience Research- science fiction content
• However, we can’t assume that an audience who finds top grossing sci fi films appealing would also
watch short low budget sci fi animation. So, for my target audience research I need to look at a target
audience for animation also and even then a target audience for short low budget animation may be
very different from Big Box Office animation such as disney, pixar, or even studio ghibli. If we look at
reasonably big budget Japanese sci fi animation such as Akira, Neo Tokyo and their target audience it
may give us insight into my own animation target audience. Japan is the “second largest producer of
science fiction in the world” (Anon 2020) and some anime “is aimed at adults” (Anon 2020) and Akira
could be classed as a cyberpunk film much like Bladerunner where the hero tends to be more of an anti-
hero (Anon 2020). I like to use anti-heroes also and in my own animation productions so far I have used
the antihero. This animation will involve an anti-hero and how a state or society can adopt rutheless
and morally questionable means to win and defeat so called evils. In short my target audience will be
interested in a genre of productions where the boundaries of good and bad are not clearly defined and
what we have is more just competing power struggles between equally flawed sides. Similar to Akira I
am more interested in a target audience that is interested in alternative world orders rather than just
high tech worlds. In terms of psychograhics such products as Akira and Bladerunner and my own
product would appeal to what are termed as explorers who tend to be open to new experiences
(Stammers 2013) It also appeals to reformers’ (Stammers, 2013) who tend to make more “free from
restrictions, make independent judgements, acceptance of complexity” (Stammers, 2013) and have a
tendency to challenge the status quo. This target audience appeal applies especially to the fact that
there is some moral ambiguity in my plot and the actions of the hero. However my production will be
action heavy and will also appeal to those primarily looking strictly for entertainment and escapism and
will meet the uses and gratification primarily of entertainment as described in Blumler and Katz’s four
needs theory (Blumler and Klatz 1974)

Target Audience Research- Bibliography
• Anon; 2021. [online] Available at: <https://www.ukessays.com/essays/animation/exploring-science-fiction-
through-animation-akira-1988-and-wall-e-2008.ph> [Accessed 3 February 2021].
• Blomkamp Neill, Elysium, 2013, Tristar Pictures, USA.
• Blomkamp Neill; District 9; 2009, Wingnut Films, Qed International, Tristar Pictures; New Zealand, USA, South
Africa
• Blumler, J. and Katz, E., 1974. The uses of mass communications. Beverly Hills: Sage Publications.
• Daleisio, 2021. Demographic for science fiction. [online] Slideshare.net. Available at:
<https://www.slideshare.net/Daleisio/demographic-for-science-fiction> [Accessed 4 February 2021].
• MDb User Ratings District 9, 2009; https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1136608/
• IMDb User Ratings Elysium, 2013; https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1535108/ratings
• IMDb User Ratings, Dune, 1984, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087182/ratings
• Kimberley, J., Kimberley, J. and profile, V., 2021. Audience Targeting in Sci-Fi Movies. [online]
Joshkimberley.blogspot.com. Available at: <http://joshkimberley.blogspot.com/2016/02/audience-targeting-
in-sci-fi- movies.html> [Accessed 3 February 2021].
• Menadu, C; Jacups, S; SAGE Journals. 2021. Who Reads Science Fiction and Fantasy, and How Do They Feel
About Science? Preliminary Findings From an Online Survey; 2018; - [online] Available at:
<https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2158244018780946> [Accessed 3 February 2021].
• Stammers, John, 2013. Psychographic profiling. [online] Slideshare.net. Available at:
<https://www.slideshare.net/jayjammerz/psychographic-profiling> [Accessed 3 February 2021].
• The Numbers. 2021. The Numbers - Box Office Performance History for Science Fiction Movies. [online]
Available at: <https://www.the-numbers.com/market/creative-type/Science-Fiction> [Accessed 3
February 2021].

7th by Sara Pocock-Existing Product
• The above animation is called 7th by Sara Pocock and it featured in the 2011
Aesthetica film festival. It makes great use of light, darkness, shadow to create fear.
The protagonist is drawn in a different style to the characters she perceives to be
threatening. Her style is more cartoonish and she has unrealistic proportions with her
completely round face and eyes whereas the characters she feels threatened by are
drawn with dimensions that are more similar to what people look like but with
jagged cubist edges see below at 3.34secs. This difference works in emphasizing the
protagonist's sense of alienation and fear. I intend to do a sci fi animation which will
involve beings from different planets and they will obviously look different but it may
be that they could be stylistically different in the way they are drawn too. I am
undecided but I like the idea. Much of the mis en scene in this animation is
influenced by painting and there is a mix of styles here too where some of the shots
are in a more expressionist style with what look like heavy brushstrokes whereas in
other shots objects and buildings are more clearly defined like a photo as they are in
the cityscape shot below at (1.36) . In terms of colour scheme it usually uses a narrow
palette which compliments it taking place at night and the animator does a lot with
black and orange to contrast light and shadow and the whites of her eyes.

7th Sara Pocock
• The characters are partly translucent and have shapes, colours, albeit shifting colour depending on
what is happening in their environment and we see shapes and light moving through their body. At one
point we see fire flickering in the main character's skull which is a great way of conveying her
being emotionally aroused see (3.38). The way the character's change colour in reaction to what
happens in their environment compliments the passivity of the girl and the way the environment
imposes itself on her se (2.15). Another technique used is that the more paranoid she gets the more
mis en scene begins to move in a way that represents an internal landscape where the road becomes
curved and things lose their initial dimensions and monster shadows begin to appear see below (3.24)
. There are a range of camera angles used convey scale both from a groundseye view see below (50
secs) or a birds eye view.
• It’s a simple story too which my own product will be. We just know from the beginning that she is lost
and scared and trying to find a friend in the dark which is conveyed through a text. There is no dialogue
and it doesn’t need any as fear, threat, and being lost is a simple idea and the animator just lets the
visuals and sound effects tell the story. The sound effects are not overdone and there is good use of
silence where we can hear the characters breath or footsteps before a sound effect kicks in some of
which are the sounds of the city at night that the character can hear like a tram whistling past see see
below (1.55), a car braking, a street buzzing, whereas other sounds are like metallic groans or huge
breaths (1.33) or creaks which may or may not be actual sounds and seem to come from the city as a
whole this adds to the sense of paranoia.

7th by Sara Pocock
• See below how use of a text message gives us all we need to know
about the plot at 38 seconds into the film really quickly. She does get
off at the wrong stop.
(50 secs)Street light looming
above her makes her look small.
Grounsdeye view camera shots.
Cityscape at (1.36) provides nice contrast
in scale between her looking diminutive
on pavement. Threatening music kick in
at this point. Echoey and metallic in
nature to connote vastness. The city itself
is depicted as alive almost like a creature.
(39. Secs) text from friend

Sara Pocock 7th
Train screams past at
1.55. Creates surprise and threat.
Fear is created through by sudden
sounds in the environment.
(2.15) Posture emphazises
fear but also the way
that the environment is
able to force a colour
change in the character
evokes passivity.
Lights of train like lights of
animals at 2.17. Train's
eyes drawn in same style
as her own – round. Similar
Style creates the
assumption it is a creature.

Sara Pocock 7th
3.38 Transluscent character – depiction of flames inside her evoking
that she is emotionally aroused.

Sara Pockock 7th
Use of orange and brown. Man in shadow evokes
unrescognisable hence fear. Lights flicker at (2.52)
threatening complete darkness and uncertainty.
(3.34) Hint of Cubist style –
sharper- denoting threat.
(34 sec)Less realistic style - curves
– softer.
(19 secs) No line or features to
bodies – just colour and light
creates discomfort.
3.24. Totally internal landscape as
panic sets in.

Neo Tokyo - Running Man- Existing Product Analysis
• I researched the short Japanese action anime Running Man by Yoshiaki Kawajiri https://youtu.be/0G9YoHqU-
K0 which is part of a collection of animes titled Neo Tokyo. I chose to look at Running Man because of its science
fiction qualities. It is high energy - colours flash, images vibrate. Everything in a way conveys power and emotion
or rage struggling to contain itself and about to burst out as is demonstrated in the way the characters lips
and eyelids vibrate. This is further complimented by the speed of the sequences with its sharp cuts from flashing
neon signs to racing cars. In this footage speed is then slowed down so you can see things blowing apart in more
detail. I love what it does with light and how it seems to combine organic organisms with high tech artificial
lighting so that the characters look like a combination of carbon based creatures and silicon based creatures.
The machine like qualities are reinforced in that the characters face is stretched at perfect right angles creating
edges which would normally only be found on a made product such as a car. It’s as if things are almost made out
of light and this gives them a fluidity and strangeness that they wouldn’t otherwise have - such as when the
character breaks apart at the end and then becomes a shadow silhouette of himself with a background of a
bright single colour.

Neo Tokyo – Running Man
In the slides below I would like to bring your attention in a more structured fashion, shot by shot, to two things running man
does exceptionally well. Firstly we will look at metamorphoses and how this is achieved particularly through its use of the
colour red. We will then go back a little in the clip and look at how we arrived at the metamorphoses and how tension,
energy, and irresistable force is built through its varying use of speed and imagery.
If we look at figure below we can see that the red light light source circulates around the machine encasement then as
tension builds we see that the red blood begins to flow from the characters nose in figure 2 the metal encasing explodes
from his head in figure 3 and from this point on we move to more fluid looking metamorphoses we begin with metal and
machinery and we end in light by the time we reach figure 6. Or another way of putting it is we move from the source
that creates the light to the power in itself free of the source. The red and yellow colour scheme is consitent throughout
red being a colour that is commonly used throughout many art forms to denote rage. If you take a look at figure 5 Running
Man is really playing with our idea of texture here. Even though we know it light it also has a solid look to it and looks likes
metal spikes, or protruding horns from his face. Similarly even though know the blood is liquid it also has the texture of
light.

Neo Tokyo Running Man - Metamorphoses
Fig 2 – 1.58 sec in video
Fig 1 - 1min 46 sec in video Fig 3 - 2.17 sec
Click to add text
Fig 4 – 2.22 sec
Fig 4 - 2.24 sec Fig 6 – 2.44

Neo Tokyo – Running Man - Speed – Tension - Power Energy
Figures 1 to 3 below exemplify how this sequence uses speed to build tension. The racig cars are played at
normal frame rate which and they are going at a terrific speed. Figure 2 and 3 are played in slow motion
though. We have a beautiful image off a cigarette bouncing off the floor and the glass falling like a rain.
Because the last two images are slowed down we are able to see the detail in them – the multiple shards
and the sparks from the cigarettes. The contrast with the speed of the cars makes us aware of the violent
explosions and chaos that is being slowed down in the majority of the sequences following and that we
would not be able to see them in normal speed enhancing our appreciation of the chaos we are
witnessing. Our attention is also being drawn to te process of animation itself and the number of frames
and detail involved to create an explosion.
Figures 4 to 7 display images of pressure building, e have a crack in the glass then we cut back later to it and
it has splintered further and then finally explodes. This is cut with images of the character vibrating and
pressure dials, light shifting over structures, racing cars. It builds the sense of an irresistible force really
well but cuts between different images rather than lingering on image to long. This gives us the sense
that pressure is building in many different places at once.

Fig 1 – 1min 7 sec Slow Motion
Fig 1 46 seconds Normal speed
Fig 5 - 1.15 sec
Fig 3 – 1.19 seconds (Slow
Motion
Fig 4 - 57 second
Fig 6 - 1.16 se
Fig 7 – 18 sec – pressure
gages

Neo Tokyo – Running man – Influence on my own production
• In terms of my own production the running man sequence has given
me a good example of how to convey power and energy trough not
just imagery but the speed of the film and the mixing of different
speeds in different shots and also how flitting between different
images and places is a good way of capturing the same atmosphere or
thing building in lots of places at once. It's a simple technique used in
film and animation regularly but it works well here.

Fist Of The North Star
• Both these animations are always changing the colors of the foreground and background
giving you the sense that this is a world where colour is unstable and can be played with
like a light show almost. In figure 1 below the background is a motionless cloudy sky
whereas I figure 2 on the slide below the background has switched to a blanket red
which is moving extremely quickly and bears no resemblance to the natural world. This
techniques is often used to convey force and energy in this case vioent energy and helps
dramatise and compliment action sequences. This technique is very efficient because it
conveys that the characters are moving in the direction that the lines are traveling
without having to animate the character's body. This technique can be seen at 2:36 in
the video Fist of the North Star - Kenshiro vs Jagi (english dub) [Part
1] https://youtu.be/22ukIQVxRzc. There are a lot of shortcuts used in Fist of the North
Star. For instance during fight scenes many of the character's frames are repeated and
also the backgrounds are usually made up of a water colour painting which gives off a
general shape of the background. Not only does this save time but also adds a sense of
depth of field. I am fond of the way Fist of the North Star handles in between frames, for
a frame the outline of the last position of the object is shown leaving behind an after-
image. This is seen at 3:34.

Fist Of The North Star
Fig 1 - 2.36 secs Fig 2 - 2.37 secs
Figure 3 – 2.34

Fist Of The North Star – Influence on My Own Product
• In terms of how the fist of the North Star will impact upon my work
one ff the things I may take from it is the interplaye between
foreground and background and how this is used to create drama and
signpost and compliment action. I also like the scale and gigantism of
the characters and the force of nature feel to the characters.

'Daddy's Little Piece Of Dresden China' (1988) – Karen Watson
• My attention was brought to the above animation as Paul Wells makes reference to it in his book
Understanding Animation (Wells, 1998). Karen Watson's Daddy's Little piece of Dresden China(1988) was
and animation created as part of a university project by Karen Watson but has since won multiple awards
and was nominated for a Bafta. It is a powerful piece of animation on child abuse and patriarchy and in this
regard has a completely different agenda than my own product which will be more in the line of action and
entertainment. However I am interested in the way Watson uses multiple styles as it is a consideration for
my own product. Watson combines real footage of family photographs with 3d stopmation sequences and
2D animation. It is cleverly narrated using the diction of Fairy Tale language for kids but twisted in a way that
the seemingly innocent language has sinister connotations and the innocent Fairy Tale style is used as a way
of deceiving and abusing. For example from 'One day the queen gave birth to a daughter, Snow White, who
in turn became far more beautiful and obedient than the queen had ever been.' (26 secs to 33) It is also cut
with audio narration of real survivors of abuse. This has the effect that the tale that is being told here is not
just a personal story but also journalism and comment on the wider problem in society. Please see link for
video below
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04Nu7T850WE

'Daddy's Little Piece Of Dresden China' (1988) – Karen Watson
• I have copied some shots of the animation in the slide below to draw attention to mixed media
approach. Moving from left to right you've got a real phot of the hose the narrator was brought
up in. and sinister within in the context photo of the family home, a family photo of father with
child, then stopmation puppets that present the father, mother and child. Ten below left to right
we have 2D animation, a family photo of the puppets signed christmas at home and a 2D
animation of the mother as Fairy tale Queen.

'Daddy's Little Piece Of Dresden China' (1988) – Karen Watson - Mixed media
examples
(32 sec) real photo contrast
puppet family photo below.
(13 sec) Family home – Real Photo
(2.06) 2d animation with use of
collage
Photo of family 'Christmas at home'
narration by survivors of abuse. 1.23.
1.43 Stopmation of dad, child,
mother. Narration by author.
(15 sec) 2D animation
reworking of fairytale
conventions. Queen's mouth is
gagged.

Daddy's Little Piece Of Dresden China - Karen Watson
• What works best with the animation is the way the contrasts in the mixed media and
feelings they evoke. The father in the picture holding the baby looks innocent but the
father in the stopmation has a mouth made out of razorblades perhaps a metaphor for
how his words are used to harm people. As Wells points the plays out its key agendas
through conflicting image systems. Paul Wells points out in his analysis of the animation
that the little girl is made of "feathers and bandages" emphasizing her 'vulnerability and
fragility' (Wells, 1998, P65) and perhaps the damage that has been inflicted on her.
Animation here and puppets seem like an alternative way of talking about something the
artist was unable to talk about in actual life and the conflicts between the real life
footage and the 2 d and stopmation puppets and fairy tale languages is a nice way of
displaying how a child tries to make sense of the world. It is in this sense a good piece of
animation on how autobiography can be told through mediums less associated with
autobiography like the fairy tale. In terms of the affect it has on my own product it has
given me a good idea of how a mixture of different media can rework the same story and
also how different types of narration can offer a different angle on the same story. I
myself will be using third person narrator in opening sequence and character dialogue.

Existing product- Science Fiction Posters
Many of the recent sci-fi posters are just the protagonist looking
outwards with orange and blue lighting. I will look at older sci fi
posters for inspiration. I particularly like the THX II38 poster because it
is quite efficient as it is able to convey a good amount of information in
a simple, non cluttered way. There are shots from the film itself in the
poster and this preview will create hype for the film. The poster is
divided nicely into a section for the pictures and a section for writing. I
am also fond of the poster for Forbidden Planet. I like the typography of
the title as it was made up of three lines and a drop shadow which
makes it stand out nicely. The colours are also bold and have a limited
colour palette. The robot on the cover of the Forbidden Planet is drawn
from a high angle to make him look powerful and threatening.

Existing Product – District 9 and Elysium
• Two of the films that are influential in the sci fi genre upon my own product are
District 9 and Elysium as both deal with exploitation. The aliens in district 9 work
well as an allegory for the hostile and xenophobic attitude people have towards
refugees but also harks back to apartheid South Africa in the sense that the
Aliens are confined to district 9. Elysium draws clearer parallels with my own idea
though in that it also deals with the scenario where earth Is ruined and has
become the abode of the poor who are exploited by the rich who live on a man-
made space station called Elysium which is a type of paradise in Greek
mythology reserved for those heroes who are favoured by the Gods. In this
film you get to live there if you are rich and the heroes come from the
dispossessed of earth. Like my own plot Elysium also involves a plot where a
spaceship is sent to the privileged place that harbors people who want to hijack
the abode of the rich and powerful few. Elysium of course is a Hollywood film
with a happy ending and a belief that justice will prevail and that the good guys
have fairly clear cut morals, but my own product will be hopefully more morally
ambivalent than that.

Existing Product- District 9 and Elysium
• Both the above films involve man-made dystopias that are in part a consequence of human greed and also the
limited resources of the world which people end up waging war over. The fewer the resources, the darker it gets,
and the more vicious the exploitation type of idea. The films and my own product also deal with the idea that if
you oppress a certain section of society enough it leads to conflict. In Elysium though it leads to a conflict
resulting in a more just society whereas I think in reality and what I try to convey in my own product is that
oppression usually leads to hatred and a merciless desire for revenge and to take power by any means necessary.
However when an oppressor or dictatorship is overthrown it is possible that it will be replaced by a group/regime
that is just as oppressive. District 9 and Elysium argue that oppression is evil and society can be taught this, on
the other hand to a certain extent my product argues that it is human nature to want to dominate other people
and we cannot be taught to not want to gain power over people and destroy those that we cannot relate to. This
concept may be wrong or an oversimplification of many problems which cause conflict but it is what I have
chosen to explore because it will be easy to explain in a short space of time.
• The initial premise of my own idea is darker than Elysium in the sense that the rich are actually harvesting other
humans as if they are livestock. In this sense even though my plot is more similar to Elysium my treatment of the
subject matter is more similar to District 9 which is darker.

Existing Product Analysis – Arcadia (2018) -Paul Wright
• This film came as a later inclusion in my research and though I never analysed initially in a structured way it
did cement ideas I already had for a montage in my opening sequence and some of the principles behind
what makes a montage work. It is a strange film set to the haunting music of Goldfrapp and Portishead and it
is a good example of how music creates meaning as without the score tothe film it would not have that
disturbing almost folk horror feel to it, or at other times the punky revolutionary feel to it, and the
beginning the "England's Green Pleasant Land." It begins with some early images of a pastoral england all
church spires and fields of wheat with william Blake's Jerusalem being sung ing the background
• Aristocracy is seen as some weird cult, nudism, general folflore, wickerman type feel to it but is also political,
synthesis.
• What I learned is the importance of a montage having a recurring theme. A diversity of images can be used
but a montage is only really interesting if it works as a whole and develops a theme. The idea for me is if the
images are too similar it becomes dull but if the images are too diverse and feel unconnected that is also
uninteresting for the audience. Arcadia seemed to get this just right with its footage of pagan rituals among
other things. Please see trailer below on youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyrA4uO9VsI for
footage I have used.

Arcadia – Paul Wright
• Below are three sets of slides on images that recur in Arcadia. I have included them to emphaise what I said above
that a montage has to have diversity but some repetition. The first set of slides is to do with ancient and recurring British
folk traditions and ancient symbols from morris type dancing with antlers on, to Halloween Pumpkins, Stonehenge, The
white Horse. Figure 4 is a depiction of Alice (Alice in Wonderland vanishing down the rabbit hole which fits in somehow as
it emphasises the other worldly nature of some of these rituals.
• The next slide which is packed with seemingly different sorts of images of a more modern culture but reminds us
of some these earlier traditions. The kids running round in a circle on the council estate makes us think of the
Morris Dancers. We have image of punks and an image of a rocker with a goat's mask in the background,
raves, someone tripping out in a field which seems to hark back to some sort of religious intoxication. These all
have the feel the myth and tradition is reinventing itself and that they are tapping in to something more primal and not
dissimilar from the older traditions above.
• In the final set of slides we have depictions of a quaint rural England and as mentioned above the music and
narration here is gentle and pastoral and the narration is evokes this safe and comforting all in it together kind
of feel 'This is the Britain we have all inherited, a land of incomparable beauty.' 21 seconds in trailer. Contrast this though
to the images of the blood thirsty aristocracry below - of dogs ripping a fox apart, the hunt coming out of the mist
shotguns blasted into the air,, the weird perversions and dominance over nature as emphasised in the aristocracy riding
ostriches . These w along with the counter culture and ancient folk traditions set up unsettling contrasts and similarities
and what we get is not just the feeling that we are all in it together but of disharmony, hidden violence, and revolution.
• In terms of it's influence on my own production what I will take from it for my own montage is the principle that there
has to be some dialogue between the images and not just purely random but also not too similar. The images I have drawn
attention too above hopefully capture this. It is easy to produce a montage but very difficult to produce a good one where
the images tell a story. I feel Arcadia pulls this off.

Existing Products Bibliography
• Product Research Bibliography
• Blomkamp Neill; District 9; 2009, Wingnut Films, Qed International, Trisstar Pictures; New
Zealand, USA, South Africa
• Hara, T (1984-1987). Fist of The North Star, Toei Animation
• Kawajiri, Yoshiaki; Otomo, Katsuhiro; Neo Tokyo, 1987; Madhouse Production Company, Japan
• Pocock, S; 2012. 7TH; Robot Mafia, https://robotmafia.com/7th-by-sara-pocock/
• Watson, K, 1988, Daddy’s Little Bit Of Dresden China; Film Excerpts, Youtube.com. 2021. Before
you continue to YouTube. [online] Available at:
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04Nu7T850WE> [Accessed 3 March 2021].
• Wells, P., 1998. Understanding animation. London: Routledge.
• Wright, P, Arcadia, 2017, Hopscotch Films, UK. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyrA4uO9Vs

Structure Of Interview + Analysis
• To make these set of slides as easy as possible for the reader I have
included the interview and the analysis of each question together
rather than the whole interview first and then the analysis. This will
avoid the reader having to scroll up to read the answers. I have used a
very simple structure from the analysis in two parts (A) Why I asked
the question. (B) What ideas I have drawn from the answers?

Interview + Analysis Question 1
• (Q1) "What makes a science fiction appealing to you?"
• Answ: "If it has Aliens I like the Alien force to have strange powers like in The Colour Of Space. I do like alternative realities
whether that has something to do with quantum physics or just some sort of new world order. I quite subject matter deals
with the way technology impacts upon our identity or can trap us in these nightmarish high tech worlds, kinda like the Black
Mirror stuff. I do like the special effects in some of the big budget stuff but I was completely bored with Ad Astra which was
all visuals and a terrible cheesy plot, terrible acting, terrible dialogue, no action. I like that acting and the dialogue to be
good same as I do in all films."
• Analysis
• Why did I ask the question?
• This is a very broad question and an easy question to answer and designed to get the interviewee going but also gives me. I
am here trying to get an idea of what the broad appeal of science fiction is to the interviewee before I look at more detailed
questions.
What ideas can I draw from the Answer?
The more general interest expressed by the interviewee of ‘alternative realities’ is encouraging in that my own product is more
interested in a the general appeal of alternative realities or alternative world orders rather than just alien orders as I am
leaning more towards a futuristic human society. I am also interested in the comments about being trapped in high tech
nightmare worlds. I already have an idea that my dystopia may involve the super-rich somehow manipulating the poor and,
possibly harvesting them, and I could use technology as way of manipulation or harvesting them better.

• (Q2) "What style of architecture do you think a futuristic city would be influenced by?"
• Answ: "Futurist architecture probably. I’ve seen some really interesting stuff online. The Italian
futurist architecture – I think Metropolis by Fritz Lang uses that sort of stuff. There’s this thing called the
Nord LB building in Germany which looks like futuristic high rise slum. It be great in a sci fi. I don’t know
what it is called but I like the architecture in both Bladerunners and the cityscapes in the film Dredd are
great. If you were looking at something that had a more organic feel to it I guess you might use Gaudi’s
architecture as an influence with all its curves and colour. Some of these old power stations can look quite
Alien and Sci Fi. There are some designs on the net that haven’t been built yet like the cobra towers in
Kuwait and my favourite are these Nomad Skyscrapers on Mars which are like these moving Skyscrapers
spouting smoke. There’s also this idea to have these giant lotus flower things in London. I guess the best
ideas will never get built."
• Analysis
• Why did I ask this question?
• Landscape is often very important in sci fi either for portraying original alien environments or broken or
changed earth. The landscape often sets the tone and atmosphere of a production. At this point I am brain
storming for ideas for my own landscape.
• What ideas can I draw from the answer?
• I had not considered Futurism before the interview but this led to me to browse through some of this
architecture online some of which is quite inspiring and may influence my own designs. I particularly liked
the look of Nord L.B building in Germany as a futuristic looking ghetto.

(Q3) "How do you think an animation could transition fluidly from one animation medium to another?"
Answ: "I don’t know a lot about that but I guess what would work is that the same scene or character could
transition into a different medium rather than have the different mediums sharply cut between different
scenes. Some sort of metamorphosis of the environment or character or a change in the character’s mental
state might compliment a change of style. I think music may help too. Maybe a change in the music to
compliment the change in style."
• Analysis
• I am considering using both 2d animation in adobe animate and 3d animation in blender and I am
considering how to transition between the two.
• What Ideas can I draw from the answer?
• The interviewee did not know a great deal about this but I agree with his idea that transitions into different
styles of animation may be more arresting than sharp cuts. I did use this technique in my previous FMP last
year. However, I won’t really know how good either looks until I experiment a bit.

• (Q4) "What would you be looking for in a short animation and how would that differ from longer
productions?"
• Answ: "Well I guess I don’t expect a massive budget so I don’t expect the effects to be as slick. I like them to
crack on with the action and don’t feel there is enough time for long drawn-out complex plots. I guess I like
them to get on with what they are going to do quite quickly and try and cram a lot of visuals or humour or
horror in as quick as they can."
• Analysis
• My own animation is going to be very short as it is such a lengthy process so I needed to get a clear sense of
what the different Audience expectations there are between short and long length productions.
• What ideas can I draw from the answer
• I would agree with the what the interviewee said about wanting a short animation to have simple plots and
for it to crack on with the action and concentrate on how it looks. I’m not sure whether though I need to
‘cram a lot of visuals’ in there as the interviewee suggested and have lots of flash visuals as there are
animations out there that are simple in terms of how they look but inventive enough to be very effective.

(Q5) What sort of themes do you look for in science fiction films?
• I quite like new world order films and dystopias like one of the story lines in Cloud Atlas. I think sci fi is an
ideal medium for portraying the desire for humanity to transcend its own limitations. 2001 a Space Odyssey
is a bit like that.
• Analysis
• Why did I ask the question?
• Thematics can be as important as action in a short piece especially if you only have so much time to create
action sequences so it is important to get an idea of what works in terms of thematics.
• What Ideas Can I draw from this answer?
• I quite like the idea of sci films being about ‘humanity transcending its own limitations’ and applied to my
own product it may be more about humanity trying to transcend the limits of exploitation at one end of the
spectrum and then at the other of humanity trying to reach any sort of potential. The starting point for loose
idea I have for my own product may be that humanity has gone backwards in terms of realising potential for
the oppressed. In some ways though it is a similar idea – humanity breaking free from sort of chains.

• (Q6) How do you feel about rolling text that gives you the background of the story line?
Answ: "I’m a big fan of it because I am rubbish at following the plotlines of film and I don’t like working out a
backstory as I go along."
Analysis
• I intend to create a production which takes place in a dystopian future and backstory of how we get there is
important to creating that sense of tragedy and grounding it with a sense of history and what is lost but also
making us think of the dangers occurring in our own reality. The quickest way to do this is through rolling
text at the beginning as I would not have time to animate backstory. I wanted to get an idea of what an
audience felt about rolling text
• What ideas did I draw from the answer?
• Even though I don’t mind working out a bit of backstory as plot unfolds it doesn’t suit a short production and
I think the interviewees response confirms that an audience quite likes feeling orientated sometimes and
with a short production it is important that they get the jist of the plot quickly and then can sit back and
relax because there is no time to work it out.

• (Q7) What’s your favourite credit sequence in a film?
• Answ: Delicatessan, Rango, The Good The Bad And The Ugly
• Analysis
• I would like the opening sequence of my animation to be catchy and I am trying to get a few ideas from the
interviewee of opening credits that have been done in original or experimental ways.
• What I ideas can I draw from the answer?
• I am considering doing something inventive with the credits of the production or maybe even the rolling text
as the credits will be short as it will only be muself and maybe one voice actor involved. There are not going
to be many characters, more groups of people, but I could possibly do a Good The bad And The Ugly type
intro where we see and image of the super rich and the super poor before the plot kicks off.

Interview + analysis Question 8
(Q8) "Do you prefer films to be hopeful or pessimistic, or somewhere in between?"
• Answ: "So long as I feel it is not contrived either way I don’t mind. I like a film to feel truthful to its own vision of
humanity. I think obviously Hollywood feel good ending are often contrived and you see them coming a mile off
and they are often unrealistic character depictions of how most people would really act in certain situations. A lot
of Jodorowsky films have a positive ending but they are harrowing films and they seem to have earned something
positive. Robert Altman’s player and Chinatown have awfully pessimistic ending but they feel true and are
brilliant endings. "
• Analysis
• Why I asked this question?
• I thought it would be a useful discussion in terms of pitching the tone of my piece and working out where that
audience appeal lies in terms of pessimism and hopefulness. I feel a question like this works much better in
interview because what I am after is reflections on these conceptions rather than yes or no answers.
• What Ideas can I draw from the answer?
• I liked the interviews answer here that the message about humanity in the production doesn’t have to
deliberately lean towards pessimism or feel good so long as it feels true. I think keeping this in mind will help me
create a production that feels authentic to what I believe and avoid predictable feel good stuff or predictable
pessimism.

• Q9) Do you prefer products to focus on the dynamics of society and institutions or on the dynamics and
psychology of individuals?
• Answ: Well, I think the products that deal with institutions are more important films but not always
more enjoyable. I think we can learn much more about society from The Wire than say the Soprano’s but I
can watch the twists and turns of Tony Soprano’s complexes all day and perhaps find it more enjoyable. You
can do both of course. I suppose LA Confidential does both.
• Analysis
• When creating sci fi dystopias the premise is that something has usually gone wrong at the level of society
and I wanted to learn if there is an appetite for that in my target audience and it will help me decide
whether to put emphasis on the universe of my production or the main character.
• The interviewee expressed and appetite for both which is good. I feel that building character takes more
time to achieve than introducing a concept so it may be easier to present the state of a society rather than a
state of someone’s mind in a short piece though that can be done if we are just looking to portray fairly
uncomplicated psychological states such as fear.

Interview
(Q10) "How do you feel about low budget productions and in particular low budget animations?"
• Answ: "I really like a lot of the low budget stuff and have watched some great short animations at the aesthetica
short film festival. If it’s going to be low budget than it has to be quirky and it feels like a lot more thought goes into
getting the most out of whatever means a low budget animator has at his or her disposal."
• Analysis
• Why ask this question?
• My production is definitely going to be low budget and I have a short ammount of time so I'm hoping to find out
what still works with a low budget animation in terms of audience appeal and what has to be stronger to
compensate on the lack experience I have as an animator, time, and budget.
• The interviewees response here was encouraging because I have a very low budget and little time and am also just
learning my craft and getting to grips with the software so the response suggests that at least some people enjoy
low budget productions and have slightly different expectations when watching them is helpful. I like this idea of
making the most of what I have and hopefully with a strong enough central concept I can make up for a low budget
and lack of experience.

• (Q11) How do you feel about dialogue in films?
• Like most people I don’t like dialogue that is just a plot filler and some films have too much dialogue. I think the
basic premise that can be applied to dialogue in films is show not tell. I think dialogue should show and reveal or
hint at something about characters or the relationships between them rather than explain it all away. I actually
quite like very stylised dialogue such as what you get in spaghetti westerns such as ‘The You Laughing At My Mule’
scene in A FewDollars More.
• Analysis
• Why ask this question?
• I am unusre whether to use dialogue at all at this point but I wanted to get some feedback on dialogue from
someone who watches a great deal of films, plays, and animations to get a sense of what contributes to good
dialogue and if is needed at all sometimes.
• ‘I actually quite like very stylised dialogue such as what you get in spaghetti westerns’ I have never described
spaghetti western dialogues as stylised but I guess they are and I did take a lot from spaghetti western dialogue in
the opening to my claymation and last years FMP. They do create a lot of atmosphere in a few words and this is
something I may be looking for in a very short piece of claymation where I will have to use dialogue just now and
again if at all.

Sci-fi Landscapes Research
Even though my animation is based on earth it may look like a very different earth than the one we
know so I have been researching different landscapes I may use. My animation involves factories
where humans are being built so a high tech industrial looking landscape similar to The Daleks planet
of Skaro from Dr Who may be ideal
Or the Sci Fi industrial landscapes of the artist Brian Taylor
Taylor, B Sci-Fi Industrial Landscape

I have also looked at images of industrial landscapes and ominous looking
structures from both the Bladerunner films. Which I will consider as influence the factories in my
animation
(Villenuve, D; Bladerunner 2049; 2017) (Scott,R; Bladerunner; 1982)
I particularly like this image below from Bladerunner 2049 as it is a city desert or forest that just goes on and on and because
the structures are similar it gives you a concrete jungle feel.

It is hard to find truly alien looking landscapes that could look nothing like we see
on earth. Many just look like regonisable earth landscapes but the a different
colour sky or grass. There is more originality when in it comes to things with an
planet instead of the planet as a whole such as these weird looking egg or brain
trees.
(Wiggins Peterz; 2015)
And whereas H.P Lovecraft is more famous from the strangeness of his monsters
you can find some strange features in his landscapes. A common quality of his landscapes is
that they are usually a living creature in themselves or structures that look to be made by
ancient civilizations/cults. (See below)
(Dan Seagrave; Transcend The Rubicon )

I think a lot of surrealist paintings definitely have science fiction or fantasty qualities to them. A technique
that I am preticularly fond of is that the distance between, scale of, and shape of an object is unclear and
changes as the more you look at the painting. The technique is very noticable in the painting The Rapidity
of Sleep by Ives Tanguy. It may be hard to capture this technique through an animation especially because
I am not accustomed to making detailed 3D drawings and I feel I should first improve my general drawing
skills before attempting to play with perspective.
(Tanguy, Ives; The Rapidity Of Sleep; 1945)
Salvador Dali paintings are often very large scale with a figure
in the foreground looking on to a large structure in the
background which I creates a ominous and forboding tone. I
will recreate this by starting the shot focussed at the back of
the protagonist's head then it will pan out to the distance as
the protagonist walks away from the camera. I will also try to
recreate the sense that these building are ancient which is a
feeling I often get looking at surrealist paintings.
Dali and other surrealists incorporate other works of art into
their landscapes painting which some how makes them more
grounded in reality. I may use the idea of having building made
from art works. I will probably draw buildings which are made
from sculptures of humans or large tombs. I will probably base
the giant tomb building on Sarcophagus of the mourning
women, 4th CE BC because it looks impressive because of the
columns but it is not too intricate so will be easy to draw.
Dali, S; Enigmatic Elements In
A Landscape; 1934
Dali, S; Spectre du sar, sur la
plage; 1935

Sci-fi Landscapes Research- Bibliography
Danseagrave.com. 2021. Dan Seagrave | Soul Recall. [online] Available at:
<http://www.danseagrave.com/detail/soul-recall/> [Accessed 8 February 2021].
Pinterest. 2021. Pin by vengeful elf on Lovecraft and Lovecraftian | Dark fantasy art,
Cthulhu mythos, Cthulhu. [online] Available at:
<https://www.pinterest.com/pin/638526053392361678/> [Accessed 8 February
2021].
Wiggins, P., 2015. HOLODAD - A sci-fi feature-length family movie edited in Final Cut
Pro X. [online] Fcp.co. Available at: <https://www.fcp.co/final-cut-
pro/articles/1653-holodad-a-sci-fi-feature-length-family-movie-edited-in-final-
cut-pro-x> [Accessed 8 February 2021].

Survey
• I conducted a survey in order to create some primary research. This type of primary research is useful because it allows
me to receive information about audiences that is more relevant to my production as I create the questions myself.
However this survey may not be the most accurate because there were only two replies to the survey so this data
doesn't necessarily apply to an audience.

Survey Question 1
• Question 1 How Old Are You?
Why I asked the question?
• I need to know the answer to this question because age is a vital demographic when trying to find out who
is my target audience so can think about creating my production with an age group in mind.
• Observation:
• It was quite an older demographic that replied 25% from 30-40 and 25% from 40-50 and 18.75% from 50-60
with 6.25% for 10-16, 6.25% for 16-18, 6.25% from 18-24 and 12.50% from 24-30. I
• What Can I Take From This
• I would have preferred a larger amount of younger respondents as my secondary research suggests that sci fi
tends to appeal to a larger audience. I did send the survey to peers at college but unfortunately nobody on
the course completed my survey. It does suggest though there is an appetite for animation and/or science
fiction in an older audience and there was for instance a far older demographic at work in David Lynch's
Dune.
• How will it affect my own production?
• I am not going to be completely guided by a 16 respondent survey as it remains a small sample size.
However, I may pitch my production at a slightly older demographic perhaps 30 to 45.

Survey Results Question 2
Question 2 Are You Male or Female?
Reason Question asked?
As with age this is a standard question for nearly all surveys and offers an insight into audience appeal based on gender
Observation
There is a 50/50 ratio between male and female respondents
Conclusions
The sample size is perhaps too small too concluded that there is a fifty fift split in the wider public but is useful in that I have
been able to get a satisfactory number of responses from both genders and it would be useful to analyse the responses to
the following questions further to see if there is any trend in terms of appeal to one gender or the other.
How does it effect my product?
I feel more comfortable in at least pitching my product at both sexes in terms of feeling that my survey has managed to
capture the views of both genders in equal measure

Survey Question 3
What is your favourite science fiction film and why?
Purpose of question?
I wanted to see if there was a pattern among respondents in either an individual film or a type of sci fi film I.e. one's
that I felt were more geared towards entertainment such as Star Wars or one's that I felt were more geared towards
existentialist questions such as Bladerunner or sci fi that is informed by science itself like the Matrix
Observations
There was a diverse list of films. Star Wars came up twice as did the Terminator films as Did Back To The Future, We
also had the Matrix, Men in Black, Alien, Space Odyssey 2001, The Martian, Planet Of The Apes, Gravity, Inception
Conclusions
I can draw conclusions that from the survey alone there is a wide variety of taste in types of sci fi – we have existential
films such as Bladerunner and Space Odyssey, Great action films inTerminator and Plant Of The Apes, films around
physics and science of the brain in Inception and the Matrix, visually orientated films with big special effects like
Gravity ad Star Wars, and films with humour such as Back To The Future. Not that I want to pigeon hole any of these
films here.
How will it effect My Product
I am probably most drawn to films like Bladerunner and Space Odyssey. But it is probably Planet of the Apes and
maybe it is this last film that bears closest resemblance to my own idea in terms of plot if not style. There seems to
be some sort of appeal for a dystopian future which could be said of Bladerunner, Termibator, and Planet Of The Apes.

Survey Question 4
• What is your favourite animated film and Why?
• Purpose of Question?
• I wanted to see if there was a pattern among respondents answers in either an individual film or a type of
animation film I.e. one's that I felt were more geared towards entertainment, action, plot, or any paricular
genre within animation such as Horror, Fantasy, Sci Fi, Drama.
• Observation
• Diverse answers with
• Up x2 Your Name, Sword in The Stone, The Wrong Trousers, Ratatouille, WallE, Finding Nemo, Up, Lego
Movie, Madagascar 2, Into The Spiderverse, Kiki's Delivery Service, Rango
• Conclusions
• Most people's favorite animations were CGI which reinforces my secondary research which had CGI as
the highest grossing animated films.
• Effect on My Product
• Up was the most poplular film in my survey so I will take a look at the structure of this film. I intend to use
3d computer generated graphics in Blender and the appetite for CGI reinforces that it would be good for me
to practice this.

Survey Question 5: What aspects would you say make a good poster for a sci fi fIlm?
• Purpose Of Question?
• I wanted answers that were more specific to sci fi posters than just movie posters. I asked an open
question as I hoped for answers that would help me interpret and understand what it is people like about a
sci poster in more depth rather than just give examples
• Observation
• Themes and descriptions of what people liked that that came up where 'striking' and 'strange' spectacular'
'mystery,' Strange' and 'incredible' but there seemed to be a wide range of reasons why people liked posters
including a good strap line
• Conclusion
• The respondents in general seem to be after something more alien and unusual in a sci fi poster – something
that takes them away from the norm and disturbs the or makes them wonder.
• Production
• I am conscious that I need to come up with something in my poster that is unusual and denotes the alien
and inhuman

Survey question 6: What is your favourite movie poster and why?
• Purpose of question?
• I want to try and find out if there is a pattern to the answers and a particular style of poster that keeps
coming up such as very stylised posters like Clockwork Orange or The Thing or if people like retro B movie
style posters, or simple uncluttered posters like Alien.
• Observations
• The posters were varied – Calamity Jane, Pulp Fiction, Amelie, Jaws, Star Wars (animated version), Star Wars
A New Hope, Pulp Fiction, Clockwork Orange, Trainspotting, The Joker, Alien, Moonrise Kingdom. Most of
the Posters have one or more of the characters of the movie in it with the exception of Alien.
• Conclusion
• The survey suggests that the movie poster appeal is still character heavy though perhaps not with as much
emphasis on the Stars in the leading roles but that character they play themselves. Tere is though still a
wide array of styles
• Production
• Rather than going for a more abstract poster in the tradition of Alien or Mean Streets I may go for a poster
that foregrounds the character more. I will be creating a T-shirt also to advertise the animation and this will
differ from the poster.

Survey Question 7
What type of music would you use for a sci fi film?
Purpose of Question?
As a way of helping me brainstorm ideas for music and to try an pick up if there was a style of music
and audience leaned towards more in sci fi.
Observation
Many people said they liked classical and others electronic for science fiction films. The fact that
most people went for classical and orchestral may reflect that my respondents in the survey tended
to be older.
Conclusion
There is a tendency in the survey towards classical but there is some variety there and one good
rationale of why electronic music works in that it creates a more "futuristic soundscape." I would
agree with one of the respondents who answered "Any, it depends what emotion you are trying to
get across."
How it will inform my product?
I will probably opt to use electronic music because I am more used to listening to this genre of
music so it will take me less long to find an appropriate song. I might use some power electronics as
it will compliment the aggressive tone of my animation and the militaristic nature of the clones.
I also have a friend that is able to make electronic music so I may contact him to make a song.

Summary Of Market Research
• There have been some interesting findings in my market research hat in terms of gender there is a clear difference
between consumers of science fiction books and consumers of science fiction films with females tending to be as big
of consumers of the sci fi book as males but not so with the sci fi film or animation.
Looking at the three Sci fi films my product is in part influenced by, Elysium, District 9, and Dune, it is clear that those
films were by far most popular with the males aged 30 to 44 in the case of every film so it feels as if my own target
audience for my production is that demographic.
I sghould point out that user ratings are also not totally reliable as an accurate demographic for who has watched a film
because there may a stronger tendency for a particular demographic to actually fill in user ratings online whereas
another demographic such as males between 18 to 24 may not bother.
Also as mentioned above I have to bear in mind that what I am producing a sort animation for adults and there is and
almost complete absence of research for the demographics of consumers of short films for adults. The more specific
and niche the genre the harder it becomes to find information on a target audience.
I made searches for aesthetica sort film audience demographics, short film festival audiences demographics, short film
audience demographics and it appears that the research isn't there. Sometimesthe research it isn't and that is why
doing interviews and surveys can be helpful. In terms of getting some feedback on short films the interview was the
most informative part of my research but it served more as giving me ideas for production rather than the basis of
forming assumptions about a target audience.
I have gone into detail in the interview and survey analysis and I shall not repeat myself here but the interview helped
me formulate my own ideas as does discussion general discussion with people about film, animation and other art
forms. It helped me for instance think in more detail about what makes good dialogue and also about authenticity in
terms of the pitch of the piece and not whether it is too too nihilistic or feel good but that feels right. Thinking in any
depth about your production in these terms is far less likely to e borne out of target audience data than it is talking to
someone with a good knowledge of film and animation and who has similar tastes.

Research Analysis Of Animation Theory And Existing Proucts
To recap in my contextual research document I looked at Chuck Jones, Ian Hurbert, Hideo Myazaki, George Maestri for
practical theory, and Paul Wells for more abstract Theory of animation. I looked at Hurbert's trailer for his film,
Dynamo, for a brief product research. I also did some existing product analysis of Sarah Pocock's animation
7th, Running Man, Neo Tokyo, The films District 9 (2009) and Elysium (2013), 'Daddy's Little Piece Of Dresden China'
(1988) by Karen Watson,. In a less structured fashion I looked at a wide array of films such as Bladerunner (1982) and
David Lynch's Dune (1984), along with art by Dali, sci fi landscape art, and futurist architecture to try and inform my
ideas of landscape. I looked at multiple tutorials online which I will highlight more in my pre-production
As mentioned above the Paul Wells book Understanding Animation (1998) has helped ground me in understanding the
competing visions in animation and some of the opposing trends at work in different animation traditions primarily
between experimental and orthodox animation though these I know are overly broad terms. I already had a decent
understanding of what I wished to achieve but the more theoretical ideas I got from the Wells book has helped frame
it for me.
I was also influenced by the Chuck Jones idea of making character's wants and objectives simple and wheres he use that
principle for humour I can apply a similar principle for action. This idea is mirrored in the Sara Pocock animation
where we have a very simple motivation of not wishing to be lost alongside the primary emotion of fear. The Watson
as highlighted above has given me a good example of how a mixed media animation can work for a reason and
enhance a theme rather than be there just for the sake of mixing media. In terms of style Neo Tokyo and Running
Man would possibly be my primary influences esp in terms of how to convey power and fury.

Overall Research Analysis
• The films District 9 and Elysium have been really helpful in getting me to think about a sci fi plot and an initial
premise for the set up of a futuristic world. It also gave me a good understanding of the ethical outlooks at
play in big studio productions for such dystopian sci fi set ups and their tendency towards optimism about
humanity. It has been helpful to contract these with something like Luc Besson's first film Le Dernier Combat
(1983) which is bleaker in its outlook but retains some hope for humanity's better instincts. It is also an
important film in displaying how a film can still completely work with only two words of dialogue after the
planet has been rendered mute by some unkown incident. My product will lean more towards the latter but
also have very similar themes to Distric 9 in terms of human exploitation and Elysium in terms of Earth now
being just some sort of satellite planet to serve the rich in space
• Ultimately in terms of the sci landscape I have now researched a broad range of styles and looking at futurism
has been particularly helpful in terms of thinking about buildings as has the artwork. Looking at surrealist art
has also given me a good sense of how far I can go in manipulating shape and creating landscapes also where
there isn't necessarily a unity of style if that is what I wanted to achieve. But for creating atmosphere through
landscape the films Dune by David lynch and both the Blade runner films have impressed the most. Whether
I go for a city-scape, a desert landscape, or an industrial landscape remains to be seen but this research will
shape how my product now looks.
• The reading around Hideo Myazaki was more inspirational perhaps than hugely influential on my product. It
reinforced that animation can be a serious endeavour and can be not only visually ambitious but ambitious in
its themes and raises as many existential and philosophical questions as any other medium.

Overall Analysis of Research
• The Ian Hubert research has been helpful in giving me an understanding of what can be achieved
in Blender and is perhaps the closest out of the products I looked at in providing a good example
of futuristic CGI landscapes produced in Blender.
• The George Maestri book was also useful practical research in understanding the physics of
motion and the nuances that contribute to realistic looking motion.
• In any research analysis there is always the feeling that I could have looked at more but there
comes a point when you need to begin your production. Also research isn't something that
happens always before production and in a structured fashion and it is not always easy to quantify
or be aware where all my ideas have come from. I watch over two hundred a films a year and
have done for around 5 years. During the course of the production I watched Paul Wright's film
Arcadia and even though I had intended to use a montage of archive footage prior to this the Paul
Wright film was informative in giving me an example of what makes a montage work. I will
analyse this more in detail in production reflection though when I talk about my opening
sequence.

Overall Research Analysis
• Daddy's Little Piece Of Dresden

Research Analysis
• To summarise then my I attempted to cover a range of areas in my research which I feel I have achieved.
They can be catergorised as focussing on plot, theme, and tone within some existing products whilst
focussing on technique and style with others. Animation specific to sci fi, mixed media animations, unity of
style animations, more broader theories of what animation is and different traditions, especially, Orthodox
and Experimental animation.I looked pioneers of different genre's of animation in Chuck Jones for early
american cartoons and Myiazaki for anime. I looked at examples of 2d nd 3d animation. In my tuturoials I
looked more at how to use the software Iwas going to be using but also looked at the work if reputable
animators working with that software.
• I have not just focussed on sci fi but there has been a great deal of emphasis in my research on sci fi in
multiple genres. I have also looked at short low budget animations alongside big budget animation. In terms
of scope I feel the research has been fairly expansive.

Overall Research Bibliography
• Anon (2020) Ian Hubert - Filmmaker, VFX artist, master of Blender3D (https://www.rokoko.com/users/rokoko-user-story-ian-hubert-
filmmaker-vfx-artist-master-of-blender3d) (accessed 12/01/21)
• Anon; 2021. [online] Available at: <https://www.ukessays.com/essays/animation/exploring-science-fiction-through-
animation-akira-1988-and-wall-e-2008.ph> [Accessed 3 February 2021].
• Besson Luc, Le Dernier Combat, 1983, Crystal Films, France.
• Blomkamp Neill; District 9; 2009, Wingnut Films, Qed International, Tristar Pictures; New Zealand, USA, South Africa
• Blumler, J. and Katz, E., 1974. The uses of mass communications. Beverly Hills: Sage Publications.
• Cavallero, D (2006) The Anime Art Of Hayoa Miyazake Jefferson North Carolina and London: Mcfarland and Company.
• Daleisio, 2021. Demographic for science fiction. [online] Slideshare.net. Available at:
<https://www.slideshare.net/Daleisio/demographic-for-science-fiction> [Accessed 4 February 2021].
• Danseagrave.com. 2021. Dan Seagrave | Soul Recall. [online] Available at:
• <http://www.danseagrave.com/detail/soul-recall/> [Accessed 8 February 2021].
• Eggleston, C (1978) Long Weekend, Hoyts Distribution, Australia.
• Hara, T (1984-1987). Fist of The North Star, Toei Animation
• Hurbert, Ian (2019) How to make Apocalyptic Cities in Blender - Lazy Tutorials (https://youtu.be/qNba2oEij2c) (accessed 12/01/21)
• IMDb User Ratings District 9, 2009; https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1136608/
• IMDb User Ratings, Dune, 1984, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087182/ratings
• IMDb User Ratings Elysium, 2013; https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1535108/ratings
• Jodorowsky, A (1970) El Topo; ABKO Films, Mexico

Research overall –Bibliography continued
• Jones, C. (1999). Chuck Amuck: The Life and Times of an Animated Cartoonist. United States:
Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
• Kawajiri, Yoshiaki; Otomo, Katsuhiro; Neo Tokyo, 1987; Madhouse Production Company,
Japan
• Kimberley, J., Kimberley, J. and profile, V., 2021. Audience Targeting in Sci-Fi Movies.
[online] Joshkimberley.blogspot.com. Available at:
<http://joshkimberley.blogspot.com/2016/02/audience-targeting-in-sci-fi-
movies.html> [Accessed 3 February 2021].
• Maestri, G (2006) Digital Character Animation 3 Berkeley, California: New Riders
• Menadu, C; Jacups, S; SAGE Journals. 2021. Who Reads Science Fiction and
Fantasy, and How Do They Feel About Science? Preliminary Findings From an Online
Survey; 2018; - [online] Available at:
<https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2158244018780946> [Accessed 3
February 2021].
• Pinterest. 2021. Pin by vengeful elf on Lovecraft and Lovecraftian | Dark fantasy art, Cthulhu
mythos, Cthulhu. [online] Available at:
<https://www.pinterest.com/pin/638526053392361678/> [Accessed 8 February 2021].
• Pocock, S; 2012. 7TH; Robot Mafia, https://vimeo.com/23017123
• Ramos, T; Zhou, T; Every Frame A Painting (2015) Chuck Jones The Evolution On An
Artist (https://youtu.be/kHpXle4NqWI) (Accessed 13/01/21

Overall Research – Bibliography Continued
• Schneider, S (1904) Um eine Seele/To A Soul (he has made a another painting of the same name so
I will include the link) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sascha_Schneider_-_To_A_Soul.jpg
• Stammers, John, 2013. Psychographic profiling. [online] Slideshare.net. Available at:
<https://www.slideshare.net/jayjammerz/psychographic-profiling> [Accessed 3 February 2021].
• Watson, K, 1988, Daddy’s Little Bit Of Dresden China; Film Excerpts, Youtube.com. 2021. Before you
continue to YouTube. [online] Available at: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04Nu7T850WE> [Accessed
3 March 2021].
• Wiggins, P., 2015. HOLODAD - A sci-fi feature-length family movie edited in Final Cut Pro X. [online] Fcp.co.
Available at: <https://www.fcp.co/final-cut-pro/articles/1653-holodad-a-sci-fi-feature-length-family-
movie-edited-in-final-cut-pro-x> [Accessed 8 February 2021]
• The Numbers. 2021. The Numbers - Box Office Performance History for Science Fiction Movies.
[online] Available at: <https://www.the-numbers.com/market/creative-type/Science-Fiction>
[Accessed 3 February 2021].
• Ward, A (1979) Master Animator Chuck Jones: The Movement's The Thing United States: The Times
• Wells, P., 1998. Understanding animation. London: Routledge.
• Wright, P, Arcadia, 2017, Hopscotch Films, UK. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyrA4uO9VsI

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