Graduation Films?

[MrMshr00m]

Technically it is a new day in my country, so I will post once more.

I've been watching many graduation films lately, and one similarity they share -- is the use of basic techniques; A feather, leaf, or paper soaring through the sky. A head turn, walk cycle, and usually a ball falling, or rolling along a given path.

Is this just a coincidence? Maybe they are sharing what they have learned to the best of their ability? Are there really not that many creative situations one can animate? Or do classes give points or rules to these Graduation Films.

I noticed this in almost all the graduation films I come across... I know these are common things used in independent and feature films -- but is this a mandatory objective in schools? Prove they have learned the curriculum?

Maybe I am searching for too deep a meaning in what I watch, maybe not.

[slowtiger]

(hm, first post seems to be eaten up ...)

I think you'll notice the same phenomenon with attendants of writing classes. Since they learned the common language and the basic plot construction devices, their first stories will reflect this influence. It needs time to develop a personal style. And often this is not even wanted: many clients only demand the same as everybody else, only new and cheaper.

[Elodie]

Well, I would say this is a coincidence. In animation, finally, all is made of bouncing ball, turning heads and walk cycle

[Paul Fierlinger]

I just gave up teaching forever and had many reasons for doing so, but mostly because of the consistently strong headed attitude of the majority of students to resist my own ideas of how they should be taught and what I refuse to teach because I have an ingrown distaste for formulaic thinking. They seem to receive no resistance from other instructors and particularly those who are in the teaching profession full time and their job security depends too much upon student evaluations and what grades they hand out. Show me a teacher who never grades below B- and I'll show you a syllabus crammed with easy to learn formulaic exercises and liberal on support for individual student creativity first and foremost, which means let them all draw the same way.

[MrMshr00m]

Very informative, slowtiger; I understand your basis.

Elodie, I know that animation is created through an evolution of those sum basics -- but these films appear to highlight these simple things. In some cases, the film is based around those physic/exercises.

Paul, I messaged you.

[masterchief]

I just gave up teaching forever and had many reasons for doing so, but mostly because of the consistently strong headed attitude of the majority of students to resist my own ideas of how they should be taught and what I refuse to teach because I have an ingrown distaste for formulaic thinking. They seem to receive no resistance from other instructors and particularly those who are in the teaching profession full time and their job security depends too much upon student evaluations and what grades they hand out. Show me a teacher who never grades below B- and I'll show you a syllabus crammed with easy to learn formulaic exercises and liberal on support for individual student creativity first and foremost, which means let them all draw the same way.

your students were spewing forth when they should have actually been in the receive mode????? they apparently had no idea what opportunity was made available to them and they wasted it all. I wish that it had gone better for you! Please consider providing online animation training AR&T style.
~your number one fan

[Paul Fierlinger]

Thank you, Williams, but as I said, student power was not the only reason for me to resign. I never claimed to be the most experienced educator and made my share of mistakes. I actually never studied at University or College and my inexperience showed in too many ways (this is why I needed an assistant in a class of ten, actually some years even as small as five). Teaching was taking up too much of my production time, which was a strong reason to quit. After my teaching experiences I greatly admire the teaching profession -- it's much harder and exhausting work than animation.

Three days in a class wiped me out for the day, whereas spending a day animating for 12 hours or more is child's play in comparison. I just have doubts if anyone needs to spend 4 years studying animation at the cost of $100,000 to $150,000 to become good at it. Imagine the reverse, spending that kind of money to just stay at home and draw for 12 hours a day every day of the year without having to deal with a teacher you don't like will garner 17,000 hours; 7,000 over the alloted amount of hours needed to become good at anything, according to the "Outliers".

[MrMshr00m]

I couldn't agree with you more, Paul!