From: Michael Dowell <moodooguru-AT-gmail.com>
To: puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org
Date: Wed, 9 Dec 2009 05:29:09 -0800
Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] New animated short - "Bye Bye, Grandma"


Hi Conrad,

Thanks for your comments. Sorry I didn't get back to you earlier!

In terms of coloring / shading, the entire film has a sepia tone  
overlay. When you say it appears to be entirely monochrome at times,  
then sometimes has a reddish / brown, I suspect it is the result of  
the sepia tone overlay. On my monitor, the film is dark brown to light  
yellow (range of sepia tones).

You mentioned visual unity could be increased by providing some  
secondary shading to each scene in the film. In response I would say  
that this was a messy, organic process, reflecting the range of  
emotion from the woman who wrote the piece as a result of the death.  
So, I do want this film to be messy and immediate. I don't want the  
film to be inauthentic in any way. Therefore, there may be visual  
discord and even bits that don't work quite right or make sense, and I  
guess I'm fine with that. For now. If I were to spend more time on the  
piece, I might be willing to explore adding some shading to all of the  
scenes, but at this point I actually don't think it would be an  
improvement. (Although I do value your criticism.) The reason I  
disagree is that we now have a somewhat jarring experience as a  
viewer, going between two worlds, shaded and unshaded, which is an  
appropriate reflection of the internal experience of the narrator.

I also appreciate the note on showing the hands of the girl and  
grandma reconnect. I originally wanted to do just that, but I didn't  
like how the animation looked so I edited it out. If I ever decide to  
spend more time on the piece, I will probably try that scene again &  
hopefully achieve a better result. Ditto with the unrestful sleep --  
later in the film I might like to have that "tossing and turning"  
scene you described, but for now I'm letting this bird fly!

Thanks again. I really appreciate your comments!

All the best,

Michael


On Nov 16, 2009, at 6:04 PM, The Independent Eye wrote:

> Dear Michael-
>
> 	A beautiful piece.  I'd offer two thoughts to consider for
> any future work you might do in the same style.  Obviously, this is
> just my taste, don't know if it meshes with yours.
>
> 	The very clean, simple lines are quite beautiful.  At times
> (at least on my browser) it's a total monochrome, at times there's a
> bit of shading in it (a lighter value of the brown, maybe a bit more
> reddish).  For me, there'd be a stronger visual unity if you kept
> that secondary shading in everything, even if hinted at.  Or else
> removed it from where it is and let us have the other color values
> only in the dissolves.  But I think the former would work better.
>
> 	I agree with Mathieu's comment that it'd make a good shadow
> piece, though of course that's an entirely different medium.  But it
> made me think that you might profitably go a bit further with what
> I'd call "dramatic" character animation.  Keeping it still very
> minimal, but in a few places where it's not just motion (butterfly
> wings, a spirit floating in, etc.) but an actual animated character
> moment.  We have the person asleep turning sideways, but it doesn't
> say anything about the character - could the expression change, or
> something disturb the sleep, for example?  Or when the grandma figure
> walks the kid to school: it's a nice variant when they actually part,
> but we don't see the animated moment of the reconnection of hands
> with quite the right timing.  Instead, you fade to what's a beautiful
> drawing of the two hands, but (a) it's in a slightly different style,
> and (b) it's no longer "alive."
>
> 	Just some thouights, for what they're worth.  I critique my
> own work much more intensely.  I think you're doing something fine &
> unique, and look forward to seeing more.
>
> Peace & joy-
> Conrad B.
> _______________________________________________
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Best regards,
Michael Dowell
Moodoo Puppets
phone: 626-296-6956
email: moodooguru-AT-gmail.com
website: http://www.moodoopuppets.com

Awards:
"Best Party Entertainers" -LA Parent's Best of 2009
"Best Birthday Entertainment" - LA Parent's Best of 2008

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