Christine Tong

BA (Hons) Animation: WRITTEN TASK

Student ID: 15022535

In the opening chapter of his book Starting Point: 1979-1996, Hayao Miyazaki writes: Nowadays we
can watch more than enough animation anytime we want. But no matter how good the animation is, when
we have too much, it is no longer good quality.1 He then proceeds to explain, by means of a Japanese
aphorism, how it is sometimes better to savour the experience of things in life by taking the time to
explore them first hand, in an action-oriented way.
It is hard to put into words what makes me so enthusiastic about studying animation. To be able to say
something with it, to be able to create my own little world, whilst bringing the inanimate to life, creatively
and in a way that is visually stimulating, is something special but it is not solely what makes the medium
so appealing to me. I look at animation as both a storytelling device and a means of artistic expression
and I value the process of producing animation as much as the end result in itself.
I have been raised watching Disney animated features, Hanna Barbera, Warner Brothers and MetroGoldwyn Mayer cartoons, and have carried that fascination with animation with me throughout the years.
In much the same way, I have been able to appreciate fine art from a very young age thanks to my
mother, who used to paint and was the first to encourage me to draw as a child. Being able to produce
good sequences entails a familiarity with the history, the methodology and conventions of animation
production and its surrounding disciplines; things which I can only obtain via an education in the subject.
Having said this, I am also convinced that although technique is key, it should never come at the expense
of substance or story (however simple).
In watching the several UWE student showreels available on the Vimeo channel online, I realise that
imagination, experimentation and a dedication towards the collaborative process are crucial. Students of
UWE seem to be encouraged to explore their own ideas, to find a style and a voice that is unique to them,
and to work in groups towards a common goal. I have chosen to study at UWE because I am looking for a
university that teaches method via practice, as well as an educational environment that pushes for
innovation. From the showreels I could also tell that UWE values traditional animation in a world that is
constantly pushing for 3D and digital CGI an approach which I find refreshing and that I greatly admire.
Additionally, being a university which is Creative Skillset accredited it enables a high rate of students to
become employable in the industry by the end of the course makes it all the more appealing to someone
like me, who would like to make of animation her future career. One of the main reasons why I would
like to embark on a degree such as this, is that I would like to find my niche within animation and
discover which aspect of the discipline, I would be most suited for.
While I understand that it is a vast industry rife with competition, and that animation can serve
commercial and informational purposes as well as filmic ones, my ambition lies with the creation of
original films for entertainment rather than function.
My interests in art are varied, and I find that I do not only appreciate the great masters, but can also
draw valuable knowledge from contemporary artists across disciplines and media, such as Lucian Freud
and his portraits, Ron Mueks massive hyperrealistic sculptures, Eduardo Kacs biotechnologies, Chris
Riddells childrens books, Craig Thompsons graphic novels, street artist BLU and his graffiti
stopmotion, PESs short films and commercials and many others. I also have a vested interest in other
disciplines like performance art and dance. Aside from work of obvious quality, I also look to my peers,
independent film and animation initiatives and kickstarter projects for inspiration, since even though
sometimes the quality of execution might leave much to be desired for, often the concepts behind such
start-ups are the driving force, crude, honest and touching stories.
A good story, to me, is one that strikes a chord with its target audience it doesnt have to tug at their
heartstrings; it can be brutal - as long as it has an impact that outlives the length of the piece. The ideal
story is thought provoking, and has to elicit conversation outside of the confines of the screening (in the
case of an animation). If it has total closure, narrative resolution at the end, then people will not talk about
it or remember it. It does not have to be complex; on the contrary, sometimes simplicity is what, to me,
makes a story grand. It does not necessarily need to have dialogue to push it forward, but always needs a
driving force, be it visual or audible. In my opinion, people enjoy being wow-ed. Innovation, even if via
defamiliarisation, is memorable. This is the kind of work that I would like to be aiming to create.

1 Hayao Miyazaki, Starting Point: 1979 1996, transl. Carey, B., Schodt, F.L., VIZ Media, San Francisco, (April
2014) p.48