Category: Design For Animation

The title of my critical report is How Chinese ink and wash techniques can be incorporated into films and animation.

In this report I discuss the evolution of 3D ink film and animation, the role and significance of ink technology in film and animation and the use of ink technology in film

I enjoy the direction of my research, which I have continued for many years. I am fond of combining traditional culture with a modern approach, which is not only a technical innovation, but also a clash of cultures, as well as a new way of presenting traditional art. I think this research has been very helpful to me and I will still continue with this discussion in the future.

This week we had a discussion in groups about what we wanted to write about. I spoke to the rest of the group about 3D inking and they were very interested and gave me some very useful advice, for example on the point of entry for the article. I also spoke to my teacher about the topic and he said he had done research in a similar direction and had read my abstract and said it was a viable topic.

Usually when we think of animation, we tend to think of Disney or Hayao Miyazaki’s work, but as a film genre, animation is not just about these stereotypes, it can also be used to express more diverse themes, such as oversized eroticism, with Yang Fan’s Jiyuantai No. 7 being one of the more outstanding examples in recent years. Another recent and refreshing animation is about a gay Afghan refugee, and because it is a true story, the creators have used this particular format to make this amazing documentary in order to protect the identity of the person concerned.

We have seen many documentaries on the subject of Afghan refugees, but this one is a bit like Midnight Walker from a few years ago, also about an Afghan family whose parents take their children through a difficult escape from Afghanistan to the European continent, using the perspective of the refugees themselves to present their painful and horrible memories of the escape, but this one focuses on the double label of the main character: refugee and homosexuality.

The film’s depiction of refugees resorting to immoral (lying) methods in order to enter Europe certainly satirises the flawed European immigration policy and the supposedly messianic tone of the Europeans. In contrast to the cold-blooded snakehead traffickers and corrupt Russian police he encounters on the way out, Europe’s refugee policy is just as frightening and morally torturous for the protagonist, who has to live a lie in order to get a new life. Fortunately, he has the full support of his family, which enables him to be honest about his sexuality and allows him to open up and find a life of his own in a foreign country.

Despite the title of this animated documentary, a life on the run is not the life the protagonist wants. At the very beginning, he explains his idea of “home”: a safe place, a place where he can stop and not have to run, a place that is not temporary. It can be in Afghanistan, but also in Denmark, Sweden, the USA …… and later the refugee family is forced to live in various parts of Europe. From the protagonist’s point of view, if he can find a happy and secure life, a place where he no longer has to repress his instincts, that is his home, and he is willing to take the risk and try, no matter what the price he has to pay for it.

Flugt is a new production for 2021.

Seven years in the making, it seems to be another tired refugee story, but in anime form it evokes a fresh look. The American comic style and low frame rate give the impression of a comic strip, perhaps referring to the unpleasant and tattered nature of memories, or perhaps the less coherent images are the only way to convey the melancholy feeling of “every word cries for blood, every word is incomplete”. The twists and turns of the escape are a clever link between the bad history of West Asia and Eastern Europe all the way through the 1990s, ending in a condensed and profound indictment of the immigration policies of the Nordic countries.

Because it is animated, the rendering of fear is all the more effective: the anxious crowd in the container, the police smashing the door in the cat’s eye, the cold-blooded traffickers in the snow, the indifferent white men on the cruise ship. The audience follows the protagonist as he dives into his nightmare, yet is awake enough to know that it is not a dream. The intertextual telling of past and present is not new, but the pacing is just right. The vox pops test the audience’s emotional feedback to the protagonist, trying to make the audience truly understand, rather than sympathise with the odd anecdote on a superficial level. Emotions that have been suppressed for the entire piece explode in the understanding and acceptance of the family, and the protagonist walks into the bar feeling as free and loved as he does. (Amin’s angst will stay with him for the rest of his life, but he simultaneously needs the narrative to be redeemed, animated in a way that is clearly motivated by the need to protect）

I’d like to analyze the film named Le Sang d’un Poète(1932).

The film focuses on a young poet who is brutally murdered by his rival in pursuit of a woman. Reviews of the film have generally framed its themes in terms of “truth” and “freedom”. But the film has no unified logic or intention. There are often unrealistic and eccentric shapes in the film. For example, the protagonist gazes at the talking mouth in the palm of his hand, and the image of a man being killed and made up of disembodied limbs. Although the director later states that the work is “in opposition to the surrealism prevalent at the time”, in its actuality it has some influence of surrealist cinema and poetry.

The first of French director Jean Cocteau’s most iconic poet trilogy, without a coherent plot, but full of amazingly surreal images. I have completely given up on interpreting this film, everyone will have their own interpretation. Some people say that the most unbearable thing about watching such European masterpieces is that although they are not very understandable, they are fascinating, perhaps some kind of psychological metaphor that one can’t help but be deeply involved in.

The film’s technical innovations and breakthroughs should also be praised by future generations. For example, the mouth attached to the painter’s hand, the men in the room constantly changing costumes. I was most amazed by the moment when the painter rushes into the mirror. Although the technology of the time was almost impossible to do any special effects, the director created a magical visual effect with the cut shots and the water pouncing on the outer edge of the mirror. So it’s good to see these once in a while, at least for inspiration.

Stage 1：

Millions of years ago, a meteorite of vibranium, the hardest substance in the universe, crashed into the Earth and landed in Africa; the impact changed the vegetation around it, getting the dawn of the age of man and five tribes settled here, calling the place Wakanda.

The five tribes often break out in war and know the emergence of a fighting sorcerer who sees a vision from Bast, the black panther goddess, leading him to the heart-shaped grass.

A plant that gave him strength, speed and intuition beyond that of a human; this warrior became king, the first Black Panther, guardian of Wakanda, and all four tribes accepted the rule of the king; only the Jabari tribe lived alone among the snowy mountains.

The people of Wakanda used the Vibranium to develop technology; more advanced than the rest of the world; to keep the Vibranium safe, the people of Wakanda were determined to remain hidden from the world and not reveal their true power to the outside world.

Stage 2：

In 1992, T’Chaka, T’Challa’s father, found his brother, Prince Njob, son of Azuri, and told him that Ulysses Klau had stolen 0.25 tons of gold from them; and that the reason for knowing where the gold was hidden, and how to initiate an effective supply, was that someone had betrayed Wakanda as an inside man, Prince Njob.

And T’Chaka had already planted Zuri, the son of Badou, in his brother’s side, so he came to him; intending to bring him back to Wakanda to be questioned by the council and confess his crime.

Stage 3：

Back in the present, the news reports that the small African nation of Wakanda is holding a national mourning for King T’Chaka, who was killed in a terrorist attack on the UN headquarters a week ago, and that Wakanda, one of the poorest countries in the world, has never traded with the outside world and has never received international aid.

Yet all this is just Wakanda hiding, the real Wakanda is technologically far ahead of any country in the world.

T’Challa goes to “rescue” the captive Nazia (the ex-girlfriend of the Black Panther) and tells her that her father is dead and that she will be the new king and wants her to be there.

The main reason why Nadzia and T’Challa became exes would have been due to differences in philosophy: whether to save the world outside Wakanda through their own power; mainly foreign aid and refugee projects

T’Challa’s sister was the main developer of the vibranium technology.

For London, Prince Njob’s son had grown to manhood and found weapons made through vibranium in the museum and attacked with Ulysses Klaue; Ulysses Klaue’s left hand was also based on a weapon made of vibranium.

Stage 4：

According to Wakanda tradition, a new king is created by a tournament, presided over by Zuri, son of Badu, which removes the power of the Panther from his body through a liquid to ensure a ritual battle through fair flesh, the victory of which requires the surrender or death of the other side; all four tribes that had previously submitted to the rule had given up the fight for the throne, when the Jabari tribe appeared on the scene.

T’Challa, who had become the new king, needed to regain the power of the Black Panther with the sap of the heart-shaped grass and to complete a dialogue with the Panther’s ancestors through some magical ritual.

While in a state of divine wandering, T’Challa recalls and converses with the former king’s shipwreck; asking the central question: how can Wakanda be better protected.

Stage 5：

The Commander reports that an artefact (vibranium) from the Kingdom of Wakanda was stolen in England; and intended to be sold in Korea to an American mountain trader; by the very man who was the former king’s greatest regret, Ulysses Crow, who had not been caught for 30 years.

Commander Okoye and Vikapi as husband and wife or lovers.

that Vikapi’s parents had been killed in an attack by Ulysses Klaw and were therefore very determined to bring Ulysses Klaw back for trial.

the discovery, after T’Challa’s arrival in Korea, that the alleged American businessman turned out to be someone he knew from the CIA.

Stage 6：

When Ulysses Klaw arrives, a firefight breaks out as the General is discovered; Klaw is captured and the CIA is forced to take him away; however, during interrogation, Klaw reveals to the CIA that the gold he stole is only a drop in the bucket and that there is an inexhaustible supply of gold in Wakanda.

Erik leads an attack on the police station where Klaue is being held, saving him and causing CIA agent Ross to be shot and in critical condition; T’Challa uses a kimoyu bead to stabilise the gunshot wound and bring him back to Wakanda for medical attention.

Vikapi is disappointed when he learns that T’Challa did not succeed in bringing back Claude.

Erik’s real aim in bringing back Klaue is to get his head in exchange for a pass to Wakanda in order to complete “The Prince’s Revenge”.

T’Challa finds Zuri and tells him that he saw Eric with his grandfather’s ring, which is identical to his own, and asks for the truth; Zuri tells T’Challa the truth, that T’Chaka killed his brother to save himself and abandoned his brother’s son.

Erik finds Vikapi with T’Challa’s body and strikes a deal.

CIA agents recovered and saw the technology of Wakanda.

Stage 7：

Erik being brought before T’Challa and, after identifying himself, successfully gaining the right to challenge for the throne

T’Challa is outmatched by Eric in a ritual battle and almost killed; Eric throws T’Challa to the bottom of the waterfall valley after killing Zuri; becomes the new king, in accordance with Wakanda’s tradition

Nazia pulling the Queen, her Black Panther sister and Rose to rush to evacuate while chaos reigns and Commander Okoye swears allegiance to the throne.

Erik, after taking the heart-shaped herb juice, wanders into the scene of his father’s murder and has a conversation with him about Wakanda.

That upon awakening Erik had all the heart-shaped grass set on fire and that Nazia happened to sneak in at that moment to steal one.

Erik, having become the Black Panther, intends to distribute vibranium weapons to spies planted in various countries, and subsequently overthrow the rule of each place and demonstrate Wakanda’s power; Okoe and Vikabee are pitted against each other on this issue.

Stage 8：

Nazia takes the heart-shaped grass and the others to M’Baku in the hope that he will help overthrow Erik.

And coincidentally, T’Challa happened to be rescued by a fisherman from M’Baku’s territory, dying.

After taking the heart-shaped herb, in a state of delirium, T’Challa and the neighbourhood once again engaged in a discussion about what could be done to make Wakanda better

T’Challa miraculously returns and hopes that M’Baku will help him to overthrow Erik’s rule together; the Panther sister magically produces a necklace of teeth from her body

Erik orders the transports to take the vibranium weapons away and T’Challa sends in an attack; Okoe sees that T’Challa is not dead and did not surrender in the first place, so he thinks the battle rituals will continue; Erik and Vikapi don’t care about this and go straight for the attack; therefore, Okoe reasonably sides with T’Challa.

The Black Panther sister took advantage of the chaos to embed herself in the Zinjin research lab and obtain several weapons and equipment; and had Ross fly a virtual attack plane to shoot down the Zinjin transport.

Due to the weaponry disadvantage, Vikapi leads the Frontier Tribe to surround Nazia, Okoye and Panther Sister; at this point M’Baku leads an attack and breaks the siege; after a bitter battle, Vikapi surrenders to Okoye and the outer battle ends.

Meanwhile, the battle between T’Challa and Erik had been taking place on a magnetically levitated line inside the Panther base, which had been designed by Sister Panther to actively weaken the vibranium as the train passed by, with the direct effect that the Panther suit could not fully cover the entire body; after a bitter battle, T’Challa seized the opportunity to deliver a fatal blow to Erik; Erik refused to be healed and chose to die.

After this time, T’Challa decided not to hide Wakanda and intended to share his technology and power with the world.

Archetypes

1.Hero:T’Challa(Black Panther)

2.Mentor:T’Chaka(T’Challa’s father)

3.Threshold Guardian:M’Baku

4.Shapeshifter:W’Kabi

5.Herald:Heart-shaped grass

6.Shadow:Erik Stevens

7.Aiiies：Nakia，Shuri，Everett Ross

8.Trickers:Klaue

T’challa’s Timeline

In the present day, following T’Chaka’s death, T’Challa returns to Wakanda to assume the throne. He and Okoye, leader of the Dora Milaje, extract T’Challa’s ex-lover Nakia from an undercover assignment so she can attend his coronation ceremony with his mother Ramonda and younger sister Shuri. At the ceremony, the Jabari Tribe’s leader M’Baku challenges T’Challa for the crown in ritual combat. T’Challa defeats M’Baku and persuades him to yield rather than die.

When Klaue and his accomplice Erik Stevens steal a Wakandan artifact from a London museum, T’Challa’s friend and Okoye’s husband W’Kabi urges him to bring Klaue back alive. T’Challa, Okoye, and Nakia travel to Busan, South Korea, where Klaue plans to sell the artifact to CIA agent Everett K. Ross. A firefight erupts, and Klaue attempts to flee but is caught by T’Challa, who reluctantly releases him to Ross’s custody. Klaue tells Ross that Wakanda’s international image is a front for a technologically advanced civilization. Erik attacks and extracts Klaue as Ross is gravely injured protecting Nakia. Rather than pursue Klaue, T’Challa takes Ross to Wakanda, where their technology can save him.

While Shuri heals Ross, T’Challa confronts Zuri about N’Jobu. Zuri explains that N’Jobu planned to share Wakanda’s Meanwhile, Killmonger kills Klaue and takes his body to Wakanda. He is brought before the tribal elders, revealing his identity to be N’Jadaka and stating his claim to the throne. Killmonger challenges T’Challa to ritual combat, where he kills Zuri, badly injures T’Challa, and hurls him over a waterfall to his presumed death. Killmonger ingests the heart-shaped herb and orders the rest incinerated, but Nakia extracts one first. 

Nakia, Shuri, Ramonda, and Ross find a comatose T’Challa, rescued by the Jabari in repayment for sparing M’Baku’s life. Healed by Nakia’s herb, T’Challa returns to fight Killmonger, who dons his nanotech suit, similar to T’Challa’s. W’Kabi and his army fight Shuri, Nakia, and the Dora Milaje, while Ross remotely pilots a jet and shoots down planes carrying vibranium weapons before they can leave Wakanda. M’Baku and the Jabari arrive to reinforce T’Challa. Confronted by Okoye, W’Kabi and his army stand down. Fighting in Wakanda’s vibranium mine, T’Challa disrupts Killmonger’s suit and stabs him. Killmonger refuses to be healed, choosing to die a free man rather than be incarcerated; T’Challa shows him the Wakanda sunset and Killmonger dies peacefully.

II would like to discuss the use and integration of ink elements in film and television.

With the rapid development of science and technology, the development of new software, the improvement of three-dimensional special effects and other technologies, film and television art has developed at a rapid pace. As an element symbol with Chinese characteristics, China ink and wash elements have been developed and utilized by film and television workers, and film and television films with ink and wash elements should have a larger scale in the future.

As an artistic means, ink and wash has been widely used in film and television, advertising, image and other fields. At present, with the acceleration and advancement of 3d and other film technologies, the requirements for ink and wash elements have also been raised accordingly, which makes TV film art more formal. It is the intermediary between figuration and concept, and makes many elements of film and television content organize into a perfect unity of image and abstraction, which fully embodies the beauty of human nature, nature and society of film and television art. The combination of ink and wash elements with film and television creation makes the traditional colors, roles and shooting methods in film and television more artistic and brings greater aesthetic value to the film. With the promotion of ink and wash elements, abstract aesthetic feeling and real effect reflect each other, bringing unprecedented changes to the development and innovation of world film and television.

In our first class we were told that we needed to write a 1500 word critical report this term on a topic related to animation, film or games. I then had initial ideas for a 3D ink animation that I had researched during my undergraduate studies, and I will be discussing my previous research in more depth this semester.
We also learned about the proper framework and Harvard citation format for academic articles.