Ah! the experimental seventies! This funny short animated doc gives an account of what its like to play baseball under the influence of mind altering drugs. Towards the end of the animation the simplified frame rate comes into its own as a means to expose the narrators experience of judgement.
http://www.shortoftheweek.com/2009/11/24/dock-ellis-the-lsd-no-no/
Melih Bilgil’s ‘A Brief History of the Internet’ employs a distinctly simple visual language to depict a series of complex communication and technology developments. We are hurtled through the historical contexts of various breakthroughs that collectively lead to the invention of the World Wide Web.
This animation project was conceived as a vehicle for showcasing Bilgil’s graphic design concept, PICOL. Short for ‘PIctorial COmmunication Language’, the project consists of a set of standardized signs developed to represent various features of electronic communication. The designer hoped that these icons would join existing examples, such as play/pause, creating a richer vocabulary of universally understood symbols.
The director’s desire to cover the subject comprehensively is at times in conflict with the need to engage the audience, which creates a consistent element of discord. A feature common to many educational films is the interference created when entirely forgettable technical or historical referencing distracts from interesting learning points. The result of this is that the viewer’s short term memory is preoccupied by frivolous detail rather than the core subject; for example, the numerous acronyms that litter the script.
In this film, a number of concepts, such as the decentralized network architecture, are enhanced by graphic visualizations. These reduced models communicate the dilemma and solution elegantly. However, occasionally the imagery does not expand upon or condense the verbal explanation. Instead it repeats the narrator’s script and the feeling of tautology creeps in.
‘A Brief History of the Internet’ is comprehensive and stimulating. Occasionally it loses stride but ultimately one is left with the feeling they have learnt something useful. Melih Bilgil lives in Munich where he works as a freelance multidisciplinary designer.
Lies – Part 1 – Directed by Jonas Odell from FilmTecknarna on Vimeo.
If you like ‘Never Like the First Time’ you may enjoy this, the first of three first person narratives, from a film which won at Sundance 2009.
Mother of Many from emma lazenby on Vimeo.
A BAFTA-winning short inspired the director’s mother, who worked for many years as a midwife supporting women through pregnancy and childbirth.
Made by Bristol production company Arthur Cox for Channel 4 Television.
We have previously posted about the Animadoc channel over on Vimeo, it’s curator Boaz Lederer has kindly given us permission to feature some of his collection here at animateddocumentary.com. We start with this short animation, a deeply moving story of family loss due to the Iraq War. Slate and pastel animation sensitively supports the narration.
Beautiful and sensitive mix of live action and animation. The link below is for the trailer and download for the film.
This short documentary is an intimate glimpse into the exceptional mindsets and emotional lives of four adult artists with Down Syndrome. An artful, four-way essay about ability, this animated film explores how it feels to be a little bit unusual.
Still from 'My Blood is My Tears' by Katerina Athanasopoulou
Two award-winning series of animated shorts exploring mental illness, made by Mosaic Films for Channel 4 & Teachers TV, and funded by the Wellcome Trust.
From the animated interview genre, Slaves, from Swedish production company Story.
It’s a follow up to directors Hanna Heilborn and David Aronowitsch’s film Hidden, exploring the experience of child refugees – you can watch them both on the Story site.
A third film in the series ‘Sharaf’ is listed as in production – as is a ‘new animated documentary feature’. Looking forward to hearing more about that…
ANIMATEDDOCUMENTARY.COM 