The Power of Film

Film is a powerful thing. It can do many things to the human mind, changing it, persuading it, and causing it bring up different emotions. Film can preserve the past, it can protect the present for the future. It can show things that have actually happened or can be used to display an illusion. It can tell a story or display a scene. It can paint a picture. Film can cause a person to hate, to love, to be saddened, to laugh, to dream. It can inspire and cause change in one’s life. Film is powerful. People say that a single image can speak a thousand words. Film, being played back at at least 24 frames (or images) per second, must then tell millions of them. It can fill in the empty gaps that text cannot describe. Film can persuade, it can deceive, it can entertain. It can change the future. Film truly can do many things. The people of this earth spend countless hours a year on film, both in money and in time. Some are addicted to it. It becomes part of society, part of a people’s culture. It can be re-watched and become a routine, a tradition. It can bring back memories that have long been forgotten, whether good or bad. It can be made through the artificial eye of a camera, capturing the world around us or through the imaginary camera on a computer. It has evolved through the ages. Film is a powerful thing.

Note that I use the term “Film” as a broad description of pretty much anything that would be described as a moving picture.

Why do I bring this up, this topic of film being powerful? Well, clay animation is film. What you are creating has the potential to be powerful. It can do any of the things I listed above (for the most part). The trick is to figure out how to do it and how to do it effectively. If you do this, your animation will be able to affect people and make a difference. I just want you to think about that the next time you start thinking about a plot line or do a simple animation. You have the choice to make your film effective and powerful, it may take a little more effort on your part, but it still is possible. Are you up for the challenge? Even though your creation might not be the most powerful thing in the world, earning itself an Oscar or anything like that, it still has some bit of power because it still is film. If I ever do go into any film related occupation, this is going to be one of the reasons why, not counting all the other cool stuff that goes along with it. Now, if you need a way to increase the quality of your animation, one of the simple ways to learn how to is to study the film of the past and why it was powerful.

Why did propaganda films cause so much influence during the World Wars? Why did this movie have the highest box office? What causes you to enjoy or dislike a movie? Does the commercial you see on T.V. entice you? Why? Does the comedian make you laugh? Why? Why does a scene in a movie make you or someone else cry? Did you love the plot or find it boring?

These are only a number of the questions you can ask yourself. The next time you do watch something, try asking yourself one and maybe, just maybe, you will start learning how to make film more powerful.