Smarter Creativity

View Original

The Art of Animation, Motion Graphics, Tech Gone Wrong & Why They Go Viral

Antonio Ortiz

PBS Off Book continues with another set of thought-provoking videos that take a look at animation, what happens when  you decide to make art when technology goes wrong and why those videos go viral. ​

​

The Art of Animation and Motion Graphics

Animation has been captivating audiences for more than a hundred years. From classic forms like hand drawn and stop-motion, to cutting-edge techniques like motion graphics and CGI, animation has a long history of creating style and poetry unachievable through live action filmmaking.
Animation has been captivating audiences for more than a hundred years. From classic forms like hand drawn and stop-motion, to cutting-edge techniques like motion graphics and CGI, animation has a long history of creating style and poetry unachievable through live action filmmaking. It is a tool for educating, a place for experimentation and play, and a way of telling personal stories that reach the viewer with powerful visual metaphors. 

Featuring:
​John Canemaker
​Jesse Thomas, Jess3 
​Justin Cone
​Julia Pott 

​

The Art of Glitch

Glitches are the frustrating byproduct of technology gone awry. Wildly scrambled images, frozen blue screens, and garbled sounds signify moments where we want to throw our expensive computer products out the window. Many artists and programmers, however, have embraced these crisis moments and discovered beauty in the glitch.
Glitches are the frustrating byproduct of technology gone awry. Wildly scrambled images, frozen blue screens, and garbled sounds signify moments where we want to throw our expensive computer products out the window. Many artists and programmers, however, have embraced these crisis moments and discovered beauty in the glitch. By hacking familiar systems, they intentionally cause glitches, and manipulate them to create art. Enjoying the aesthetics of technological mistakes defies the notion that technology and entertainment has to be a seamless experience. Most importantly, glitch artists reveal a certain soulfulness that emerges when complex streams of information, visual media, and our own lives converge in the chaos of the glitch.

Featuring:
​Phillip Stearns 
​Scott Fitzgerald 
​Anton Marini 
​Daniel Temkin 

Additional artists featured: 
​Antonio Roberts and Jeff Donaldson
​Gustavo Fajardo

​

The Worlds of Viral Video

List of Featured Viral Videos*** https://docs.google.com/document/d/1VxDuCW08L3KLf3XPOxRKwVk8eltv8I1xJVij8Brbs7Q/edit This is work-in-progress list. We'll fill in the holes this week. Feel free to comment on the document if you want to help! :) "Viral Video" is the signature phenomenon of internet media.
"Viral Video" is the signature phenomenon of internet media. Something akin to pop songs, these videos with irresistible hooks have saturated video culture online and have now evolved into a multitude of sophisticated forms. Whether rooted in comedy, spectacle, schadenfreude, cuteness, politics, performance, or deep meaning, the idea of viral videos, and the huge audiences they generate, have forever changed the values and potential impact of video online. 

Featuring:
​Jonah Peretti, Buzzfeed
​Kevin Allocca, YouTube
​Brad Kim, Know Your Meme
​Dan Gurewitch, College Humor
​Mark Douglas and Todd Womack, Key of Awesome
​Michael Learmonth, Advertising Age
​Casey Neistat

List of Featured Viral Videos​

​

Previously:

The Art Of Logo Design: PBS Off Book
​Seeing Beyond The Human Eye
​​Pop Culture Through The Lens Of Nostalgia: The Evolution Of 8-Bit Art​
​​The Culture Of Reddit
​The Vast World Of Lego Art
​Three Points Of View On Fandom, Fan Fiction & Fan Art
​The Art of Film & TV Title Design: PBS Off Book
​Tattoos: Pop Portraits, Japanese Traditional, American Eclectic
​Art In The Era Of The Internet: The Impact Of Kickstarter, Creative Commons & Creators Project
​Animated GIFs: The Birth of a Medium
​Off Book Series One: The Complete Series

​