This thesis presents animation filmmaking, both in theory and in practice.
In the theoretical part of the thesis, I use the literature to explore the origins of animation throughout history, both in the world and in Slovenia, and to examine the techniques of animation filmmaking. In the second, practical part of the thesis, I present the creation of stop motion animation and the final product. I got the idea to create an animated film during my studies in the Puppetry course. Through my thesis, I wanted to explore the world of animation and bring the puppet from theatre to animation.
Animation requires a special technique. It is the creation of a large number of cartoon frames or photographs that, when played back, are perceived by the eye as a moving image over a certain period. There are three types of animation techniques: stop motion, cartoon animation and computer animation. With the help of various authors, I present the toys and gadgets that have evolved over the centuries and allowed the development of animation and later film. We have all encountered toys in the past that were the precursors of animated films. Animation is not just a cartoon, it is much more than that. And animation is one of the first media to introduce children to the world of art, to the world of different cultures and people. Film as a combination of different arts and film education enables active learning in all areas of the curriculum and is therefore highly desirable in educational processes. Many educators and other authors agree that film positively influence children and young people and I summarise their theories in the penultimate part of my thesis.
Creating animated films has been a challenge for me. I was interested in how to translate puppet play into stop-motion animation. In the practical part of the thesis, I present in detail the creation of an animated film called Lojz in Love. From the initial idea to the development of the story, the script and the characters, and then the actual filming and editing of the video to the final product.
I use plastic skulls as characters in the animation, so I'm solving the dilemma of who the animation is for. I record the audience's reactions to its visuals and content. In the end, I collect the answers from random adults and children who gave their opinions when they watched the animation. Despite the use of skulls, the audience's reactions were good. The answers obtained show that the adult audience cares more about the content of the story or the film than the visuals. Children were impressed by the animated film and wanted to watch it again.
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