'big man', an animated film with an accompanying analysis of its relationship to the theory and

280 Pages·2016·12.11 MB·English

by  Debbie Turrell

'BIG MAN',
AN ANIMATED FILM WITH AN ACCOMPANYING
ANALYSIS OF ITS RELATIONSHIP TO THE
THEORY AND PRACTICE OF ART AND
ANIMATION

by
Michelle Stewart
Student Number: 875878231

Submitted in fulfilment of the
requirements for the degree of
PhD in Media and Cultural Studies

University of KwaZulu-Natal,
KwaZulu-Natal,
South Africa

August 2016
DECLARATION
I, Michelle Stewart, declare that
The research reported in this thesis, except where otherwise indicated, is my original work. This
thesis has not been submitted for any degree or examination at any other university. This thesis
does not contain text, data, pictures, graphs or other information obtained from another person or
source, unless specifically acknowledged as being so obtained. This thesis does not contain any
other person’s writing, unless specifically acknowledged. Where such written sources have been
used then they have always been acknowledged through the use of in-text quotation marks or
indented paragraphs with accompanying in-text references and in the bibliography. This thesis does
not contain text, graphics or tables copied and pasted from the Internet, unless specifically
acknowledged through in-text references and in the bibliography.

Student name: Michelle Stewart

Signature: ________________________________ Date: ______________

As the supervisor, I acknowledge that this research dissertation/thesis is ready for examination.

Name: Professor Anton Van der Hoven

Signature: ________________________________ Date: _____________

As the co-supervisor, I acknowledge that this research dissertation/thesis is ready for examination.

Name: Dr Louise Hall

Signature: ________________________________ Date: _____________

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to thank my supervisor, Professor Anton van der Hoven, for his consistent
support and invaluable commentary. I would like to thank Peter Stewart for his creation of
the soundtrack and his contribution to the post-production editing of the film. Lastly, I
would like to thank my co-supervisor, Dr Louise Hall, for her support and assistance with
the submission of this PhD project.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION ................................................................................................................. ii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .................................................................................................. iii
ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................................ vi
PREFACE ............................................................................................................................ x
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................ 1
1.1 Overview of the study .................................................................................................. 1
1.2 Re-imagining the biblical narrative ............................................................................. 3
1.3‘Big Man’ and the traditions of Western art and animation ......................................... 7
1.4 The ‘Big Man’ and the traditions of South African art and animation ........................ 8
1.5 Chapter outline ........................................................................................................... 10
CHAPTER 2 CONCEPTUALISING THE VISUAL COMPONENT OF THE
PROJECT .......................................................................................................................... 13
2.1 A brief overview ........................................................................................................ 13
2.2 The initial visual narrative ......................................................................................... 13
2.3 Storyboarding Dr HF Verwoerd’s funeral,‘Prologue’ scene ..................................... 22
2.4 Exhibition works ........................................................................................................ 24
CHAPTER 3 THE ‘BIG MAN’ THEME ........................................................................ 34
3.1 A brief overview ........................................................................................................ 34
3.2 The ‘Big Man’ in Africa ............................................................................................ 35
3.2.1 The early emergence of ‘Big Men’ and the concept of the dictator in Ancient
Rome ......................................................................................................................... 42
3.2.2 The ‘Big Man’: Precedents in South African art ............................................. 43
3.2.3 William Kentridge and Robert Hodgins: Ubu and the ‘Big Man’-inspired
imagery ...................................................................................................................... 44
3.2.4 ‘Big Man’ images of Jacob Zuma: Brett Murray, Ayanda Mabulu and Jonathan
Zapiro ........................................................................................................................ 69
3.3 The influence of Francis Bacon’s ‘Papal Series’ and William Blake’s
‘Nebuchadnezzar’ engravings on the ‘Big Man’ theme of the film ................................ 92
CHAPTER 4 TRADITIONAL ANIMATION PROCESSES AND THE DIGITAL
PLATFORM IN ‘BIG MAN’ ......................................................................................... 115
4.1 A brief overview ...................................................................................................... 115
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4.2 The exploration of paper cut-out animation: ‘Prologue’scene(Dr HF Verwoerd’s
funeral) ........................................................................................................................... 116
4.3 The integration of digital imagery within the cut-out animation process, ‘Prologue’
scene (Dr HF Verwoerd’s funeral) ................................................................................ 142
4.4 The combination of frame-by-frame, paper-based and cel animation and paper cut-
out animation in the ‘Prologue’ scene (BJ Vorster’s inauguration speech)................... 152
4.5 The integration of digital imagery, ‘Prologue’scene ............................................... 161
4.6 The paint-on-glass process, ‘Epilogue’ scene .......................................................... 164
4.7 The integration of the paint-on-glass approach with live footage, ‘Banishment’ scene
....................................................................................................................................... 172
CHAPTER 5 THE DIGITAL PLATFORM AND‘BIG MAN’ ................................... 178
5.1 A brief overview ...................................................................................................... 178
5.2 TheFlash platform, embedded knowledge, authoring software and digital creativity
....................................................................................................................................... 179
5.3 The frame-by-frame and 2D puppet animation created in theFlash platform for‘Big
Man’ ............................................................................................................................... 185
5.3.1 The frame-by-frame process in Flash ............................................................ 186
5.3.2 Frame-by frame animation using pixel-based graphics ................................. 198
5.4 Digital puppet animation in‘Big Man’ ..................................................................... 204
5.5 The visual and conceptual integration of digital photographic imagery and live
footage in theFlash-animated scenes ............................................................................. 214
CHAPTER 6 CONCLUSION ........................................................................................ 223
6.1 Independent 2D experimental animation and the digital platform .......................... 223
6.2 The importance of the PhD study to research and academic development ............. 227
6.3 ‘Big Man’ and its relevance to the contemporary South African context ............... 229
BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................................................................................ 233
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS .......................................................................................... 244
APPENDIX 1: NOTES ON SOUND .............................................................................. 254

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ABSTRACT
The focus of this practice-based PhD study is the production of an experimental, 2D
animated short film of 10 minutes, 27 seconds, titled Big Man.
The animated film is a retelling of several episodes that are found in chapters two and four
of The Book of Daniel from the Old Testament in which Nebuchadnezzar, King of
Babylon, has troubled dreams that can only be interpreted by the Hebrew prophet Daniel.
In the film, this biblical story is re-imagined using the former South African Prime
Minister, Mr Balthazar Johannes (BJ) Vorster as the character of Nebuchadnezzar, thus
linking the narrative directly to South African history. This is done using a variety of
animation techniques, including stop-motion paper cut-out animation, digital and
traditional hand-drawn frame-by-frame and cel animation, digital puppet animation and
paint-on-glass animation.
The written component of this research provides a detailed explanation of the conceptual,
technical and creative approaches used in the making of the film prior to, during and post
production, and locates the film within the contexts of animation and fine arts practice in
South Africa. In addition, the theoretical component discusses the concept of the ‘Big
Man’, the particular literary, theoretical and visual influences at work in the film, and the
adaptation of the biblical narrative from its origins to its re-imagining as a fictional, South
African narrative explored through the medium of experimental animation.
Practice-based research is essentially interdisciplinary, as one is approaching a study
through both practice and theory (Elkins 2009). Thus research methods and aims can be
applied to both aspects of the study and can differ quite radically, as textual research is
clearly not the same as research through creative practice. This makes it impossible to
come up with a single research question. Research that originates through practice involves
a complexity of technical, conceptual, visual and aesthetic areas of exploration and
approaches specific to creative practice, whereas the associated written component
critically and cognitively engages with and supports the practice through theory. In terms
of assessment the PhD project comprises a 50/50 split between practice and theory. The
following questions cover the scope of my exploration in both the practice and textual
components of my study:
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Does the film represent the theme of the “Big Man” in such a way as to make it
relevant to both the South African context and to a broader international audience?
At the outset the objective of this project was to use the theme of the “Big Man” to explore
notions of power, and, in particular, to comment on the present political climate in South
Africa with an emphasis on the rising conception of President Jacob Zuma as South
Africa's most recent “Big Man”. The intention was to explore this idea implicitly, through
the guise of the past, using former apartheid Prime Minister BJ Vorster as the central
character of the film. A motivation for casting BJ Vorster as the biblical character of
Nebuchadnezzar is that the biblical king is a famous, archetypal Big Man, whereas BJ
Vorster is not necessarily widely known outside South Africa. Also, using The Book of
Daniel from the Old Testament as the overarching narrative was intended to place the
narrative within a broader understanding, beyond the South African context. The primary
intention was for the film to convey this theme and narrative to its audience in a visually,
conceptually and aesthetically coherent way. The textual component aims to reflect
critically on the various visual, aesthetic and conceptual methods the film uses to engage
with both the theme of the Big Man and the biblical narrative. This component also aims to
engage with the relevance of the notion of the “Big Man” in terms of notable precedents in
the creative and performing arts in South Africa.
What are the interdisciplinary and research potentials of the experimental animation
platform?
While my film uses a narrative form associated with orthodox animation, the use of a
multiplicity of styles and approaches is more commonly associated with the experimental
tradition (Wells 2002: 42). One objective in creating this film was to extend my creative
and conceptual knowledge of art-making and animation by creating an independent,
experimental animated film. I chose to make an experimental film due to my interest in
learning, using and integrating a variety of creative processes within a filmic medium. My
methods and aims included using and extending my skills and interest in the fine arts,
digital image-making and 2D digital animation. The film's identity within the experimental
tradition, and the successful use and integration of a variety of creative processes is
hopefully evident in the artwork itself. The methods of researching and applying these
diverse approaches are illuminated in the course of the textual component.
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How can the digital platform act as both a medium and a tool for the animation
process?
A significant objective of this project was to explore the digital platform on the one hand
as a tool for facilitating the animation process, and on the other hand as a medium for
creating digital animation. The film accessed the traditional stop-motion animation
processes of paper cut-out animation and paint-on-glass animation. As these are labour-
intensive processes, I aimed to find ways of using the digital platform as tool to facilitate
and speed up this process. I also had to find ways of integrating diverse traditional and
digital styles and approaches. In order to do this, while I had previous knowledge of digital
cinema technology, I had to learn to process and integrate these hybrid techniques in film
editing and production suites at a more advanced level than I had previously used. In terms
of accessing the digital platform as a medium with which to create animation, I aimed to
develop my skills in digital, hand-drawn, frame-by-frame animation and learn 2D puppet
animation using the Flash animation platform.
To what extent do the visual conceptualisation, planning and preparation for the film
represent valid research methods?
The general consensus within practice-based research is that the practice forms a
significant part of the research (Elkins 2009). While to some extent the investigation is
seen to be made visible in the culminating creative work, other modes of investigation
applied during the practice may not be apparent in the end product. These include
storyboarding the narrative, the initial visual and aesthetic conceptualisation, and the
technical planning. Some commentators suggest that these processes can be recorded in the
form of a diary (Frayling 1994). I have chosen to incorporate them into the written
component. In this way the textual component aims to elucidate and document the visual
methods of investigation applied during the creative process. The objective is to clarify this
visual exploration as valid research, without which there would be no film. It is important
to note that while such visual processes are major aspects of the research, other forms of
non-visual investigation also apply and are an essential part of the planning process as
well. The theme of the “Big Man”, for example, required both visual and theoretical
exploration. However, for the sake of clarity, these aspects of the research are dealt with
separately to the visual research process.
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Keywords: animation practice, South African visual art, Western visual art, the Big Man,
Nebuchadnezzar, digital animation, traditional animation, experimental animation

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PREFACE

A contextualisation of this PhD study as it relates to practice-based research in the
creative arts both in the South African paradigm and in terms of international
discourse and debate

Overview
This PhD is practice-based and comprises a 50/50 split between practice and theory.
Practice-based research in art1 is a relatively new development within universities in South
Africa, including this institution, the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), where there is
still a certain amount of uncertainty around such research. Thus, this preface serves to
clarify the practice-based nature and structure of this PhD study both as it relates to the
parameters set by this institution and as it relates to the broader discourse and debate
around the notion of practice-based research in art. The parameters for this PhD project
were approved by this institution — the proposal for this particular practice-based PhD
study being one of the first of its kind to be approved (in art) at UKZN. However, in the
face of the uncertainty that has surrounded the practice-based nature of this study (during
both the proposal and submission stage) at the higher institutional level, this discussion
aims to clarify the nature of the study in terms of international precedents, debates and
discourse. It also serves to highlight the problems surrounding practice-based research and
creative outputs in the creative arts at both the government and university level in South
Africa.
The parameters for this research project were drawn from international precedents because
since the time of this project’s conception in 2008 there have been no clearly established
criteria for practice-based research in art within South African universities or within the
broader discourse of practice-based research in art in South Africa at the level of a PhD.

1Much of the discourse and debate around practice-based research in art applies equally to the performing
arts. However, although there are instances where the discussion does refer to practice-based research in
the performing arts to illuminate the argument, this discussion will focus mainly on practice-based
research in the creative arts, due to the nature of the PhD study.

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