11/10/21 ANIMATION SHOW OF SHOWS (IN PERSON)
ANIMATION SHOW OF SHOWS!
Presented by Ron Diamond
Introduction by Charlene Xu
For 21 years, the ANIMATION SHOW OF SHOWS has been presenting a highly selective, “best of the best” program of new and innovative short films to appreciative audiences at animation studios, schools and, since 2015, theaters around the world. During this time, 41 of the films showcased in the ANIMATION SHOW OF SHOWS went on to receive Academy Award nominations, with 11 films winning the Oscar. The ANIMATION SHOW OF SHOWS is a 501(c)(3) not for profit and is supported by major studios, companies, schools and hundreds of animation lovers around the world. Learn more about the films in current and past Animation Show of Shows and their makers by joining our mailing list at www.animationshowofshows.com/pages/sign-up.
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Shengwei Zhou (szhou894@usc.edu):
ReplyDeleteAfter watching these shocking short films in today's class, I was most impressed by the short film The Old Man and the Tree, which is an absolute masterpiece.
All the animation skills appear insignificant in front of this short film, because it carries such a heavy and deep emotion, and at the same time it creates a character similar to the character in Hemingway's novel "The Old Man and the Sea", a silent and tenacious father image. So I don't want to analyze this short film rationally from the technical or narrative level, I just want to talk about my emotional feelings.
It reminds me of the difference between me and my family members many times. It is a kind of silent pain, just like the silent father in the film. All the turbulent emotions are just like the surging trees in the film, but it is difficult to express this emotion due to the subtle relationships between family members. I could still recall that the night before I came to the United States, my parents and friends had a very enjoyable conversation at the dinner table at the beginning part, but suddenly everyone fell silent and tried not to touch each other’s eye sights, as if they were reluctant to touch the fact that tomorrow we would be parted.
But just as the war-torn tree will still sprout, the bond between my family and friends will not be alienated by distance and jet lag. It will enter into a new stage with more possibilities.
To be honest, I have so much stuff to say I don't know where to start. I attended the 20th and 21st Animation Show of Shows at the SVA Theater in New York, where I saw so many great films and learned about the animation artists who I've started to follow ever since then. I remember seeing "Weekends" "Daughter" "Five Minutes to Sea" "Polaris" "Kids," and many others before they had their online release, and they actually inspired me so much with different aspects of their amazing artistry. (A fun fact: one of the ASOS volunteers had once reached out to me this year asking for my film for their consideration for the showcase since my film was in the festival circuit, and I was overjoyed.)
ReplyDeleteI said this in my message to Ron, that I'm grateful for the ASOS because the film selections have never disappointed the audience. Like this week's screening, we get to see so many films from top notch animation festivals world wide. I've seen "Empty Spaces" "Average Happiness" at Annecy two years ago, and have always wanted to see them again on a big screen. I never thought I would love something like "Average Happiness" so much, but this film always strikes me deeply as the most sacred epitome of visual poetry. And of course "The Man Who Planted Trees, " which I've watched so many times in my undergrad studies.
And there were films I haven't seen that touched me so much I couldn't help shedding tears; I'm talking about the one made out of wires --- Such clever metaphor using the medium itself, and such heart-felt story that a lot of us can strongly resonate with. I've added this film to my personal favorites now and look forward to see it again someday.
All in all, I think the Animation Show of Shows means huge to me personally, because it's something I look forward to every year, because every time the screening gives me so much joy and tears, and most importantly, because watching these greatest animated films from around the world all at once always reminds me how much I LOVE animation, and why I decided to do animation in the first place.
Thank you, again, Ron. I genuinely wish all the best to you and ASOS, and hopefully, someday in the future, I will have my film screened at this wonderful event too!
-Charlene Xu
I was really inspired by the films that Ron showed us. Almost all of them resonated very strongly with me. I was especially moved by "Ties", the film using wires to show the disconnect of parents from their daughter. It was so personal and relatable, and the mixture of techniques was very smooth. I loved the diversity of content and artistic styles that Rob curated. I was excited to see so many experimental and musical films included. I thought the first film, showing masks from around the world, was really captivating. It reminded me of Corrie Parks' "Foreign Exchange". The replacements of the masks to the beat was very impressive - I also love the combination of archeological and cultural study with animation. There were a couple films however that left a little something to be desired for me. I was surprised that the story about the little girl and the horse was included. I thought this film was lovely and charming, but it wasn't anything I haven't really seen before. The artistic style was very cute but simple, and the story felt like one I've heard many times. Juxtaposed with the other films that felt so imaginative and original, I felt like this one didn't measure up. I was also very surprised to hear that Ron has never chosen a USC student film but has chosen films from other schools. We have to change that! Overall, I really enjoyed watching these movies and I feel really inspired to push creative boundaries.
ReplyDeleteI forgot to say that this is Delaney McCallum (jmccallu@usc.edu)
DeleteStefie Gan (stefiega@usc.edu)
ReplyDeleteThe Animation Show of Shows gave a good look into international films that I haven't seen before. Some had narrative elements while others was more design oriented. There was a simple story about a girl with a horse, which I found surprising that he included it along with the other animations that seemed more refined. Although the animation style was very simple, the story still had emotional resonance.
My favorite was The Man Who Planted Trees. I think I've seen this film before, but it was nice to watch it again. It was inspiring and reminded me of a piece of work that can feel you with emotions and inspire us all to want to be better people, one who cares about doing selfless acts to better the environment and people. Even though this person was not a real person, I think there are people who live by this and may not be featured but who spend everyday giving back through humble acts.
I have attended the previous Animation Show of Shows at the SVA theatre in New York and it has never disappointed. Seeing Ron here at USC stirs up an almost nostalgia feeling in me and reminds me of how close-knitted the animation scene is.
ReplyDeleteI loved a lot of today's films. I related to the one made with wire with the girl leaving home. It wierdly and very specifically hits the international student crowd and I'm sure a lot of us there in the theatre felt the same way. Average Happiness cracked me up so hard. I love how limited the set ups are but how much humor and emotion it conveys. The girl and the horse film is very touching too. It started out as an innocent fairytale, but slowly progressed into a lesson for life and relationships, and caught me off guard. I really liked the music video made up with the short gifs. They seemed silly, but when put together and especially with the music, it says a lot more than it appears.
Overall I really enjoyed tonight's show and Ron's visit!
Jiamu Tao
ReplyDeleteI remember seeing last year's Animation Show of Shows, and it was so great to have a chance to watch this year's selections in USC! Their selections never disappoint people. My personal favorite is "Ties," the film uses the technique of 3d pen to portray the modern parent-child relationship. I was so satisfied to see the variety of superb animations by 3d pen, and I can't imagine how hard it is to create frame-by-frame shots from it. And the result is fantastic -- the doodling textures suit the childlike storytelling style, and the pulling line animation and the simple character design are all amazing! It shows how creative an artist can be, and it's really inspiring.
Thanks to Ron for coming and bringing in so much stimulation and energy!
Giulia Pan
tzuyupan@usc.edu
The animation show of shows is amazing, All selected films are made by artist from all around the world and owning their own unique style and content, every one of them is creative, beautiful, inspiring and eye opening. There are definitely a lot for us to learn from that I don’t know where to start. The one I remembered the most is the The Man Who Planted Trees. I’ve just watched Crac! Also by Frederic Back last week and both of them are magnificent and if I remember it right both of them have won Academic awards. Frederic Back’s films always have a appealing art style, a interesting and warm-hearted story and a rather slow pace. Watching Frederic Back’s film makes me feel calm and immersive. Having Ron visiting and bringing the screening of Animation Show of Shows at USC is a unforgettable experience, I really enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteJiayi Tang
Tangjiay@usc.edu
We had such a fun time enjoying the amazingly diversified films Mr.Diamond picked. It's eye-opening to learn that animators around the world are developing and expanding the concept of animation, such as the film of the graphs. The animator create a geomatric 3D space, using data and lines to represent the civilian, society, nature and their growth with time. Empty Spaces was a film that made with 3D and with a 2D shading. It incorporates graphic design into its framing of each scene to create space and the emptiness. The Man Who Plant Trees was such a beautiful film. The amount of work that goes into the film and how the film is able to influence generation after generation makes me believe that the animator himself is also the "man who plant trees".
ReplyDeleteAnna Wang
awang206
Great to have Ron Diamond coming and presenting us a fantastic animation show. I have not watched short films in a while. But that night’s screening reminded me that having fun should be the important reason why audiences love these unique short films made by talented people. When we watched these fantastic short films, it was amazing to experience different life and stories from the creators’ perspective. We can feel the joy or sadness the creators want to convey. The animation once again showed we always appreciate love, beauty and be attracted to wonderful stories. That is what we have in common as human beings. Thanks again that Ron brought these unique and exciting films to us!!
ReplyDeleteNaicheng Liu
It is a great honor to have Mr. Ron Diamond bring us a screening of the Animation Show of Shows! Watching short film collections is not a familiar experience to me. But I have to say that I enjoyed tonight’s screening as it opened my perspective. I respect the creators who explore new mediums and storytelling techniques. Because of these brave, adventurous trailblazers, we get to see the films we saw tonight. Zoiz Ogglyph is memorably strange and novel. Average Happiness found its unique standing point on data visualization. Ties is one of the most powerful and moving films I have seen recently.
ReplyDeleteI especially liked Beyond Noh, the film with photographs of all kinds of masks. It is insane to imagine the amount of masks included and the difficulty of arranging all of them in a good rhythm. I admire the time and effort Patrick Smith has put into it just to show the audience the variety for a simple term “mask.” It is, in some way, similar to the Animation Show of Shows.
Thank you so much to Mr. Ron Diamond for presenting us with such a wonderful collection of animated films! I look forward to all future collections of Animation Show of Shows!
Cherry Guo (guomengy@usc.edu)
Gina Gonsalves
ReplyDeleteggonsalv@usc.edu
I very much enjoyed Ron's visit and the films he showed us. Ron was extremely helpful and friendly, I like how he explained his reasoning for his choices and the advice he shared with us. Each of the films he showed us was so well-done and unique. Such a wide range of styles, themes, and methods used. My favorites were the 3000 Masks, Deszcz, Empty Places, Aurora, and especially The Man Who Planted Trees. The Man Who Planted Trees was especially impressive and of interest. The artist very clearly has a great understanding of form, light, weight, and strong perspective. The smooth transitions, exquisite figure drawing, and very strong storytelling were truly amazing. Thank you Ron!
This semester I’ve been studying a lot of American-made animated films, so to see so many from around the world was an excellent experience. The varying cultural origins of the films influenced the humor, visuals, and narratives; this made them all highly unique. It’s more difficult to predict the plot of films which have other cultural/humor influences so I find myself continuously getting pleasantly surprised.
ReplyDeleteI thoroughly enjoyed the animations Ron screened for us and was inspired by many of them. Something I found noteworthy was a majority had no real dialogue and were artistic, which allowed them to be easily screenable to international audiences. Additionally, their subject matter was either relatable to the human experience in general or so abstract that everyone could find something in them which was engaging.
I forget the name, but my favorite of the evening was the film where people jump off the skyscraper assuming the superhero character will catch them. This animation and visual style was so extremely simple, but this only served the overall narrative more. When the story is great, sometimes design-wise less is more. Something about this narrative was so ridiculous yet spot on in its message about humanity. I can’t describe it exactly, it’s kind of an ineffable feeling I got. It plays with ideas about how people are willing to take more unnecessary risks when they’re convinced there aren’t consequences, and mob mentality of following the majority even when what you’re doing is stupid or selfish. Even superheroes get tired; there are too many people in the world for them to all be saved. At some point the hero had to look out for themself and accept that the jumpers’ fate is their own doing. I’ll have to contemplate it more to be able to express it concisely, but these ideas are all connected and have relevant real world meaning even though the actual narrative of the film itself is fictional.
A huge thanks to Ron for coming to share his thoughts and these works with us!
-Nina Ceklic
I appreciated having the opportunity to watch Ron Diamond’s Animation Show of Shows last week. I had never seen any of the shorts before. I was intrigued by the diversity in the selected animated shorts, and I felt that all of the shorts had such a unique perspective. All of the artists approached their films in ways I would have never imagined myself. They showed me some new and refreshing ways to tell stories.
ReplyDeleteI don’t know the names of all the films, but the first film with the masks, the superhero roof-jumping film, Average Happiness, the 3D animated apartment film, and the film with the unraveling wire characters were most engaging to me. I was especially touched by the wire film. I was impressed with how it effectively portrayed its story and theme without any dialogue. The material itself was such a powerful metaphor in expressing distance and the feelings that come with moving away from home, and starting life anew. Despite the cold, wiry material, I found the film to be emotionally touching and endearing. From a technical standpoint, I was amazed by the animator’s ability to create 3-dimensionality with the material. I was blown away by the film.
Victoria Cruell (cruell@usc.edu)
Vicky Gu (xingyugu@usc.edu)
ReplyDeleteIt's always a pleasure to watch short films that I've never seen before and thank you Sheila for inviting Ron Diamond again and bringing us the latest Animation Show of Shows. I appreciate the variety of films this year and their countries of origin. I really appreciate the diverse lineup of films and it was interesting to see how different cultures were reflected through all these films. Watching the screening in SCI 108 was an awesome experience and the films all looked amazing on a big screen. (Last time we had to watch the screening online, which wasn't very engaging when the movies were small.) I also appreciate Ron showing us some of the older films - The Man Who Planted Trees was truly artistically beautiful and inspiring. It's interesting to see how animated films have evolved through the decades. Thank you Ron for bringing us this screening and I look forward to future films from the Animation Show of Shows.
Thank you for inviting Ron this week and he showed us many excellent animations.
ReplyDeleteI really like the shepherd animation. An old man has no desires and planted trees all over the mountains and plains conscientiously. He picks the best tree species one by one, fearing that the sheep will destroy the saplings, and then turn to beekeeping. He planted trees all day long and didn't ask him anything. War has nothing to do with him, fame and wealth have nothing to do with him, and everything except planting trees seems to have nothing to do with him. Alone in this desert with no one to accompany him, but I don't think he is alone at all. The heart is flat and rich, he has a tough and peaceful heart. Knowing that such a person has been doing the same thing for decades without questioning or complaining, being like a god, having no extravagant desires and no selfish desires, that ordinary and extraordinary step by step is a huge shock.
We always pursue too much. Desire is like a line, a twisty line. Desire is intertwined and it is easy to form a void, which is the void of our heart. If we are not careful, we will fall into the void between desires and even within desires, lose ourselves, and forget our original intentions.
shiqihu@usc.edu
Clara Chou
ReplyDeleteyuncheng@usc.edu
The animated films presented by the Animation Show of Shows are super eye-freshing! I am really thankful that Ron Diamond has chosen the best 10 films for us. I love the diversity and creativity of the presented films. My favorite ones are "Yes-People" by GÃsli Darri Halldórsson, “Ties” by Dina Velikovskaya, and the last film about a generous shepherd who had grown a forest, “The Man Who Planted Trees” by Frédéric Back. I have watched “Yes-People” before and it still fascinates me! The character performance conveys the story very well, and I love the character design so much! I love the simplicity and the graphic look of the characters in the film “Ties.” Finally, the longest and the most beautiful film, “The Man Who Planted Trees”, I love the softness and the elegance of this film. Overall, I love the viewing experience, I love being showered by all inspiration from all over the world. Thank you for this wonderful screening :)
Last year, we also had Ron as one of our seminar guest speakers to show the Animation Show of Shows. It's such a pleasure to have Ron back and watch the animated films he chooses this year. The story structure and the pace of the film "Yes-People" are so accurate. I love the set design, texture, and rendering style of this film. The sound design and language system of the voice-over is so creative and appealing. "Average Happiness" is so playful. And I felt related to it. The director leads the audience into the statistics world, and the hold journey has so much fun. The film made with the 3D pen is one of my favorites.
ReplyDeleteGlad to have a chance to watch all these fantastic animation shorts! Looking forward to Ron's next year's Animation Show of Shows.
Shengluo Zhang
shengluo@usc.edu
Last week, Ron Diamond showcased a collection of shorts for his Animation Show of Shows event. It was refreshing to see experimental work especially since I have been focusing on my thesis that is very narrative-based. "Average Happiness" was one of my favorites because it made visual graphs and data that we are used to seeing transform into something unexpectedly wild, chaotic, and sexual. Another favorite was "Yes-People" for its cute, whimsical characters and quirky scenarios. The combination of film photography and CG characters felt similar to stop motion. I appreciate the diversity in the showcase and enjoyed seeing variety of stories from different parts of the world.
ReplyDeleteJarrod Chatham (jchatham@usc.edu)
Thanks Ron for showing us these shorts. They are all very different and creative. The second one depicting the empty environment mesmerizes me. I can feel I was in that deserted but attractive world. Just watching it and imaging what was happened before in this place made me somehow satisfied enough. The one about superhero, Deszcz, is a very absurd story that drives my feelings the most. The tension is built up really well. The visual style is very simple but coherent with the story. The one uses 3D print pen is very pretty and unique. I have never seen animation using this material before. Animating physically the pen line is a really cool and successful experiment.
ReplyDeleteXiaoqian Zhu (xiaoqiaz@usc.edu)
Thank you for inviting Ron Diamond. It is great to have the opportunity to appreciate these beautiful films. I appreciate how they once again remind me of the fact that although animations can be accomplished in different genres, media, styles. But they all show the dedication and of the artists behind them. I love “Ties” by Dina Velikovskaya “. Although the film elaborates the story in a humorous tone. But I was definitely resonated with the topic of how the bonds between family “snap” when they are departed, but remain a spiritual connection with each other. I also love “The Man Who Planted Tree” It is a masterpiece that makes the audience to involved in the flow of the beautiful animation and the concepts.
ReplyDeleteLydia Su
lrsu@usc.edu
It was an enjoyable experience seeing the Animation Show of Shows on the big screen. I remember the last time Ron Diamond presented another showcase during the pandemic so it was nice to see it in person. I enjoyed watching "Average Happiness"; the graphs and numbers coming into life were so surprising and humorous, especially when they became part of a jungle. “Ties” was beautiful for its moving message about moving away from family and the bittersweet reality of being independent; the execution for this world was unique as it blended both stop motion and 2d animation. Among all the shorts, “The Man Who Planted Trees” was deeply profound for its focus on themes of mindfulness and humanity. The 2D animation was mind-blowing especially in the parts in the beginning when the town was covered in sand. Thank you for letting us see these films!
ReplyDeleteParker Chatham
pchatham@usc.edu
I want to dive right in and say, I remember watching The Man Who Planted Trees by Back when I was in Ottawa and I remember being very touched and utterly disappointed when I discovered the man mentioned was a fictional character. The narration and the world-building were so compelling it made me really believe that such a person existed. There is something about the way it was animated too which really added to the film in a way I cant express, but I really felt it. Every fiber of my being wanted this great person to be real....that is the beauty of a really good film. I am still yet to watch a film that could make me feel the way I felt watching this film for the first time.
ReplyDeleteI want to thank Ron for compiling such unique works around the world and giving us a first hand opportunity to experience them.
It was really great of Ron Diamond a variation of different animations to showcase. It was really cool that he went out of his way to show us specific animations and what his intent was in doing so. Each Animation was was unique and creative in its own way thus it was intreating to see how each used a different style or type of animation. For example in the animation where a 3D pen was used it was very cool because they used the mid as a way to create movement. In other words after the frames where created they animator pulled on filament that is created by the 3d pen and was able make it look like the characters where being pulled apart by they lines that created them it was very cool and out of the ordinary.
ReplyDeleteI was also a fan of The Man Who Planted Trees. It was a very inspiring piece of work as a whole the animation and the story. After class I googled the story to check of this old man was a real man but they story in entirely fictional. I even found entire Reddit forums talking about how people wished this character was real. The animation isn’t super complex or complicated but it conveys enough information to drive the story forward and the musical score also helps propel the story forward and make it feel more believable. Which I found very interesting you don’t need alot of information to convey a powerful story.
Pedro Chinchilla (pedrochi@usc.edu)
How interesting that there is a Reddit thread about the film! Although the character is not real, it does speak to the power of the individual to make a huge impact.
Delete-Sheila
Jessica Wu
ReplyDeletewujessic@usc.edu
This week, we watched a series of short films selected by our guest Ron Diamond. It's always inspiring to watch animated short films so I really enjoyed it. My favorite film was “Ties” by Dina Velikovskaya. As a person who just moved from another country to LA, this film made me think of my own journey. The film is a 3D Pen film, and it used a black & white palette to tell a story of a person leaving their family. I’m always fascinated by films that tackle a serious topic with a simple concept. And the film is the perfect example of that. After watching the showcase, it really got me thinking about what I want to achieve/convey with my film. Because all of the film we watched, whether narrative or experimental, all had a clear message. And that, in my opinion, is the most important when it comes to making a film. Thank you Ron for the amazing showcase!
It is such a great experience to appreciate so many great short films brought by Ron Diamond. Thanks him so much to bring so many great works to us. The films he selected to show us are all so creative and distinctive. I enjoy every film he showed us. Some of them are music video, some are more narrative, and while some are visual pieces. I appreciate the variety and diversity he showed to us. I am really glad that the content and context are more and more diverse in animation short films and people are all experimenting new stuff. The most important thing to me is that, the judgement of a good animation is not just a single element, and the audience can also accept and enjoy different kinds of films right now.
ReplyDeleteI still remembered how visuals are changing from films to films. I think each film has its own concentration and thus it is so unique. In the past, I was always trapped that only I do well I every single part of a film, can people appreciate it or can this work goes far. However, nowadays, I recognize that what I want to expressive in a film is the most important thing and all other parts are serving this. Seeing the unique and different artworks outside school really gives me strength to focus on what I want to do. I really appreciate this valuable experience.
Siqi Fu(siqifu@usc.edu)
It was absolutely wonderful to see all the films selected by Roy Diamond! After having gone through many speaker presentations focusing on a particular person’s or company’s animation work, it is refreshing to see a collection of various upcoming animators. Nearly all the films shown were inspiring and reignited the excitement I have for animation. In particular, “Zoizoglyph” caught my attention with its abstract and absurd images. The strange, music-note-esque creatures moving in glitchy ways while the audio jumped and scratched at our ears was positively uncomfortable. The film left me anxious, confused, and a little bit afraid. The way the film was able to cause such a strong emotional reaction intrigues me. I would love to talk to the original creator of the film and dig into their brain about what inspired the film, and what it might mean to them. “The Man Who Planted Trees,” the longest film, and perhaps the most beautiful, definitely left a strong impression on me. The use of soft color-pencil to create their airy, wistful art style, and the smooth transitions from scene to scene make the entire film feel almost dreamlike, though the story itself is not too farfetched. “Ties” utilized such a unique medium of the 3D pen. Upon seeing the first scene of that film, I squinted at the screen to figure out just what the film was made of. My first thought was 3D pen, but considered that would be far too difficult to animate with, so it must be either 2D wire composited into a 3D space, or perhaps a very good imitation of stop-motion in digital 3D. I was pleasantly surprised when the credits clarified that the film was all done with 3D pen. What a creative and difficult film.
ReplyDeleteShon Xiao
I am very grateful to Roy Diamond for bringing so many excellent animation festival works today, which can inspire me very much. The stories are very touching and can directly hit people’s hearts.
ReplyDeleteAfter saw all those great films.That remains me that a good animation film does not require exquisite production, advanced lens language, and beautiful rhetoric. What a good animation film needs is resonance with the audience and the expression of emotions.
The film made by 3D pen, was amazing because it's flat, but it's not,the looming three-dimensional effect is very fascinating to me.
Tianyunlyu tianyunl@usc.edu
Mr Diamond's film choices are such a delight to watch! To think that he goes through thousands of films every year and picked the best 10, I feel very honored. It's interesting to me that a lot of the films he chose has deep emotions and themes. Those are also the ones that I relate to the most. To me the one that stands out the most is the one with the 3d pen(sorry I forgot the name of that film) and the man who plants trees. The technique of the first film is so interesting to me. At the same time as an international student, I relate a lot to the story because I feel the same way when I move to LA and has to be far away from my family. The Man Who Plant Trees is just so breathtakingly beautiful to me. I love how much the animation itself ties with the concept. I got so much inspiration from these films, thank you so much Ron!
ReplyDeleteRuoyu Chen(chenruoy@usc.edu)
Animation Show of Shows isn’t something I’d heard much about before last week; I haven’t been in the festivals/international short animation works for very long, but now I can see how important and influential ASOS has been for animators around the world. I loved all the films Ron showed us; “Ties” was one of my favorites. I loved how it had such a unique process using a 3D pen to create an animated wire effect, and how that process wasn’t just there for the sake of being there but it was integral to the core concept of the piece. Thanks so much to Ron for taking time to come and share this with us!
ReplyDelete-Jackson Roberts (jpr02403@usc.edu)
tkrantz@usc.edu, Tyler Krantz
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed many of the films presented in the showcase by Ron Diamond during last weeks seminar. My personal favorite was “Ties”, the Russian short utilizing a 3D pen. The story of a child moving away from home to start their own life is universal, and I appreciate how the filmmakers showed both sides of this parent-child experience in a way that was honest and heartfelt. The Man Who Planted Trees was another highlight for me, an impressive feat on animation and storytelling. The short reminded me of a moving fauvist or impressionist painting, it was quite beautiful to watch. I wasn’t quite sure why Ron selected Aurora, which was the only short that I felt was out of place in an otherwise impressive lineup.
Thank you Ron for coming and sharing the showcase with us!
I've encountered Animation Show of Shows back at my undergrad years. I was amazed by Ron's unique taste and hard work of putting these unique short films together. And today I was still fascinated by his unique selection of films. I admire his passion and honesty about good animation. It is a truly special medium and I appreciate him giving enough attention and care for it. "Ties" was one of my favorites. The story itself was very personal yet global. As a person who moved from another side of the planet to LA to pursue my dream I was able to resonate with it. The creator also brought the story to another level by utilizing a 3D pen. The end result was one of a kind. I'd like to thank Ron for bring all these unique films together!
ReplyDeleteChenxue Lu
Chenxuel@usc.edu
I really enjoyed this past weeks animation seminar, I loved how we were able to watch incredible films in person- curated by Ron Diamond. Each film that he showed were impactful and had a strong point of view. I was specifically moved by the film "Ties", I loved the use of the 3D printer-pen technique and the subject matter was relatable and universally received. The other films had a lasting impression on me as well and evoked strong feelings both positive and/or negative. I appreciated the craftsmanship of each one, they really were all special. Ron Diamond mentioned that he has watched numerous films, and has curated these 10 to be films that stay with us and that we would contemplate later. Thank you Ron Diamond for sharing these films with us!
ReplyDeleteKacey Layson
klayson@usc.edu
Last week with the Animation Show of Shows was amazing! I absolutely enjoy every opportunity to watch some outstanding animated films. I was actually surprised by the style and diversity among them but in a good way. From traditional 2D to 3D characters to experimental animation, the films Ron brought us are all unique and spectacular in their own way, and they are the kind of films that will certainly last in our hearts for a long time. I have a few favorites. "Ties" was a bizarre and surreal 2D animation with a special 3D technique, I have never thought a "string" could tell so much story, showing the bond between family members but in a rather creative and unexpected way. "Yes-People '' was quirky and cute, I don't really get the storyline to be honest, but I guess the funniness is within the dark humor and the everyday scenes. "The Man Who Plants Trees" was simply a masterpiece. It was so deep and touching, and the technique just took my breath away - the animation was so smooth and fluid! Unbelievable that they made this film in the 80s and animated everything by hand. I really see why that was Ron's personal fafavoritevotite after the screening. Overall, watching great animation films always inspired me a lot and always remind me that every piece is different in their own special way. Thank you, Ron and ASOS!
ReplyDeleteSydney Chen
pinghsin@usc.edu
Watching all the films in the Animation Show of Shows was such a delight. I was impressed by Ron's ability to curate a diverse set of films that generally seemed to be overlooked by the general public. Also, I feel that I would never have been exposed to these films had I not been introduced to them by Ron. I was thoroughly amazed when he said he watches about a thousand short films to select which ones he includes in his program. This just shows the man's true passion for animation. The Czech film about the man saving his fellow co workers was my favorite short film of the night. The films dark humor and simple yet dynamic animation style really got my attention. I feel like I could watch that short over and over again. All in all, I want to thank Ron for coming in and premiering his Show of Shows with us.
ReplyDeleteArmando Sepulveda Mendoza
it has been a blast to hear from the award-winning producer Ron Diamond and I really enjoyed the screening of the short films he brought. One of my favorite ones is the first one about the masks from different cultures. Even though it presents the masks really fast on the drumbeats that people could barely see any details, but it has been so beautiful and I could sense the strong cultural impact in a strong way. i also really enjoy the one about people falling from the building so they could be saved by the superhero. Everyone was entertained and I really like the concept of that one and was also impressed by how they expressed such a deep topic in a humorous way. Overall, I really enjoyed the screening and would love to see more of the short films selected by Ron in the future.
ReplyDeleteRui Han ( ruihan@usc.edu)
Vicky Xie
ReplyDeleteI was so inspired to see so many good animation short films in this seminar. There were so many good shows that I want to talk about but since there are limited space I will just talk a few about it.
One of my favorite is the one about a superhero keep saving others who keep jumping out of the building. This says so much about the humanity, and they make it fun to watch at the same time. There is no fancy rendering and complicated color but still make everything clear and works in a stylized way.
Another film I really like is the film that use linework's to show the connection of parents and kid who is far away from them. It really minds me my relationship with my parents who are in China, and haven't meet me in person for two years since COIVD. The line is such a good metaphor for the emotion of "missing" and "caring". And again, without any fancy 3D rendering stuff, they let the audience feel the emotion in a short amount of time, which many 3D feature animation couldn't even do that nowadays.
Overall I love all the animations and I am looking forward to watch more animations like that in the future.
Honestly, I have never heard of 'Animation Show of Shows' before this seminar. This is great news because one of the big reasons why I came to grad school was to get familiar with these festivals (or shows). It also is impressive that the lists of the films Ron has shown us are from quite diverse backgrounds.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed most of the films except the film . I don't and can't quite understand why and how that film was listed with the other films, especially with films such as . The technical part was not attractive at all. It reminded me of educational/school books and general corporate styles. It would have been much interesting if there was a twist using that cliche form, such as a shocking R-rated scene. And it doesn't even necessarily have to be that, it could just be anything that shows more layers than the shallow and pretentious style it is. Also, the content was very basic too. It was like something that I would see in middle school, played to educate emotionally premature kids. Very shallow and single-layered. No uniqueness and attraction. I get that the show is trying to be diverse and embracive, but including this film is just showing the diversity of the entree level of this show itself, In other words, it's down leveling the whole average level that the other films had built up.
However, the other films were very quite interesting. I feel like there is still so much way to go, and thinking how much inbetweening I have to do kind of overwhelmed me, but I also want to make my own animation film and I hope it will be screened in this show too.
Aloha Lee (haekyung@usc.edu)
It was absolutely wonderful getting the chance to screen the animation show of shows! I loved seeing such a diverse array of animation and getting to see all the different perspectives that people have on the art as a medium. I also found it was an effective way of exposing us to the framework of a short narrative so we can implement what we see into our own works. I really enjoyed the Eastern European 2D film playing off of the super man trope and found it was a hilarious way to say a lot with very minimalistic animation. It read well and as was a comedy hit! Also we can’t go without mentioning the phenomenal film that was The Man who planted the trees.
ReplyDeleteFirst things first the narration was amazing and complimented the film wonderfully with a somber and poetic charm. Next the animation! It was such a beautiful technique. I really enjoyed the texture and hand drawn tactility of the film and absolutely adored how it felt like a story book come to life. Additionally though the subtle camera moves done with the medium were spectacular! It was truly a wonderful. Lovey to see a nice French film that was a great example of poetic cinema. Thanks for including us as a part of this show of shows screening and I look forward to the next speaker!
ameka@usc.edu
I truly enjoyed Ron Diamond’s selection of short films that we got the pleasure of viewing this week. I found it really nice to be able to watch this collection and with all of the unique styles, narratives or abstractions I felt it was such an inspirational and idea provoking experience. 3000s masks my favorite work took me back. It was a simple idea that was so well made and beautifully timed to the track. Diamond chose a wonderful selection and curated it exceptionally. It was just such a wonderful experience. Thank you Ron your great selection!
ReplyDeleteKaisey
Aisha Jamila Harper // ajharper@usc.edu // 5377-7371-00
ReplyDeleteI had never attended an official viewing of any selection of films before, so the fact that it was the Animation Show of Shows was truly an amazing way to get exposure to such an event. I really enjoyed all of the films, but the one that stood out to me most was The Man Who Planted Trees. It honestly reminded me of Paulo Coehlo's The Alchemist; the journey of a young man whose life is changed for the better by the people he meets along the way. I can't even describe it in words here, but I found it to be extremely enlightening. As we navigate the world, we truly don't know how things will end up, and all we can do is move forward as best we can. But, being exposed to such stories as beautiful as The Man Who Plants Trees or The Alchemist, can really be the catalyst that one needs to keep going without compromising yourself.
I think the reason why I'm relying on this so heavily is because I grew up watching cartoons/anime that made sure I kept moving regardless of how impossibly challenging everything else around me seemed.
It's really bizarre how hopeless we can feel, until something inspiring catches our attention and gives us the strength to keep living. :)