http://tinyurl.com/muttandjeff http://tinyurl.com/toystory1Mutt and Jeff (1910) [Slick Sleuths] -Nester Comedies Vs Toy Story (1995) Intro -Pixar
"[this is ] the first time I felt I've truly seen music." - Kevin Kelly, Whole Earth Review speaking about his reaction to a Japanese techno video.
I will not be talking about this quote in context with the video, but instead about the quote as a remark that stands on its own:
i.e. Is it entirely possible to make a statement such as this without adding "in my oppinion", is it possible to see music?
In this entry I will attempt to prove or disprove this statement and hopefully outline the realitonship between music and animation.
After all, is it possible to create an amimation that enitrely visualises a pice of music? In my oppinion it's almost akin to stating that one can smell colours.
The use of music in animation is similar to that of poetry in animation. Being a separate art form, the music should stand alone, and again wether it is a good idea to visualise it is entirely down to the reason it was written.
For example if the score was written for an animation then it may be visualised however the animator sees fit.
But if it is already a freestanding piece (with the exception of pop-music videos) and was not composed to be visualised then the images can only be the oppinion of the animator, and as with poetry stand open to criticism.
Saying that, animating music has a completely different set of rules. It is not as taboo to animate somebody elses music as is it to animate somebody elses writing because music is intended to be listened to and does conjoure images unique to different people, it is not as deeply personal and un-touchable as a poem is.
There are three ways in which a piece of music may be visualised -and these are also dependant on wether it is an instrumental piece or one with lyrics:
1. Narrative -music videos illustrating exactly what the lyrics suggest
2. A visualisation of the meaning behind the piece -perhams conceptual
3. The intended visual effect of music that has been written specifically for the animation
The best way to prove or to disprove this statement is to take in-case a short movie from the silent era, where the score was written to fit the action, and a short movie featuring a sountrack that already stood on its own before being used in film.
[I will stay well away from the phenominon that is pop-culture music videos because no recording artist's music is made directly for film, the video is just a promotional hook to sell records.]
My two comparisons are one animation in which I believe lyricless music almost proves Kelly's point, and one example to show that generally when animation and music collide it is used as narrative rather than conceptualised by the animation itself (unless you watch the windows media player squiggles, which compliment just about anything).
The score composed for Mutt and Jeff is perfectly adapted to fit the anamation, it pulls catharsis when necessary and adds humour in other places.
By making the ensemble fit the narrative of the animation it allows a perfect basis for sound effects and is a way of suggesting emotions etc.
However, I still would not describe this as "seeing" the music when the animation is veiwed. The animation certainly provides the meaning behind the music, and it works well but without slamming Mr Kelly, I do not believe that one can "see" music.
There is however a disease called Synesthesia which is a perceptual experience in which a stimulus in one modality gives rise to an experience in different sensory modality, i.e. with the influence of drugs one may believe they can 'see' music, or 'smell' colours, or 'taste' sounds, there are some very rare individuals who do suffer from this disease, but Kelly is not one of them.
An example of a score not written for an animation that is used in an animated film is Randy Newman's 'You've got a friend in me' featured in the intorduction to Toy Story 1.
This song is used literally, and its upbeat tempo and 'safe' lyrics were selected as a child-friendly intorduction to the movie.
It is safe to assume that the song was not written about toys.
The lyrics are interpreted literally but with the pretext that the song is describing the relationship between Andy and Woody. We see Andy playing with Woody and we assume Woody is his favourite toy and his best friend.
Once again though, this is not an example of animation providing the audience with a visual stimulus so great that we believe we can see the music.
it would be impossible to charactersize and critique every animation ever made by way of proving my point, but I do not believe that without serious drugs or a medical contition that one can 'see' music.
Author: UNKNOWN
Publisher: Wikipedia Date Link was Lase Proved Active: 15/3/09 URL: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synesthesia_(disambiguation)
Date: 2005
Author: Kevin Kelly
Publisher: Whole Earth Review
Date Link was last proved active: 15/3/09
URL: http://www.iotacenter.org/store/videos/music_animation_machine
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