This 20-second sting is used for the title sequence to a BBC comedy series entitled 'the Old Guys' which aired from 2009-2010. The hand-crafted paper cutouts and jazzy upbeat music attracted me to this sting.
Music: 'I'm happy' - Ivor Cutler (the lyrics say 'I'm happy (x6), and I'll punch the man who says I'm not') suggesting that each male character in the first person declares to be very headstrong in the fact that they are 'happy'.
Frame deconstruction
Clive swift looking relatively happy and content with his surroundings; a well furnished home and a lady, until the giant hands start to grab and remove his belongings.
Facial expressions change to outraged as his belongings have all been taken away, and a random suitcase is plonked next to him.
(the theme tune of 'I'm happy' is starting to take an ironic note)
Roger Lloyd pack is in a similar position, he is happily surrounded by happy punters at a busy bar...
...When everything is removed from his surroundings too, and he is also given a random suitcase.
Lloyd- Pack and Swift meeting for the first time with their suitcases, not looking too amused about the situation.
What seems to be a very uncomfortable car journey...
The pair being placed in a living room, propped awkwardly next to each other on a small sofa. Two younger women appear; an indication to the audience that Clive and Lloyd-Pack will interact with these women during the series.
The end sequence, showing the gentlemen outside their new shared house with their arms round each other and a sun shining above their heads. This suggests that although the first impressions of each other were not great, they may in fact befriend each other in the duration of the series.
I have noticed that this sting is very 'busy' and quick paced, in effect that something, somewhere in the frame changes with every beat of the music, although the changes are not strictly rhythmic and robotic, so each frame flows more smoothly. I also thought the choice of music was very fitting to the generation and target audience of the show. Using a jazz piece from the 60's will be familiar to the older generation, as well as the two main characters being in their sixties and seventies.
In terms of my own sting, I will take on board the importance of music choice, and how to vary the complexity of the narrative. A sting of this level has required a much higher level of craft to what I'll be using in terms of having Lloyd-Pack and Swift live acting in the frames.
I will need to do some research into my desired target audience and consider what kind of music will associate both with them and with Oliver Sacks, and what will be the extent of the narrative sequence?
Sting example 2 https://vimeo.com/16093039
The second sting I chose was one entitled 'popcorn', made for the annual E4 sting competition. I was interested in the forms of key movement used, as well as the calm acoustic style music; as I am considering using this type of music in my own sting.
Frame deconstruction
Opening scene pans down to field with slow guitar chords playing.
The frame begins to shake as the popcorn is brewing, zooming into the corn cobs in the field. Sound effects become louder than the music.
This continues as the corn continues to brew more rapidly.
The popcorn explodes (with sound effects) and fills the frame, very close up.
A wintery popcorn scene begins to emerge, the musical layers build up by adding little piano trills to accompany the guitar.
The scene continues to pan out and gradually fades.
More than the first sting, I can see my sting being composed and constructed similar to this one in terms of musical similarities, use of sound effects and the number of events happening, which is a small number in comparison with 'the Old guys' sting. Obviously my sting will be lower in complexity in terms of movement, but I can take this sting, and others that I watch and take note of the use of key movements and how that intertwines with both the sound track and the narrative.
Further Research- Soundtrack and Content
I am really struggling for ideas for my sting. I had a look at the third years blogs from this time last year to gain an insight into the processes and final outcomes that they produced, which was helpful because it gave me a vision to work towards. I also tapped in 'Oliver Sacks' into vimeo and found a few animations relating to him and his work.
This animation is in a trailer format of one of the patients from 'the man who mistook his wife for a hat'; The Lost Mariner. The content of the animation is just right, although the animation complexity would be a bit of a long shot for me to try and replicate.
'Myron and Hester is a love story animation inspired by Sacks' book Awakenings; it doesn't advertise a documentary about Sacks in terms of context but I am drawn to the use of simple movement and the piano soundtrack that is used in the sting.
Ideas at this stage:
- Piano/acoustic music
- Documentary about prosopagnosia; because sacks suffered with that himself
Concept One:
Based on the initial ideas of my prints showing the processes in the brain of the struggles of Sacks' prosopagnosia (the ability to recognise faces)
Concept Two:
A metaphor for prospagnosia; the identity flipbook. Each page turns and gradually reveals Sacks' face, then the book dissolves and only his distinctive features are left, his glasses and his beard to represent how face blind sufferers pick out particular features in order to recognise people.
Concept Three:
I put a little more thought into this storyboard; I set the scenario of a surprise birthday party for Sacks', an atmosphere surrounded by his closest friends and family. For any person this would be a surpise, but for prosopagnosia sufferers, it would be a challenge to recognise each face in front of you, even the people who are closest to you,
I am really keen on this third concept and I plan to take it further. For the after effects workshop on Monday I will prepare the appropriate images and find the following sound files:
- Footsteps leading up to a door
- A door opening
- A lightswitch turning on
- Piano music
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