#Terrence Dobson

[randomrichards]

MCLAREN REVIEW 1: HAND-PAINTED ABSTRACTIONS

Before he became the abstract animator we know and love, Norman McLaren was an artist studying set design at the Glasgow School of Art. Then his life changed when he laid eyes on Oskar Fischinger’s animated short film Study No. 7[i]. It was the images of abstract shapes moving in tune to the Braham’s’ Hungarian Dance No. 5 that he had found “the medium to express my feelings about music.”[ii] This led him to join a group of experimental artists in the Kinecraft Society[iii]. “We realized here was a new area not really being explored just been invented about 20 or 30 years ago”[iv] McLaren later said.

So, McLaren collaborated with Stewart McAllister to make their debut abstract short film Hand-Painted Abstraction. Sadly, the original print was worn beyond repair and McLaren didn’t make an extra print.[1] But from what I could gather from research, this film showed early signs of his trademark techniques.

It’s his first film and already he’s applying his trademark technique of drawing/painting on the film strip. The funny thing is this was first used out of necessity. Despite being a filmmaking club, the Kinecraft Society lacked one thing necessary make movies: a camera. All they had was a 35 mm projector and used commercial films. (pg. 33)[v] But as the old saying goes, “Necessity is the mother of invention.” “I begged an old print of a commercial film,” he recalls “soaked it in the family bathtub for about two weeks – so no one could have a bath for two weeks – to get off the emulsion, to make it clear.”[vi]

Then he and McAllister painted on the film using “a very limited range of semi-transparent dyes, shoe-polish and India ink.” Well, they tried drawing in every single frame. But they got first-hand experience to the tediousness that comes with modifying images frame by frame to create movement (Pg. 33.)[vii] As YouTuber Alessandro Sabbadini points out “The film frame was tiny. A mere 16 or 35 mm across. And drawing onto such a tiny area meant that the image could only be very simple.”[viii] The result is what the technical notes describes as “The very rapid fluctuations of patterns and the very fast music created an acceptable random synchronization.” (Pg. 20)[ix] I imagine McLaren would eventually develop the self-discipline needed to make animated films.

The lack of existing film makes it impossible to review this short. But McLaren’s recollections indicated it wasn’t his best work. “It was like an endless band of effects.” He stated. “It had no climax or conclusion.” While his Technical notes states the film was “designed to be accompanied by discs of any fast jazz or popular music,” it also points out that it had a “total disregard for the frame line or for synchronization with the music.” Though McLaren later said that he and McAllister found that “when we used very fast popular music of the day, the tempo of the music was so fast and what was in front of the eye was so fast, that there was more than a 50% feeling of synchronization.”[x]

Of course, there’s no shame in someone’s first student film not being a masterpiece. This was an early period for movies, and it was less than 10 years ago that we got full length talking pictures. Besides, this would be a moment in a filmmaker’s life when they’re figuring out their style. I imagine that McLaren would be imitating Fischinger’s style along with that of fellow influences like Emile Cohl and Alexander Alexeieff. Again, no shame in this. Student filmmakers aren’t going to have it all figured out on their first try and trying out the styles of other filmmakers can give them clarity on why the other filmmaker’s style works.

Hand-Painted Abstractions is a tragic reminder of the many early films lost forever to history due to negligence. It is a shame because this film would offer a glimpse of how McLaren grew as a filmmaker.

[1] Let that be a lesson, kids; always make a copy of your work.

[i] Study no. 7. (1931). [DVD]. Germany.

[ii] A National Film Board of Canada production in association with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and Channel Four Television. (1990). Creative process: Norman McLaren. Ottawa?

[iii] Dobson, N. (2019). Norman McLaren: Between the frames. Bloomsbury Academic.

[iv] A National Film Board of Canada production in association with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and Channel Four Television. (1990). Creative process: Norman McLaren. Ottawa?

[v] DODSON, T. (2017). Film work of Norman McLaren. JOHN LIBBEY & CO LTD.

[vi] British Broadcasting Corporation. (1972). the eye hears and the ear sees [DVD].

[vii] DODSON, T. (2017). Film work of Norman McLaren. JOHN LIBBEY & CO LTD.

[viii] YouTube. (2021). What About Norman McLaren? YouTube. Retrieved July 1, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhR2OCLqZfM.

[ix] McLaren, N. (2006). Technical notes. National Film Board of Canada. http://www3.nfb.ca/archives_mclaren/notech/NT04EN.pdf

[x] A National Film Board of Canada production in association with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and Channel Four Television. (1990). Creative process: Norman McLaren. Ottawa?

[badmovieihave]

Bad movie I have Angry Neighbors 2022

[thenextstepthoughts]

Songs That Suit Season 7 Characters in TNS

How I’ve made this is that I haven’t based my song choices out of what I think the character would listen to. It’s more based on how the song fits with their season seven storyline or even just one scene with the character that has been in season 7. Warning: Some of these songs have mature themes/swearing in them so if you’re uncomfortable with that, don’t listen. I will be marking them in this post with a (*). Mature themes will have 1 (*) and songs with swearing will have 2 (**). I also don’t have all the characters from season 7 on this list. Most of B-Troupe isn’t on it. I just thought I should focus on the characters that have had the most screen time since I’m focusing on season 7 stories. 

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1rzNDgwoXQJ47aFrW2jGuN

Note: Safe and Sound isn’t available on Spotify so it’s not on the playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsDCAxAXCTg

Nick - Daydream In Blue - I Monster *

Daydream In Blue makes me think of Nick in the offseason where he is cleaning the chandelier. Since the song mentions a chandelier it now makes me think of Nick. Since Myles Dobson uses feather duster and chandelier emotes/emojis on his discord/twitch, I will always think of Nick when I see a chandelier. 

Amy - I like (The Idea Of) You - Tessa Violet 

Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie (A Man After Midnight) - ABBA

Amy is definitely a love interest type character in TNS based on the last few seasons she’s been in so I feel like these two songs about desiring a relationship from someone suit her character. 

Emily - Should I Stay or Should I Go? - The Clash

I picked Should I Stay or Should I Go because I feel like that sums up Emily’s season 7B dilemma of whether or not she should stay at TNS and be a partner with Nick or if she should go and work on a tour with Michelle.

Kenzie - Pencil Full Of Lead - Paolo Nutini 

I picked Pencil Full Of Lead mostly because it’s an unproblematic song. Kenzie hasn’t really had much of a storyline in season 7. I just felt like this song suited her. 

Finn - The Wanderer - Dion 

TOOTIMETOOTIMETOOTIME - 1975

I picked both of these songs because Finn is a cheater and he cheated on Amy. They both have very different sounds but the core messages of both songs do relate to season 7 Finn. 

Piper - I hate u, I love u - gnash**

I think this song fits Piper in season 7A. She is trying to avoid her feelings for Finn due to him dating Amy. She discovers her feelings for Finn but she doesn’t want them so, this fits her story. 

Jude - Birds - Terrence Williams Jr and Thomas Sanders

Birds is a calming song about birdwatching and while Jude hasn’t had a birdwatching storyline, I feel like her character is very calm and level headed and that the song matches her character. 

Henry - Amsterdam - Nothing But Thieves**

I picked this song for Henry purely for the line “I really need that feeling back”. I feel like this sums up his relationship with Amy. He had feelings for her in season 6 and then they end up returning in the latter half of season 7 resulting in them having a relationship.

Richelle - Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger by Daft Punk

Safe and Sound - Kyosuke Himuro featuring Gerard Way

Harder Better Faster Stronger is a song about working hard and improving and honestly, I feel like that perfectly embodies Richelle’s character throughout season 7. She wants to be the best she can be. I feel like Safe and Sound suits her for the same reason.

Cleo - Emperor's New Clothes by Panic! At The Disco

I picked this song for Cleo purely for the line “Finders Keepers”. Since A-Troupe threw the idea of going to Nationals away in turn for going to Dancemania at the start of the season, Cleo found this as an opportunity for B-Troupe to compete at Nationals, therefore, Finders Keepers.

Summer - Drown - Bring Me The Horizon 

Boulevard Of Broken Dreams - Green Day**

Summer went through a lot of rejection during this season. She wasn’t great at being dance captain, she got rejected as a soloist from Dancemania, her choreo didn’t get a single vote, she didn’t get a chance to re audition as a soloist for Dancemania too. I know a lot of these were her own fault but that is a lot of rejection in a short space of time and that is why I feel like these songs would suit her. She hasn’t really been a team member to A-Troupe or B-Troupe. She’s just been trying to figure out what path she needs to be on alone.

Ozzy - What’s My Age Again? - Blink-182 **

I honestly picked this song for Ozzy due to him being quite childish. The song’s core theme is the idea of being quite childish and I think that suits Ozzy’s character fairly well. 

Heathcliff - Run Boy Run - Woodkid

I feel like Run Boy Run suits Heath because of his scenes with Izzy. I do think of the apocalypse when I hear this song and I think that suits Heath and Izzy’s friendship well due to their little survival kits. 

Kingston - Jenny - WALK THE MOON

I feel like Kingston would change the name Jenny to Lily. The song is about chasing after this girl and wanting her to chase after you back and I feel like an argument could be made that this related to Kingston’s relationship with Lily. 

Lily - Hot Girl Bummer - Blackbear **

I feel like Lily would relate to this song during the times that Kingstily has broken up. Ozzy and Henry are fairly annoyed when Kingstily keeps breaking up so I feel like the line “I hate your friends and they hate me too” could easily relate to Lily.