#kauai o'o a'a

[cypherdecypher]

Animal of the Day!

Kauai O'o A'a (Moho braccatus)

(Photo by Robert Shallenberger)

Extinction Date- 2000

Habitat- Kaua’i Island

Size (Weight/Length)- 20 cm

Diet- Snails; Fruits; Flower nectar; Insects

Cool Facts- The Kauai O’o A’a was a honeycreeper native to the Hawai’ian island of Kaua’i. These small birds nested in the thick forests of the island and licked flowers for nectar. Kauai O’o A’a relied on tree hollows in old trees to create their nests and as these forests were destroyed to make room for houses, the honeycreepers were rapidly declining. Introduction of invasive predators like the Polynesian rat and small Indian mongoose began to wipe out Hawai’i’s native birds. Mosquitos carrying avian malaria and hurricanes ended up wiping the rest of the population out. The last living bird was spotted in 1985 and the last singing male was recorded in 1987. Out of the original 50 species of Hawai’ian honeycreepers, only 17 species remain today and all are endangered. Efforts to reduce avian malaria, reduce invasive predator populations, and captive breeding efforts hope to increase the populations of the remaining honeycreepers.

Rating- 14/10 (The last recorded call: https://youtu.be/x2KH5AoyeBc?si=9TFYp7R2NKR-rXlB)

[maanimationblog]

On the 16th of November, I visited the Manchester Animation Festival. I previously attended the festival in 2019, and it was great to go again.

The films I watched included:

Little Things stood out to me since I no longer eat meat for the same reasons highlighted in this animated film; factory farming not only destroys land but is also cruel to animals such as cows, chickens, and pigs. I believe that by employing a somewhat 'cute' visual style and transitioning to incredibly mortifying scenes of the cattle being force fed grain and herded into packed areas, this film did an excellent job of demonstrating how atrocious these practises are.

The antagonist is depicted as a large looming shadow that rakes through the forest with its fingers, this symbolises humankind's destruction of nature. Through the use of its angular and dark shapes it conveys an ominous sense of threat whilst emphasising the idea of humanity as something separate from nature itself. As the protagonist travels down through the woods, she is forced to abandon her friends as they feed on the grains planted by the humans. This demonstrates how the human-animal relationship has been exploited to benefit society without regard for what happens to those who are affected by these practices. When the protagonist finally reaches the edge of the forest, she finds herself standing on a cliffside, overlooking a bloody river and destroyed trees. This scene highlights how mankind continues to exploit the natural world despite knowing the devastating effects it will inevitably cause. By juxtaposing images of forests full of life against one of them being cut down to make way for new farmland, the viewer is reminded of the consequences of their own actions.

Despite being upsetting to watch, I believe it is an excellent approach to educate people who consume meat on why it is so vital to check where it is produced. Purchasing from large corporations that do not care about the environment or the welfare of animals is detrimental and contributes to the deterioration of the planet.

The second film that stood out to me was

As someone who loves dogs and has disabilities, this film was a breath of fresh air. I admire how the golden retriever develops from his bicycle accident to finally overcoming his fear when he becomes a guide dog. The screenwriters' understanding and passion for this is apparent, and the CGI animation is extremely expressive. This is my favourite film that I saw.

This film's lighting is vibrant, especially during scenes featuring the golden retriever playing with his mother or the scene where he is training alongside the other dogs; these colours help create a sense of wonderment as well as add depth to each shot. For example, there are many shots showing the sun shining on their fur, which gives off a warm feeling while also giving us insight into the character's personality: Andy is a playful and caring character. Furthermore, the background music adds another layer to the emotional experience by helping convey certain emotions through subtle changes in tempo. These aspects contribute towards creating a more heartfelt environment, allowing audiences to sympathise with Andy's situation.

The third film that stood out to me is

This film, like Little Things, emphasises the importance of land preservation and research. Nobody would be able to hear the recordings of the last known Kauai O'o A'a bird if it weren't for John Sincock. Although the true story on which it is based is heartbreaking as the Kauai O'o A'a bird is now extinct, I feel animation and cinema are vital in educating people about history. I had never heard of this bird before watching it, so I learned something new, and it also made me want to research more about the species.

The final film I wish to speak about is

When I first saw this, I thought it was an awareness campaign for something, but there was no information at the end. Despite it being impressive from an artistic standpoint, I did not enjoy this one. This film was memorable because of how uncomfortable it made me and I wonder if that was the director's intention.

There were a large collection of films that were all amazing in their own right, but all of these films stood out to me the most. They also helped me to understand on how long it would take me to produce my animated film as I will be most likely making quite a lot of models.