Movie Geometry. Shaping the Way You Think

Movie Geometry.

 Shaping the Way You Think

I Study the active vocabulary and focus on Ukrainian equivalents of English words.

think hard думай серйозно

match підходити

consistent послідовний

suggest запропонувати

filmmaker режисер

animation мультиплікація

reductive дуже спрощений

evil лихий

feature риса

pointy загострений

loveable привабливий

coincidence збіг

fluffy пухнастий

threatening загрозливий

scary страшний

recognizable якого можна упізнати

subtly тонко

emit видавати

wicked огидний

vulnerable вразливий

cartoonish карикатурний

jawline щелепа

eyebrow брова

old-fashioned старомодний

sturdy стійкий

firm непохитний

familiar знайомий

rigid жорсткий

framing обрамлення

trapped упійманий в пастку

surveillance спостереження

spying шпигунство

jail cell тюремна камера

lifestyle спосіб життя

emphasize підкреслити

guide вести

blinds жалюзі

rewatch передивлятися

villain злодій, лиходій

be in good shape бути в порядку

II Vocabulary focus. Study the words and  word combinations, check your understanding using flashcards, practise their translation, spelling. Check your knowledge in the test. Play matching vocabulary game (match words to their translations to make cards disappear)  and save the planet from asteroids by typing in correct translation of the words.

III Look at the example of game characters below. They are Nintendo’s Luigi and Mario (left) and their twins Waluigi and Wario (right). Pay attention to the use of shapes in the design of these characters. Which characters are created with the help of smooth and round shapes? Which characters use triangles and angular shapes more? Which of the characters in your opinion are good ones and which are evil?  

IV Focus on the meaning of shapes. In cartoons and video games shapes often show a character’s personality. Look at the examples below. Do you know these characters? Are they good or evil ones? Find information about the games and cartoons these characters appear in. Did you get their personality right? Read the explanation below.

Circles. Curved and circular shapes are considered to be friendly as they have no sharp or dangerous corners. Circular shapes in nature are soft and harmless. These shapes are used to create. Many of the most well-known protagonists are designed around circular concepts.

Squares. Square-like shapes are connected to straight vertical and horizontal lines that symbolize strength, stability and confidence. Squares can both be large and daunting or comforting and clumsy. They are often used to create stubborn characters and are commonly used for superheroes or the heavy characters.

Triangles. Triangles are connected to diagonal lines and are the most dynamic of the three shapes. Bad guys and villains are often based upon triangular concepts, as they appear malicious, sinister and communicate with aggression. It is the circle’s opposing shape and often used for antagonists.

Shapes are a very powerful tool, especially in the video games. Artists create characters that have different shapes and proportions. Shape is the key to communicating a basic idea. Most famous characters have very distinct silhouettes that are easy to read and are not mistaken for someone else. It is very important to design characters around major shapes.

V Watch the video and fill in the gaps with the words from the list. There are some words you don’t need to use.

characteristics; people; matte; languages; brain ; triangle; hard; consistent ;

persistent; meaning ; reductive; prism; think; result; basics; matches; shapes;

asked; space; filmmakers ; half ; matter;  consistent; circle; suggest ; containing;  rain; animation; story; tongue; cultural; place ; characters;

  

-“All right. Think 1)_______. What is it?”

-“Circle.”

-“Close.”

Let’s say I showed you two 2)_______: shape 1 and shape 2. And then I 3)_______you which of these shapes 4)_______the word ‘Bouba’ and which matches the word ‘Kiki’. For 98% of 5)_______shape one is ‘Kiki’ and shape two is ‘Bouba’.  And it doesn’t 6)_______if you’re from America, India, or you’re two and a 7)_______years old. This 8)_______is extremely 9)_______across all cultures and 10)_______. So what does it mean? I want to 11)_______that with this study we can see how the 12)_______gives abstract 13)_______to many different shapes in a 14)_______way. And 15)_______use this phenomenon to tell their 16)_______. The best 17)_______to see this idea has to be 18)_______, where animators can make objects and 19)_______from any shape they want. Let’s start with the 20)_______: 21)_______, square, and 22)_______. This may seem 23)_______, but these shapes say a lot more than you may 24)_______.

VI Watch the video again and choose the correct option to complete the sentences.

Evil/Devil/Easel characters are drawn like Kiki, they have harper/sharper/charter features, pointy poses/roses/noses, ears, and long curly fingers/anger/angry. And the lovingly/adorably/loveable characters are designed/designer/design like Bouba, soft and round. Is it a coincidence that the fluffiest and least threatening character in motion/animation/portion is named Baloo? To me this whole perception/concept/accept makes intuitive sense. Our brains/drains/ gains are designed to see sharp and pointedly/appointed/pointy things as more threatening/threatened/threat.

“It’s too round on the top. It needs to be pointy. Round is not vary/very/scary. Pointy is scary.”

Notice how I can draw/crawl/doe the nicest and most recognize/recognizable/likeably character in animation with three cubicles/circus/circles. And notice how the devil/evil/daredevil is commonly represented as a collector/collection/collectable of angles/diagonals/triangles. But do it a little more subtly/sturdily/secret, and you’re able to emit an motion/emotional/commotion response to the viewer without them even noticing/noting/pacing. It steepens/happening/happens during one of my favourite movie/moving/move it moments of all time. When we see the wicked arcane/arcade/villain transform from Kiki into a round vulnerable/vulnerably/carnival Bouba.

You may think this only supply/supplies/applies to animation. But is it coincidence/incident/coincide that Darth Vader’s mask has this shape/race/cape and Lord Dark helmet, the cartoonish and antic/comedic/cosmetic parody of Darth Vader, has this shape? One of the harp/sharpest/happiest villains is Maleficent. And they even try to keep her pointy jawline/brow line/jaw align and eyebrows in the live-action retake/remade/remake. Following these same principles/princes/princesses, what does it mean when you call somebody a pair/air/square? It means they’re boring/touring/squaring, maybe they’re old-fashioned. But a square can also symbolize/symbol/epitome something that is sturdy and form/conform/firm. Sounds family/familiar/liar? Squares are rigid and slow/glow/grow to change. If the world isn’t how they want it to be, maybe they get a little anger/danger/angry.

“Right, after you eat that!  AAA”

VII Study the examples from a cartoon Up. What shapes are used to create characters of Dug, Carl, Charles Muntz and Alpha? What meaning do these shapes have? What ideas about the characters’ personality does the use of shape give you? Try to guess each character’s personality.

 Answer: One of the main characters of Up, produced by Pixar Animation Studios, is a stubborn old man Carl who just wants to stay home and has a static manner. His characteristics are demonstrated in his square-like shape. Charles Muntz, the antagonist (the evil character), has an angular concept especially in his head, shoes and cane. The jacket also gives him a very triangular shape. Muntz’s dog, Alpha, also has a threatening appearance compared to Dug’s friendly look, the two dogs are drawn creating a contrast between a triangle and a circle. Aggressive dogs have angular concepts than the family dogs.

VIII Watch the video and fill in the gaps in the text.

If you really want to think 1)_______, the world of film exists inside a rectangular 2)_______. A lot of important 3)_______comes from framing. The most significant 4)_______to look for is probably the frame within the 5)_______. This is used to show a 6)_______trapped in their current 7)_______. Another less common, but equally 8)_______frame within the frame, is the 9)_______which gives the geometric impression of surveillance and 10)_______. To go a 11)_______deeper than the frame within the frame, you can use 12)_______to create a visual jail 13)_______in the frame, whether it’s through blinds in an office or even a 14)_______screen. A collection of 15)_______and horizontal lines can 16)_______a character is not only trapped, but held 17)_______in their current lifestyle. These shots use geometry as a 18)_______of visual 19)_______.

“As far back as I can 20)_______, I always wanted to be a gangster.”

Without us even 21)_______it, framing is filled with 22)_______. Geometry is everywhere, and the same 23)_______apply. Triangles can emphasize power 24)_______, linear framing can show physical 25)_______, where 26)_______lines can guide our 27)_______. So the next time you rewatch your 28)_______movie try analysing the geometry of the 29)_______and characters. If you do that, then you’re in good 30)_______.

“What’s this one? A couple wavy lines?”

“Sorry. This isn’t your lucky day.”

IX  Watch all the parts of the video and answer the questions.

1. What is the association between shapes and characters in the movies and animation?

2. What shapes are associated with aggressive and evil characters? What examples of such characters can you give?

3. What shapes are used to represent likeable and good characters? What examples of such characters do you remember?

4. What shapes are believed to be scary?

5. How can a change from a villain to a positive character be shown with a help of shapes?

6. What shapes are used to create Maleficent in cartoons and the movie?

7. What emotions does a square represent? Is it always negative or positive?

8. How can shapes and line be used in films?

9. What is a frame within a frame?

10. How do directors use it and how can they create this effect?

X OVER TO YOU.

a) Think of your favourite cartoon character. Find an image of this character. Study the use of shapes and get ready to discuss the types of shapes used in this character design and the effect they have of your attitude to the character.

b) Think of your favourite movie scene or a scene from a cartoon. Find an image   of this scene (or create on yourself using Print Screen). Study the lines and shapes you can find in that scene. Get ready to discuss the types of shapes and lines used in that scene and the effect they have of you.

c) Examples above explain stereotypical character design that works well in many video games and movies. But sometimes it can be very effective for an artist to create interesting plays on common conceptions. It is possible to create a character design that is more unique and interesting. Not everything is always what it appears to be. For example, in Toy Story 3 (2010), produced by Pixar Animation Studios, the main villain is a soft and cuddly bear. It is modelled on a friendly circle. Here not shape, but another visual element is used to show his personality, colour. Purple is a colour that is often used to show evil and this is a great example of how a combination of visual elements together help in communicating a character’s personality.

          Find a similar example of unusual use of shape in character design.

The main antagonist Lotso, from Toy Story 3.