Re: BiM 2010: Avant-Garde [CLOSED]

Well, that's what really bothered me about a lot of the entries, there just wasn't an avant-garde aspect or theme. Only I few animators really did something that I thought (a personal opinion) was truly avant-garde. A 3-D brickfilm, a making of, or an FPS mash up, for example.
I guess I might have set the bar a little high for my personal viewing, I was hoping to see a lot of entries that actually pushed the boundaries of what can be done in a brickfilm. That's not to say the films that were entered weren't good, many were entertaining, however, many missed the theme of the contest.

https://i.imgur.com/IRCtQGu.jpg

Re: BiM 2010: Avant-Garde [CLOSED]

did mine?

It's cold outside

Re: BiM 2010: Avant-Garde [CLOSED]

I'd have to agree with NXTManiac that I had hoped people would take the theme to bolder interpretations than we ended up getting, but on the whole I think this contest served its purpose of getting people to think of new ways of making a brickfilm or telling a story.

Judging is making some progress, no word on when we'll have results just yet but I would like to get it done before, say, mid-August.

http://i.imgur.com/wcmcdmf.png

Re: BiM 2010: Avant-Garde [CLOSED]

"Avant-Garde" is in the eye of the beholder. mini/smile  I think that there were many great films.  My personal favorites, though, were Nick Durron, BuilderBrothers. and bodville.

Last edited by Brick7 (July 30, 2010 (11:08pm))

Re: BiM 2010: Avant-Garde [CLOSED]

Avant-garde is hard to define, but nothing in this contest really stood out in that regard. I would have liked to see a lot more formal experimentation. For starters, all the entries I saw were in aspect ratios (4:3, 16:9, 1:2.35) that have been defined by motion picture formats and are completely unnecessary in digital films. That's one of many rules to break.

The most avant-garde brickfilm I can think of is KG's Ronald Has A Spider On His Head.

Re: BiM 2010: Avant-Garde [CLOSED]

There have been loads of films like that.

http://i.imgur.com/WAr6hHC.png
BRAWL 2013 ENTRY Quack In Time
"Why in the world did you do a weird language if you know English?" - tenny1028

Re: BiM 2010: Avant-Garde [CLOSED]

Which ones?

Re: BiM 2010: Avant-Garde [CLOSED]

Not knowing what the theme was I probably wouldn't have picked any of the entires as Avant-Garde. Perhaps there should have been a lot more experimentation. I tried out quite a few ideas before settling on a musical/rock opera. I spent a few months recording frames and editing test scenes.

None really jumped out as being that interestering enough to spend hundreds of hours and basing a film on. It might have ended up as 3 minutes but there was months of work involved. The street that flys by was not that difficult to film but it still took a long time to record 1 frame at a time. It's a big commitment for me to make a film. I'm still egotisical enough to want people to enjoy it.

Of course I used up so many ideas last year with Cyclic. Non-Fig characters, variable frame rates, time line that went forward/backwards, more than just a 2 character buddy film, bizzare deaths of the lead characters by a spider and an apple shot from multiple characters perspective, etc.

Crime Stories probably only fits the more literal translation of new. There have been quite a few music clip brickfilms. 0ldScratch made some excellent ones. Sure it is a simple story but I can't think of any other brickfilm that tells a story with just music and no dialogue. The soundtrack is also available to purchase (another brickfilm 1st?) from iTunes. CS uses a number of songs from Rob Stanley's - The Doorway in the Darkness.

I'm not trying to justify or validate my entry. I'm just expressing my thought process behind CS. I'm happy with how it worked out. It's the only film I have made where I wouldn't change a thing.

Smeagol is a difficult person to please. He was also sour about the Star entries last year taking the theme to literally. 34 entires and some very good films, well done people, very well done. I think the judges have a hard job ahead of them.

CrimStories

Other:  DOTBW      Take Out      Crime Stories      Cyclic     YouTube

Re: BiM 2010: Avant-Garde [CLOSED]

I agree with NXT and smeagol; though I have to give all of the entries some credit, because this was a difficult theme.

Re: BiM 2010: Avant-Garde [CLOSED]

I had an awesome script for this, but probably like many others, never got around to animating it. But I might animate it sometime later anyways.

Re: BiM 2010: Avant-Garde [CLOSED]

I agree with night owl. When I first saw this contest, I thought that at the end I would have seen lots of experimental films. I tried to think on a story that could use a new way of storytelling, new animating techniques, new everything. I couldn't think something that mix everything together, so I decided not to enter the conest and waited to see the other entries. I must say I was a bit disappointed while watching some of the first entries. But at the end few good entries where enough avant-garde.
And Yoder, I know it was a difficult theme, but some of the entries didn't even tried to be avant-garde.
The one I liked the most was Odd Jobs, and it was avant-garde.

Re: BiM 2010: Avant-Garde [CLOSED]

"Your film can be experimental and surreal, or simply use new techniques and kinds of storytelling that we probably have not seen before."

http://namchild.blogspot.com/2010/07/4d … -jobs.html

http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/3534/lego460182.jpg

Re: BiM 2010: Avant-Garde [CLOSED]

Night Owl wrote:

For starters, all the entries I saw were in aspect ratios (4:3, 16:9, 1:2.35) that have been defined by motion picture formats and are completely unnecessary in digital films.

Mine's shot in 2:1, and I'd count it as an Avant-Garde film. If mine doesn't fufil the criteria for an Avant-Garde brickfilm, then I would have been unable to create something you would define as Avant-Garde. I enjoyed most of the films, some from animators I'd neverheard of, including namchild's and HausmacherFilme's. I think the judges have a tough job on these, and it'll be interesting to see who takes the prizes.

Re: BiM 2010: Avant-Garde [CLOSED]

It has been officially one week since the BIM 2010 deadline passed, hope the results come soon.

Re: BiM 2010: Avant-Garde [CLOSED]

Night Owl wrote:

The most avant-garde brickfilm I can think of is KG's Ronald Has A Spider On His Head.

I think KG's What is This I Don't Even is more Avant-Garde.

Used to be 'Caidence'

Re: BiM 2010: Avant-Garde [CLOSED]

Night Owl wrote:

For starters, all the entries I saw were in aspect ratios (4:3, 16:9, 1:2.35) that have been defined by motion picture formats and are completely unnecessary in digital films.

YouTube doesn't deal with foreign aspects ratio's very well either.
So it's not just the motion picture industry dictating.
My PC now has a 16:9 widescreen but I used to have a 4:3 crt. Is your PC analogue?
Does having black bars on your film make it more avant-grade? I don't think so.

I was expecting more arty surreal nonsense than what we ended up with.
Bodville's had a point about not being too risky given the effort he makes.
Some of these entries were put together in the last month and could have been more experimental.
Shame bodville didn't really make a musical like I suggested. I would have liked to see a big chorus line of dancers. Filmyguy didn't break his mold much either with figs fighting.

Seems everyone has an opinion about what avant-garde is even though they didn't even bother to make an entry, pffft! I'm putting my money on Mindgame for the win.

You can’t have manslaughter without the laughter!

Re: BiM 2010: Avant-Garde [CLOSED]

claskey wrote:

Seems everyone has an opinion about what avant-garde is even though they didn't even bother to make an entry, pffft!

I have a challenge to all of you out there who wanted to see more entries that pushed the boundaries of what a brickfilm can be, but didn't submit an entry. Make that brickfilm! (The one you've envisioned that does something new and exciting, but for what ever reason you didn't make.)
This contest helped a lot of people (myself included) push themselves to try new things, but I hope that those of you out there bursting with avant-garde ideas don't abandon them just because the contest is over. A good brickfilm is its own reward! And I, for one, think our community could do with more experimentation (or even just movies that pass the Bechdel test). Viva la revolution! mini/smile

Re: BiM 2010: Avant-Garde [CLOSED]

fallentomato wrote:
claskey wrote:

Seems everyone has an opinion about what avant-garde is even though they didn't even bother to make an entry, pffft!

I have a challenge to all of you out there who wanted to see more entries that pushed the boundaries of what a brickfilm can be, but didn't submit an entry. Make that brickfilm! (The one you've envisioned that does something new and exciting, but for what ever reason you didn't make.)
This contest helped a lot of people (myself included) push themselves to try new things, but I hope that those of you out there bursting with avant-garde ideas don't abandon them just because the contest is over. A good brickfilm is its own reward! And I, for one, think our community could do with more experimentation (or even just movies that pass the Bechdel test). Viva la revolution! mini/smile

Hear hear,
olẽ!

http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/3534/lego460182.jpg

Re: BiM 2010: Avant-Garde [CLOSED]

That's awesome fallentomato.

http://tinyurl.com/krwj4ek
http://tinyurl.com/kvxr6umhttp://tinyurl.com/kxofj4mhttp://tinyurl.com/k5fw3syhttp://tinyurl.com/m4rv8tf

Re: BiM 2010: Avant-Garde [CLOSED]

We agree with fallentomato.  It would be awesome to see some of you guys finish the entries that you started so that we could see them.  After all, even if your film isn't in the competition, it could still (if it was good enough) become a recommended film or even a staff favorite!

http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/BuilderBrothers/signatures/thac14sig.png