Animation test #2

This one is 17 second long. I think I want to start the animation 5 seconds into the recording (it works better with the text for some reason).

The next line of text is:"I have so many memories that sit so firmly inside my mind, so that I will never forget them." (7 - 10 seconds, and I can add a small pause - like a chapter ends).

The pencil test that I have is still really rough, but here are 2 ideas for the next batch of animation (do you think 7-10 sec is a long enough time for a new mini idea?):

1. Keep the face in the last frame and have a few (three?) memories morph from the line behind.
A memory could shown by a different environment or things that are easily recognised (like a wedding or something?).
maybe 3 seconds each? and I could transition between them like I've done until now maybe.

2. If you think this would be unclear -

I could just keep things really slow until the story starts. And when it does start, I can pick up the pace of the animation (just so it moves differently). I'm worried that this slow part would become a bit boring to watch though...

What do you think?

1940s

Researching the 1940s reminds me why I was really hesitant about this project. Whatever information you are looking for - it is inevitable that you'll find very terrible images.

The Holocaust is a part of Israeli (or Jewish) history, but I think that for families of survivors (and the survivors themselves), it is something that still has a sort of presence even today (over or under the surface). It takes some emotional energy to deal with that.

But I'm glad I found a way to investigate people's behaviors from that time, without going into the most violent parts of the story (it would have been too difficult for me).

Here are some research images:

1. Cots

After almost giving up, I searched a website that has a record of all sorts of listed patents (of any product you can think of). So I chose a few cots where the mechanisms made sense to me, and scanned in my diagrams (and one photo from a different site).

2. Clothes (fashion)

For this I have 2 sources:

a. Magazine illustrations -

I found these images in a 1940s French fashion magazine ("Le Petit Écho de la Mode"). I'm assuming the general idea about fashion was the same in eastern Europe too.

b. Films

Professional costume designers have researched this decade already. These images are also in color (original photos aren't - so it's very useful).

For some reason I remembered 'The Pianist' as having really realistic costumes. It also a story (true story) that takes place in Warsaw, so the location is pretty close. Great film too.

3. City

Krakow was not damaged by bombings and such, as other places were in WW2. So photos of what it looks like today would be a good representation.

But here I found real photos from 1940 (from the web) and that gives me a lot more information.

This is of course outside the Ghetto.

- Almost no cars. I noticed a horse (lower left).

- 1 car far away
- Flags (in both photos).

I can always go back and research some more if I need specific information.

Animation test #1

So I've started out with a little pencil test (the tracing will be nicer on the final pass!). It is deliberately slow. I'm just trying to be careful; there is also the subtitle text to read and I don't want it to become too much.

This could either be the beginning or a middle section of the first part of my project (before the memory part begins). Where this ends I can make a small transition where you see just the cloth (it will be in color so it will be clearer) and then the hands could reappear from a different perspective.

I think maybe I should start with the hands putting down the pile (it's cloth). That way the animation wont start out with a action that is too elaborate. Plus it would gradually reveal the what this person is doing (does that make sense?).

I've also gathered some research images - I'll post those very soon.