Post #7. Fallen
The animated short Fallen is about the stages of grief. The scene opens up with an asteroid falling to earth from space. I think that Fallen is a great representation of the stages of grief, and the realism of the background and characteristics of the meteor help portray this. The meteor is representing a person learning that death is imminent and starts through the grieving process. I also really liked how the meteor had very similar characteristics to the ones that would fall towards Earth in real life.
The stages of grief include denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. You can see all of these features of grief during this short. The asteroid starts out in space and enters Earth’s atmosphere (turning into a meteor) then gains facial features and arms, he looks at his hands as like he cannot imagine what is happening to him. He sees the water beneath himself and recognizes his death and tries to slow his decent. He covers his eyes and holds himself tight because of the depression and recognition there is nothing he can do to stop death from happening. When the music starts to play it shows the meteor’s acceptance to his certain death and he enjoys the last few seconds in his life.
I think the animation in this short is really impressive. Around 3:07 into the animation it shows the sky, ocean, and the meteor. I think that the waves and the sunset look like something that you would actually see. But as soon as he gets into the water I think that other than the bubbles you couldn’t really tell that he was sinking down into the depths of the ocean. The other thing that I really liked about this is the steam and smoke that comes off the meteor the entire time is very consistent with the meteor’s movements.
This is a picture that I found online that I thought looks similar to what the one in the short animation. So I think the animators did a good job making the meteor look very similar to the real thing all while giving it an expressive personality.
I commented on Michael Griffith’s post and Brittany Alberry’s Post
I really liked this animation. I think you were dead on with the stages of grief. The meteor had a lot of expressiveness and I actually felt sad as he was falling to earth. After seeing his lifeless face after hitting the water, you could see the joy that he had experienced once he let go and realized there was nothing he could do and should just enjoy the ride.
By: mgriffi5 on March 15, 2010
at 3:30 pm
[...] commented on Megan’s blog and Chuck’s blog. Published [...]
By: Post #7: “Prometheus and Bob” Evolution « Mike G. Blog on March 15, 2010
at 3:42 pm
I enjoyed this short as well. I always find myself impressed at how much information, especially emotion, can be achieved with sound, music, facial expressions, movement, etc., and without a single word of dialog.
By: vkoskihist387 on March 15, 2010
at 4:30 pm
[...] comments here, here, and here. Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)Reflections on Avatar and worm compostingJames [...]
By: Spring Break Post: Avatar « History of Animation 389 Blog on March 15, 2010
at 4:32 pm
This short is an amazing look at the personification of grief that we all experience at some point in our life. The subtle change through the different stages are nonthreatening and accepting. It could be incorporated in many grief/coping counseling sessions.
By: sandyshore2 on March 21, 2010
at 10:22 pm
[...] have commented on the blogs of Emily Witt and Megan Pettry Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)Motion, travel keeping Beats memorabilia in on the [...]
By: Blog Post # 7 – The Beat Generation and UPA Style « History of Animation on March 21, 2010
at 10:25 pm
[...] have commented on the blogs of Emily Witt and Megan Pettry This entry was posted in University and tagged 1950's, 1960's, Animation, Beat Generation, [...]
By: Blog Post # 7 – The Beat Generation and UPA Style | Keeping Track of It All on July 16, 2010
at 12:00 pm