Découvrir / Vidéos / Edward, a stop motion animation - Natan Rifkin

(if you read this the I'll be impressed)
An Evaluation of the animation-

I spent my last sixth form year of 2007-2008 creating this short film.
It was an amazing learning experience, where I started making the most basic models, and working out my own ways of creating characters that differ from the norm of plastecine/ filmo (and so on) and armatures.

I lost my mum last November, and to be honest, Im still in awe of how far Ive come since.

Throughout the year creating this self portrait of my past, I have learnt a lot about myself. I have learnt also about following my visions and sticking to something I started.

My original intention to create an animation has been carried out, and evolved into a hybrid of short film of Stop-motion Animation. It was a very enjoyable and fulfilling experience to discover myself as a director; where I took control of the entire project often needing small teams of people to film.

Looking at the outcome of the Animation- Edward I dont think I ever really planned to create something of this magnitude at this stage in my life. I remember during the summer when I had decided to make an animation I was mulling over the idea of making a flash animation or using the flash part of the animation as physical atmosphere e.g. wind, emotion; along with a stop-motion animation.
However partly because I didnt want to sit in front of a computer all year and also I soon realised there was more raw diversity in creation (Side note- because I like experimenting with different materials, I felt I could have more fun and make something more creative than if I had used random shapes using flash) I opted to make the animation completely out of the Nikon D1H.
It was an interesting breakthrough when I found that I could make the features of people and the black creatures I had created look quite similar; they are in fact one in the same, but I wanted the viewers to still have some questions in their minds after the animation. This is because I wanted you to see from Edwardss eyes a little and ask the same questions he would.

The themes coming out in the animations are for the most part dark. However I hope viewers understand I was not depressed while making the animation, (for the most part I enjoyed it, although my Mum passed away on the 11th of November- I always tried to remain optimistic and found greater purpose within my own life when I did not give up, the animation is also created in my Mum and Grandmas memory, as I know I could never understand how much they wanted for me, so I didnt give up and therefore done as much as I can for the animation.)

In conclusion, I am happy and satisfied with this project. I feel I have created something I will always look back upon in the future. I honestly dont have any regrets with this project and although in some ways there are weaknesses such as the animation not being as professional a standard as films such as Tim Burtons the Nightmare before Christmas (Side note- Yes I know my project bears some resemblance to Burtons works, but it is my own, and the style s quite different) but one it is my first animation, and two as it is a reflection upon me now looking back, it would not be right to worry about flawless scenes and things like that. To be honest, I enjoy a certain sense of imperfection in my creations because when do you truly know someone or understand the world around you?

Natan Rifkin
Thank you

ps music is by Mogwai (sine wave) and explosions in the sky (first breathe after coma).
if you are affiliated with these bands please contact me.
Other than the music, the aniamtion is under my COPYRIGHT
Amen