Orthodox & Experimental Animation

      In the article, Notes Towards a Theory of Animation, Wells separates animation style and intent into two types: Experimental and Orthodox. 

      Coining the term, orthodox animation, Wells explores animators' intentions, and how they achieve their stylistic goals.  Characteristics of orthodox animation include a strong focus on unified narrative content, personification of non-human characters like Donald Duck, and parallel stylistic devices borrowed from live-action.  The author explains that animation shooting style is often limited to horizontal and/or vertical pans considering its two-dimensional nature. 

      Experimental animation reserves abstraction and dissonance for its content.  Exploring obscure narrative structures and interpretive forms, experimental animation is very diverse.  Wells' essay shows how experimental animation often uses multiple styles and techniques, explaining that it helps to stimulate new approaches.

      Both approaches are equally enjoyable and significant.  Orthodox animation seems to dominate the commercial market, to which it likely is indebted to Disney.  Experimental animation effectively tackles abstract concepts, more directly achieving expressionistic goals.  The concept of synesthesia is just asking to be explored by experimental film.  Of course, this has been done in the past by filmmakers such as Len Lye and Norman Mclaren.  above: still of Norman Mclaren work.
      The most distinguishing factor of experimental film is its subjectivity.  When people view a series of colors, shapes, and sounds, they are subject to any number of responses.  These responses can be calculated.  For example, harsh and/or vibrant colors flashing quickly, set to loud, chaotic music.  This could simply evoke anger or frustration.  However, it's not that simple.  What may be confusing and obnoxious for one person, could actually be pleasing and enjoyable to another; this is not likely, but entirely possible.  In the attempt to capture emotional or ethereal subjectivity, experimental film has been crucial to the development of new techniques, and visual approaches.
       Imagine the sixties without the style of filmmaker Ben Van Meter.  His films documented and reflected acid tests that were happening in cities like San Francisco.

 

 

The contributions of both styles are important.  They have both helped to shape animation as we know it today, and have popularized film animation to its current success.