Norman

Presentation by: Anderson Moshi and Julia Mason

20/11/2014

Introduction and
Sources
- Norman McLaren (1914-1987) was a Scottish born Canadian animator
and film director.
- He began his creative expedition by studying set design at the Glasgow
School Of Art and Design. There he experimented with animation by
scratching and painting on filmstrip.
- His first flick, which really kick started his venture into film, was entitled
Seven till Five A day in the Life of an Art School.
- He is mostly known for his work done at the NFB (National Film Board). It
is Canada's twelve-time academy award winning film and digital media
producer and disturber.
- McLaren is a Pioneer in drawn-on-film animation and visual music,
abstract film, pixilation and graphic sound.

Fig. 1. Norman Mclaren

- After graduating, he worked at GPO Film unit. World War II

struck, and in the aftermath he moved to New York and got a
grant from Solomon R. Guggenhiem.
- With this grant, he made four drawn-on-film animations, one
of which was named Dots (see next slide).
- Proceeding these creations, he moved to Canada and began
working for the NFB. It is here that he opened an animation
studio and began training Canadian animators.

Fig. 2. Filmstrip Animation Process

- While in Canada, he created his famous pixilation film,

Neighbours.

Sources
Used
www.mclaren2014.com
www.nfb.ca
www.screenonline.org.uk
www.mclarenwalltowall.com

http://www.nytimes.com
http://libguides.stir.ac.uk
http://www.thecanadianency
clopedia.ca

Fig. 3. McLaren Working

LCD

- The two (see next slide for vid. 2) experimental

films, bring together the concept of animation
through McLarens eyes.
- They are a simple, colourful displays backed by
sound and a creativity.

- Scratching imagery straight on the film stock is

very uncommon, but it has defiantly worked well
for McLaren. He was one of the first film-makers
to experiment with this technique in creating
media.

Dots
Youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3-vsKwQ0Cg

This is one of McLarens early animations from the 1940s. It is about the
combination of animation and sound. The animated movements have all
been directly drawn on film.

Overview

LCD

Boogie - Doodle
Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgJ-yOhpYIM
This is another example of McLarens work. It was also created in
1940. This piece of visual music was influenced by the hand painted
films of Len Lye.

Critical Perspective
I thought what a great medium! It was exciting and I said
if you can do that, why bother with drawing and painting.
Theyve been around for two thousand years at least, but
here is a new art, just begun, which is the art of today
and painting is the art of the past.- Norman McLaren
(1934)

I have tried to preserve in my relationship to the film, the

same closeness and intimacy that exists between a painter
and his canvas is a simple and direct delight to make a
movie should be the same. Norman McLaren (1942).

This quote dictates his passion an love for his profession, and
his philosophy towards animation.
This quote basically outlines McLarens ideals of skipping over
aspects of art in learning and going straight to thing he loves.

MacLaren takes the direction that starts with motion and then
depicting it as a visual.

Animation is not the art of drawings that move,

but the art of movements that are drawn.
Norman McLaren

- The specific work that Norman McLaren did which significantly had a
specific social and political message, was Neighbours.

- The synopsis, deals with two men that live peacefully next to each
other in cardboard houses. A flower blooms in between the houses,
and they fight to the death over the ownership of the small flower.
- The films message is put simply, Love your neighbour (as stated by
Jesus, in Matthew 22:39).

Fig. 4. Men at Peace

- During is time, it was described as one of the most controversial films

the NFB ever made. (McLaughin, 2001)
- The NFB founder was not pleased with McLarens attempt at political
cinema.

Socio-Political
Contexts

Fig. 5. Men Fighting

n
- Remembered for is experiments with image and
sound. Specifically, his ground breaking techniques in
synchronizing animation with music.
- In June 2013, the NFM released an Itunes App called
McLarens workshop, it allows users to make films
using his techniques. His impact and influence is still
prevalent.
- In 2009, his works were added to UNESCOs memory
of the world programme.

Bibliography and Illustration

List
Beardsley, H. (2014). Norman McLaren - Archives & Special Collections LibGuides at University of Stirling. [online] Libguides.stir.ac.uk. Available at:
http://libguides.stir.ac.uk/archives/mclaren [Accessed 13 Nov. 2014].

Figure 1. Norman McLaten (1944) [Photograph] At:

http://www.vhsisland.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/2001.jpg (Accessed
on 06.11.14)

Brennan, S. (2006). Norman Mclaren - Biography - Movies & TV NYTimes.com. [online] Nytimes.com. Available at:
http://www.nytimes.com/movies/person/102215/NormanMcLaren/biography [Accessed 13 Nov. 2014].

Figure 2. Filmstrip Animation Process (1944) [Photograph] At: http://s3-euwest1.amazonaws.com/animafest.production/p/36b377302c80fca326f0cc940f8f5

ba2/f27f357c6c19e9cefee34d870f4dfdae.jpg (Accessed on 06.11.14)

McWilliams, D. (2006). About Norman McLaren. [online] McLaren 2014.

Available at: http://www.mclaren2014.com/about_norman_mclaren
[Accessed 13 Nov. 2014].

Figure 3. McLaren Working (1944) [Photograph] At:

http://bronwynstubbs.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/maclaren_norman_14.j
pg (Accessed on 06.11.14)

Sexton, J. (2008). BFI Screenonline: McLaren, Norman (1914-1987) Biography.

[online] Screenonline.org.uk. Available at:
http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/446775/ [Accessed 13 Nov.
2014].

Figure 4. Men at Peace (1952) [Film Still] From: Neighbours. Directed by.
Norman McLaren. [Film Still] Canada: National Film Board of Canada.
(Accessed on 13.11.14)

VRONNEAU, P. (2008). Norman McLaren. [online] The Canadian

Encyclopedia. Available at:
http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/norman-mclaren/
[Accessed 13 Nov. 2014].

Figure 5. Men Fighting (1952) [Film Still] From: Neighbours. Directed by.
Norman McLaren. [Film Still] Canada: National Film Board of Canada.
(Accessed on 13.11.14)