This past week was the 18th annual Trickfilm Festival (Festival of Animated Film) in Stuttgart. Unfortunately it happened to be the same week in which classes start, so I only got a weekend pass. Nonetheless, I got to listen to some pretty inspiring filmmakers and learn a lot about the history of some of my favorite American cartoons.
Fortunately, though it was an international festival most films were in (or translated into) German or English, with the exception of one Swiss-Italian film in which I had no idea what was going on (pretty colors, though). They had also transformed the park in front of the castle into a giant outdoor theater, so you could sit and watch shorts between events. All in all, it was a lovely weekend :)
One thing I noticed about the field of animation is that it really is all about the art, not the person making it. For example many animators would sit in the audience, wait in line to enter the film with everyone else, etc. There was no fear of being mauled or molested or screamed at, as would more likely happen to an actor or musician. People were there to observe your work and learn from you, not to obsess over your person.
That's not to say that theater and music don't require the same respect - believe me, after all the time and money spent on a guitar and classes, as well as five failed attempts at self-teaching, I have the utmost respect for anyone who can maneuver an instrument, or coordinate themselves on stage.
Personally, though, I would rather have people watch my work than me. The admiration may be a bit disconnected, but so is the judgement. I'd be perfectly happy knowing people enjoy my work with never even bothering to note my name at the end, and never know what I look like (until coming to an animation festival, for example, and seeing one of your favorite animators in person and realizing that yes, if they were big in the nineties, they probably are "old" now) but the fact that the looks of the artist are so trivial is part of what takes the superficiality out of the form itself. You either like my drawing style or you don't, you think the film "says something" or you don't. Fine, but whether I gain or lose 20 pounds or commit a petty crime has no bearing on your judgement. Anyway, it made me realize that one day I would love to sit in a full theater among people who like my work, see their reaction to it, and be able to answer their questions about just how it came to be. For me, that would be enough of a reward for all of the painstaking little drawings.
So, two of my favorite American cartoons that were featured both surprised me in terms of censorship. The first being South Park, in which the feature showed all of the uncensored "Muhammad" episodes as well as the episode where Cartman turns into Hitler. I was especially surprised at the Muhammad episode being shown after such recent threats due to Osama's death. Luckily there was no terror attack on the animation festival. (Though I must note in contrast to what I said previously, the creators of South Park are probably the type of cartoonists who do need security protection...). The second was Donald Duck, who, despite his popularity over here in Germany was featured in a number of U.S. propaganda cartoons that were not imported over here (obviously) during WWII. This was the result of the U.S. Army funding most Disney production. One included "Donald Duck in Naziland" with lots of "heiling" and swastikas, as well as a very racist short about Japanese soldiers trying to "shoot him in the back." Anyway, it was an interesting contrast between seeing how cartoons have the power to either enforce propaganda or completely turn it on its head, depending mostly on where the money's coming from.
Which brings me to my last bit about cartoons and money - many of the smaller animation firms who presented all started out doing cartoons for ads, and then worked their way up to be able to create their own films. At the risk of sounding like a stereotypical college student, I really don't want to use my work to "sell out." For this reason I've always held Bill Watterson, creator of "Calvin and Hobbes" as a hero. His drawings were only used to tell his stories, and that's how I want my work to be as well. As great as it would be to have the fame and money to come talk to young animators about my life's work, if it means going against what makes cartooning fun for me, for example using my characters in a deodorant ad, it defeats the purpose.
So, to conclude, I found the festival quite inspirational, and quite informative about the lives of cartoonists. I may decide to join that field one day, or keep it as nothing more than a hobby. Nonetheless, I'm going to keep drawing.
-Emily
