The Electronic Theatre

by Jessica Fernandes

July 26, 2002

The Electronic Theatre (ET), the highlight of the Computer Animation Festival, showcases the brightest and most innovative 3D animation and advancements. This year was no different in terms of quality of work shown. However, in contrast to last year's ET, I could not help but notice a darker side to the content of many of the pieces presented. Perhaps this is a reflection of the concerns of the people working in the industry, or maybe it is simply a growing interest in dark animation similar to certain computer games. In either case, it was somewhat disconcerting to revel at the graphics and technical quality of the works shown, while being disturbed by the connotations of the imagery.

The In contrast to the general tone of the ET, “Polygon Family: Episode 2”, by Polygon Pictures Inc., combined humor, exaggerated clichés and classic game fighting scenes, to create a light-hearted crowd favorite. Among my personal favorites were “Sarah”, a cartoon stylized animation, “Gorillaz at the Brit Awards”, an interesting use of computer animation on a large scale (providing extra members to a live band's performance) and “Super Furry Animals `It's Not the End of the World'”, a constantly shifting space, shifting pace musical piece.

As always, the presentation also had its share of big studio productions. The talents of Blue Sky Studios, Digital Domain, ILM and Weta Ltd., to name a few, made their presence felt. Their works, alongside those of independent artists, students, technical presentations and other commercial productions made for an extremely interesting and awe-inspiring evening. Two hours after sitting in silent admiration, you walked away knowing that anything, from a tide of horses to an abducted snowman could tangibly exist. The separation between reality and fantasy vanishes by the minute.