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Films Without Camera Pedagogical File Workshop Films without a camera GENERAL PRESENTATION This pedagogical file on films without a camera is in three parts. First, there is a general introduction to film produced directly on film. Then, our attention will turn to The National Film Board of Canada (NFB) through one of its most emblematic figures, the director Norman McLaren. Finally, we will go back non- exhaustively over some of the proponents of this absolutely unique technique of cinematographic creation. 1 INTRODUCTION ON FILM DIRECTLY PRODUCED ON FILM Embossed, drawn or painted with a roller film by using blades and knives. The craft usual registry system (which allows the film, animation without a camera is an workers must not only show patience, but drawing to be copied) led to instability in animation technique in which Canadians this technique also requires great dexter- the animation. Far from being a handicap, quickly distinguished themselves. Some ity because the worker engraves or draws this hopping gives the best engraved or important directors have created signifi- on a support which is sometimes less painted films an incomparable energy cant works by using this technique. than 20mm wide. and reveals to spectators the artist’s spon- taneous gesture that has a direct relation- All of these animation techniques require In Canada, outstanding directors such ship with the animated material1. a lot of work and precision, but this is as Norman McLaren and Pierre Hébert particularly true for animation without a made use of this technique: first because camera, which does not require any film- it requires little money, second and fore- ing. Directors can directly draw on the most, because of its attractive qualities. film with ink or carve the emulsion of the Engraving on a small surface without the International Context If we see direct animation on film as technique with which he will always be abstract animation in relation with ab- associated. stract painting, then its pioneers are to Far from being a cinematographic move- be found in Germany, from the 1920s, as ment as the New Wave or Neorealism Oskar 1Fischinger2 and Walter Ruttmann, were able to be, film directly produced on and also as the Swede Viking Eggeling. film is the work of artists, isolated individ- If we just turn our attention to this uals, who lead a plastic research thanks technique, we have to mention Italy’s to this movement. The directors working Futurists Arnaldo Ginna, Bruno Corra directly on the film work throughout the and Giovanni Martedi3, the German Hans world and outside of organization for the Stotltenberg, the Belgians Henri Storck4 simple reason that they generally don’t LE MERLE, NORMAN McLAREN and Louis Van Maelder, the Canadians need it (for example, production compa- Richard Reeves and Pierre Hébert, and nies). Nowadays, digital technology has the Scottish guest of NFB, Norman flooded this technique, facilitating the McLaren, who will give his fame to this shooting of every frame. While there were nearly no artists working on this tech- nique anymore in the ’70s and the ’80s, it resurfaced in the ’90s, in specific parts of 1. Introductory text coming directly from the film 24 idées/seconde – Animation sans caméra the world. by Eric Barbeau, Canada (NFB), 2006 | VOF | colors | 24’ 2. Many films from Oskar Fischinger are avai- MOTHLIGHT, STAN BRAKHAGE lable on the Internet. The most understandable film for a young audience isAn optical Poem (1938), or the excerpt from Fantasia (1940) by Walt Disney : Toccata et Fugue. 3. Giovanni Martedi pastes in Film sans caméra 1 various colored pieces of tape. This film is distri- buted at Light Cone. 4. According to the Fond Henri Storck, several films were directly made on film. Unfortunately, the copies of those films do not exist anymore. 2 THE NFB & NORMAN MCLAREN NFB (National Film Board) On the 3rd of September 1939, Canada went to war, hastening the creation of the NFB. The creation of The National Film Board of Canada (NFB) was not particu- larly daring and corresponded, in itself, to the Canadian political context at the approach of war that favored the devel- opment of government agencies of in- formation and propaganda. Furthermore, Canada was already known as a precursor regarding the use of cinema for pro- motional purposes. It is John Grierson, British director and cinema theorist, who was called, from London, to chair it. There were four categories of govern- ment cinematographic propaganda: the BEGONE DULL CARE, NORMAN McLAREN educational film, the promotional film, the ministerial film (outside the commercial work, social planning, ethnical variety, to reorganize the NFB and to return pub- channels) and the prestige film, dedicated sport or war. The documentary aesthetic lic confidence to it. to conveying ideas or to arousing loy- was subject to the message that had to be alty towards a country, a ministry or an After 1950, the NFB transformed in conveyed. organization. any way possible and announced the After the war, the NFB remained, until aesthetical renewal which would begin Only the latter category interests 1967, the only cinematographic organ- from the 1960s. While Grierson foresaw Grierson because it allows the “creative ization in Canada, focusing essentially the erasure of the directors in favor of handling of reality”. Then, he entrusted on short-films. Later, the Canadian Film the institution and public service, it was Norman McLaren, whom he already knew Development Corporation will be created, under Irwin, and after the atmosphere of (they had already worked together, in which will allow the emergence of fea- mistrust inherent to the Cold War, that London, for the GPO Film Unit5) with the ture-length film production. At the end of the emancipation of the directors will a responsibility to create, in 1941, an “ani- the conflict, the films of the NFB disap- new impetus to the NFB. mation” department. Between 1942 and peared from American cinemas; the in- 1944, McLaren gathered young Canadian At this time, the presence and the activity terest for any “Canadian content” indeed artists who, at the beginning, had no of Norman McLaren had a determining drifted away. Nevertheless, the NFB had cinematographic experience, but who effect on the production of the NFB as a become the symbol of an artisanal alter- subsequently became significant authors whole. the activity center was a founding native to American cinema; the documen- of expression methods that were in ac- element, responsible for the most essen- tary know-how remained an earmark for cordance with their artistic personality. In tial qualities of the NFB. The animation, a long time. However, this Canadian ex- 1940, the NFB was composed of a dozen introduced from the beginning of the perience was emulated, and the example employees. It will have more than 800 in Office, will impose a standard of excel- was followed by New Zealand, Australia, 1945. lence based on research and innovation, South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria, Puerto-Rico which will become its true “trademarks” 6. In time of war, the themes of the movies and North Carolina. that were part of the non-commercial dis- In 1947, John Grierson was voted out of tribution network (they were educational office and replaced by Ross McLaren, films) were agriculture, consumption, then by Arthur Irwin in 1950. During this period, the NFB was central to sensitive issues (financial and political) and sub- 6. For an in-depth research on the producers from 5. John Grierson founded in 1933 the GPO Film jected to inspection. The double-mission the NFB, see Caroline Zéau, L’Office national Unit in England, a department of the UK Gene- of Arthur Irwin during his mandate was du film et le cinéma canadien (1939-2003), ed. ral Post Office specialized in documentary. Peter Lang, Belgium, 2006. 3 Norman McLaren Within the NFB, Norman McLaren man- aged to create an balance between artistic creation and institutional production, along with savings responsible for a cer- tain liberty of creation. This freedom will have an impact on the other centers of the NFB, that is to say documentary and fiction feature film. The technique often linked to Norman McLaren is the drawing directly on the film. His first attempt dates back to 1933, but the certainty of continuing working in that direction came to his mind after watching A colour Box by Len Lye, in 1935. The first (control) film directly pro- duced on the film by McLaren was Love on the Wing, in 1938 ; a short film praising the air services of the Post Office. A this time, he was still at the service of the GPO in London. NORMAN McLAREN The first film of the NFB (in 1941) is, once At the end of the war, McLaren aban- Norman McLaren does not see animation more, a control film for the Canadian doned his position as Animation studio cinema as an outcome of static arts forms postal services, Early, Mail Early. Norman manager ; on the one hand, in order to such as drawing or painting, but rather McLaren’s last personal contributions go back to his own researches and, on as an art close to dance. That is how he to wartime effort will be Dollar Dance the other hand, even if he was a good could claim that, in animation, le most (1943) and Keep your Mouth Shut (1944). teacher, he could adapt to his hierarchi- important is not what appears on every It is around that period that he made his cal position. Then, he started to devote picture, but rather what is happening beginnings as organizer, recruitment himself to his more personal projects. between the pictures. McLaren’s sense consultant, tutor and creator of a real From 1945, he enjoyed excellent con- of economy and the extremely modest animation studio, with, among others, ditions of work and creation, among conditions that marked the production of Evelyn Lambart, René Jodoin, Jean-Paul which a monthly premium of the federal several of his films accommodated well Ladouceur, George Dunning, Grant government.
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