Author: Yatharth Gupta

The auteur theory, traditionally associated with film, states arguments about who is considered the author of a piece of work. In animation, this theory takes on unique dimensions due to the collaborative and multi-disciplinary nature of the medium. While Paul Wells argues in ‘Animation : Genre and Authorship’ that animation may be consdered the most auteurist of all film formats.

On the contrary, there is a challenge in attributing singular authorship within animation due to its collaborative framework. Wells mentions that recognizing an auteur in animation often involves analyzing their recurring themes, visual aesthetics, and storytelling approaches across multiple works. Very specific themes and genres are observed in the works of animation directors like Hayao Miyazaki and Junji Ito, making them the ‘auteurs’ even with the huge production team and studios involved in their works.

Wells further explains the auteur theory through the case of Disney of whether he can be considered an aurteur or not. While Walt Disney was barely involeved artistically in major Disney works, he shaped the studio’s brand and vision. Many directors of Disney studio downplayed their contributions to promote the ‘Disney’ name. This complicates the auteur theory as it aligns with a ‘studio-driven authorship’ model. It is not always the director who is considered the auteur, rather any producer or visionary leader that guides the production team in a specific style, genre, or theme.

Through his analysis, Paul Wells raises points for further discussions about authorship in animation, which is often a less regarded field of film practices. Animated film can be collaborative at larger scale and individualistic at smaller scale, making it complicated to define the true auteur of a piece.

I picked the music video “The Wolf” by Siames, directed by Fer Suniga & RUDO Co. Analysing it within the 4 criterias, it was evident that the animaiton is a ofrm of conceptual abstraction, representing the lyrical theme of music.

Above : stills from The Wolf music video, SIAMES (2017). SIAMÉS ‘The Wolf’ [Official Animated Music Video]. YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lX44CAz-JhU

1. Categorization

The music video is a narrative-driven conceptual abstraction. The animation has a unique storytelling style using minimal designs of characters and visually appealing transitions which complement the musical rhythm. It tells a loose story involving a group of characters haunted by a wolf-like manifestation of their internal fears or desires. The tone is dark and suspenseful, blending noir and thriller elements.

2. Form and Function

The video’s objective is to visually amplify the song’s themes using stylized animation and metaphorical storytelling. The animation functions to complement the music’s rhythm and lyrics, emphasizing tension and release. The limitations are inherent in its abstract approach, which leaves much open to interpretation, allowing each viewer to derive their own meaning.

3. Process

The director uses 2D animation with a graphic novel aesthetic, marked by sharp contrasts, bold lines, and minimal character designs. The animation uses dynamic camera angles and flowing transitions to intensify the music’s emotion. The ‘wolf’ is represented in a free form, with multiple limbs and solid black color with red eyes. Its movement is stylized to represent an uncontrolable impulse or rage, creating a direct relation the lyrics of the music.

4. Formal Elements

The use of space and composition is cinematic, creating tension through tight framing and dramatic perspectives. The color palette relies on high contrast, dominated by blacks, whites, and reds, reinforcing the ominous tone. Movement is fluid and energetic, mirroring the music’s rhythm, with pacing that syncs perfectly to the song’s beats. Transitions are sharp yet cohesive, matching the shifts in tone and energy. The audio and visuals are tightly integrated, each enhancing the other’s impact.

This music video exemplifies experimental animation through its conceptual storytelling, stylized aesthetics, and effective fusion of sound and image.

‘Animation’ has a broad meaning which has evolved over the years. As mentioned by Paul Wells in ‘Understanding Animation’, 1998 the term to animate is derived from the Latin verb animare, which means ‘to give life to’. Translating this to the context of 3D computer animation, the act of moving inanimate objects in a virtual space to create an illusion of life is animation.

Some artists changed the methods through their experiments with different mediums, while technology acted as a catalyst to rapidly transform the techniques and styles in animation. The oldest device of Phenakistiscope, using a series of images on a circular disk or the Praxinoscope, using a cylinder and mirrors, was rotated at fast speed to create the illusion of movement. These were the earliest bricks for the massive structure that animation has become.

The avant-garde movement embraced animation as a medium for experimenting with abstract shapes, space, and time, offering more freedom than traditional painting. Many artists transitioned from painting to animation to break away from classical art rules. Movements like Futurism used animation to explore political and ideological themes, paving the way for Dada and Surrealism, which adopted film as an artistic form, strengthening the connection between art and cinema. Ultimately, avant-garde artists used animation to push creative boundaries and challenge traditional artistic conventions. Now, animation includes frame-by-frame animation, flip books, stop motion, claymation, motion graphics even virtual reality and visual projections. While some people refer to animation as ‘cartoons’, and the Japanese animations are called ‘anime’. They are all included in the broad umbrella of animation.