Abstract:

On his blog Acting for Animators (2012) Ed Hooks considers actors and animators as shamans, because their goal in life is to help the tribe to survive by telling stories (2012). Animators, as storytellers, connect and transform the modern urban tribes by bringing into life de Anima, the psyche; not just of the animated characters, but may be of their own creators and the audience who go to the cinema. We learn from movies as passive observers and by making movies, as active creators (work observed). We present how making animation can transform our perspective and brain story tale-teller during the creative process of a motion picture. On this paper we will explain such alchemy of animation, applying neuroscience to animation in our teaching and art production. We will share the latest results based on the last 10 years of production with international students, between 18 and 40 years old, at The Animation workshop-VIA University College, Denmark. We provide them with knowledge of visual and emotional literacy, neuroscience and emotional intelligence to become more aware of their thoughts and emotions during the creative process of a movie. They gain a wider understanding of life by creating life. Each movie is a challenge where they have to reflect, identify emotions, and see how they can be triggered to evoke certain reactions to connect with the audience.

There is little literature regarding the neural effects of art production and its observation, especially in animation. The closest study is from Bolwerk A, Mack-Andrick J, Lang FR, Dorfler A, Maihofner C (2014) How Art Changes Your Brain: Differential Effects of Visual Art Production and Cognitive Art Evaluation on Functional Brain Connectivity; other useful studies such as Neurocinematics: The Neuroscience of Film (Uri Hasson. 2008); Flicker: your Brain in Movies (Jeffrey Zacks. 2015) or The Tell-Tale Brain (V.S. Ramachandran, 2012) support our studies and observations. Movies like Reason and emotion (Walt Disney,1943) and most recently Inside Out ( Pixar, 2015) are great samples where animators use neuroscience to create the movie and raise awareness of our emotional life.

Animation is a valid media of communication, a powerful language of visual metaphors, which embodied emotions and feelings with our thinking, put into actions. By understanding how we create movies in our brains we enhance our communication skills, having the chance to reframe a situation for a better comprehension of our self and others. We gain self-control to regulate our emotions and different perspectives for problem solving.

The brain is the dream factory, the wizard of illusions and realities; our own home cinema. It is the creator of the mind. By making meaningful animated movies as we work the plasticity of our brains, we can transform our lifes. To make art productions which reflect the cultivation of a sensitive mind with a wise feeling, that may influence and inspire people to be more alive. Animation is the illusion of life (Frank Thomas, Olli Johnson, 1995), an expressive art form of communication, furthermore, a “NeuroplasticArt” media of transformation.

Keywords:

Animation, Neuroeducation, Emotional Intelligence, Neuroplasticity, Creative learning.