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Norman McLaren

Presented byPaul Aumer-RyanSchool of InformationThe University of Texas

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Introduction

• 1914-1987• Famous Scottish

experimental filmmaker

• Created many new artistic techniques in film and animation

• Saw a strong connection between sound and sight (e.g., Synchromy, 1971)

• Great sense of humor and flair for storytelling

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Biography• 1914: Born in Scotland• 1932: Attended Glasgow School of Fine

Arts• 1934: Worked with Grierson at the

General Post Office Film Unit in London• 1939: Emigrated to US• 1941: Joined the National Film Board in

Canada• 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s: National Film Board of

Canada• 1983: Retired from NFB• 1986: Interviewed for documentary on his

life• 1987: Died in Montreal

(72 years old)

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Politics• Worked as a cameraman in Spain

during the Civil War in 1936• Worked on a rural education project in

China in 1949• Became a communist and a pacifist

leading up to WWII• Ended up making several propaganda

films for the war effort• Eventually gave up strong political ties

in favor of focusing on art

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Politics• “The Head Test”

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Philosophy• Believed there was a tension with

cohesiveness/consistency: too much and the art is stale, too little and no one understands it

• Was more interested in art as process rather than a finished (and static) work

• Believed painting was a dying art, and filmmaking was just being born

• Heavily influenced by surrealism, esp. Tanguay

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Techniques• Painting, Drawing, Etching

on film• Animated Chalk Drawings• Super-imposition using an

optical printer (time-shifting)• Corridor zoom• Pixillation• Cross-fading• Paper cut-outs

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Films• 59 completed films• http://www.nfb.ca/trouverunfilm/

listerecherche.php?type=credit&id=11192&v=h&lg=en&nom=Norman%20McLaren&dureeMin=0&dureeMax=0&anneeMin=&anneeMax=&startrow=0

• My favorites:– A Chairy Tale (9:52)– Begone Dull Care (7:47)– Neighbours (8:05)

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Conclusion

• Highly influential on other artists and filmmakers

• Won more than 200 international awards, including an Oscar (for Neighbours)

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References• Anim8ed. (n.d.). Anim8ed – Norman McLaren. Retrieved October 26, 2006, from:

http://www.anim8ed.org.uk/resources_index_mclaren.asp • Collins, M. (1976). Norman McLaren. Ottawa: Canadian Film Institute.• Millar, G. (Director). (1989). The Eye Hears, the Ear Sees: An Hour With Norman

McLaren [Motion Picture]. • McLaren, N. (Producer, Director). (1948). Boogie-Doodle [Motion Picture]. • McLaren, N. (Producer, Director). (1949). Begone Dull Care [Motion Picture]. • McLaren, N. (Producer, Director). (1952). A Phantasy [Motion Picture]. • McLaren, N. (Producer, Director). (1952). Neighbours [Motion Picture]. • McLaren, N. (Producer, Director). (1955). Blinkity Blank [Motion Picture]. • McLaren, N. (Producer, Director). (1957). A Chairy Tale [Motion Picture]. • McLaren, N. (Producer, Director). (1958). Le Merle [Motion Picture]. • McLaren, N. (Producer, Director). (1962). Lines-Horizontal [Motion Picture]. • McLaren, N. (Producer, Director). (1965). Mosaic [Motion Picture]. • McLaren, N. (Producer, Director). (1968). Pas de deux [Motion Picture]. • McLaren, N. (Producer, Director). (1971). Synchromy [Motion Picture]. • McWilliams, D., & Dionne, C. (Directors). (1990). Creative Process: Norman McLaren

[Motion Picture].• Screen Online. (n.d.). McLaren, Norman (1914-1987) Biography. Retrieved

November 1, 2006, from: http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/446775/index.html

• The Canadian Encyclopedia. (n.d.). McLaren, Norman. Retrieved October 26, 2006, from: http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=U1ARTU0002301

• The Internet Movie Database. (n.d.). Norman McLaren. Retrieved November 1, 2006, from: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0572235/

• The National Film Board of Canada. (n.d.). Norman McLaren – Focus on Animation. Retrieved October 26, 2006, from: http://www.nfb.ca/animation/objanim/en/filmmakers/Norman-McLaren/overview.php

• The National Film Board of Canada. (n.d.). Portraits – Norman McLaren. Retrieved November 1, 2006, from: http://www.nfb.ca/portraits/fiche.php?id=285&v=h&lg=en