What's in a name? Phenakistoscopes...
- Lisa Wynne
- May 12, 2017
- 2 min read
One sticking point I've found was to do the terminology of what exactly is an animated record spinny visual optical illusion thing*? It's actually nearer to a phenakistoscope. An animation technique developed in the 1830's, it's essentially a flat image that rotates around a centre point. Not too different from sticking a bit of card with visuals on a record player and filming it, right? As there was only one tutorial available, there was a bit of hitting my head against a wall because I had to guess how to reduce the frames down to 8 instead of 24. It wasn't working. Now that I've got the proper term there are a lot more tutorials out there on layout and filming techniques. I'm still at square one, but hopefully with a bit of reading, I can get my head round how to adapt it for my postcards.
*That won't be how I advertise it.
In internet-land terms relating to animated vinyl records are thrown about interchangeably, even when it's a flat image (Zoetrope, 3D/analogue - relies on persistence of vision and how the human eye processes images. Phonotrope, mostly 3D/digital - uses camera FPS to create the illusion).
That rant out of the way - trying to put together a scene featuring the characters from the front of the 'Emma's House' flexi single and my locations.
S-C-A-N-L-I-N-E-S! I've tried adjusting the shutter speed, 4000 was too high, though it's still an issue at 2600. (Can you tell I'm not a photographer?)
My characters (left) and the original album cover (right):
Quick postcard layout using the concept of the path through Birdcage walk vanishing into the distance:
It has been simplified down to lines for the fence, squiggly trees etc. With the figures as the only moving elements to begin with.
The video (16 frames/24fps/45rpm):
So not really the effect I was going for - in my head they would appear to be walking into the distance. With the limitations on size that comes with an A6 postcard, they blur together in an insect-like way.
Back to the drawing board.
To rub salt into the wound, I found a nice animation with lots of empty space which would help make things not look cluttered given the small space I have to work with:
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