Current global trends in animation productions

This paper discusses some of the current trends in animation as seen in the productions by animation students globally.It examines trends evident in student animations that gained recognition through screenings or prizes around the world recently. Further, it explores trends and approaches seen in the diverse student animations from around the globe submitted to and selected by Animex Awards, one of the largest international competitions for student animation, which is curated by the author.The discourse is from this curatorial perspective, to exemplify a diversity of genres, styles and techniques of animation, in the wider context of animation courses in higher education. Depending on the particular artistic philosophy, culture, creative and technical approaches, courses within animation education tend to encourage specific types of animation product. Work ranges from the auteur, individual artistic expression, narrative or non-narrative, to team-based animation production, to demonstration of technique and technology that may be interpreted as indicators of possible future animation trends. Some of the most inventive or innovative short animation have been created by students, from drawing to cgi, from stop-motion to experimental. Given the complexity of the unique medium of animation, some unresolved questions arise in considering ‘What matters most?’ within the global animation industry on the one hand and animation as an art form on the other. Representative animation films and excerpts of student animations from around the globe will be screened within this presentation.

The paper is a 20-minute audio-visual symposium presentation, peer reviewed. It was presented at the '28th Annual Conference of the Society of Animation Studies' on 28 June 2016, 10:30am - 12:30am, Session 4 Panels. Venue Lecture Theatre 2, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.