[Paper Keywords] China style animated film narrative role

Abstract: Animation film combines the comprehensive characteristics of art and film, attracting a large number of fans and producers with its unique artistic expression and aesthetic characteristics. Animation has a unique way of cultural communication and artistic form, and narrative is the core of animated films, which is also the place that China animated films need to learn from. This paper discusses the material selection, theme techniques and roles of animated films. Finally, it discusses the development of animated films in China, puts forward some problems, and looks forward to the development of animated films in China.

The development of animated films has experienced germination, development and maturity. Until today's prosperous period, animation forms have played an important role in society. Compared with the development of world animation, there are still some gaps in China animation. In Europe, America, Japan and South Korea, animation has become the mainstream culture. However, how a movie like the animated film The Ring of Mobius resists Shrek depends on its narrative strategy. We should rationally analyze animated films, grasp the basic elements of commercial animated films, and give full play to the advantages of animated art.

First, look at the narrative strategy of animated films from the perspective of material selection

As a form of film art, animated film should follow the general principles of film art in material selection, but it is different from other film arts in material selection because of its uniqueness in media, production methods, production materials, production means and methods. In the selection of materials, we must first determine who the product is for and what its significance is. For example, the elegant and popular animation theme is the most popular and has the best market benefit, because it has a wide audience and more corresponding market benefits. The choice of animation also focuses on children. Some people think that animation is for children and is not suitable for expressing deep-seated themes. Some people think that animation can express all subjects, and the era of our so-called animation entertainment for all has arrived. In fact, animation belongs to a branch of film, and its theme expression must conform to the characteristics of animation itself. Animated movies are different from real movies, and the most obvious feature is that animation is highly virtual. This feature determines that animation can't be as close to reality as real movies. In some excellent animated films, daily life is rarely described truthfully. On the contrary, we try our best to keep a distance from reality. Animation can tell incredible stories, and no one will criticize why the mouse hits the cat in animation. Secondly, the theme of animated films is relatively simple. In animation, the modeling clues are simple, the contradictions are simple, and the relationship between characters is simple. For example, China's four classical novels, Journey to the West, are easily adapted into excellent animation works, while Dream of Red Mansions is not suitable for animation adaptation. The relationship between characters in A Dream of Red Mansions is already very complicated, and the scenes and the like are even more complicated.

The theme of animation can be more adult. Cartoons have long been more than just children's patents, and now cartoons for adults can be seen everywhere. In terms of commercial value, simply considering children's audience is not conducive to the development of animation industry. Cartoons usually made only for children can only be shown in cinemas in the afternoon and evening, and the state often introduces welfare policies to limit the ticket prices of children's movies, which greatly reduces the box office income. On the contrary, if the audience of animated films is expanded to the adult category, they can enter the evening screening, which may lead to higher box office income. (1) So it is very beneficial in terms of commercial value and development value. For example, the cartoon "Blue rats and cats" has a higher subsequent commercial value.

Second, look at the narrative strategy of animated films from the theme

Animated film is an art form used to express its unique theme. In comics, not everything must have a narrative theme in a strict sense. Many art animation short films do not need profound narrative themes, and their animation can be expressed as a pure visual image. A personalized art animation short film, as long as it has excellent creativity or wonderful visual display, may create good effects, and the audience will enjoy it and get a pure visual sensory experience. However, as an animated film, this is not the case. Animated films usually convey the public's mental state with storylines. In the study of animated films, we can't simply pursue visual feast, but ignore the exploration of artistic essence and the cultivation of artistic accomplishment. If this kind of work is returned to its original shape, it is just a kaleidoscope of children's toys. Therefore, the theme selection of animated films is particularly important.

The theme of an animated film must be prominent, if an animated film has multiple themes without primary and secondary changes. Then eventually this cartoon will lose its theme. For example, the Japanese animation Goodbye Firefly is a film that shows the tragedy of war from the perspective of bystanders. In addition to showing the horror after the air raid at the beginning, the film did not describe the horror of war too much, but by describing the simple and sincere feelings of two brothers and sisters, the cruelty of war was deeply engraved into the hearts of the audience, making the whole film always filled with tragic atmosphere. This is the importance of theme selection. A good theme can be fascinating and make the whole animation meaningful.

In the choice of animation theme, it should be revealed naturally through pictures and plots, and the creator's angle should be as tortuous as possible. But it does not mean that the more twists and turns, the better. You can't confuse the audience In addition, the theme selection of cartoons should have higher philosophical and literary ideas, and various attempts should be made in animation language and animation form in order to have better themes to attract audiences. After choosing the narrative method of the theme, the development plot of the story is mostly based on the time sequence of the beginning, development, climax and end of the whole story, which is simple and clear around the main line of the story. This narrative structure is visible, which not only meets people's viewing needs, but also is more suitable for children with poor abstract thinking ability.

Third, look at the narrative strategy of animated films from the role.

When it comes to roles, what does everyone think of? Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck? . As a commercial animated feature film, when the theme and plot of the story are decided, role setting is undoubtedly the most important. Animation is an art form that creates life and gives life to characters. Role is the visual core of animation. Many classic cartoons may be forgotten by the audience after many years, but the audience can often remember the contents? Role? What can be talked about by everyone must be those enduring role models. Therefore, from all angles, the success of animation is also the success of role modeling to a great extent. Because in animation, the characterization is not a real representation in real life, but a virtual and exaggerated characterization process. Role modeling design is not a purely visual problem, but a process of abstraction and re-creation, which is the visualization of literary language. A good role can make the audience daydream and fully arouse the audience's interest.

Animated film is an art form that allows and encourages individual creation, in which the role setting can not follow the constraints in real life, and can live surreally to override reality. In animation, animals can talk and have their own thoughts, and even inanimate objects such as tables, chairs and benches can walk and jump. No matter what the characters in animation are, they are anthropomorphic people or things, which embodies people's value and aesthetic taste. Like in the comic book Beauty and the Beast? Candlestick, wall clock, housekeeper, teapot, aunt? Wait a minute. But what about animated characters? Hypothetically? It also has its own limitations and cannot be unrestrained. No matter how bizarre and absurd the characters in comics are, there must be a reasonable internal logic for the audience to believe and accept. If you only emphasize the role? Singularity? So that the real logical foundation is lost, such an animated character must be unpopular with the audience and fail. The animated characters should be concise, the characters should have distinct personalities and artistic images, and the personality orientation of the main characters should be gradual. This is not simply flattening the role, but making the role image more vivid and prominent. In commercial animated feature films, the role is not only a simple image in animation, but also plays a great economic role in the main products developed in the later stage.