music videos - The Ink and Pixel Club

Sara — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 13:02:06 +0000

Television for preschoolers has become a huge market in recent years and animation is a big chunk of the content created for little viewers. Whole channels are now dedicated to entertaining and educating preschool kids, including Nickelodeon’s Nick Jr. Since Nick Jr. doesn’t run commercials, the time between shows is filled with games and music videos like today’s Monday Movie, “Papa Moco Jumbie.”

A lot of animation for preschoolers features very simple visuals, but this charming short straddles the line between the simple and the impressive. The designs for the boy and his father aren’t overly detailed, but there is a lot of flourish to the animation itself, such as the animation of the boy struggling to climb up onto the box, the flapping of the characters’ loose fitting clothing, and the low angle shot of the father walking on stilts, enhancing the boy’s feeling of wonder and pride at his papa’s abilities. The extra care that went into the making of this short piece is what takes it out of the realm of the merely cute and makes it something memorable and special.

The vocals for the song are provided by Khamani Griffin, a young actor who has appeared in a number of live-action and voice acting roles. I haven’t been able to discover who animated the short, so please let me know if you have any information about it. In case you were wondering, a “moco jumbie” is a stilt dancer, often seen at Carnival celebrations.

music videos - The Ink and Pixel Club

Sara — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 15:01:55 +0000

Music videos have long been a great showcase for all kinds of animation. The main task of a music video is to sell the song through eye-catching visuals, and what’s more eye-catching than animation set to music, especially in a sea of live-action footage of bands performing? As their popularity and budgets grew, music videos became experimental short films designed for the general public, with animation playing a major role. Here are some of the finest animated music videos ever to grace the small screen.

Some of these songs contain language not suitable for all audiences. View at your own discretion.
Bring on the videos!

music videos - The Ink and Pixel Club

Sara — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 12:06:29 +0000

I’ve been a Gorillaz fan since their debut album, as much for their videos as their music. So imagine my delight when I learned that “On Melancholy Hill,” the second video from their latest album Plastic Beach, was available on iTunes today.

Yes, I’ll pay a buck for a video that may well be available for free at a later date. I’m that excited.

I have yet to be disappointed by a Gorillaz video and “On Melancholy Hill” is no exception. This high seas adventure venturns the characters to their hand-drawn roots and sets them in a computer animated environment. If you’ve enjoyed past Gorillaz videos, you’re sure to like this one. If you’ve never checked out the animated band before, now is a good time to start.

Check out all the previous Gorillaz videos and a trailer for “On Melancholy Hill” on their YouTube page.

(Real article coming soon.)