Is 2D dead?
Wed, Mar 25th 2009, 08:50
Occasionally we are asked by students to answer questions for their research. Here's some questions posed by Sonja from the University of Sunderland in January 08 and the answers I gave.
Sonja: Do you think that anyone and everyone being able to create animations in programs such as Flash is a good or a bad thing?
Myles: I think that the democratisation of artistic expression is a good thing. That doesn't mean everything produced will be good. But if it gives individuals satisfaction then it is a good thing. Who cares if no-one else ever sees it, or if no one else likes it? How many people don't like Constable or Keats or Tolkien… plenty I'm sure, and they are considered masters of their fields. It is likely their main drive was to satisfy their own desire to create works of art.
Flash and such programs also make it more possible for talented people with energy and drive, but also with limited means, the ability to break into the animation market.
Ultimately the best animations will still emerge from the mass, and be passed around more, or recommended more, or bought on DVD, or watched over and over, or licensed by TV commissioners. Those that do not have mass appeal will not be seen so widely, so a natural sorting mechanism remains however much animation is produced.
Sonja: Does 2D animation have a future in gaming? What draws you to a 2D game over a 3D one and vice versa? and...
Sonja: Do you think that 2D animation will have a future in television for much longer?
Myles: I think I'll answer these together. I think 2D does have a future. There is a general idea out there in the ether that 2D is old hat and 3D will ultimately replace it as though 2D is like some moribund red squirrel miserably waiting for it's grey beefier cousin to barge it out of existence. Perhaps the inventors of the television are still awaiting the death of radio. Or the inventors of the video phone the death of the regular audio phone. Perhaps people creating holograms are anticipating the death of oil painting. I think they'll all be waiting a very long time. 2D is a form of art. 3D doesn't replace it; it simply offers an alternative. This is my pancake theory. I once met a chef who made the most delicious Canadian pancakes. She was very scathing about French crepes. My attitude was 'why choose, when you can have both!'
There are other reasons too. 2D is still a lot cheaper to produce than 3D and for the foreseeable future that will remain the case. Also, I know from experience that writing for 2D animation means you can do crazier stuff inside a TV series budget.
I think it is also an aesthetic thing. Some people undoubtedly prefer 3D, others prefer 2D. At the moment I still prefer 2D in the main, but I like to be impressed by amazing 3D work. Jo Jo in the Stars was a wonderful bit of 3D. Also, most of the Pixar stuff is just wonderful. In the end it's more about the quality of work, imagination and execution than whether it's 2 or 3D.
Sonja: Does ease of distribution of animations on the internet mean that 2D animation is left more in the hands of independent animators and/or amateur animators?
Myles: I'm not sure this will remain the case as the TV companies switch on to to the power of net distribution more and more. I think advertisers are already there. The Skittles advertising campaign we were involved in is a case in point. They harnessed that independent handmade spirit to advertise online.
Sonja: What do you think are the advantages of 2D animation over 3D, if any?
Myles: I think the main advantage for me is that 2D design can be more interpretive, more representative and less literal than 3D. 3D often moves towards being 'realistic' and almost a replacement for live action. Obviously that's just my opinion!
Sonja: How much is nostalgia a factor in 2D animation's popularity?
Myles: I think this definitely plays a role, and is probably partly related to comics as well as TV programmes from people's childhoods. However, I don't think it's a make or break factor. 2D will persist irrespective of this.
Interview ends.
