Film Design at SFG Basel

Overall it can be described as an examination of the structure of film (how the film works) and an exploration on what the possibilities are designing in this medium. It was not about dramatic or narrative elements rather about an aesthetic inherited from the medium itself. In other words the course wasn't interested what story the film tells, rather what the film is and what it can do (specific phenomena).

Below a similar setup with a (frame-by-frame) camera mounted above a table. Left and right are lights to illuminated the motive evenly.

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Excerpts from the Book "Film Design" by Peter von Arx

The first section of the book explains the elementary phenomena and dimensions of film according to the school program’s analytical studies.

The second is devoted to the didactic methodological aspects, explaining how one designs with the elementary phenomena and dimensions of film in the program.

The third section shows how the elementary phenomena and dimensions are applied to graphic problems or further advanced into structural film experiments.

Explaining

The Elementary Phenomena and Dimensions of Film. What is film, what are the elementary building blocks that make a moving picture?

– Image Blending (In projection two images combine forming a third image)
– Time (the number of units dertermines the duration of a film sequence)
– Speed (the degree of change between images determines the speed of a movement)
– Camera (the filmed image of a real motion can be influenced by the camera)

Frame Blending:

Examples: Frame Blending:

Time/Animation:

Examples: Dimension Time:

Examples: Animation Effects:

Motives which appearance or/and position gradually change over time are perceived as motion

Speed:

Examples: Speed:

Speed depends on the amount of change (appearance, position) in a given time span.

Camera:


Partitur/Score: Abstract visualization of animation sequence. Needed also for the film making procedure as a reference. Design task in itself.

Designing

Designing by Varying:
One major possibility lies in staying with a theme from one of the basic exercises, replacing previously given conditions on his own.

For example he may alter, develop or refine some of the given conditions, or film the same artwork with different camera techniques.

Through systematic or intuitive variation the student differentiates and deepens his poor experiences. In doing so he makes the astonishing discovery that limitations do not restrict the possibilities for development, but instead greatly increase them.

He thus experiences a basic design principle: variation results through limitations. The longer the investigations continue, the more differenciated the variations and therefore the more unpredictable the results of the final film. This being the case , the student with tie is forced to collect his results, order them along certain criteria and compile them finally into a series.

Type-Meaning "Film":

Designing by Combining:
Another possibility for further film studies lies in the combination of several elements: either by combining several media if design such as lettering and photography within the same filmic dimensions, or combining the filmic dimensions of time and speed within the same design medium, or by combining both these possibilities together.










Designing by Transferral to other Techniques and Objects:
A third possibility for the student’s continuation of studies lies in replacing previous artwork (motifs) with new ones.

Differently formulated artwork can, for example, produce completely differing effects, even when alternated within previous rhythmic intervals.

Additionally, certain optical effects produced with and abstract series of artwork may be interpreted with images or texts relating to these effects. In this case as well, the student merely changes the artwork witting the identical filmic treatment. Thus the student imperceptibly directs his continuing studies toward more applied projects.

Applying

More Examples

Interference as a optical phenomenon:

Motives that repeat themselves in similar or the same distances.

Interpretations:

Explorations with type/words, motion and meaning

Group Assignments:

Film Design:

Knowledge applied to certain given tasks (motion poster, animated logo...)

Concepts:

Planned sequences.

Portraits:

Final Projects:

Focus on one theme/motion aspect/phenomenon and exploring possibilities within..

Quotes

"It’s completely possible for the school to offer a contemporary, rightly broadening educational program without imitating the profession and without fixing the student too quickly within a later specialization. Such dangers can be avoided when all courses concentrate of teaching fundamentals.

The more fundamental the knowledge an education can provide, the broader the student’s choices for future development.

This furthermore corresponds with our school’s fundamental philosophy of design eduction, that every work wishing to push forward into new areas - an ambition common in all creative fields - must rely on the study of basics. Changes are never released by the perfection of the already existing but instead are always rooted in the basics.

The methods of our film program also rest on this conviction. The nature of it’s problems make it topical: Designing simultaneously on several overlapping levels, the presentation of abstract dimensions of time and speed through scores, familiarization with automated technical film devices demands planning/conceptual capabilities.

Beyond the initial objectives to teach how film can be designed lies the responsibility of the instructor and the course goals to teach a design attitude so basic that it can be applied to other media and dimensions."

From book "25 years of curriculum for film, video and audio-visual projects" (at the SFG Basel):

Example with animated and filmed sequences mixed, different phenomenon. GP.

Presentation from December 15, 2021 about the Film Design Class with Peter von Arx and Reinhardt Manz

Struktureller Film. Ein Filmvortrag mit Peter von Arx und Reinhard Manz from FHNW Academy of Art and Design on Vimeo.

The complete Archive of digitized Film Design examples can be viewed here

Thoughts

Medium specific process. What is the true nature of the medium? What can only be done only with the medium (and not by any other)? Understand it first, then experiment, seek, discover, play. Later apply the discoveries to a given task.

Creative design process: create/experiement/vary > examine/analyze > select > more variations, transfer/combine > final selection

How to create something new / not seen before (at least by the creator)? It can't exist in the mind first, it rather needs to be discovered through a structured design process.

Playing, exploring within certain restrictions/limitations will lead to unexpected results.

Restrictions and reduction can also help "hold things together". It's a limitation in visual language. The final piece then speaks one clear language as oppose to a more random gibberish.

Digital design often has no restrictions so you need to define a set of restrictions or conditions yourself within you can explore. Book cover project example: Given square/triangle grid and color > explore possibilities within > also forced you to communicate something in an abstract way.

Joy of exploration often lost nowadays. In the professional world often something imagined (pre-defined goal) needs to be produced in the most efficient way. What was imagined may have been better than the result > disappointment.

Interesting contrast between live motion and animated sequences. Frame by Frame animation creates the illusion of motion, Live camera does the opposite, it translates motion into single frames.

Visual and motion contrast is important to be aware of and to apply.