Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)

Stephen Spielberg's Close Encounters of the Third Kind is a real landmark of the genre. It has come to represent sci-fi from the 70's and 80's and it's style lives on in more contemporary films. The film follows Ron Neary after his brush with UFO's leads him on a wild chase to answer the questions. It is a stunningly shot film and it has a magical pace that is bound to have an effect on every viewing.

The art style is key to this film, it set the standard for future films and really brings a glowing magic to the screen. I won't post too many images or videos as I really recommend watching it for the real magic, but here is a theatrical trailer.

Definitely give this film a watch, hopefully when we start uni again we might be able to get a lecture theatre and watch it on the big screen.

Moon (2009)

We discussed the idea of suggesting films and research that may help us and inspire us, so I have decided to make my first suggestion the fantastic 2009 film "Moon" by Duncan Jones. The film was made on a tiny budget and so it really is a story of ideas and intelligent narrative. It also pays homage to a vast array of classic sci-fi films which we will cover later. The pastiche of certain films is extremely interesting and something that I'm sure we will examine within the animation.

It's narrative is obviously a huge appeal of the film, but what also makes it very suitable for us is its small cast and environment. The film is mostly shot in a single Lunar base with a single actor. For a short animation this is very apt, as we will need to create a perfectly formed world with little characters and create fanstic worlds in small sets.

Looking forward to seeing some suggestions, this project is already very very exciting. Check out the trailer below...