Jo Kuhles Ross-Gower

Combining mixed media and movement caught my attention briefly over my three years at university, but it wasn’t until the end of this academic year that I fully explored the capabilities of blending these two mediums. Combining animation with graphic design fundamentals has encouraged me to explore the use of typography within dynamic movement, and pushed me into a new world of intertwining a potent message with strong visuals. This final project is a mixed media animation, representing the themes of the song Everybody’s Talkin’ by Harry Nilsson. Using footage filmed on a camcorder, this short film captures the beauty of nature, parallel to the exploration of themes of loneliness and the complexities of interpersonal relationships. Each sequence has been converted into individual frames at 8 frames per second, with the addition of experimental mark-making and animation. The frames have then been scanned back in, cropped to size, and stitched together. The narrative of this film follows an undefined subject reflecting on their treasured memories and distant regrets through film, which is presented in digital format. This is then contrasted by the analogue printing technique, which resembles the grainy imperfections of film photography. The film’s intention is to project this universal feeling of loneliness followed by the realisation that none of us are truly alone in this shared experience.