Quotes for Dissertation

Sorry that its been a while since posting but been working on my dissertation and character designs. Will post some more sketches soon. Any way, below are some quotes I have found recently that I think would be good in my dissertation. Just not found where to put them yet.

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"They carry the physiognomies of humans, and at the same time, keep their own lovable and honest animal faces."
(Balaz, B, 1952. Theory of the Film. Translated from the Hungarian by Bone, E. London:Dobson LTD)


"One of the most remarkable features of our domesticated races is that we see in them adaptation, not indeed to the animal's or plant's own good, but to man's use or fancy."
(Charles Darwin, The Origin Of Species)


"Something we’ve never seen, an entirely new category of computer-enhanced acting. With not a word of dialogue, he brings to life a close cousin to man with whom we can empathize, yet is never too human-like"
(Covert, C. 2005. What the Critics are saying about Andy Serkis as "Kong" [online]. Available at: http://www.serkis.com/kingkong/reviews.htm [accessed 10 January 2010)


"Humans use animals to transcend the confines of self and species; they also enlist them to symbolize, dramatize, and illuminate aspects of humans’ experience and fantasy. Humans merge with animals in stories, films, philosophical speculations, and scientific treatises. In their performance on many stages and in different ways, animals move us to think"
(Daston, D and Mitman, G. 2005. The How and Why of Thinking with Animals In: Daston, D and Mitman, G, Thinking With Animals. USA: Columbia University Press, 1-14.)


"To imagine that animals think like humans... is a form of self-centered narcissism, one looks outward to the world and sees only one’s own reflection mirrored therein."
(Daston, L. 2005. Intelligences: Angelic, Animal, Human In: Daston, D and Mitman, G, Thinking with Animals. USA: Columbia University Press, 37- 58.)


"Anthropomorphism with Anthropocentrism, that is, when humans project their own thoughts and feelings onto other animal species because they egotistically believe themselves to be the center of the universe."
(Daston and Mitman 2005)


"When we consider a new project, we really study it... not just the surface idea, but everything about it"
(Thomas, F and Johnston, O, 1981: The Illusion of Life. Italy: Walt Disney Productions)


"Disney animators knew well that the large eyes of Bambi would elicit an emotional response from audiences more akin to the affection displayed toward a human child than if they had drawn the deer’s eyes to scale"
(Gould 1979 cited Daston and Mitman 2005)


"The thrust of the limbs starts from the vertebral column and consequently moves to the pelvis, shoulders and legs. The spine reacts to every foot-fall."
(Pisk, L. 1975. The Actor and his Body. London: George G. Harrap & Co.)


"The walking of men is always after the universal walking of animals with four legs"
(Pisk, L. 1975. The Actor and his Body. London: George G. Harrap & Co.)

(Pisk is known for observing the walk of four-legged animals particularly cats)


"Study the creatures involved, film and analyse their movement, examine the texture of fur and muscle, even investigate the skeleton, But sometimes they are inspired by the personality of an actor who is performing the character’s voice"
(Platt, E. 2000. How Disney Makes Magic. The Sunday Times Supplement. Date not printed. Volume 1. 7.)

"Without personality, the character may do funny or interesting things, but unless people are able to identify with the character, its actions will seem unreal. And without personality a story cannot ring true to the audience."
(Platt, E. 2000. How Disney Makes Magic. The Sunday Times Supplement. Date not printed. Volume 1. 7.)


"The magic of Disney is based on anthropomorphism"
(Platt, E. 2000. How Disney Makes Magic. The Sunday Times Supplement. Date not printed. Volume 1. 7.)


"The mapping of human motion to a character with nonhuman proportions doesn’t work, because the most important things you get out of motion capture are the weight shifts and the subtleties and that balancing act of the human body"
(Richard Chuang (vice president of PDI)


"Anthropomorphism rules because, for most people, any other interpretation of the animal’s behavior- any suggestion that it might be motivated by other than human feelings and desires- would instantly devalue these (human and pet) relationships and place them on a more superficial and less rewarding footing."
(Serpell, J. A, 2005. People In Disguise: Anthropomorphism and the Human- Pet Relationship In: Daston, D and Mitman, G, Thinking with Animals. USA: Columbia University Press, 121-136.)