AUSTRALIAN ANIMATION

AUSTRALIAN ANIMATION
IMAGES AND IDENTITY

This essay will explore the question of wether there is a typically Australian animated image that can be identified and wether it is necessary to develop a distinctly Australian identity for animation produced in this country (Australia).

By identifying uniquely Australian cultural references within locally produced animation it will be argued that there is a typically Australian animated image. “Cane Toad” (2002) by Andrew Silke and Dave Clayton is an animation that draws on a distinctly Australian vocabulary. Alan Froud (2003), Director of the National Gallery of Australia states “Australian culture and identity is often defined by its counterpoints. Things are either very Australian or un-Australian and people generally know what is meant by either.”

This paper will also make the argument that it is not necessary “to develop a distinctly Australian identity for all animation produced in this country” so much as as to provide an environment that supports the realization of animation with a uniquely Australian vocabulary.

This paper acknowledges that although one of the oldest indigenous populations on the planet had been inhabiting the continent for over 50,000 years (some argue that it could be more like 150,000 years) they were not officially recognised and the principle of “Terra Nullius”, a 17^th century European Legal concept was enforced so as to claim possession of the continent that would become Australia. To this day no treaty has been signed with the indiginous people. It can be said that the lack of a civil treaty with the indigenous people of the Australian continent severely undermines the validity of a complete concept of Australian identity. For the purpose of this essay the Australian identity will be treated as it is prescribed by the mainstream Australian media sources.

Animated texts that can be read as Typically Australian draw upon and utilize a broad range of signs, stereo types, codes and conventions that form the visual language of the nebulous Australian national identity which is rooted in both the real and mythic history of Australia and its people. It is an ever evolving amorphous complex relationship of images, cultural nuisances, personalities, and government policy. It is under pinned by key historical events and forever set against a backdrop of the Australian landscape with its unique flora and fauna.

One animation that can be read as typically Australian is Cane Toad (2003), an award winning Australian short Film starring cane toads. It is an interesting text as it utilizes numerous typically Australian references to create a comedic look at some aspects of Australian culture. The world that the toads inhabit is depicted as typically Australian and the toads as stereo typical Australian personalities with distinct Australian accents.

The animation opens with a text description of the cane toad; “Poisonous pest introduced to Australia, now in plague proportions”. From the out set of the film the audience is made aware that the animation is located in Australia through one of the most potent symbols of Australia, the word itself.

immediately after the opening titles the audience is introduced to a cane toad character ’Daza’, relaxing in a dog bowl with a bottle of beer, He is talking about his mate ‘Baza’ (fig. 1) who is wearing a blue shearers Singlet and stubbies shorts, this is a depiction of a certain stereotype of Australian male.

The use of iconic Australian language idioms is used throughout the text, beginning when ‘Daza’ addresses the audience “G’day mate”. This use of language continues throughout the animation with such expressions as; “Pickle me Grandmother”, “The silly old bugger”, “Seeing the bludger still owes me a six – pack”, “I’m happy to blow the froth of a few coldies”, He’d only have the time it takes to shot gun a tinny”, and “his ass is grass”. These expressions help define the characters as uniquely Australian as they are representative of unique National attitudes that have developed within the culture since the arrival of the first fleet.

There is also a use of iconic landscapes such as the ‘Aussie backyard’, and the dessert landscape of the outback (fig. 2), There is a classic Australian souvenir shop with a corrugated tin roof (fig. 3), Australian flags, didgeridoos, a stuffed koala and boomerangs. There are other key signs that firmly place this animation in the realm of being typically Australian such as the images of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera house. There is also a Reference to the black stump, a famous Australian icon of historical relevance.

Another significant sign that this is an Australian animation is the “product placement’ of an iconic Australian commercial product, the Victa lawnmower (fig.2). Victa is a brand of local origin that's still ‘proudly made in Australia’.

Andrew Silke (2003), one of the co-creators of Cane toad States “Cane-Toad is certainly an Australian film and the Australian audiences connect with the humour. And whilst Cane-Toad is doing well in the overseas festivals the reaction hasn't been quite the same as it is here in Oz.” This highlights the issue, that animations of a uniquely Australian vocabulary may not be well understood or well received by an international audience. Australian films then must operate within limited markets which in turn limits the profit that is able to be generated, which in turn negatively impacts the viability of actually producing Australian animation that may reach only a limited audience.

There has, since the earliest days of animation in Australia, been a relationship between the development of the art of animation, and commercial interests. Both, the first cinema animations of Harry Julius and the first animated series for Australian TV, ‘Freddo Frog’ (fig. 4) (Winkler 2002) where commercially motivated. The medium can be seen to be significantly informed by commercial interests.

Australia has a relatively small population of consumers in terms of world screen markets, 20,100,000 people compared with the USA which has 294,390,000 (US census beurea). Due to economies of scale, the notion of wether it is necessary to develop a distinctly Australian identity for animation produced in this country is a question of cultural and political importance as the outcome is largely bound to the idealogical forces within the government that determine implementation of government policy. As Australia is a democracy this question can only be answered to the extent that the Australian population of voting citizens value access to a sovereign Australian screen Culture. One that is created by a local Australian industry and that reflects themes and issues of National origin that tell Australian stories.

Recently the Australian government attempted unsuccessfully to include Australia’s cultural industry into a long standing Free Trade agreement with the USA. The proposed agreement would have limited the jurisdiction of Australian Legal system to impose media content legislation within Australia. The issue of wether it is necessary to develop a distinctly Australian identity for animation produced in this country is complex as there are essentially two opposing forces. Coporate, cultural and economic Globalisation versus proponents of Soverign cultural identity directed and supported by the government.

On Monday 21 June 2004, the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Communications, Information Technology and the Arts tabled its report entitled ‘From reel to unreal’, Future opportunities for Australia's film, animation, special effects and electronic games industries. This report suggests film funding should be based more on market demands and less on cultural imperatives, that is, to tell Australian stories (Martin 2004).

It becomes apparent that there is a complex relationship of opposing forces that are currently shaping the international media environment and that although there is a typically Australian animated image that can be identified, that may be relevant locally there are serious economic questions that need to be addressed about a projects viability if it does not succeed in the international marketplace. It is not reasonable to force Australian content onto animation producers in Australia but it is resonable to support Ausralian production through financial assistance, tax benefits, and the maintenance of the already existing Australian content quota. There is the potential within animation in Australia for a significant cultural dialogue to occur. It is a medium ideally suited to contributing contemporary myths and stories that could positively inform the evolving Australian identity.

REFERENCES

Andrew Silke (2003), retrospective, one year later, http://www.cane-toad.com

Wendy Keys, (1999), Childrens television: A Barometer of the Australian Media Policy Climate, Children’s Television Policy:International Perspectives, Media International Australia, Australian Key centre for cultural and media policy, faculty of arts, Giffith University, Nathan

Alan Froud - Director, National Gallery of Australia (2003) Culture and Identity, Business Council of Australia, http://www.bca.com.au/content.asp

Lauren Martin, (September 22 2004) Film, Sydney Morning Herald, Fairfax Digital

Michael Winkler (June 13 2002) Hopping back in time, The AGE

Prime Time Animation

INTERNET REFERENCE

http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/cita/film/report.htm

Parliamentary Inquiry into the future opportunities for Australia's film, animation, special effects and electronic games industries

http://www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/australianhistory/

Australian Government culture and recreation portal

http://www.census.gov/main/www/popclock.html

US Census Beureau

http://www.cane-toad.com

Official site of Cane Toad animation

http://www.bca.com.au/content.asp

Business Council of Australia

IMAGES

Fig. 1

Baz, the cane toad can be seen wearing a classic Aussie ‘Shearers singlet’ with a Victa Lawnmower in the background.

Fig. 2

Baz, lost ‘out past the Black Stump’ in an iconic Australian landscape

Fig. 3

An Aussie Souvenir shop complete with stereo typical iconic Australian imagery. Gum leaves in the foreground further enforce the Australianess of the scene

Fig.4

An original image of the character Freddo frog who became the star of the first animated series on Australian television. A precedent of how commercial intersests have shaped Australian animation.