Influences: Coraline

   One of my favourite films when growing up was always Coraline, for the dark stylistic stop animation and twisted story. Its incredibly fitting for my project for many reasons such as the Beldam (a word dated back from the 1660s) is another word for Witch. I have chosen these three moments from the film to focus on the circus tent style, I really like the idea of trying to create tiny bunting. I also chose Mr Bobinskis ring leader outfit as I can see the inside of the tent, and use his outfit for influence on some of my posters. Additionally, Spink and Forcible (Ladies Downstairs) are retired performers that use to do acrobatics, singing and acting. They also do fortune telling using tea leaves and crushed up sweets. 

   I tried to find an image online of their performance posters but couldn’t find any. However, the colour palette of this film is beautiful. Dark, earthy settings brought to life with vibrant but dull colours. Such as the dull yellow and red of the tent and soft pastel colours of Mrs Spink. The characters bring energy and life into the other world that draws Coraline to it. Before she realises it is all a lie to distract her from the trap she ran into. This is similar to what I am trying to achieve, to draw people to a circus tent that isn’t what they are promised. I was initially inspired by my artist Natalee Miller for her soft, colourful tarot cards. But Coraline works perfectly for the mysterious, dark background and is another colour palette i will look into for my posters.

  Last of all the Coraline soundtrack is amazing. I have listened to it before whilst creating work. The music brings strange sounds together beautifully to show how unique and friendly the other world is but with nerving, menacing undertones to suggest how it is not what it seems. The second half of the soundtrack is full of creepy sounds. The most notable piece for my work is the music “Mice Circus”. The music used when the mice are performing. The music is so perfectly created that I can imagine the whole scene in my mind as the music plays. It is very light hearted and bouncy, like the mice, but the background instruments are in a rising minor key, suggesting a threat is looming over them. As the performance rises towards its big finish, the music becomes more discordant.