Response #3, Here Comes Science

People start out curious. I think children in general are far more curious and inquisitive about the world because adults think they’ve seen it all. Children ‘aint seen nothin’ -- they have to be curious. Children explore, and question, and wonder, and by doing so, they learn. When a child turns a light switch on and off, they’re learning about cause and effect. There’s transcendence from exploration to discovery.

So kids start out curious but does a child always stay curious? I don’t think so. That’s where adults come in! We have to encourage interest and inquiry. One way to do that is introduce compelling media to a child or rather, a student.

They Might Be Giants does this well. Flansburgh admits that their songs are mostly for entertainment. He says, “We can’t approach these projects as teaching tools, or pretend they are filling gaps for kids. We even have some issues with the general necessity for kids’ stuff to always be educationally enriched.”

I don’t think this is a bad thing. I think there’s power within this limitation. They’re scratching the surface -- simply opening up a door a kid wouldn’t have thought to open. Hopefully, due to a lack of information, children will take matters into their own hands to learn more. This is where they become autonomous learners. Introducing children to important subjects in ways they find interesting then allowing them the space to figure some things out for themselves is a marvelous thing.

Here Comes Science reminded me a little of the Hubley’s 1959 film, Moonbird, especially the song I Am a Paleontologist. It’s a short animated film about two brothers exploring in the middle of the night to hunt the legendary and titular “Moonbird.”  Content wise, they have nothing alike but their approach feels similar. I read that the TMBG song features spoken appearances from Weinkauf’s two children, Lena and Kai. Similarly in Moonbird, the voices of the Hubley’s sons, Mark and Ray, are featured. Including their own children, for me as an adult, is so tender. What an incredible experience for parent and child to collaborate on a piece of art. In both pieces I think that the children’s curiosity leads them to adventure and in turn again, transcendence. And when a child experiences the joy of discovery, they’ll want to do it again.

(not a great copy, but take a look if you'd like!)

As adult media makers, we should be nurturing this desire for exploration. They Might Be Giants are doing exactly that here. I find them to inspire, enthuse, and motivate. What’s sadder than a child’s curiosity fading or their inquiry dimming? Let’s avoid that at all costs!! If we let them, children can reintroduce us to the world. When we truly allow a child to discover and then share those discoveries with us, maybe we experience the joys of rediscovery and in doing so, we learn.

Response #1, SON OF RAMBOW

This film maybe wasn’t my cup of tea. I found parts of it incredibly sincere and I value sincerity very highly in children’s media. But its virtues, for me, come when the film touches on peer pressure, running and falling (literally!), neglect, and yearning. Those are the things that make up good representational children’s media to me. Kids problems are still problems and even (especially) kids need escapism. We discussed the shifting definitions of childhood in class but I think some of those virtues I mentioned above can be seen in every iteration of a “child.”

Parts of the movie seemed really tapped in and to be a truly affectionate tribute to childhood, but most of it felt more like an experiment of nostalgia for the filmmaker rather than an example of “good” children’s media. I guess I just think it was a little more self serving than the director would care to admit.  

The film reminds me of Loren Bouchard and Brendon Small’s Adult Swim show, Home Movies (1999-2004). The show is centered around an 8 year old named Brendon and his friends who make movies in their spare time. The kids deal with a lot of very realistic problems including divorce, under-employed parents, etc. The show is animated using macromedia flash animation which really emphasizes the homemade, backyard aesthetic.

Brendon’s films offer the trio an entertaining and creative escape and sometimes seem like a metaphor for needing to escape. The children in Son of Rambow are also finding liberation from their grim circumstances by making art. From a formalist standpoint mixing in the DIY shots of their home movie maybe shows the audience, more specifically the child audience that making media is accessible for all kids. Anyone, even you, can make movies.

I think most children think cinematically because their imaginations are so powerful at this age. Personally, the whole movie could’ve just been the kid’s remake and I think it would’ve been just as powerful. I love the DV tape look. People assume that a homemade aesthetic will make a lesser art because of production value; “It’s funny because it’s so bad!” which I don’t agree with that at all. It proves resourcefulness and sincerity. Their home movie isn’t just cute, it’s crucial! Children are resourceful and creative and have so many limitations but push themselves to make things they like and enjoy anyway. Being a kid is hard! Kids in the film (and out) face trials just like adults do but don’t necessarily have the resources or the “freedom” to really solve those problems like grown ups can. A lot of the time, kids just have to suck it up and deal.

Two moments of the film were particularly touching to me. Kids have social hierarchies. The reveal of Didier’s normal life (as seen on the bus back to France) was heartbreaking. Oh! What it’s like to be a king! That was the best manifestation of the Henry Jenkins quote we discussed in class. Childhood itself is a “transitional (and fragile) moment in our life cycle”. Always changing who we are. Being malleable and protean and ductile.

The second moment for me was the final line of the film spoken by Poulter, “This has been my best day of all time” which could only be sincerely stated by a child their age. I think sincerity is one of the greatest virtues of children’s media.