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Norman McLaren, CC
Order of Canada

The Order of Canada is Canada's highest civilian order and is the centrepiece of the Orders, decorations, and medals of Canada. Membership in the order is accorded to those who exemplify the order's Latin motto, taken from Epistle to the Hebrews 11:16, desiderantes meliorem patriam, meaning "They desire a better country."...
, CQ
National Order of Quebec

The National Order of Quebec, known officially by its French language name Ordre national du Qu?bec and also called simply the Order of Quebec, is an order of merit bestowed by the Government of Quebec....
 (April 11 1914 – January 27 1987) was a Scottish-born Canadian animator
Animator

An animator is an artist who creates multiple images called frames and Key frames that form an illusion of movement called animation when rapidly displayed....
 and film director
Film director

A film director, or filmmaker, is a person who directs the making of a film. A film director visualizes the Screenplay, controlling a film's artistic and dramatic aspects, while guiding the technical crew and actors in the fulfillment of his or her vision....
 known for his work for the National Film Board of Canada
National Film Board of Canada

The National Film Board of Canada is Canada's public film producer and distributor. An agency of the Government of Canada, the NFB produces and distributes innovative, socially relevant documentary, animation, alternative drama and digital media productions....
 (NFB).

ren was born in Stirling
Stirling

Stirling is a City status in the United Kingdom and former ancient burgh in Scotland, and is at the heart of the wider Stirling .The city is clustered around a large Stirling Castle and medi?val old-town....
, Scotland
Scotland

conventional_long_name = ScotlandAlba|common_name= Scotland|image_flag = Flag of Scotland.svg|flag_width = 130px...
, where he studied set design at Glasgow School of Art
Glasgow School of Art

Glasgow School of Art is one of four independent art schools in Scotland, situated in the Garnethill area of Glasgow. It is regarded as one of the most prestigious institutions in the world for the study of art and design....
. His early experiments with film and animation
Animation

Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. It is an optical illusion of Motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in a number of ways....
 included actually scratching and painting the film stock itself, as he did not have ready access to a camera. His earliest extant film, Seven Till Five (1933), a "day in the life of an art school" was influenced by Eisenstein
Sergei Eisenstein

Sergei Mikhailovich Eisenstein was a revolutionary Soviet Union Russian people film director and Film theory noted in particular for his silent films Strike , The Battleship Potemkin and October: Ten Days That Shook the World, as well as Historical movie Epic film Alexander Nevsky and Ivan the Terrible ....
 and displays a strongly formalist attitude.

McLaren's next film, Camera Makes Whoopee (1935), was a more elaborate take on the themes explored in Seven Till Five, inspired by his acquisition of a Ciné-Kodak camera, which enabled him to execute a number of 'trick' shots.






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Norman McLaren, CC
Order of Canada

The Order of Canada is Canada's highest civilian order and is the centrepiece of the Orders, decorations, and medals of Canada. Membership in the order is accorded to those who exemplify the order's Latin motto, taken from Epistle to the Hebrews 11:16, desiderantes meliorem patriam, meaning "They desire a better country."...
, CQ
National Order of Quebec

The National Order of Quebec, known officially by its French language name Ordre national du Qu?bec and also called simply the Order of Quebec, is an order of merit bestowed by the Government of Quebec....
 (April 11 1914 – January 27 1987) was a Scottish-born Canadian animator
Animator

An animator is an artist who creates multiple images called frames and Key frames that form an illusion of movement called animation when rapidly displayed....
 and film director
Film director

A film director, or filmmaker, is a person who directs the making of a film. A film director visualizes the Screenplay, controlling a film's artistic and dramatic aspects, while guiding the technical crew and actors in the fulfillment of his or her vision....
 known for his work for the National Film Board of Canada
National Film Board of Canada

The National Film Board of Canada is Canada's public film producer and distributor. An agency of the Government of Canada, the NFB produces and distributes innovative, socially relevant documentary, animation, alternative drama and digital media productions....
 (NFB).

Early life

McLaren was born in Stirling
Stirling

Stirling is a City status in the United Kingdom and former ancient burgh in Scotland, and is at the heart of the wider Stirling .The city is clustered around a large Stirling Castle and medi?val old-town....
, Scotland
Scotland

conventional_long_name = ScotlandAlba|common_name= Scotland|image_flag = Flag of Scotland.svg|flag_width = 130px...
, where he studied set design at Glasgow School of Art
Glasgow School of Art

Glasgow School of Art is one of four independent art schools in Scotland, situated in the Garnethill area of Glasgow. It is regarded as one of the most prestigious institutions in the world for the study of art and design....
. His early experiments with film and animation
Animation

Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. It is an optical illusion of Motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in a number of ways....
 included actually scratching and painting the film stock itself, as he did not have ready access to a camera. His earliest extant film, Seven Till Five (1933), a "day in the life of an art school" was influenced by Eisenstein
Sergei Eisenstein

Sergei Mikhailovich Eisenstein was a revolutionary Soviet Union Russian people film director and Film theory noted in particular for his silent films Strike , The Battleship Potemkin and October: Ten Days That Shook the World, as well as Historical movie Epic film Alexander Nevsky and Ivan the Terrible ....
 and displays a strongly formalist attitude.

McLaren's next film, Camera Makes Whoopee (1935), was a more elaborate take on the themes explored in Seven Till Five, inspired by his acquisition of a Ciné-Kodak camera, which enabled him to execute a number of 'trick' shots. McLaren used pixillation effects, superimpositions and animation not only to display the staging of an art school ball, but also to tap into the aesthetic sensations supposedly produced by this event.

Professional career

After finishing his studies in Glasgow
Glasgow

Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and List of largest United Kingdom settlements by population in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's Scottish Lowlands....
 and making a few films in London
London

London is the capital of both England and the United Kingdom, and the most populous municipality in the European Union. An important settlement for two millennia, History of London goes back to its founding by the Roman Empire....
, McLaren moved to New York City
New York City

The City of New York is the List of United States cities by population in the United States, while the New York metropolitan area ranks among the List of urban areas by population....
 in 1939, just when World War II
World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a Participants in World War II, including all of the great powers, organised into two opposing military alliances: the Allies of World War II and the Axis powers....
 was about to begin.

At the invitation of John Grierson
John Grierson

John Grierson is often considered the father of United Kingdom and Canada documentary film....
, he moved to Canada
Canada

Canada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean....
 in 1941 to work for the National Film Board, to open an animation studio and to train Canadian animators. During his work for the NFB, McLaren created his most famous film, Neighbours (1952), which has won various awards around the world, including the Canadian Film Award and the Academy Award
Academy Awards

The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers....
. Besides the brilliant combination of visuals and sound, the film has a very strong social message against violence and war. In addition to film, McLaren worked with UNESCO
UNESCO

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on 16 November 1945....
 in the 1950s and 1960s on programs to teach film and animation techniques in China
People's Republic of China

The People's Republic of China , commonly known as China, is the largest country in East Asia and the List of countries by population in the world with over 1.3 billion people, approximately a fifth of the world's population....
 and India
India

India, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and outlying territories by total area country by geographical area, the List of countries by population country, and the most populous liberal democracy in the world....
. His five part "Animated Motion" shorts, produced in the late 1970s, are an excellent example of instruction on the basics of film animation.

Personal life



McLaren was gay
Homosexuality

Homosexuality refers to human sexual behavior or same-sex attraction between people of the same sex or to homosexual orientation. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "having sexual and romantic attraction primarily or exclusively to members of one?s own sex"; "it also refers to an individual?s sense of personal and social identi...
. His longtime companion was Guy Glover, whom he met at the ballet in London in 1937. The two were together until McLaren’s death.

In spite of the allegations of his monogamy and faithfulness, it appears that Norman's mind may have been elsewhere. It seems that Norman wrote a series of letters to Willard Maas
Willard Maas

Willard Maas was an United States experimental filmmaker and poet.He was the husband of filmmaker Marie Menken. The couple achieved some renown in New York City's modern art world of the 1940s through the 1960s, both for their experimental films and for their salons, which brought together artists, writers, filmmakers and intellectuals....
. In those letters it appears that Norman may have used many metaphor
Metaphor

Metaphor is language that directly compares seemingly unrelated subjects. It is a figure of speech that compares two or more things without using the words "like" or "as." More generally, a metaphor describes a first subject as being or equal to a second object in some way....
s and double entendre
Double entendre

A double entendre is a figure of speech in which a spoken phrase can be understood in either of two ways. In most cases, the first meaning is presumed to be innocent and straightforward, while the second meaning is risqu?, inappropriate, or at least irony, requiring the hearer to have some additional knowledge....
 to express, as well as share mutual secrets of concerning both of their being homosexuals.

It is unknown as to if there was any physical
Physical

Physical can mean any of the following things below:* Any entity which are composed of matter and/or energy, as well as the physical property of those entities; and not merely items of thought or belief....
 relationship between McLaren and Maas or if this correspondence was merely a purely platonic
Platonic

Plato's influence on Western culture was so profound that several different concepts are linked by being called "platonic" or Platonist, for accepting some assumptions of Platonism, but which do not imply acceptance of that philosophy as a whole....
 mutual admiration.

Awards and achievements

McLaren is famous for his experiments with image and sound as he developed a number of groundbreaking techniques for combining and synchronizing animation with music.

The National Film Board honoured McLaren's genius by naming its Montreal
Montreal

Montreal, or Montr?al, is the largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada of Quebec and the List of largest cities and second largest cities by country List of the 100 largest municipalities in Canada by population....
 head office building the Norman McLaren Building. The Montreal borough of Saint-Laurent, which is home to the NFB, has also honoured McLaren by naming a borough district after him.

Lifetime achievement awards In 1968 he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada
Order of Canada

The Order of Canada is Canada's highest civilian order and is the centrepiece of the Orders, decorations, and medals of Canada. Membership in the order is accorded to those who exemplify the order's Latin motto, taken from Epistle to the Hebrews 11:16, desiderantes meliorem patriam, meaning "They desire a better country."...
 and promoted to Companion in 1973. In 1982, he was the first anglophone
Anglophone

An Anglophone is someone who speaks the English language. As an adjective, it refers to belonging to an English-speaking population especially in a country where two or more languages are spoken....
 to receive the Prix Albert-Tessier
Prix Albert-Tessier

The Prix Albert-Tessier is an award by the Government of Quebec that is part of the Prix du Qu?bec, given to individuals for an outstanding career in Qu?bec cinema....
, given to persons for an outstanding career in Québec cinema.

2006 retrospective In 2006, the Film Board marked the 65th anniversary of NFB animation with an international retrospective of McLaren's restored classics and a new DVD box set of his complete works.

Awards for McLaren's films

Academy Awards (USA)
  • (1953) Oscar
    Academy Awards

    The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers....
     - Best Documentary, Short Subjects for     Neighbours (1952)


Annie Awards (USA)
  • (1975) Annie Award
    Annie Award

    The Annie Awards are presented by the Los Angeles, California branch of the International Animated Film Association, ASIFA-Hollywood since 1972....
    : Winsor McCay Award


BAFTA Awards (England)
  • (1969) BAFTA Film Award
    British Academy of Film and Television Arts

    The British Academy of Film and Television Arts is a British charity that hosts annual awards shows for excellence in film, television, television craft, video games and forms of animation....
      Best Animated Film for     Pas de Deux
    Pas de Deux (film)

    Pas de Deux is an award winning film by Scottish-Canadian director Norman McLaren, produced by the National Film Board of Canada.The film sees two performers dancing a pas de deux, filmed on high contrast film stock with very stark side lighting....
     (1968)


Canadian Film Awards (Canada)
  • (1949) Special Award for Dots
  • (1950) Special Award for Begone Dull Care
    Begone Dull Care

    Begone Dull Care is an abstract animated film directed by Norman McLaren and Evelyn Lambart.Using the direct film technique, McLaren and Lambart paint and scratch directly onto film stock to create a visual music presentation of Oscar Peterson's jazz music....
  • (1952) Special Award for Around is Around
  • (1952) Special Award for Now is the Time
  • (1952) Special Award for After the Storm
  • (1953) Special Award for A Phantasy
  • (1953) Special Award for Neighbours
  • (1958) Arts and Experimental for A Chairy Tale
    A Chairy Tale

    A Chairy Tale is a 1957 animated short film co-directed by Norman McLaren and Claude Jutra, and starring Jutra and a most uncooperative chair....
    • Shared with Claude Jutra
      Claude Jutra

      Claude Jutra was a Quebec actor, film director and screenwriter. The Prix Jutra are named in his honor because of his importance in Cinema of Quebec....
  • (1962) Arts and Experimental for Lines Horizontal
  • (1965) Arts and Experimental for Canon
    • Shared with Grant Munro
      Grant Munro (filmmaker)

      Grant Munro is a Canadian animator, filmmaker and actor....
  • (1968) Special Award for Pas de Deux
    Pas de Deux (film)

    Pas de Deux is an award winning film by Scottish-Canadian director Norman McLaren, produced by the National Film Board of Canada.The film sees two performers dancing a pas de deux, filmed on high contrast film stock with very stark side lighting....


Columbus International Film and Video Festival (USA)
  • (1984) Honorable Mention for Narcissus
    Narcissus (1983 short movie)

    Narcissus is a 1983 Canada short film musical and experimental film directed by Norman McLaren and produced by David Verrall, visualizing the legend of Narcissus in a modern way....


Dance on Camera Festival (USA)
  • (1984) Gold Star Award for Narcissus


Festival international de cinéma de court métrage (France)
  • (1985) Special Mention for Narcissus


Festival international du film romantique
  • (1985) First Prize - Madame de Stael Prize, (France, May 1985) for Narcissus


Genie Awards (Canada)
  • (1984) Special Achievement Genie
    Special Achievement Genie

    The Special Achievement Genie is a special award given irregularly by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television at the Genie Awards. It is mainly a Lifetime Achievement Award but can also mark a career milestone....


Golden Sheaf Awards / Short Film and Video Festival (Canada)
  • (1984) Golden Sheaf Award - Best Experimental Film for Narcissus, Short Film and Video Festival (Canada, October-November 1984)


International Film Festival (India)
  • (1984) Golden Peacock for the Best Short Film of the Festival for Narcissus


Itinerant - American Film and Video Festival (USA)
  • (1984) Honorable Mention - Visual Essays for Narcissus


Award nominations

Academy Awards (USA)
  • 1953 Academy Award
    Academy Awards

    The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers....
     (Oscar) Best Short Subject, One-reel for     Neighbours (1952)
  • 1958 Academy Award Best Short Subject, Live Action Subjects for A Chairy Tale (1957)


BAFTA Awards (UK)
  • 1960 BAFTA Film Award Best Animated Film for Short and Suite (Shared with Evelyn Lambart)


See also

  • McLaren's Negatives
    McLaren's Negatives

    McLaren's Negatives is a short animated documentary directed by French Canadian filmmaker Marie-Jos?e Saint-Pierre. The film is a study of the Canadian animator Norman McLaren, and his personal view of film making....
  • René Jodoin
    René Jodoin

    Ren? Jodoin is an animation director and producer who founded the French-language animation studio of the National Film Board of Canada....


External links