Norman McLaren facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Norman McLaren
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Norman McLaren drawing directly on film (1944)
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| Born |
William Norman McLaren
11 April 1914 |
| Died | 27 January 1987 (aged 72) |
| Nationality | Scottish Canadian |
| Alma mater | Glasgow School of Art |
| Occupation | Animator director producer |
| Years active | 1933–1983 |
| Known for | Founding of the animation department of the National Film Board of Canada |
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Notable work
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Neighbours Rythmetic Pas de deux |
| Partner(s) | Guy Glover (1937–87?) |
| Awards | Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject 1952 Neighbours |
Norman McLaren (born April 11, 1914 – died January 27, 1987) was a famous Scottish Canadian animator and director. He was well-known for his amazing work at the National Film Board of Canada (NFB).
McLaren was a true pioneer in filmmaking. He explored many new ways to make movies and animation. This included drawing directly onto film, creating visual music (making visuals that match music), and using pixilation. Pixilation is a cool stop-motion technique where real people act like animated characters.
He won many awards for his films. One of his most famous was Neighbours (1952), which won an Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject. He also received a Silver Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival for Rythmetic and a BAFTA Award for Pas de deux.
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Norman McLaren's Early Life and Art
William Norman McLaren was born in Stirling, Scotland, on April 11, 1914. He had an older brother, Jack, and a sister, Sheena. When he was 21, he took a trip to Russia.
At age 22, McLaren moved from Stirling to study set design at the Glasgow School of Art. While there, he joined the Kinecraft Society. This group allowed him to try out different filmmaking styles and techniques. He also met Helen Biggar at art school, and they made films together.
Early Film Experiments
McLaren started experimenting with film and animation even without a camera. He would scratch and paint directly onto the film itself! His first film that still exists is Seven Till Five (1933). It showed a "day in the life of an art school" and was inspired by the famous director Sergei Eisenstein.
His next film, Camera Makes Whoopee (1935), was even more creative. He used a new camera to create "trick" shots. McLaren used pixilation (making real people move like stop-motion animation) and superimpositions. These techniques helped him show the excitement of an art school ball.
Both of these early films won awards at the Scottish Amateur Film Festival. A judge at the festival was John Grierson, who would later become very important in McLaren's career.
Norman McLaren's Professional Career
Working at the GPO Film Unit
John Grierson, who was in charge of the UK General Post Office film unit, was impressed by McLaren's films. He hired McLaren to work at the GPO from 1936 to 1939. During this time, McLaren made four films, including Book Bargain (1937) and Love on the Wing (1938).
Work in New York City
In 1939, McLaren moved to New York City with a grant from the Solomon Guggenheim Foundation. He stayed there until 1941. During this time, he created four animated films by drawing directly onto the film. These included Boogie-Doodle (1940), Dots, Loops, and Stars and Stripes.
Joining the National Film Board of Canada
In 1941, Grierson invited McLaren to Canada to work for the National Film Board (NFB). His job was to start an animation studio and train Canadian animators. When he first arrived, McLaren directed a film called Mail Early (1941). It reminded Canadians to mail their Christmas cards early.
He then worked on animated shorts and maps for Allied propaganda films during World War II. He also made films to support the War Bonds campaign, like V for Victory (1941) and Dollar Dance (1943).
By 1942, the NFB needed more animators. McLaren was asked to find art students and create a small animation team. This was hard because many young students were fighting in the war. McLaren found talented students from art schools in Montreal and Ontario. These included René Jodoin, George Dunning, and Grant Munro. McLaren trained these new animators, who would all go on to make their own films. Studio A, the NFB's first animation studio, officially started in January 1943, with McLaren as its leader.
During his time at the NFB, McLaren made his most famous film, Neighbours (1952). This film won many awards worldwide, including an Academy Award. It combined amazing visuals and sound with a strong message against violence and war. McLaren spent a lot of time building up the NFB's animation department.
Work with UNESCO
In the 1950s and 1960s, McLaren also worked with UNESCO. He helped teach film and animation techniques in countries like China and India. His five-part "Animated Motion" shorts from the late 1970s are great examples of how to teach the basics of film animation.
Norman McLaren's Legacy
Norman McLaren is remembered for his amazing experiments with images and sound. He created many new ways to combine and synchronize animation with music.
The National Film Board honored McLaren by naming its head office building in Montreal after him. The Montreal area of Saint-Laurent, where the NFB is located, also named a district after him.
In 1981, a new Film House opened in Edinburgh, Scotland. It became the home of the Edinburgh International Film Festival. Inside, two seats are dedicated to McLaren and John Grierson.
In 2006, a short animated documentary called McLaren's Negatives was made about him. Also in 2006, the NFB celebrated 65 years of animation. They showed McLaren's restored classic films around the world and released a DVD set of all his works.
In June 2013, the NFB released an iTunes app called "McLaren’s Workshop." This app lets users create their own films using McLaren's animation techniques. It also gives access to over fifty of his films.
From June 1 to 10, 2018, a ballet called Frame by Frame was performed. It was based on McLaren's life and work.
Celebrating 100 Years of Norman McLaren
The 100th anniversary of McLaren's birth was celebrated with a project called "McLaren Wall-to-Wall" in Montreal. Short films inspired by his works like Neighbours and Begone Dull Care were projected onto buildings.
Scotland also celebrated McLaren's centenary with the McLaren 2014 Programme. This included film screenings, exhibitions, events, and animation workshops. The program was a big part of the 68th Edinburgh International Film Festival.
In April 2014, his nephew, Douglas Biggar, unveiled a blue heritage plaque on McLaren's childhood home. This marked 100 years since his birth.
Lifetime Achievement Awards
In 1968, Norman McLaren was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. He was promoted to Companion in 1973. In 1977, he received an honorary doctorate from Concordia University. In 1982, he was the first English-speaking person to receive the Prix Albert-Tessier. This award honors people for outstanding careers in Québec cinema.
In 1986, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the World Festival of Animated Film - Animafest Zagreb.
In 2009, McLaren's films were added to UNESCO's Memory of the World Programme. This program lists the most important documentary heritage collections in the world. His works joined famous items like the Gutenberg Bible.
Awards for McLaren's Films
Norman McLaren's films won many awards around the world:
- Academy Awards (USA)
- 1953: Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject for Neighbours - Won
- 1953: Nominated for Best Short Subject, One-reel for Neighbours
- 1958: Nominated for Best Short Subject, Live Action Subjects for A Chairy Tale
- 1964: Nominated for Best Animated Short Film for Christmas Cracker
- 1968: Nominated for Best Short Subject, Live Action Subjects for Duo (Pas de deux)
- Annie Awards (USA)
- 1975: Winsor McCay Award - Won
- BAFTA Awards (UK)
- 1969: BAFTA Film Award for Best Animated Film for Pas de deux (1968) - Won
- Berlin International Film Festival
- 1951: Silver Medal for Begone Dull Care - Won
- 1956: Silver Bear (Short Film) for Rythmetic - Won
- Canadian Film Awards (Canada)
- 1949: Special Award for Dots - Won
- 1950: Special Award for Begone Dull Care - Won
- 1952: Special Award for Around is Around - Won
- 1952: Special Award for Now is the Time - Won
- 1952: Special Award for After the Storm - Won
- 1953: Special Award for A Phantasy - Won
- 1953: Special Award for Neighbours - Won
- 1958: Arts and Experimental for A Chairy Tale (with Claude Jutra) - Won
- 1962: Arts and Experimental for Lines Horizontal - Won
- 1965: Arts and Experimental for Canon (with Grant Munro) - Won
- 1968: Special Award for Pas de deux - Won
- Cannes Film Festival
- 1955: Short Film Palme d'Or for Blinkity Blank - Won
- Other Awards
- 1984: Narcissus received many awards including a Gold Star Award, Special Mention, Madame de Stael Prize, and Golden Sheaf Award.
- 1984: Special Achievement Genie - Won
Personal Life
Norman McLaren's longtime partner was fellow NFB director Guy Glover. They met at the ballet in London in 1937 and remained together until McLaren's death.
