Norman McLaren: Pen Point Percussion

An introduction to the hand-drawn sounds of Norman McLaren. Prepared by Don Peters and Lorne Batchelor. 1951.

[@MicahBuzanANIMATION]

What a visionary. His work is endlessly fascinating.

[@realfan91]

No way. How is this even possible. Truly mindblowing.

[@lucianofreitas2009]

Look for "Synchromy"

[@douro20]

One of the few people outside of the former Soviet Union to master the art of graphical sound.

[@DavidRodriguez-of9ch]

Wow, can you tell me about that of the Soviet Union? Sounds fascinating, and I don't have information about this graphical sound there.

[@IS_CBR_2763]

​@@DavidRodriguez-of9chvariophones

[@chocolatechipcookiesareawesome]

@@DavidRodriguez-of9chSearch “Variophone”

[@zeppelin4610]

@@chocolatechipcookiesareawesome man I ain't the only one who discovered it, nice!

[@zeppelin4610]

@@chocolatechipcookiesareawesome I like the vor/bop/the thief animation

[@null66913]

Thank you very much for posting this, I've watched it before and I love it!

[@poughkeepsiejohn1]

This guy was fantastic! Making animation by painting it directly on the film. No paper. No cells. No computers or CGIs. Why can't we find any of his short films here in America on DVD? If they can put Stan Brakhage's stuff on the Criterion Collection, there's got to be a place for Norman McLaren.

[@TimJackson-eq6iy]

Check out the similar short movies of the New Zealander Len Lye. He started making them in the 30s. They are all restored and archived.

[@taticocteau]

Oh, I so miss my old history animation classes...

[@rappel101]

i always wondered how this stuff worked. glad to see this.

[@teletubetodd]

Awesome! It sounds inspired by the "soundtrack" sequence in Disney's "Fantasia."

[@jimmyj1969]

McLaren could say "It's MY movie!" and LITERALY mean it!

[@manfromthehorizon3870]

That guy was a GENIUS!

[@BBROTANGO]

This is just amazing...nice share!

[@hadassah179]

2:00 also presented by original Fantasia.

[@nabinanandasen203]

What a CREATION!

[@NicleT]

As much as I love the work of McLaren, we should know that he didn't invented this technique. Composers like *Arseny Mikhailovich Avraamov* (probably best known for his “Simfoniya Gudkov” or “Symphony of Sirens” November 7, 1922) and mostly *Daphne Oram* , one of the first British composers to produce electronic sound, was the creator of the Oramics technique for creating electronic sounds using drawn sound in the late 50s. Take a look to the Oramics, it's an exceptional multiple 35mm multictracks optic / audio synthesizer. Absolutely mind blowing.

[@poopwizardd]

Thank u for sharing!!

[@VinluvAntonHandesbukia]

Norm was an absolute genius.

[@arimarisol]

really great!

[@keithmoon3190]

Narrator: This is my voice! Norman Mclaren: No! This is my film!

[@kellyneese5216]

THANK YOU.

[@LostandFoundTravel]

Mind blown.

[@TimJackson-eq6iy]

Check out the similar short movies by the New Zealander. He started making them in the 30s. They are all restored and easily available.

[@MyName42]

Is there more to this video? What does that little animation he made end up looking/sounding like?

[@udomatthiasdrums5322]

love it!!

[@GeorgeVorrias]

unimaginable patience

[@Mazurka1001]

...love McLaren’s work so much. Always gives me a bit of hope and optimism even now, in 2019, when the world is on the very brink of total war of extinction....🤭🙀

[@poopwizardd]

Lol, 2019 you say..

[@Microscopiccountryballs]

4:38 Low pitch note: BASS Medium: fart High note: *drifting car sound effect*

[@Synergy9k]

Fascinating.

[@Trund27]

@poughkeepsiejohn1 Totally. That would make a great collection.

[@ErrorSmith909]

great video

[@terredee]

Very interesting.

[@Trund27]

Man, check out the slick top on Norman, there. He was one hep cat, I tells ya!

[@acreguy3156]

Who are the other two guys in the Prepared by: Don Peters and Lorne Batchelor?

[@Mazurka1001]

total genius, norm mclaren.

[@AlexT1994]

that's bloody amazing lol :D

[@MalinRickenlund]

woow, you can actually paint sound!!! :3

[@zigzag7838]

This is a technique I’ve been looking to try for a long time, does anyone know of any modern programs that will allow you to do this??

[@harmanzira9661]

i don’t think so

[@TheJustinator]

You could probably use audacity to DRAW audio but it has to be zoomed in VERY closely.

[@zigzag7838]

@@TheJustinator Thanks, I’ll have to look into that!

[@psyk-delix]

try Virtual ANS, a replica of a russian synthesizer were you could draw sound

[@oldfilmsandstuff4679]

There's an old bit of software called "Image to Sound" that should be axactly what you're looking for, replicating an optical film soundtrack. It was made by Andrew Jaremko

[@Utroll]

@poughkeepsiejohn1 Actually there's a very good dvd with all (or most) of his work, bought it less than 15$ (equiv) in France. Culture is unfortunatly driven by biggest ego, humble hard working genius tends to be forgotten... just dig ;)

[@Avida-l7s-instrumental]

great !!! thx

[@giulsss99]

This reminded me of Fantasia

[@perolapu]

great

[@juldarigi]

bellissimo

[@philipmonolagi3439]

Is that Lorne Greene doing the narration?

[@Nunekhiia]

fucking awesome

[@maxenfaite]

3:47 a friend told me that it sounds like a fart. I cried

[@ciracarvalhal9622]

that's literaly the first thing I thought. XD

[@cronofotografo]

genio!

[@oreokookie1000]

Norman was a serious artist..today kids go out and buy a digital program for concerts and festivals, there's no artistry anymore, its all formulaic....this guy was an original.

[@MicahBuzanANIMATION]

Yeah, he was a pioneer for sure. There's a lot of insanely impressive work being made today, you just have to dig a bit to find it.

[@BibleStorm]

You assume that nobody in the entire world is doing something "original" yet you fail to see that originality is just a form of innovation. Everything comes from somewhere. This guy didn't invent film, cameras, pens or ink, he's using other people's work to develop his own. Originality comes out of inspiration, inspiration comes from influences, those influences were influenced by something 'original' that came prior, etc etc. The cycle of influence and innovation oroboros, the snake eating it's own tail.

[@pizzazif]

i wanna do this

[@holke79]

Heroe !

[@speakfreeley4473]

Those noises Norman McLaren created sound a bit rude to say the least. the sound-line at 1:40 I can remember from the opening narration in the move 'Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!

[@bashscrazy]

just watched this in class - so ye

[@maisquecestmoi]

omg i thought Fantasia invented it !

[@giovannibattistaboccardo1410]

Fantasia is from 1940

[@nancher]

@@giovannibattistaboccardo1410 RUDOLF PFENNINGER discovered in 1932

[@CKVideoGames]

Oscar Peterson on piano!!

[@elijahvincent985]

4:08 Pardon me. 😂

[@dancingplanet]

patience is a thing of the past it seems...

[@anyflores1]

@poughkeepsiejohn1 n excelent !

[@anyflores1]

@poughkeepsiejohn1 good!!! very good"""

[@Rsage]

i bet you run over to your friend's house to chat instead of calling them on the telephone...

[@LasVegas1]

canadian film board. ha

[@TimJackson-eq6iy]

Len lye

[@matthehat]

Don't be so quick to write off digital production, especially in the live realm. It's not as easy as pressing play

[@flaggerify]

Inspired by Fantasia, clearly.