Transcoding Nang Talung: An Animated Adaptation of Thai Shadow Play
Symposium:
Session Title:
- Cultural Heritage, Sites of
Presentation Title:
- Transcoding Nang Talung: An Animated Adaptation of Thai Shadow Play
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Abstract:
Abstract (long paper)
This article explores an animated adaptation from a cultural heritage source. It discusses the source, approaches and technical aspects in my animation – NUNUI (2013). Nang Talung, the southern Thai shadow play, offers unique, simple characteristics as a creative resource for Thai animation. The puppet uses jointed parts, which can be animated separately. This study aims to synthesize the ancient and modern by integrating Nang Talung folk puppetry with contemporary animation. Following the original source, most of Nang Talung animated adaptations relies on conventional stories, plots and the use of dialogues as shown in original performance. I argue that not only similarities, but also differences, are important for the dialogue between the two art forms. This study allows animators to open to change and embrace the other creative possibilities that ‘new’ media enable. It also offers an animator the opportunity to experiment with Nang Talung puppet’s movement and to expand its limitations with computer graphics (CG).
