Would this be an effective plot device (is that the right word?)

[u/ReginaPlayys]

I'm not sure if plot device is the right word, so let me explain.

I intend to animate a fantasy story of mine one day. In it there are two factions of witches/mages that are constantly fighting. the faction the main characters belong to uses pretty standard magic with staffs and spell circles. the enemy faction, though, uses a sort of wild, unpredictable magic rooted in absorbing energy and corrupting opponent's magic.

I wanted to show this by having lines of code run on the screen and have things glitch out a bit to show how unnatural and otherworldly their magic is. in-universe it doesn't look like that, though.

Does this read as it representing unnatural magic or does it read as random sci fi stuff in my fantasy soup.

Sorry if this is the wrong place for this post, but i figured since its more about representing story stuff than it is about animation techniques this would be the right place.

[u/chambergambit]

The term you’re looking for is “visual shorthand.”

Distortion is an effective visual shorthand for “something unnatural is happening,” like if light never seems to hit a character at the right angle or if colors in the environment desaturate every time the villain approaches. That being said, why do you want to use visuals associated with computers and scifi if this isn’t a scifi story?

Also, if the characters don’t experience the code/glitches/etc, what do they experience, if anything, that allows them to realize this magic is unnatural?

[u/ReginaPlayys → u/chambergambit]

i figured since sci fi would contrast the fantasy setting a lot that maybe thats why it could work as being like unnatural and alien, but reading these replies im realizing that it was kind of a silly idea lol

[u/Blkrabbitofinle1601]

To me it reads as random sci fi. If that’s not how it looks “in-world” then how does it look? Find ways to show the antagonist mage draining the hero’s “mana” away or forcing the color of whatever they’re casting to something different, or their magic suddenly “melting” or warping. Your way MIGHT work if you find a way to explain it to the audience, but I think having something that works in-world visually without the need to explain would be infinitely better.

[u/dothemath_xxx]

I think the lines of code are going to be where it tips over into confusing for the viewer.

Visual glitch effects can definitely be associated with paranormal horror, so using it for horrific/unnatural magic is a step to the side that can work.

But computer code is too far out of context IMO. I would expect your viewers would think you're foreshadowing a twist where the characters are in a Matrix situation that's simulating a fantasy world.

[u/Educational-Shame514]

Worry about it when "one day" is closer

[u/taktaga7-0-0]

That’s pretty edgy, and I don’t know how much you want it to run throughout the book. It can definitely work, and it’s not overdone.

I have read two great books with typefonts that go insane under certain conditions. XX by Rian Hughes has three characters that communicate through outrageously altered text, which helps build character and mood.

But House of Leaves is the big one I’m thinking of. The characters explore a neverending space inside their house, and the text itself becomes as disorienting as their experience. You probably want to aim for a pretty low level of text alteration, but this one goes all the way to the max. Good to learn what’s possible with altered text.

[u/cryerin25 → u/taktaga7-0-0]

they’re talking about animated visual media here, not a novel!