Idea for Research- Completely Changed

So after a little bit of confusion and being advised that my study was too theoretical I have finally worked out the difference between a dissertation and an exegesis. This means that I can now see how what I was planning to study was probably a little too far removed from my animation project idea. See the following notes for a bit of a guide on what I intend to study:

Clarify Key Concepts

Theme of Research: Landscape as Character; Real places depicted on screen.

Proposed Research Question: (Note still clarifying question after a suggested change of topic):

Re-presentation of real world places in animation films; the importance of animation backgrounds and the notion of the landscape as character. How an artist researches the real world and the selection and exclusion of elements of the landscape to create a collection of symbols, icons and motifs that re-present the real world location in film. 

Key Concepts for Investigation:

1.      Animation films that depict real world places.

2.      Idea of Landscape as character.

3.      Background Painting techniques and technological advancements.

4.      Use of motifs and the language of semiotics to signify place.

Reference of use:

Bacher, H 2008, Dream Worlds: Production Design for Animation, Focal Press, Oxford. 

This resource is extremely useful as it outlines the experience of the background/layout artist in creating an environment for animation and in particular follows the preproduction phase for animation films that re-create real places on screen- Mulan, Lion King and Aladdin for example. The author also discusses the importance of symbols, motifs, colour and shape in re-creating a real world place that is integral to the story and how the landscape in some films has the power to become a character or narrative device.