I am really interested in the concept of community and how community evolves and changes because of and in spite of the individual; thus including themes such as change, evolution, existentialism and solitude. Combined with this interest is a passion for animation and to see how the medium can be used to convey serious life issues in contrast to my third year film which was a vintage inspired cartoon. Both my research dissertation and my deliverable compliment my interest in community and in the individual.
In my research I plan to study the trend of existentialist ideas that cornerstone many popular mainstream animation feature films from the Walt Disney and Pixar Studios.
The philosophy of existentialism correlates well with my interest in the community versus the individual and this concept of us and them can be seen time and time again across a range of western animations but is perhaps most frequently used in Disney/Pixar feature films. This study would acknowledge the presence of the hero’s journey as a narrative technique but is more interested in how the themes of existentialism are conveyed to the audience through the use of aesthetics and character ideology. A clear definition and identification of the hero’s journey (Simba in the Lion King) versus a tale that uses the hero’s journey to explore existentialist themes (Pinocchio) would have to be the primary focus of this study in the initial phases of research.
This study will include an examination of how a homogenous community is established visually within the animation and how the individual is marginalised either by choice through ideological conviction (Ariel in The Little Mermaid) or by being shunned by the wider society (Quasimodo in Hunchback of Notre Dame). And how this marginalisation is a catalyst for existentialist thought- in this case usually expressed through song and demonstrated by isolation either physical, intellectual or emotional loneliness.
I am seeking to compliment research with a 3min short animation film that is based upon a script that I wrote for scriptwriting class in 2010. The script was well received by markers and although will need modification for use in this project is already on its 3rd redrafting to pair it down to a more manageable animation project.
The story includes many of the themes discussed as a part of my research dissertation including community, questions of existence, the individual and the constant change ever present in our lives.
This is a simple metaphorical story that on the surface level tells the story of a woman who lives her whole life in the one community and every week without fail walks to the local shops. The journey begins when the protagonist is a young girl and the era is 1930s suburban Sydney. The protagonist walks through her community, the community around her changes and the character ages as well, with time morphing in total from 1930s to 2000s throughout the progression of the story.
Significant life changing moments such as work, love, marriage and children will become symbolically a part of her journey and the audience will see how community used to be a central part of living in the suburbs and how that has now changed rightly or wrongly and we see the protagonist as an outsider in the community where she has lived all her life.
To be successful there will be concepts and motifs that will carry throughout the story as constants. And I have a strong commitment to recreating this suburban landscape with a degree of historical accuracy- I am already working with the historical society in the area of Sydney in which the story is set.
I am still toying with character design and background design and this will be a part of the preproduction phase (full schedule to be available next week). Sound design will be as authentic as possible and aid in the identification of particular eras, narration will not be used but there will be words spoken between characters, though these will be sparing and only included to drive the narrative.
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