Wednesday 11 April 2012

@Phil Framing Practice: Essay Breakdown

Hello Phil,
Hope you are enjoying your holidays? I was wondering if you could have a look at my essay structure. I am not sure if I've gone too broad again. I tried to cover up the main traits that makes animation in each culture unique.
Thanks in advance.



Essay Question: What does animation connote culturally in the East and West?


Intro

 What connects and what makes cultures different? All cultures have an art identity, and one of them is animation, an art form which has taken different directions globally.


Main Body

Chapter 1- What does animation denote?

- Animation means moving image.
- How did it start? Very brief history (Zoetrope, Praxinoscope)
- What makes it so fascinating and satisfying to us humans?
- Metamorphosis in animation (forming images) - unique narrative continuity

Chapter 2- Animation in Popular Culture 

- How has animation spread globally?
- What is it used for? (Education, Entertainment..)
- How is it different on each part of the world? (America, Europe, Asia)
- What are the themes covered in animation?
- Binary Oppositions

Chapter 3- Animation in the West

- Brief History
- Walt Disney and Disneytification
- Disney Animation: Child Friendly (avoiding to make any comments on sex or violence)
- Disney's Hyperreal Worlds
- The Preference in "Unlikely Heroes"


Chapter 4- Animation in the East

- Anime Origins (Osamu Tezuka)
- Hayao Miyazaki - His worlds are about alternative realities
       Shojo: Feminism in his films (strength plus vulnerability in a way that is intriguingly feminine)
       "My neighbour Totoro" : The Parallels of the loss of a family member
- Other themes anime covers:
        "Akira": Adolescence, Identity, Feeling of Entrapment
       "Barefoot Gen", "Grave of the Fireflies": War Aftermath, Victim’s history, innocent children devastated by war’s destruction.

Conclusion


Culture is identified by what makes us different or unique. Animation  has its origins in the key factors and values of culture. Despite their variations they all have common aims: To provoke emotions or speaks about forbidden themes.
      

2 comments:

  1. Hey Andi - there is a chance that this is too broad, but can I suggest that you should commit to this structure anyway - because in so doing, you will begin to better understand the ultimate structure of your dissertation, and I think this maybe an instance of understanding by doing, as opposed to 'not doing'. Indeed, you may have to write all of this out, just to know what your dissertation 'doesn't' need. I guess what I'm saying at this stage is simply 'do it' and remember that this assignment is actually part of a bigger process. I hope Megan's Alien is coming along nicely? Let me know if all is well...

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  2. Okey I will write the essay anyway because it's just an experiment to point out what I want to write about anyway. Thanks for your advice

    Megan is doing well. I only have a a few bits to tweak on the final animation and have found a great piece of music to match it :) I am also working on the art of at the moment which does take a while to do.

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