Abstract
Disney and Japanese feature-length animations, which have led the world's animation markets for a long time, show their own unique, inherent characteristics in the representation of animated images. As such, the analysis on the characteristics of the signification system of Disney and Japanese feature length animations that this thesis centrally deals with eventually examines the aesthetic characteristics and value of these two animations. Moreover, this thesis examines how the animated representations of Disney and Japanese feature-length animations, which individually have their own signification system and aesthetic characteristics, are accepted by the audience. This can be considered the analyses on 'the reality effect' that these two animations pursue.In general, most animation works focusing on characters and stories contain the signification systems related to 'denotation' and 'connotation'. However, the aesthetic representational tendency that appears differently, depending on the characteristics of the signification system that each animation work pursues, can be known through creative practice. In addition, noteworthy is the fact that the tendency of aesthetic representation shown in each work appears differently, depending on the signification system that the director and animator pursue even if the same theme is dealt with. From this point of view, the characteristic difference of the two animations' signification system and aesthetic representation can be explained through the terms 'denotative' for Disney and 'connotative' for Japanese animation.
Disney animation strongly shows the tendency that makes the audience directly immersed in the theme and message of the work conveyed further in the myths by pursuing denotative signification system and aesthetic representation. So characters movements based on 'typified animation principles', 'the typified character design', 'the realistic background design', 'the application of camera techniques of Hollywood liveaction film', and the entertainment-like 'musical elements' to embody hyper-reality in the animated representation of Disney animation can be said to be aesthetic techniques and elements to make the consciousness of the audience immersed and led into animation works eventually.
On the other hand, Japanese feature-length animation emphasises connotative signification system and aesthetic representation. Unlike Disney animation, the tendency to make the audience contemplate and look for the connotation contained in the work by itself appears prominently. And, unlike Disney animation, in the case of Japanese animation, the 'dissenting and arbitrary interpretation' of the theme, the message that the animation work intends to convey and myths pursued is bound to appear diversely, depending on the audience's experiences and cultural and social backgrounds.
Through not only theoretical discourse on the research theme but also Beautiful Things in the World produced as a creative practice related to the research theme, this thesis also more practically approaches the characteristics of the signification system that these two Disney and Japanese feature length animations have. Particularly, by attempting to materialise and compare the signification systems that each Disney and Japanese feature length animation pursues in the one work through creative practice, eventually this research thesis more practically compares and analyses the essential differences that the characteristics of aesthetic representations of these two animations have from a communicative point of view.
| Date of Award | May 2013 |
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| Original language | English |
| Awarding Institution |
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| Supervisor | Richard Hand (Supervisor) & Stephen Lacey (Supervisor) |