Weekly Summaries - Character Research: Week 2

Week 2: (6.10.17)

What I learnt:

In this weekly session, we were given further informed on our essays to be and taught more on characters. We recapped that: - Stories do not exist without characters, most successful characters are ones that audiences can identify with and can be more memorable than the film they belong too. Animated characters are independent on both technology and technique. Further Information on our essays include: Must be 1000 words (900-1100), Must analyse the visual, movement (how they move, why they move that way), we will choose our own question and character. Its suggested that we discuss: Character design, Personality type (archetypes), character basis, character interactions, context (Understanding characters in broader issues such as: Origin of their story, different versions, Disney’s collection, fairy tale vs animation, feminist take, genre representation). We must gather evidence from a variety of sources, both Primary and Secondary. We must remain unbiased. The essay should have a thesis (argument), an antithesis (Opposite view) and a synthesis (conclusion). 

On character design: There is no such thing as an ‘Pure imagination’, characters are drawn from life. Characters must be relatable. We also learnt about briefly about archetypes, (Vladimir Propp: 7 character types), (Joseph Campbell -1949-: Hero with a thousand faces), (Christopher Vogler- 1998- The Writers Journey). We learnt that the archetypes consist of:

-Hero, shadow, Shape shifter, mentor, threshold guardian, Trickster, Herald and ally, based off Christopher Vogel’s book The Writers Journey.

Progress this week:

This week I have chosen a character; ‘Elsa’, From Disney’s Frozen. I created two illustrated drawings that analysis key parts to Elsa I am of interest. For example, Elsa’s transformation- the opposing sides to Elsa’s character (colour palette, clothing, personality, movement), Also what makes Elsa a relatable character. These are subject areas that I shall research about and I will try to find academic evidence that proves or disproves my ideas. This week I also researched into the book ‘The Disney Book’, in the chapter ‘Melting hearts’ I found pages relevant to Elsa’s design. The book mentions Elsa’s transformation, describing it as ‘Elsa transitions from buttoned up perfectionist to a person who gives herself permission to be who she is. Everything changes, including her hair, which becomes wilder, and her gown takes on a magical dimension. Elsa is finally free- even if she is alone’.