Analyze how a character's animation can be used to convey some of his/her traits. For example, in Up, Carl is drawn as boxy and square, which signifies his containment within his house and within his memories of Ellie.
Yes, Pixar and other kids movies do a great job of secretly symbolizing character traits in how they are represented. Not in this article but perhaps in another one this same idea could be explored in anime, times when certain symbolic colours are used and how the shrinking of eye size is usually an age indicator (thought not in someone like Brock from Pokemon's case). – Slaidey9 years ago
Fantastic idea, really interesting to think about :) if you're interested in a more 'academic' angle Conceptual Metaphor Theory (Lakoff and Johnson, 1980) could be interesting to look into. They (and other CMTers) argue that how we think, our 'conceptual system', is very based on metaphorical thinking e.g. thinking about an ARGUMENT as a WAR ('your argument is indefensible', 'I will defend my opinions', 'I attacked his position on the topic'). Such conceptual thinking could tie in to why the use of animation is effective in transmitting ideas about character traits, because it could draw upon ways in which we already think (based on our experiences as bodily beings within a society/culture etc.) – Camille Brouard9 years ago
In Inside Out, the creators explain that the reason Riley moves to San Francisco is because moving is a sign of growing up. This is also seen in Spirited Away. This article can analyze the use of this trope, and how the characters changed because of the parents' decision to move away. This can focus on several movies or one movie.
Very interesting... I think that's because moving is a transition from the familiar (childhood/Minnesota) and toward the next phase of life(growing up/SF). I want to write about Inside Out...so I will have to give this topic some thought. Where did you get the information about the creators? – Constellation9 years ago
I found that fact through this Youtube video: https://youtu.be/IGcMoM_QlDI?t=8m3s Fact number 46. – YsabelGo9 years ago
It also seems to be about the start of an adventure. I'm thinking of the great adventure stories of the past - the classic ones like the Iliad and the Odyssey. The story starts when one leaves their comfort zone. It is also a good technique in writing when you write yourself into a wall--put your character somewhere uncomfortable and see what he does. It seems with kid movies and kid characters, the easiest way to get them out of their everyday routine, and their comfort zone, is to make them move away from home. That's when the fun starts yes? An adventure to get back to that place....but is it ever really the same? – HeatherDeBel9 years ago
Discussing the history of how Canadian animation stood out from its more successful neighbours in the United States and Japan. While also analyzing why is Canadian animation overlooked from its creative possibilities and cultural identity, to being remembered only for its Adobe Flash animated shows that is considered cheap entertainment.
I think that its also important for whoever writes this to discuss Sheridan - it's renowned for its animation program and many of its students are hired to work in the US. As a result, much of the talent in Canada spread and sourced throughout other more well known animation companies. – DullahanLi9 years ago
I think this is a very important topic. I also think that it could be parlayed into asking where Canadian comic book talent is as well. I think somebody should tackle this one – DClarke9 years ago
There are also Canadian animation companies that are well-known, such as 9 Story Media Group (who have Arthur on their slate). It will be good do research on these companies and what they produce. – YsabelGo9 years ago
Examine the possible effects of the way children's cartoons display the read world in unrealistic ways. For example, The way Nickelodeon's Spongebob displays a character somehow living on his own while earning very little income and being highly immature. It would be a good idea to examine multiple cartoons that display things with a basis in reality unrealistically without explanation.
The 90s were guilty of this. Rocko's Modern Life is a good one and Doug has an unrealistic portrayal of the very appearances of those characters (seriously, if I'm to believe Roger is really green, he has gangrene.) – SpectreWriter9 years ago
With Spongebob Squarepants, he's a popular cartoon character because he lives an independent lifestyle but doesn't worry about his taxes or bills. He has a part-time job he loves, gets to drive (although terribly bad at it), and catch jellyfish with his best friend. Children don't understand these concepts, so Spongebob wouldn't be the same if they made it more 'realistic' - in fact, it might disinterest kids! Do 8 year olds really want to see their favourite character worry about making enough money to pay his rent? So I would argue that although children's cartoons are unrealistic, they do it's purpose of entertaining it's audience. – YsabelGo9 years ago
I think another aspect which could be interesting are cartoons which create physically unattainable fantasies for children, or, at the very least, unrealistic for the majority of the population. Examples: all superhero shows, The Magic School Bus, etc. – Matthew Sims9 years ago
It'd be more interesting to explore cartoons that actually depict the world "realistically", if such thing exists Or even better, reflect on the concept of "realistic," which is not the same as "plausible," when referring to fictional worlds. – T. Palomino1 year ago
In inspiration from gay marriage being legalized in the United States, it would interesting to examine how animation entertainment treats the LBGTQ community, in more recent years? In particular, how has the LBGTQ community been represented in children's animation? After all, The children are our future, and we should be sending a positive message of how to treat everyone like you want to be treated. What do we have do to have more gay or transgender characters in our children's shows and films, and how do we go about it?
I think that this would be a very interesting topic to tackle. From what I can tell, there is very little - if any - representation of the LBGTQ community in children's animation. In other words, there is little or no early exposure to the LBGTQ community for children. I would argue that instead of needing to represent that community to teach children to "treat others how they want to be treated", the kids just need exposure to the existence of the community; I, for one, don't think I even really knew what "gay" meant until I was ten or eleven, and I hadn't even heard of any other forms of sexuality. If anything, I'd think that, with the legalization of gay marriage in more and more countries, children need to see enough of the LBGTQ community in media to make it normal. If it's treated as an everyday occurrence (which it really is), I'd think that would promote kindness and acceptance even more than blatantly promoting it. I like how narrow this topic is. You could really have taken this in so many directions; there are so few books and movies in general that seem to represent the LBGTQ community. If you were to write about this topic, I think the major issue would not be the analysis of LBGTQ characters in children's animation (since so few seem to exist), but rather how to get around the public resistance. In that sense, this could be a very difficult topic to cover, because it's more than just an issue of children's animation; it's an entire societal issue. Could you look at a few specific tactics that could help overcome this issue? I'd be interested to see if there was a way that you could approach this topic in spite of the challenges; it's a very important one. – laurakej9 years ago
In Pete Docter's Inside Out (2015), Bing Bong woefully watches his "rocket" fall into the dump and laments, "Once we traveled back in time. We had breakfast twice that day." Though seeming to be a throwaway remark at first, the line is more resonate due to the imagined subject of time travel alluded to there.
This is a cool deep read into that line. The way Bing Bong lamented it, that bittersweet feeling (I was choking up) of time's relentless finality is what audiences resonated with (mostly all adult). I think the motif of the memory spheres is something interesting to think about in this case. In a way, the preservation of those core moments in Riley's life are the preservation of time itself, despite its finality. Time, to the Emotions, I think could be this subjective context where the idea is that the way they understand Time is different from, or maybe even accumulates into, Riley's understanding of time as a human being. Different how? Not entirely sure.... but I think there's some value in determining whether or not the irreversability of time is understood the same way between Riley and the Emotions. Joy can freely replay, choose, and save the memories she thinks Riley needs or wants (which results in the process of memory recall in her head) - could that be considered a way of getting around time's finality? Does memory serve as the one way out of time's shadow over our process of growing up? – thebrobster10 years ago
I think the line is particularly powerful as well because it refers to a state in childhood where we think we'll never grow up, that time never stops, or that things will go on this way forever. When we look back as adults, we long for this carefree moment in our lives. Bing Bong was the physical manifestation of childhood, as one of its markers, an imaginary friend.
**SPOILER**
When he disappears we realize that Riley is growing up, and that she will never go back to that period in her life. It's a marker that her childhood is gone, and she is entering adolescence. As much as we want to go back in time and bring back Bing Bong, he is lost forever. We cannot travel back in time. – Emilie Medland-Marchen10 years ago
Analyze what it is that makes the audience define animated films as just for kids, even when a film contain mature themes, scary moments, or adult humor. Despite appealing to audiences of all ages as the intention, society continues to label animated films as kids stuff since they are not realistic like other films.
I definitely agree that the lack of realism is part of what has lead to animation being treated as just kids fodder. However, correct me if I'm wrong, but before the advent of colour cartoons, weren't cartoons moreso considered adult entertainment? They were often played before films of the era and had much more racy overtones? Is it perhaps an effect of the marketablility of colour on children that led to this also? Or am I totally off base? – Talcon10 years ago
@Talcon: Thanks for that insight, what I wanted to focus on was is the animation that is well known to the public eye. While there were indeed racist cartoons, but I noticed many people either talk about them from an academic stand point, or choose to ignore them because of the racist content. For me, I'm focusing on what is popular and well loved, but is still regarded as kids stuff just because its animated from a modern perspective. – MajoraChaLa10 years ago
Princess Mononoke and Hunchback of Notre Dame are fair pieces that come to mind. In fact, Disney itself is very guilty of this when we talk about Pinocchio. I agree that many times, we're given animated films described as just for kids yet they have explicit adult themes. However, it's also fair to note that many times, different people disagree on what is terms as for kids. For example, if we switch mediums to Harry Potter, the author maintains her books are for kids, death or no death. So, a good definition and line needs to be drawn at the beginning of any article centered on this topic. – SpectreWriter10 years ago
Another interesting point which this raises is: How seriously should one take a children's film, does it deserve, or not deserve the same amount of criticism as a serious art film, simply because it aims to please children? There has, inevitably, been a shift towards appealing to adults, as well as children, mostly because it is the adults who are inevitably paying to see the film along with their children. However, there is a common argument that there should be some concessions towards children's films when analysing or evaluating them. Should a children's film remain consistent with itself or be given some sort of leniency because of its target audience? – Matthew Sims10 years ago
I think it is purely the medium this genre takes. Animation is associated with cartoons (obviously) which we associate as children's television. It is basically judging a book by it's cover, or a semiotic thing; we assign certain traits to colours for example (red: love, blood, death, passion). It's a subconscious thing that I believe we all have/do.
It does unfortunately put us off brilliant serious animation like the Cuban film Chico and Rita, which was a lovely romantic story with a wonderful jazz soundtrack. – Jamie10 years ago
Examples would be great to illustrate this point. – T. Palomino2 years ago
This needs a real critical look. A lot of people claim it is, especially in the early movies. Is this true. What are the arguments for and against that notion? Alternatively, do Disney Princes display more bravery and heroics and power than the female protagonists in Disney Princess movies?
You can also talk about the progression of Disney Princesses over the years, and how they've become more than just 'damsels in distress.' Take a look at Meredith from Brave, Rapunzel from Tangled or Elsa from Frozen: they try to carve their own paths, rather than accept the situation for what it is. Even Tiana from Princess and the Frog believed in hard work to achieve her own dreams and didn't have time for love. I think using one of these movies can make the article stronger to have compare and contrast. – YsabelGo10 years ago
You also have to take into account the time period of when the movie was released. The Disney Princess' have evolved with the times, therefore it may not be fair to compare Snow White to Anna or Elsa since they were created in totally different atmospheres in terms of feminism. – Lexzie10 years ago
