This week’s lecture focused on how animation can be used within documentary practice to represent real experiences and social themes. We discussed how animated documentary challenges the traditional idea that documentary must rely on live-action footage to present reality.
In class, we explored how animation can be used to visualise memories, emotions, and lived experiences that are difficult to capture directly through filming. This helped me understand that documentary truth does not only come from photographic realism, but also from the way experiences and perspectives are communicated.
Another point that stood out was that animated documentary often makes its constructed nature visible. By doing so, it reminds viewers that documentary works are shaped by creative decisions, encouraging a more reflective and critical way of watching.
This topic also connects to my interest in lighting and visual atmosphere. In animated documentary, lighting can be used to shape mood and meaning. Through light, shadow, and colour, animation can suggest memory, tension, or reflection, supporting the narrative without relying on direct explanation.
Overall, this week helped me see animated documentary as a valid form of non-fiction animation, expanding how real experiences can be expressed through visual language.