In the first week of the unit Design for Animation, Narrative Structures & Film Language, the class mainly focused on understanding the purpose of the course and how research will be developed over time. Instead of choosing a final topic straight away, we were encouraged to think about possible research directions and what kinds of questions we are interested in exploring.
I started by reflecting on my own animation background and what I want to improve during this course. At this stage, I am particularly interested in how visual elements, such as lighting and environment, can influence storytelling and audience experience. This made me realise that film and animation language is not only about technique, but also about how meaning and emotion are communicated.
We also discussed how animation can be used to engage with broader social and cultural ideas through visual choices. This week helped me understand that research does not need to be fixed at the beginning. Developing clear questions and exploring ideas gradually is an important part of the process.