CAPTURING CHILDHOOD: EXPLORING IMAGINATIVE PLAY IN ANIMATION Thesis Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Fine Arts in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Stephen J. Conroy, BFA, BS-EE Graduate Program in Industrial, Interior, and Visual Communication Design The Ohio State University 2011 Thesis Committee: Professor Alan Price, Advisor Professor Maria Palazzi Dr. Amy Shuman Copyright by Stephen J. Conroy 2011 ABSTRACT This thesis examines the use of imaginative play of children for both the creation of animation and as an influence on the creative processes of the animator. I discuss methods of characterizing play activities and theories of play that can aid the animator in understanding the mental processes employed by children during imaginative play. I discuss how children are represented in animation and how imaginative play can be used to create characters with a greater sense of realism and stronger emotional connections to the viewer. I discuss the animations of John and Faith Hubley based on audio recordings of their children and how theories of play can be used to interpret their work. I present two thesis films, Young Mother Nature and Portrait of the Artist as a Young Woman based on audio recordings of my daughter engaged in imaginative play. I examine my process of creating these animations, and reflect on the influence of play on the creative process. ii DEDICATION To my wife Riza, whose love and support made this possible. To my parents, for nurturing my creativity and imagination and for teaching me how to be a parent. And to our daughter Lea, for sharing her imagination with me and for the joy she brings to our lives every day. iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I am grateful to my adviser, Alan Price for his encouragement, guidance and patience throughout my time at ACCAD. It was a privilege to have him as a mentor. I would also like to thank Maria Palazzi for her insightful comments and critiques of my animations and writing. I would like to extend a special thanks to Amy Shuman, for introducing me to the concepts that helped me better understand my work and my own creative processes. iv VITA 1983 ........................................................................ B.S-Electrical Engineering. Carnegie-Mellon University 2007 ........................................................................ BFA Art and Technology. The Ohio State University FIELDS OF STUDY Major Field: Industrial, Interior, and Visual Communication Design v TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Abstract .................................................................................................................................................. ii Dedication ............................................................................................................................................ iii Acknowledgments ............................................................................................................................... iv Vita ......................................................................................................................................................... v List of Figures ................................................................................................................................... viii List of Tables ....................................................................................................................................... ix CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................. 1 CHAPTER 2 METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................ 5 2.1 Goals for Contextual Review .................................................................................. 5 2.1.1 Why are the Hubley animations unique? .................................................. 5 2.1.2 What methods can we use to characterize the imaginative play of children? ..................................................................................................................... 6 2.2 Project Goals ............................................................................................................. 6 2.2.1 How can the imaginative play of children be used by the animator? ... 7 2.2.2 How can the imaginative play of children inform the artist‟s creative process? ...................................................................................................................... 7 CHAPTER 3 REPRESENTATION OF CHILDREN IN ANIMATION ....................... 8 3.1 Examples of Representation ................................................................................... 8 3.2 The Influence of John and Faith Hubley ............................................................ 12 3.2.1 Reality through Play Relationships ........................................................... 13 3.2.2 Reality through Speech .............................................................................. 15 3.2.3 Reality through Fantasy ............................................................................. 16 CHAPTER 4 CONCEPTS FOR UNDERSTANDING PLAY ....................................... 20 4.1 Theories of Play ...................................................................................................... 20 4.2 Using Play Theories to Characterize Imaginative Play ...................................... 24 4.3 Linking Play and the Animator‟s Creativity ......................................................... 26 vi CHAPTER 5 FRAME ANALYSIS ......................................................................................... 29 5.1 Understanding Frame Analysis ............................................................................. 29 5.2 Frame Analysis applied to Windy Day .................................................................. 31 5.2.1 Verbal Expression of Frames ................................................................... 32 5.2.2 Examples of Frame Transition in Windy Day ........................................ 33 5.2.3 Visual Expression of Frames ................................................................... 34 5.2.4 Using Visuals to Expose Frame Complexity .......................................... 35 5.2.5 Using Visuals to Express the Properties of Frames ............................. 36 5.2.6 Communicating Larger Messages through Sequences of Frames ...... 37 CHAPTER 6 SYNTHESIS ....................................................................................................... 42 6.1 Young Mother Nature ............................................................................................ 42 6.1.1 Genesis ......................................................................................................... 42 6.1.2 Problem Solving ......................................................................................... 45 6.1.3 Results .......................................................................................................... 55 6.2 Portrait of the Artist as a Young Lady................................................................. 62 6.2.1 Genesis ......................................................................................................... 62 6.2.2 Problem Solving ......................................................................................... 63 CHAPTER 7 CONCLUSIONS – PLAY AND THE ARTISTIC PROCESS ................. 73 List of References .............................................................................................................................. 80 vii LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page Figure 1.1 Lea feeding her baby dolls .............................................................................................. 2 Figure 4.1 Flow chart of abstraction in imaginative play ............................................................ 26 Figure 4.2 Flow chart of abstraction to animation ...................................................................... 28 Figure 6.1 Young Mother Nature ................................................................................................... 43 Figure 6.2 Lea constructing fantasy world .................................................................................... 48 Figure 6.3 Connecting to the world of children's art .................................................................. 49 Figure 6.4 Pop up houses in YMN ................................................................................................. 57 Figure 6.5 Water color helix in POTA ........................................................................................... 66 Figure 6.6 She was a blue little girl in POTA ................................................................................ 68 Figure 6.7 Paint is messy in POTA ................................................................................................. 69 viii CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Like most parents, I find myself trying to capture moments in my child‟s life. I take photographs, videos, and recordings. I save my daughter‟s artwork. Recently my wife and I found ourselves unable to part with an early pair of shoes which our daughter had long outgrown. These artifacts represent both the delight and the maudlin sentimentalism parents feel as they realize that their child is growing up. Most of these artifacts give us access to the physical characteristics of a child at a moment in time. Photos can show us appearances. Recordings can preserve