4. Narrative Strategies for Understanding

There are many different techniques that can be used within animations to help the viewer understand the story better, as talked about in Paul Wells book Understanding Animation. The narrative can develop in certain ways, as a result of these different techniques. One device is called metamorphosis, which is a fluid linkage between imagery. It is the actual transformation of the drawings. Although unrelated images can be connected, narrative continuity can be conserved. Another technique is condensation, which is also known as elliptical storytelling. This is when cuts are to show a significant passing of time between the shots, and it is predominantly used in shorter films. The third technique is synecdoche. This is when a part of something is used to represent the whole. This is often used as a metaphor, when some small action is used to represent a greater meaning. Another way it can be used is to have a hand representing the whole body, a part acting for the whole entity.

A very commonly used technique within animation is symbolism and metaphor. Symbolisms complicate the structure of the narrative because they can be used to represent something else or some other meaning, but the object or character can also be construed as representing literally what it is. Peter Munz said that a sign merely duplicates the thing that it symbolizes because there is the existence of the implied meaning, as well as the literal and more specific meaning. Metaphor is very similar to symbolism, but it’s used to represent a system of ideas in a more appealing way. Another very common technique within animation is fabrication or the idea that objects or material things can have a sort-of life. Svankmajer introduces this idea, and he believes that objects have much more memories than men. All of the experiences that they have had, they conceal within them. Fabrication introduces the existences of a meta-reality, where objects are alive.

Associative relations are displayed when unrelated imagery and conjunctions are spliced together to create a different narrative impetus. This construction is used more for experimental animations, similar to montage of motion picture films. Acting is another part of narrative strategies because the animator has to understand how a certain character would look, reacting in a certain situation. A character has to be developed from a script, taking into consideration the character’s role, their rang of motion, and their overall demeanor. Another construction of animation is choreography or how the movements of the characters correspond with weight, space, and time. The animator has to understand how certain conventions of the real world would translate onto paper. The animator has to relate shape movement to effort action, or make sure the action the character is doing matches with what they want.