3. Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) - All submissions

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    Making sense of humour: the translation of humour in the animation feature film shrek
    (2019) Murugan, Giselle Lydia Da Silva
    The aim of this study is to investigate the strategies adopted in the translation of humour as depicted in the full-length computer-animated feature film Shrek, an unprecedented box office success released by DreamWorks Animation in 2001. One of the film’s most successful aspects lies in its critically acclaimed appeal to adults and children alike through a significant amount of verbal and visual humour elements. In setting out to explore the film’s humour, the concepts of animation and humour are presented in a discussion of Shrek’s characters, plot and technological mastery. The study critically examines two core approaches to Translation Studies as fundamental approaches to translation: the notions of Context and Contextualisation (Baker, 2006) and the Relevance Theory of Communication (Sperber & Wilson, 1986 & 1988). Before analysing the subject of the research, the study considers the translation of humour through three key strategies: the General Theory of Verbal Humour (Raskin & Attardo, 1991), Norm Acceptance/ Norm Opposition (Asimakoulas, 2004) and Frame Semantics (Rojo López, 2002). Drawing on these three primary theories, the report identifies the essence of humour as it is presented through numerous devices and techniques in the film’s original English dialogue before analysing the Portuguese dubbed dialogue. Such devices and techniques include wordplay, irony, intertextuality and rhyme supporting a plethora of visual frames. Through an analysis of these laughter-inducing features, the adopted translation strategies are explored in the context of whether or not the identified humour was carried through from the original Source Text to the resulting Target Text.
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    A Comparative Analysis of the Transition from Stop-Motion to CG Animation at Two South African Studios: Sunrise and Triggerfish
    (2019) Walker, Kelly
    A critical and comparative analysis of South African computer-generated animation, focusing on the CG animation produced by two Cape Town based studios: Sunrise and Triggerfish. The history of these studios, as well as the technical and stylistic conventions that they subscribe to in the creation of computer-generated animation, will be discussed relative to each other and to their stop-motion origins. The bulk of the inquiry will take the form of a comparative analysis of four texts, with Khumba (2013) reflecting Triggerfish’s CG portfolio and their work for Takalani Sesame (2000-2005) depicting their stop-motion contributions, while Munki and Trunk (2016) and The Legend of the Sky Kingdom (2003) represent Sunrise’s CG and stop-motion animation respectively. Through a comparison of production pipelines, techniques and style, an attempt will be made to assess the impact of global markets on South African animation aesthetics.
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    A proposition for how musical competencies could benefit 3D character animators when synchronising performances to pre-recorded music using Khumba as a case study
    (2017) Jacobs, Carelize Johani
    Even though a significant amount of research has been conducted over the years on film music and animation, these two fields of academic study mostly developed independently from each other. Little attention has been given to these two fields in terms of how they are deployed together, particularly after the ‘Golden Age’ of Hollywood filmmaking. This study, from an animation perspective, contributes to this need for research with an investigation and eventual proposition that will elucidate and advance the integration and contemporary deployment practices and processes of music and character animation. The aim of the study was to identify and suggest the ideal musical competency set a character animator would benefit from and, to propose an approach for notation in which these competencies are used to digitally animate characters moving to the beat of pre-recorded music for a 3D animation feature-length film. A qualitative research approach was followed and the research methodology consisted of a historical analysis, studying current practices and the analysis of a case study. The South African 3D computer-animated feature film, Khumba (2013), produced by Triggerfish Animation Studios, was used as the case study. Reasons for its suitability were twofold: Firstly because the researcher could easily access the animators (which was essential) and secondly, because the film had the musical scenes required to conduct the research. The focus was on the musical scenes in the film. The integration of animation and music in a scene was analysed, allowing the researcher to show how Khumba animators could have benefited from the suggested musical competencies and from using the proposed method when animating musical scenes. A universally agreed approach for notation in animating-to-music doesn’t exist. However, a method known as the bar sheet was used by earlier animators, requiring them to have a basic knowledge and understanding of music. This study proposes the reintroduction of an adapted version of the original bar sheet, digitised for assimilation with contemporary technology. A plug-in for Autodesk Maya was also proposed as an output of the research. Ultimately, this research has the potential to lead to a heightened proficiency of character animators when animating musical scenes in 3D feature-length films. In addition, the research could prompt a universally agreed approach for notation which combines traditional and new methods and techniques. The adoption of this approach could also lead to changes in the working practices of film making teams and the work flow within production pipelines.
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    A study of how the technological advancements in capturing believable facial emotion in Computer Generated (CG) characters in film has facilitated crossing the uncanny valley
    (2014-10-22) Louis, Clare
    In recent years, the quest for capturing authentic emotion convincingly in computer generated (CG) characters to assist exceedingly complex narrative expressions in modern cinema has intensified. Conveying human emotion in a digital human-like character is widely accepted to be the most challenging and elusive task for even the most skilled animators. Contemporary filmmakers have increasingly looked to complex digital tools that essentially manipulate the visual design of cinema through innovative techniques to reach levels of undetectable integration of CG characters. In trying to assess how modern cinema is pursuing the realistic integration of CG human-like characters in digital film with frenetic interest despite the risk of box office failure associated with the uncanny valley, this report focuses on the progress of the advances in the technique of facial motion capture. The uncanny valley hypothesis, based on a theory by Sigmund Freud, was coined in 1970 by Japanese robotics professor, Masahiro Mori. Mori suggested that people are increasingly comfortable with robots the more human-like they appear, but only up to a point. At that turning point, when the robot becomes too human-like, it arouses feelings of repulsion. When movement is added to this equation, viewers’ sense of the uncanny is heightened when the movement is deemed to be unreal. Motion capture is the technique of mimicking and capturing realistic movement by utilising technology that enables the process of translating a live actor’s performance into a digital performance. By capturing and transferring the data collected from sensors placed on a body suit or tracked from a high definition video, computer artists are able to drive the movement of a corresponding CG character in a 3-Dimensional (3D) programme. The attention of this study is narrowed to the progress of the techniques developed during a prolific decade for facial motion capture in particular. Regardless of the conflicting discourse surrounding the use of motion capture technology, these phenomenal improvements have allowed filmmakers to overcome that aspect of the uncanny valley associated with detecting realistic movement and facial expression. The progress of facial motion capture is investigated through the lens of selected films released during the period of 2001 to 2012. The two case studies, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) and Avatar (2009) were chosen for their individual achievement and innovative techniques that introduced new methods of facial capture. Digital images are said to undermine the reality status of cinematic images by challenging the foundation of long held theories of cinematic realist theory. These theories rooted in the indexical basis of photography, have proved to be the origin of contemporary viewers' notion of cinematic realism. However, the relationship between advanced digital effects and modern cinematic realism has created a perceptual complexity that warrants closer scrutiny. In addressing the paradoxical effect that photo-real cinematic realism is having on the basic comprehension of realism in film, the history of the seminal claims made by recognized realist film theorists is briefly examined.
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