Midterm Inquiry Research Statement

My Inquiry Statement (The Inquiry has been edited since the presentation, however the analysis on the movies has not changed): As a child, I went through some things that were very hard on my psyche. I am naturally sensitive, and I always have been. I also struggled to connect with others socially as a kid. Because of these struggles, I ended up developing masks, and compartmentalizing a lot of the traumatic events that occurred during that time. I found escapes in art, but as a kid, it was specifically TV and film. For my Inquiry, I am delving into my personal history, my coping mechanisms, and portraying it through animation and digital art.

My Neighbor Totoro

• Scene Analysis—Opening scene/Moving In

• Easing into a new environment willingly, although it is completely unfamiliar. Mei and Satsuki lead the viewer through the new home-lot, carrying a sense of wonder and amazement as they run around excitedly. Whether it is something actually exciting is subjective, as the house is very worn down, almost falling apart in fact. Both Mei and Satsuki find it exciting instead of disheartening, and even dance around the parts of the house that are falling apart.

• They make a lot of jokes around the house being haunted, but both girls are eagerly communicating with possible spirits in the house. When telling their dad that they believe there is a ghost in the house, he says it is likely the work of dust bunnies.

• Soot Sprites, or Dust Bunnies, are a stellar example of seeing the world with childlike wonder. The girls eventually are tasked with opening all of the windows, and finding the attic, where their dad says soot sprites may be hiding. They climb their way up, and bravely scream into the darkness of the attic to scare away the beings in the house. After nothing happens, Satsuki runs to the window anxiously and throws the window open, brightening up the once dark room.

• Mei catches a dust bunny, and runs with her hands clamped together to show her older sister what she had found. Instead, however she runs into Granny, and finds that her hands are just covered in dark dust. Granny happily regails the girls of the story of soot sprites, that they breed in old, abandoned houses. But when people move in, and they bring their smiles/positive energy, the sprites would decide that it is time to move on.

Bridge to Terabithia

• Analysis—Leslie’s character as a non-tangible being and learning lesson.

• Leslie is never fully in Jess’s reach. They have a flourishing friendship, however in the beginning Jess was resistant to her (based off of past experiences with bullies and not really having a real friend before). 

• She acts as an enigmatic “new girl” to town. Her parents are both authors, stable family life. She also didn’t own a TV, which is considered strange in the area that they are living. She let every mean comment or taunt brush off of her shoulders, continuing to exist freely and enjoy her individuality. 

• Leslie literally and metaphorically guides Jess to the creation and maintaining of Terabithia, Jess’s make believe land. In many shots, she is seen walking or running ahead of him, but encouraging him to come with her. She also has many ideas to try out with Jess, to bring out his creative side. 

• EXPLAIN HOW THIS TRANSLATED INTO OUR LIVES AND CREATIVITY AS A KID

• Jess—escaping into his brain, using creativity to make a different world.

Who Framed Roger Rabbit?

• The Integration of Real world and 2D cartoons. Realistic storylines/real world issues vs a realm where anything and everything is possible.

• The scene in which Eddy goes to the club–This is where he reintroduces himself more intimately with the toon world. The interactions between cartoon characters and humans as well as human made objects is mesmerizing and hypnotizing. 

• Cartoon Daffy Duck and Donald Duck are in a classic piano battle, except the pianos are real, 3D objects.

• Jessica Rabbit comes out and puts on a show, singing and walking around the stage, flirting with the audience.

• A lot of these interactions push the boundaries of reality, and what we perceive about the world around us.

The following was written after the Midterm Presentation: I need to shift what I have written up to this point, because it still isn't sufficient for an autobiographical inquiry! It is currently looking like just an analysis.

Sources:

• Csupó, Gábor, director. Bridge to Terabithia. Walt Disney Studios, 2007

• Miyazaki, Hayao, director. My Neighbor Totoro. Studio Ghibli, 1988

• Watts, Robert, et al. Who Framed Roger Rabbit? Buena Vista Pictures, 1988