1.Research Objective and Question
《Beyond Words: Visual Metaphor and Empathy in Animal-Centred Animation》
How can visual metaphors in short animation communicate animal vulnerability and encourage audience empathy? To explore how character design, symbolic objects and visual transformations can communicate animal vulnerability and emotional experiences without relying on dialogue or explicit representations of cruelty.
2.Project Rationale
I am interested in exploring how animation can express complex emotions and experiences through visual storytelling. My proposed 3D animated short film follows a kitten that enters an imaginary afterlife and meets its favourite old toy, which is revealed to be a god-like being. Through the toy, the audience gradually discovers the kitten’s painful past.
Rather than directly representing animal cruelty, I want to explore how symbolic imagery can communicate suffering, vulnerability and emotional recovery. For example, the damaged toy could represent the kitten’s experiences, while changes in colour and light could symbolise transformation and healing.
This research will investigate how visual metaphors, character design and non-verbal performance can encourage empathy towards animal characters. I also want to consider whether highly symbolic storytelling can communicate serious themes clearly without relying on disturbing imagery.
Through academic research, film analysis and storyboard experiments, I hope to develop a visual language that is emotionally powerful while remaining sensitive to the subject matter.
3.Keywords and keyword phrases used for research
-Visual metaphor
-Visual symbolism
-Animal representation
-Narrative empathy
-Non-verbal storytelling
-Emotional storytelling in animation
4.Situate your proposal in relation to key texts, issues and debates.
Hannibal (2017) explores how visual metaphors in animation can communicate abstract and subjective experiences. This is relevant to my project because I want to represent the kitten’s past through a damaged toy and symbolic transformations rather than direct representations of cruelty.
Wells (2009) examines how animals are represented in animation and how anthropomorphic characters can communicate wider social and cultural ideas. His research offers a useful perspective on using animal characters to explore human responsibility and ethical questions.
Keen (2007) develops the concept of narrative empathy, while questioning whether emotional responses to fiction necessarily lead to altruistic behaviour. Although her research focuses on literature, it provides a theoretical starting point for examining the relationship between storytelling and audience empathy.
These sources raise an important question: can symbolic storytelling help audiences understand animal suffering, or can highly stylised representations create emotional distance?
My research will examine how visual metaphors, character performance and symbolic transformations can balance emotional impact with narrative clarity.
5.Identify any materials or data that will be examined
I plan to examine the following animated films and visual materials to explore how animation uses symbolism and character performance to communicate emotions.
1. Kitbull (2019), directed by Rosana Sullivan
I will analyse how the film uses animal body language, character movement and facial expressions to create an emotional connection with the audience without relying on dialogue.
2. Ryan (2004), directed by Chris Landreth
I will examine how the film uses unusual character design and visual metaphors to represent emotional and psychological experiences.
3. Visual symbolism in animation
I will examine examples of symbolic objects, lighting and colour transformations in animation to understand how abstract imagery can communicate emotional experiences.
4. My own character designs and storyboard experiments
I will develop visual experiments based on my story, including the damaged toy, symbolic memory sequences and the transformation of dark energy into golden light. These experiments will help me explore how to represent the kitten’s experiences through visual metaphors rather than explicit imagery.
6.Bibliography
Hannibal, C. (2017) ‘Subjective perspective as creative metaphor in the animated film’, Mediaesthetics – Journal of Poetics of Audiovisual Images, (2). Available at: https://doi.org/10.17169/mae.2017.63.
Keen, S. (2007) Empathy and the Novel. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195175769.001.0001.
Wells, P. (2009) The Animated Bestiary: Animals, Cartoons, and Culture. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.
Landreth, C. (2004) Ryan [Film]. Canada: National Film Board of Canada.
Sullivan, R. (2019) Kitbull [Film]. USA: Pixar Animation Studios.