Displacement of self-continuity: An heuristic inquiry into identity transition in a 3D motion-capture-based animated narrative short film

Abstract

This practice-led artistic research considers how a fictional allegory might be employed to examine issues of acculturation, displacement and identity transition. Using the story of a refugee family, the study explores through artistic practice the implications of identity reconstruction inside the body of a new culture. The animated short film Stella is designed to serve as a provocative vehicle for considering the social implications of identity loss and transition. Methodologically, the project is shaped by an heuristic inquiry. Inside this journey, the researcher generates a narrative that draws upon experience and theory. The artist creates an experimental animation in which the self of the artist is investigated through iterations of creative explorations. These experimental explorations not only span the conceptual and storytelling side of the creative process but also touch upon technological achievements. In this process a relationship results that elevates both the self (the writer/director/animator) and the body of knowledge, through the process of making and reflection. Beyond its contribution to understanding processes and implications of acculturation, displacement and identity transition, the project’s technological significance lies in its propensity to extend the application and demonstrate the potential of performance capture (using motion capture technology), 3D laser scanning and photogrammetry.