With the research up to point, I tried to round up my line of thinking for the essay:
‘I am thinking of exploring how cultural representation in animation effects children’s psyche, continuing into
adulthood and consequently the effect it can have on how society interacts as a whole. I’m hoping to discuss how
animation must understand it’s influence on bigger socio-cultural topics, maybe including other examples of
animation in propaganda eg. Disney in WWII or the recent Greenpeace animation *, or other effects on our psyche
eg. Colour perception and biophillia to support how effective animation can be in portraying a message through
visuals. Might also go into racial diversity behind the scenes in the industry and how this affects the stories that get
told etc.
‘I am thinking of exploring how cultural representation in animation effects children’s psyche, continuing into
adulthood and consequently the effect it can have on how society interacts as a whole. I’m hoping to discuss how
animation must understand it’s influence on bigger socio-cultural topics, maybe including other examples of
animation in propaganda eg. Disney in WWII or the recent Greenpeace animation *, or other effects on our psyche
eg. Colour perception and biophillia to support how effective animation can be in portraying a message through
visuals. Might also go into racial diversity behind the scenes in the industry and how this affects the stories that get
told etc.
My plan to make it relevant to my practice (Vis Dev, I think) would be to retell/world build/create a body of portfolio
design work focussing on a culturally rich story, telling it correctly with positive representations or retelling one
which often gets told incorrectly.'
design work focussing on a culturally rich story, telling it correctly with positive representations or retelling one
which often gets told incorrectly.'
- Mike said that it was either one huge subject that was too big for the size of this essay,
or that there were three smaller routes that I could go down. So my essay will now focus on:
or that there were three smaller routes that I could go down. So my essay will now focus on:
Cultural representation in animation, the effects on children’s psyche continuing into childhood and consequently the
effect on how society interacts as a whole.
effect on how society interacts as a whole.
-I continued research into cultural representation in animation and came across the discussion surrounding Moana.
After reading a few articles on the topic and comparing the differing views, it has brought a new issue of tourism to
light for me, as well as providing the stark contrast in viewpoint from creator to audience.
light for me, as well as providing the stark contrast in viewpoint from creator to audience.
This was the first article that Iread discussing Moana
https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2016/11/moana-oceanic-trust-disney-controversy-pacific-islanders-polynesia,
and previously I had watched behind the scenes video that praised the studios efforts, with the main cast having roots
in the Pacific Islands and my impression film as a whole was positive. This Vanity Fair article will also have you believing
that the film is a great feat, “for a studio that has been dogged by accusations of cultural insensitivity” by expressing the
lengths that John Musker and Ron Clements apparently went to to ensure this was a culturally sensitive telling of the
demi god, Maui. Those unfamiliar with Pacific Island culture, like myself, may not be aware of the issues in the film.
The film even had the Oceanic Trust involved in its making, giving advice on the appropriate portrayal of Maui and his
stature, traditional dress, customs and behaviours, Clements says “But five years and countless trips to the islands later,
Disney has found is way”. So how did Disney, with all this help and hope to improve, still mess up?
https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2016/11/moana-oceanic-trust-disney-controversy-pacific-islanders-polynesia,
and previously I had watched behind the scenes video that praised the studios efforts, with the main cast having roots
in the Pacific Islands and my impression film as a whole was positive. This Vanity Fair article will also have you believing
that the film is a great feat, “for a studio that has been dogged by accusations of cultural insensitivity” by expressing the
lengths that John Musker and Ron Clements apparently went to to ensure this was a culturally sensitive telling of the
demi god, Maui. Those unfamiliar with Pacific Island culture, like myself, may not be aware of the issues in the film.
The film even had the Oceanic Trust involved in its making, giving advice on the appropriate portrayal of Maui and his
stature, traditional dress, customs and behaviours, Clements says “But five years and countless trips to the islands later,
Disney has found is way”. So how did Disney, with all this help and hope to improve, still mess up?
The film took early controversy by the release of a children’s costume of Maui, a grass skirt and necklace (not so bad)
with brown tattooed skin (it does not take a Pacific Island researcher to understand the problem in this). How could
this
blunder get through processing, is it a matter of needing more people of colour in these top positions to be able to
spot these issues that maybe a White Gaze may not? With obvious accusations of brown facing, the costume was
retracted. However it goes even deeper, according to https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-37430268
“Tattoos are deeply meaningful to Pacific people. Like a fingerprint” and so it is remarkably insulting “to wear
the markings of people or place that you are not spiritually or physically connected to”.
with brown tattooed skin (it does not take a Pacific Island researcher to understand the problem in this). How could
this
blunder get through processing, is it a matter of needing more people of colour in these top positions to be able to
spot these issues that maybe a White Gaze may not? With obvious accusations of brown facing, the costume was
retracted. However it goes even deeper, according to https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-37430268
“Tattoos are deeply meaningful to Pacific people. Like a fingerprint” and so it is remarkably insulting “to wear
the markings of people or place that you are not spiritually or physically connected to”.
https://nypost.com/2016/11/30/why-moana-is-drawing-criticism-in-the-south-pacific/ also drew criticism...
The designers originally designed Maui having a big build and bald but after being told his power is kept in his hair,
and that his stature wasn’t offensive in that Polynesia has some of the highest obesity rates, it was changed. But
people still aren’t happy with how their respected demi god, a hero in the tales is portrayed, as enormous and
egotistical. There are plenty of muscular male protagonists in Disney which could’ve given the same respect to
Maui, and this only perpetuated the stereotype of Pacific Island men as being huge, “perhaps because the main
exposure to them seemed to be through activities like NFL football”. This could have been a really good opportunity
to deconstruct a stereotype and show more dynamics to the people. Although Pacific people have been told different
stories “He was a trickster but not a buffoon”.
The designers originally designed Maui having a big build and bald but after being told his power is kept in his hair,
and that his stature wasn’t offensive in that Polynesia has some of the highest obesity rates, it was changed. But
people still aren’t happy with how their respected demi god, a hero in the tales is portrayed, as enormous and
egotistical. There are plenty of muscular male protagonists in Disney which could’ve given the same respect to
Maui, and this only perpetuated the stereotype of Pacific Island men as being huge, “perhaps because the main
exposure to them seemed to be through activities like NFL football”. This could have been a really good opportunity
to deconstruct a stereotype and show more dynamics to the people. Although Pacific people have been told different
stories “He was a trickster but not a buffoon”.
The next couple of sources made me question whether you could ever respectful tell a another cultures story without
it being turned into the capatilist money making machine. In ‘Disney’s Moana, the Colonial Screenplay, and the
Indigenous Labor Extraction in Hollywood Fantasy Films, Ida Yoshinaga” it’s stated that by expropriation (the
action by an authority of taking property from its owner for public use or benefit) it takes a Native story “which
hybridizes them into Western or “modern” colonial genre forms, homogenizes them further for optimal moetization”.
Is this simply a by product of the exposure of a story that can’t be helped, is it better not to tell the story at all? Can
you avoid this if no holes can be picked in the cultural representation, and the profits go to the relevant community
in question, does that sincerity avoid scrutiny of being in the capitalist game.
it being turned into the capatilist money making machine. In ‘Disney’s Moana, the Colonial Screenplay, and the
Indigenous Labor Extraction in Hollywood Fantasy Films, Ida Yoshinaga” it’s stated that by expropriation (the
action by an authority of taking property from its owner for public use or benefit) it takes a Native story “which
hybridizes them into Western or “modern” colonial genre forms, homogenizes them further for optimal moetization”.
Is this simply a by product of the exposure of a story that can’t be helped, is it better not to tell the story at all? Can
you avoid this if no holes can be picked in the cultural representation, and the profits go to the relevant community
in question, does that sincerity avoid scrutiny of being in the capitalist game.
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/jan/13/moana-might-be-great-for-representation-but-its-not-all-heartwarming-for-hawaii
This article continues in the same vein, but focussing on how Moana is an advert for Hawaii’s tourism. This
completely opposes the morals of Moana “a young girl who cares fiercely for her people and her island- both of which
face the threat of ecological destruction”, a real life threat from the “carbon intensive global tourism empire but also
fuels a mass market of plastic merchandise2, the very thing that is ruining our ecosystems. Previous articles in my
research have said that ‘diversity points’ get you money, so is this cultural representation or a clever marketing
scheme, catapulted globally? I recognise every business aims to make money, but could the criticisms be undercut if
part of Moana’s profits had gone towards strengthening Hawaii and it’s natural landscapes?
EDIT* Sources that didn't make it into the final essay where I wanted to discuss Capitalism and Moana because I was over
word count already.
This article continues in the same vein, but focussing on how Moana is an advert for Hawaii’s tourism. This
completely opposes the morals of Moana “a young girl who cares fiercely for her people and her island- both of which
face the threat of ecological destruction”, a real life threat from the “carbon intensive global tourism empire but also
fuels a mass market of plastic merchandise2, the very thing that is ruining our ecosystems. Previous articles in my
research have said that ‘diversity points’ get you money, so is this cultural representation or a clever marketing
scheme, catapulted globally? I recognise every business aims to make money, but could the criticisms be undercut if
part of Moana’s profits had gone towards strengthening Hawaii and it’s natural landscapes?
EDIT* Sources that didn't make it into the final essay where I wanted to discuss Capitalism and Moana because I was over
word count already.
- Robinson, Joanna (2016) ‘How Pacific Islanders helped Disney’s Moana find its way’, Vanity Fair, Available at: https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2016/11/moana-oceanic-trust-disney-controversy-pacific-islanders-polynesia, (Accessed: 28/8/19)
- TegeiloloTalanoa Tora Rika, Arieta (2016), ‘How did Disney get Moana so right and Maui so wrong?’, BBC News, Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-37430268 (Accessed on: 18/9/19)
- Grandinetti, Tina (2017) ‘Moana might be great for representation but it’s not all heart-warming for Hawaii’, The Guardian, Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/jan/13/moana-might-be-great-for-representation-but-its-not-all-heartwarming-for-hawaii (Accessed: 18/9/19)
- (no name), Associated Press (2016) ‘Why Moana is drawing criticism in the South Pacific’, New York Post, Available at: https://nypost.com/2016/11/30/why-moana-is-drawing-criticism-in-the-south-pacific/ (Accessed: 18/9/19)
- Yoshinaga, Ida (20190 ‘Disney’s Moana, the Colonial Screenplay, and Indigenous Labor Extraction in Hollywood Fantasy Films’, Narrative Culture, Vol 6, No. 2, (Fall), Available at: https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.13110/narrcult.6.2.0188 , (Accessed: 18/9/19)
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