| Abstract |
We know moving image technologies evolve and proliferate. In technologically advanced societies moving images convey ideas and tell stories. But are we aware of the extent to which technological interfaces participate in shaping the language of moving images?\n\nThis interdisciplinary project draws cinema studies, science and technology studies and software studies. Increasingly pervasive, animation is embedded in cinema, digital games, commercial and educational web sites. Animation's widespread and diverse impact makes it ideal to study the following questions: \n\nQ. 1: What does it mean to claim that technology participates or has agency in making images?\n\nQ. 2: Can a technological interface generate an audio-visual language? \n\nQ. 3: Does the language of an interface inform us about how our view of the world is evolving? \n\nThe project will be undertaken in four stages. Stages One and Three develop the theoretical ideas underlying the project: situated action and language of the interface. Stages Two and Four involve working with animations, games and websites to expand and reflect on these theoretical insights. \n\nStages One and Three: Defining Situated Action and the Language of the Interface\n\nScience and technology studies offer a framework to define the key terms of this project. Bruno Latour argues that technologies have the potential to transform or mediate the ideas of image-makers. In a limited way technology can be understood to participate in the making of images. Lucy Suchman's work on situated action examines the hybrid agency that emerges in interactions between humans and technological interfaces. I use these two approaches to develop and introduce the 'language of the interface' as an analytic tool to explore how technological interfaces influence our understandings of the world.\n\nStage Two and Four: Analysis of moving images and contextual materials\n\nThe theoretical frameworks will be used to explore moving image interfaces. These are divided into four categories: manipulation, play, proliferation, exploration. Each represents different situations. Manipulation focuses on creative work relying manipulations of imagery, play addresses digital games, proliferation web sites and exploration science-based animations.\n \nMy research method combines analysis of both moving images and contextual materials - published interviews and software manuals. Published interviews often unintentionally reveal information about complex interactions between practitioners and technology. Software manuals give insights into how interfaces are presented to practitioners. \n\nMoving images studied include Wall-E, experimental works by UK-based animators SemiConductor. Games include Assassin's Creed and F.E.A.R. (Playstation 3), Echochrome (PSP), Flow (Playstation 3 on-line) and touchPhysics (iPod touch devices). Educational web sites to be accessed include science visualization web pages at Cold Spring Harbor and NASA.\n\nMy research will also be carried out through observation and interviews with image-makers. I am interested in learning how practitioners negotiate their way around the limits and possibilities of software packages. The material will be used as case studies to reflect on my theoretical ideas. \n\nThe participants have been selected on the basis that they cross the boundaries of entertainment and experimental animation, educational games and web sites, and as well as science visualizations. Potential contacts include Interactive Game Studio (Sweden), Institute of Play (US), and Wonky (UK). \n\nDissemination:\n\nThe research will be written up as 4 journal articles and presented at 3 conferences, including the Society of the Social Studies of Science, the Society for Animation Studies and Society for Cinema and Media Studies in 2011. A network for continuing dialogue with the animators will be established. |
