{"id":{"repo_id":"calgary","oai_identifier":"oai:ucalgary.scholaris.ca:1880/124237"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/calgary/oai:ucalgary.scholaris.ca:1880/124237","repository":{"repo_id":"calgary","name":"University of Calgary","base_url":"https://ucalgary.scholaris.ca/server/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Unsettling the City: Canadian Animators and Their Interpretations of the Urbanscape","abstract":"The purpose of this research was to uncover independent Canadian animators’ interpretations of urbanscapes, as displayed in their films and in their own words. Through a series of interviews that were conducted with 10 independent filmmakers, this thesis provides insight into contemporary Canadian animators' artistic identity, material animation processes, and representations of urban environments. The body of this thesis is organized into three chapters: the Art, the Artist, and the City. In Chapter 1, “The Art,” the artists’ experiences and understandings of materials, skills, and processes are explored. Broader perceptions of the animation medium are also discussed, for example, the role of play in the creative process, how animation is distinguished from other forms of film, and animation’s relationship to dreaming. In the second chapter, “The Artist,” the animator’s role is explored. In their own words, the artists situate themselves and their artworks in broader society, sharing how they perceive their purpose in communities, their motivations and inspirations, and the relationship that is formed between themselves as artists and their audiences. This chapter also locates the animator inside a long tradition of avant-garde artists and documents the artists’ reactions to Roland Barthes’ theory of “death of the author.” Finally, in Chapter 3, “The City,” the artists share their opinions on urban life, the ways they conceptualize urban environments, how they are shaped by the cities they live in and, most importantly, how they in turn shape and interpret those cities in their creative works. This thesis argues that contemporary independent animators both intentionally and unintentionally interpret the city through their creative practices, inadvertently creating spaces where the status quo in our modern urban lives can be questioned and reframed.","abstract_html":"The purpose of this research was to uncover independent Canadian animators’ interpretations of urbanscapes, as displayed in their films and in their own words. Through a series of interviews that were conducted with 10 independent filmmakers, this thesis provides insight into contemporary Canadian animators' artistic identity, material animation processes, and representations of urban environments. The body of this thesis is organized into three chapters: the Art, the Artist, and the City. In Chapter 1, “The Art,” the artists’ experiences and understandings of materials, skills, and processes are explored. Broader perceptions of the animation medium are also discussed, for example, the role of play in the creative process, how animation is distinguished from other forms of film, and animation’s relationship to dreaming. In the second chapter, “The Artist,” the animator’s role is explored. In their own words, the artists situate themselves and their artworks in broader society, sharing how they perceive their purpose in communities, their motivations and inspirations, and the relationship that is formed between themselves as artists and their audiences. This chapter also locates the animator inside a long tradition of avant-garde artists and documents the artists’ reactions to Roland Barthes’ theory of “death of the author.” Finally, in Chapter 3, “The City,” the artists share their opinions on urban life, the ways they conceptualize urban environments, how they are shaped by the cities they live in and, most importantly, how they in turn shape and interpret those cities in their creative works. This thesis argues that contemporary independent animators both intentionally and unintentionally interpret the city through their creative practices, inadvertently creating spaces where the status quo in our modern urban lives can be questioned and reframed.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Kilburn-Smith, Emelyne"],"institution":"Arts","degree_name":"Master of Arts (MA)","degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":"Communication and Media Studies","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Stortz, Paul"],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":["Glasberg, Ronald Peter","Johnston, Dawn"],"year":2026,"date_issued":"2026-01-30","date_published":"2026-01-30","updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:30:13Z","subjects":["urban","animation","film","Calgary","Canada","art"],"languages":["en"],"rights":["Unless otherwise indicated, this material is protected by copyright and has been made available with authorization from the copyright owner. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.doi","label":"DOI","values":["https://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/51140"],"render_values":[{"text":"https://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/51140","href":"https://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/51140","code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://hdl.handle.net/1880/124237","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Stortz, Paul"]},{"key":"dc:contributor.committeemember","label":"Committee Member","values":["Glasberg, Ronald Peter","Johnston, Dawn"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Kilburn-Smith, Emelyne"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date","label":"Dc Date","values":["2026-06"]},{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2026-02-27T22:35:04Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2026-01-30"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["master thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Communication and Media Studies"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Arts (MA)"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["University of Calgary"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["urban","animation","film","Calgary","Canada","art"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["en"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Unless otherwise indicated, this material is protected by copyright and has been made available with authorization from the copyright owner. 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Through a series of interviews that were conducted with 10 independent filmmakers, this thesis provides insight into contemporary Canadian animators' artistic identity, material animation processes, and representations of urban environments. The body of this thesis is organized into three chapters: the Art, the Artist, and the City. In Chapter 1, “The Art,” the artists’ experiences and understandings of materials, skills, and processes are explored. Broader perceptions of the animation medium are also discussed, for example, the role of play in the creative process, how animation is distinguished from other forms of film, and animation’s relationship to dreaming. In the second chapter, “The Artist,” the animator’s role is explored. In their own words, the artists situate themselves and their artworks in broader society, sharing how they perceive their purpose in communities, their motivations and inspirations, and the relationship that is formed between themselves as artists and their audiences. This chapter also locates the animator inside a long tradition of avant-garde artists and documents the artists’ reactions to Roland Barthes’ theory of “death of the author.” Finally, in Chapter 3, “The City,” the artists share their opinions on urban life, the ways they conceptualize urban environments, how they are shaped by the cities they live in and, most importantly, how they in turn shape and interpret those cities in their creative works. This thesis argues that contemporary independent animators both intentionally and unintentionally interpret the city through their creative practices, inadvertently creating spaces where the status quo in our modern urban lives can be questioned and reframed."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Unsettling the City: Canadian Animators and Their Interpretations of the Urbanscape"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Stortz, Paul"],"dc:contributor.committeemember":["Glasberg, Ronald Peter","Johnston, Dawn"],"dc:creator":["Kilburn-Smith, Emelyne"],"dc:date":["2026-06"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2026-02-27T22:35:04Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2026-01-30"],"dc:description.abstract":["The purpose of this research was to uncover independent Canadian animators’ interpretations of urbanscapes, as displayed in their films and in their own words. Through a series of interviews that were conducted with 10 independent filmmakers, this thesis provides insight into contemporary Canadian animators' artistic identity, material animation processes, and representations of urban environments. The body of this thesis is organized into three chapters: the Art, the Artist, and the City. In Chapter 1, “The Art,” the artists’ experiences and understandings of materials, skills, and processes are explored. Broader perceptions of the animation medium are also discussed, for example, the role of play in the creative process, how animation is distinguished from other forms of film, and animation’s relationship to dreaming. In the second chapter, “The Artist,” the animator’s role is explored. In their own words, the artists situate themselves and their artworks in broader society, sharing how they perceive their purpose in communities, their motivations and inspirations, and the relationship that is formed between themselves as artists and their audiences. This chapter also locates the animator inside a long tradition of avant-garde artists and documents the artists’ reactions to Roland Barthes’ theory of “death of the author.” Finally, in Chapter 3, “The City,” the artists share their opinions on urban life, the ways they conceptualize urban environments, how they are shaped by the cities they live in and, most importantly, how they in turn shape and interpret those cities in their creative works. 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For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission."],"dc:subject":["urban","animation","film","Calgary","Canada","art"],"dc:title":["Unsettling the City: Canadian Animators and Their Interpretations of the Urbanscape"],"dc:type":["master thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Communication and Media Studies"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Arts (MA)"],"thesis:institution_name":["University of Calgary"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:30:13Z"}