Nelvana Animation: Shifting Labour Conditions, Digital Tools and Their Influence on the Design of 2D Children’s Animated Series

This research-creation project is supported by a theoretical paper overviewing the history of Nelvana Limited, the studio's economic growth and how the introduction of digital tools has impacted the aesthetic narrative of children’s animation. Applying the observations of cultural theorist Byung-Chul Han, the aesthetics of commercial 2D animation embrace smoothness as the positions of animators are reformed by neoliberal policy. The short film Bob and Anice Go To Corpo Hell compliments this research as an exercise in animation labour and an expression of the alienation of being a self-entrepreneur. Together, the works argue the value of human creativity within commercial animation production by linking the creative content of children's animated series to animators' working conditions and well-being in our digital age. Disrupting smooth aesthetics in animated works is one front on which animators can advocate for their labour: it requires changes to individuals’ workflow and level of creative input.

Department dc:contributor.department

Film and Media (Screen Cultures and Curatorial Studies)

Author dc:creator

• Kelly, Lauren B.

Advisors dc:contributor.supervisor

• Pelstring, Emily
• MacKenzie , Scott

• Animation Studies
• Nelvana Animation
• Byung-Chul Han
• Labour Relations
• Media Industries

Statement dc:rights

• Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/1974/32039

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:queensu.scholaris.ca:1974/32039