Author: Haomin Lyu

week 1

The first week I learned WHAT IS MISE-EN-SCÈNE?

Each aspect of mise-en-scene has hidden meanings
within a film and sends signals to the audience about
how we are supposed to feel at a certain point;

  • Settings & PropsCostume,
  • Hair & Make Up
  • Facial Expressions & Body Language
  • Colour/Lighting
  • Positioning of characters/objects within the frame

I also learned WHAT IS PREVIS & POSTVIS?

Previsualization is the visualizing of complex scenes before filming. Directors and
cinematographers rely on the previs to plan their shots and angles. Postvis, or post-visualizations, happens during postproduction when viewing rough cuts, without the expense, and time, of completing final visual effects shots.

Critical Report – Conclusion

In this report, I conducted a thorough analysis of Disney Princess films, encompassing both classic and contemporary productions. Additionally, relevant literature research was incorporated to provide a comprehensive understanding of the influence of Disney Princess films on women’s identity perception. The focal point of the report explores the connection between Disney princess characterizations and traditional female identity stereotypes. Through an in-depth examination of character traits, I investigate whether these portrayals reinforce or challenge societal norms. The fourth section explores the profound and lasting impact of Disney Princess films on shaping gender concepts in children and young women. The report assesses how these films shape viewers’ understanding of female identity and its potential enduring effects on perceptions and behaviors in later life.

Critical Report – Part 4

Princesses often prioritize romantic relationships, implying that finding love is a significant goal for both princesses and young girls/women. This narrative has a profound impact on children’s and young women’s gender perceptions. Firstly, it may lead to the belief that women’s happiness and success hinge on their performance in emotional relationships, potentially negatively affecting self-perception. This connection could make them more likely to tie their worth to their relationship status. Secondly, it may influence women’s views on their roles in the workplace and society, potentially encouraging prioritization of family and emotional relationships over career success. Despite incorporating some modern elements, Disney princess films still largely perpetuate traditional female identity concepts, potentially influencing the younger generation of women. Current research emphasizes the importance of creating more diverse, powerful, and independent female figures in media to contribute to the evolution of gender perceptions.

Critical Report – Part 3

“Deconstructing Disney Princess Films: Princess Character Personality and Traditional Female Identity” is an exploration of Disney princess films, focusing on the personality traits of princess characters and their connection to traditional female identity. The report analyzes a range of Disney princess films, such as Sleeping Beauty, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Pocahontas, Mulan, The Princess and the Frog, Tangled, Frozen, and Moana. The primary objective is to examine the portrayal of princesses and assess their impact on perceptions of traditional femininity.

The report delves into characterizations in Part III, scrutinizing whether Disney Princesses perpetuate or challenge societal norms of femininity through their personalities. The focus is on understanding the nuanced relationship between character traits and traditional gender identity stereotypes. In Part IV, the study extends to the profound influence these films have on shaping gender concepts in children and young women. It explores potential lasting impacts on viewers’ perceptions and behaviors as they grow older, contributing to a comprehensive understanding of the social and cultural implications of Disney Princess films on female identity.

Critical Report – Research Method 

This report focuses on Disney princess films as case studies, including Sleeping Beauty (1959), The Little Mermaid (1989), Beauty and the Beast (1991), Aladdin (1992), Pocahontas (1995), Mulan (1998), The Princess and the Frog (2009), Tangled (2010), Frozen (2013), and Moana (2016), supplemented by relevant literature studies. Emphasizing the link between Disney Princess characterizations and female identity stereotypes, our goal is to deeply examine their impact on perceptions of female identity. Part III explores princess characterizations, analyzing whether they reinforce or challenge traditional notions of femininity. In Part IV, we investigate the profound influence of Disney Princess films on shaping gender concepts in children and young women, examining potential lasting impacts on perceptions and behaviors. Our research aims to comprehensively understand the role of Disney Princess films in shaping female identity perceptions and provide insights into their social and cultural implications.

Critical Report – Introduction

The Walt Disney Company, valued at $142.92 billion (Forbes 2014), is renowned for its fairy tale storytelling, particularly princess narratives symbolized by its iconic castle. However, the portrayal of female characters in Disney princess films has sparked controversy amid the rise of feminism and scrutiny of gender stereotypes. Debates surround the perpetuation of stereotypical ideologies, with contrasting views on sustaining gender-based stereotypes in film (Lacroix, 2004). This report examines and compares Disney Princess portrayals over time, concluding that later princesses exhibit fewer stereotypes but still face limitations. Those challenging traditional roles are depicted as self-sufficient heroes, yet the Disney Company, aiming for mainstream appeal, reinforces success by giving princesses masculine qualities.

10. Conclusion

Overall, I’m personally satisfied with the modelling and mapping of the turtle, and I did several iterations of brushing the weights during the production process, so I’ve made progress in this part of my ability. This independent project was a big challenge for me, especially the ue5 part, the most unfortunate part was that the animation could not be put into the final video, in the future I hope to solve this problem and successfully import the animation made in maya into ue5 or try to do the animation in ue5.

8. Turtle Scene

The original look of the island I searched for materials to create again in combination, and added a lot of different urban rubbish later. I encountered a lot of difficulties in ue5, for example, the model of the turtle’s eyeballs shrunk after importing, and could not connect to the texture, and I could see the sky in the water, but then I could not see the sky, the biggest problem is that the Maya animation that I made could not be imported into ue5, I searched and tried a lot of ways, and asked my classmates, but in the end, they could not be solved. In the end I had to give up on the animation and just have the turtle standing in the scene.