Law, S. (1997). Putting Themselves in the Pictures: Images of women in
the work of Joanna Quinn, Candy Guard and Alison de Vere. In: J.
Pilling, ed., A Reader in Animation Studies, 1st ed. Sydney: John Libbey, pp.48 - 70.
In the realm of Media Studies, which encompases animation, the issue of the representation of women has become a central concern. How do you visually explore the nature of femininit and the experience of being female?
Typically, according to Joanna Quinn (director), both male and female animators portray female characters in different ways. Is the gaze a predominantly male or female one, with male or female subjects? Are the objects male or female? Quinn's films refect the gender politics of male-female relationships, through the medium of humour. She tries to empower as opposed to degrade female characters through it's use. They also foreground the theme of female solidarity and the justification of pleasure for female viewers.
It is important to steer away from the stereotyped images of women in the animated world; sexy Jessica Rabbit and virginal Snow White; and instead take have a fresh and nuanced aproach to portrayals. You can avoid idealising a character's physical form and instead focus on their characteristics and personality, making them more three-dimensional.
In the traditional sense of gender, 'appropriate' depications would have a physically smaller female than male, taking up less space (both physically and as a metaphor for societally).
In my story, the main narrator will be the Woodcutter, whom the view follows. He will not have overall authority though despite the focus on him: the Crane subverts his primacy through the autonomy of her actions in conflict with his desires. She has the untimale control of the relationship, and is the one to eventualy leave him. The metamorphoses between bird and human reflects her ability and potential to make her own choices. The themes of representation will be primarily be explored through visual imagery, as opposed to through dialogue.The experience of being female is located within the context of a particular female character's story; in this instance, the Crane.
It becomes problematic where in the telling of the story, the human version of the Crane is supposed to be uniquely beautiful, and an idealised physical form. Does that make the interactions between herself and the Woodcutter less significant? What is his motivation for maintaining a relationship with her, other than her physical beauty? Will her traditional 'beauty' undermine the importance of her character at all? I want to create a contemporary film and avoid a post-modernist take on female representation. If I could, I would create her with a simple, plain, non-beautiful image, but I feel that it is an imporant aspect to the original story. The beauty and elecgance of the Crane as a bird has to be reflected in her human shape also, with graceful legs, sleek plumage/hair and willowy figure.We also mainly view her through the gaze of the Woodcutter, who finds her beautiful in a romantically-inclined way.
The Crane's desire is to provide for the Woodcutter, and be a good partner to him. She has a deep affection for him, so is content to change her physical shape, change her environment and nature, in order to care for him; both in love and gratitude. She does not however, find satusfaction in her situation. By conforming to a stereotyped nuclear marriage role, she ends up harming herself. She literally becomes weaker and pulls out her feathers to maintain her position. Eventaully, this unrealistic standard becomes too hard for her to maintain, and with the first excuse/reason she has, she flees the Woodcutter and their marriage. She regains the freedom in her independence and autonomy; becoming her true bird form again, and literally flying away from her domestic life and responsibilities.Her liberatio is of her own doing.
There is no true resoluion in this tale of the faltering relationships between lovers, which hopefully will make it true to real life experiences, instead of the tired, 'fairytale' happy ending.
