Making the Subconscious Conscious - Showcasing Unresolved Childhood Trauma Through Animation

Author

Alexis HunterFollow

Date of Award

5-2023

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Fine Arts (MFA)

Department

Digital Production Arts

Committee Chair/Advisor

Dr. Eric Patterson

Committee Member

Anthony Summey, Co-Chair

Committee Member

David Donar

Committee Member

Kathleen Thum

Abstract

The focus of this work is to shed light on unresolved childhood trauma that can contribute to mental hardships - whether people are aware of its presence in their lives or not. In this paper, I will discuss childhood trauma, its impact on adult life when left unresolved, self-parenting as a method to manage it, and how it is portrayed in various media. Drawing inspiration from my research on trauma and visual storytelling, I will present a proof-of-concept for a 2D animated short film, Strongholds, which visualizes the internal mental struggles through the character dynamics of the personifications of the self and environmental storytelling.

Recommended Citation

Hunter, Alexis, "Making the Subconscious Conscious - Showcasing Unresolved Childhood Trauma Through Animation" (2023). All Theses. 4035.
https://open.clemson.edu/all_theses/4035