Plan for the Week
- Look at context
- Process and methodology
- Work out my aim, objective and purpose
- Define my audience
- Explore the history and theory underpinning my project idea
- Think about logistics and resourcing plan
Deciding on my Question
I developed several variations of the research question before selecting the version below as my current direction. It gives me a clear focus on graphic props while leaving enough room to investigate typography, materials, historical reference and audience response.
To what extent do tactile graphic props and period-accurate ephemera contribute to narrative immersion in motion pictures?
While I feel this current direction is strong, I remain open to iterating on my research question as the module develops; nevertheless, I believe it provides a solid foundation to drive the upcoming research phase of my project.
Competitive Context
As the project develops, I want to examine the work of graphic designers including Annie Atkins and Erica Dorn, alongside filmmakers such as Wes Anderson. Their work provides relevant examples of typography, printed ephemera and detailed fictional worlds. I would also like to consider productions working at different scales and budgets so that the research is not restricted to highly resourced studio films.
Creating a Project Plan
Research Question
To what extent do tactile graphic props and period-accurate ephemera contribute to narrative immersion in motion pictures?
Aim Objectives & Purpose
The main aim of this project is to understand more about the processes used to create graphic props and ephemera for film and television. I want to combine practitioner perspectives with audience responses and practice-based experimentation. The research will consider how accuracy, materiality and visual consistency may contribute to immersion, while recognising that different viewers may respond differently to the same object.
Audience
At this stage, I imagine the research being most relevant to designers interested in film and television graphics, students exploring the discipline, and viewers interested in production design. The audience for the practical outcome will become clearer once its format has been established.
History & Theory
Film and theatre have long used designed objects to establish setting, character and narrative information. I want to investigate historical production methods alongside theories of narrative engagement and perceived realism. These theories may provide a framework for discussing the props, but they will not allow me to isolate graphic design as the sole cause of an audience’s emotional response.
Framework & Methodology
I would like to adapt a three phase approach to my project, which will entail:
Research and Synthesis: Beginning with books, academic literature, practitioner material and selected case studies. This will establish the terminology and theoretical context for the project.
Primary Research: Combining qualitative interviews with a short audience survey containing quantitative and optional qualitative questions. The interviews will provide practitioner perspectives, while the survey will record self-reported audience attitudes.
Testing and Prototyping: Using practical making to explore how selected materials, typography and surface treatments behave at a small scale and through the camera. Any feedback gathered will be interpreted alongside the limitations of the participant sample.
Research
My secondary research will include books, academic articles, practitioner interviews and film case studies. Where I use online discussions or databases, I will treat them as possible examples rather than verified evidence. I would also like to speak directly with industry practitioners and examine theories concerned with narrative transportation, perceived realism and world-building.
Logistics & Resourcing
Although I have an early idea that the practical outcome may involve film or animation, I want the research to help refine this rather than committing too early. I already have access to camera, lighting and editing equipment, but any physical outcome will require additional materials and production time. These requirements will need to be assessed once the scale of the outcome is clearer.
Potential Issues/Obstacles
One challenge may be finding detailed, reliable information about graphic-prop production, as behind-the-scenes processes are not always documented. Time is another concern: a short film or animation would require considerably more production work than a digital-only outcome. Audience response will also be subjective. One viewer may recognise an anachronism immediately, while another may have no reason to question it. The project will need to acknowledge this variation rather than search for a universal response.
Ethics review
Research Ethics Review Check List
Part 1: High risk categories
Will your project involve clinical trials? No
Will your project involve the use of human blood or other human tissue? No
Will your project involve administering any drugs, placebos, food stuffs or drink to participants? No
Will your project involve the participation of NHS and/or Social Services staff, patients, equipment and/or facilities? No
Will your project involve participants who are particularly vulnerable? (e.g. refugees, prisoners, victims of violence) No
Will your project involve participants who are unable to give informed consent? (e.g. children, people with learning disabilities) No
Will your project risk causing psychological stress or anxiety or other harm or negative consequences beyond that normally encountered by the participants in their life outside research? No
Will your project involve actively deceiving the participants? (e.g., will participants be deliberately falsely informed, will information be withheld from them or will they be misled in such a way that they are likely to object or show unease when debriefed about the study) No
Will your project involve accessing and/or storing data that comes under the Official Secrets Act and/or poses a risk to National security? No
Is there potential for your project to have unintended harmful consequences (e.g. military use of technology / ‘weaponisation’ of artificial intelligence)? No
Part 2: Medium risk categories
Will your project involve participants? Yes
Will it be necessary for participants to take part in the study without their knowledge and consent at the time? (e.g. covert observation of people in non-public places) No
Will financial inducements (other than reasonable expenses and compensation for time) be offered to participants? No
Will your project involve collecting participant data (e.g. personal and/or sensitive data referring to a living individual)? Yes
Will your project involve accessing secondary data that is not in the public domain (e.g. personal data collected by another user)? No
Will your project involve accessing commercially sensitive information? No
Could your project have negative environmental impacts (e.g. disturbance of natural habitats; damage to, or contamination of, buildings/artefacts/wildlife) No
The proposed research appears relatively low risk, but it directly involves people through interviews and a survey. Participants will need clear information about the research and how their answers may be used. Survey responses should remain anonymous, with email-address collection disabled, while named interview participants must consent to the publication of their names and responses. Any files containing participant information will need to be stored securely and retained only as required.
The project may also reproduce film stills, text extracts and other copyrighted material. I will use only what is necessary for critical discussion, provide full attribution and follow UK fair-dealing guidance rather than assuming that all reference use is automatically permitted.
Reflection
This week has given me a clearer sense of the research direction. My next steps are to identify suitable industry participants, develop the interview questions and refine the overall project plan.
I also need to prevent the research from becoming too broad. Audience personas may become useful once the practical outcome is clearer, but at this stage a focused research plan is more important than inventing a detailed audience that may later change.
