Introduction
- Author: Christopher Blake Evernden
- Title: Digital Imperfections: Analog Processes in 21st Century Cinema
- Degree: Master of Fine Arts, New Media
- Institution: University of Lethbridge
- Year: 2014
- Supervisors: Dr. Aaron Taylor, Deric Olsen
- Work piece: Prairie Dog (feature film)
- Document type: Support paper (theoretical and methodological companion to a creative thesis)
Structure
The support paper is divided into six main sections:
- Introduction
- Research Aims
- Justification of Research Methods
- Prairie Dog Sequence Analysis (subdivided into six sequences)
- Conclusion
- Works Consulted
Overall Presentation Quality
The thesis presents itself with professional formatting, consistent academic tone, and clear visual documentation (figures, stills, and references to both historical and original materials). The writing is good, and image placement supports the analysis great. The integration of film stills, diagrams, and compositional notes contributes to a high production and presentation standard.
Degree of Innovation
He challenges the dominance of digital perfectionism by reintroducing analog imperfection as a creative and perceptual strategy. The argument, that imperfection restores audience participation in the cinematic illusion, is both original and theoretically grounded. The practical film component (Prairie Dog) provides an artistic experiment that tests these concepts through practice-based research.
Independence
The thesis demonstrates significant autonomy. Evernden independently designed, executed, and documented a complex mixed-media film production. His integration of practical analog effects (miniatures, water-tank photography, matte painting, puppetry) with digital compositing reflects both technical mastery and independent vision.
Organization and Structure
The document follows a coherent progression from theoretical framing to methodological justification and applied analyses. Each chapter builds logically toward the concluding synthesis. The analytical breakdown of individual sequences is systematic and mirrors scientific rigor while maintaining artistic sensibility. Occasionally, the prose becomes dense, and transitions between theory and production description could be better.
Communication
The writing style is formal, precise, and reflective of graduate-level scholarship. Evernden successfully integrates critical theory (e.g., Dudley Andrew, Wollheim, Geuens, Casetti) with personal reflection on artistic process. Occasionally, the text leans toward verbosity and could benefit from tighter phrasing for non-specialist readers. Nevertheless, the articulation of theoretical ideas and practical insights is highly effective.
Scope
The scope is well-calibrated: the paper covers theoretical discourse, historical contextualization, and practical experimentation within the limits of an M.F.A. thesis. It neither overreaches nor becomes superficial. The dual emphasis on analysis and creation ensures both academic and artistic relevance.
Accuracy and Attention to Detail
Citation practices, formatting, and visual documentation are precise. Technical descriptions (e.g., lighting, compositing, analog setups) are specific and carefully recorded. A few passages might have benefited from additional proofreading for stylistic conciseness, but overall, the attention to both linguistic and formal detail is impressive.
Literature
The bibliography is well-curated and demonstrates deep engagement with film theory, aesthetics, and digital media studies. Authors such as Dudley Andrew, Francesco Casetti, and Jean-Pierre Geuens are effectively contextualized. However, the inclusion of more recent sources (post-2010 digital cinema criticism) would have strengthened the contemporary dialogue.
Overall Assessment
Christopher Evernden’s Digital Imperfections: Analog Processes in 21st Century Cinema is an exceptional M.A. thesis that merges scholarly analysis with creative experimentation. Its strengths lie in conceptual originality, technical sophistication, and theoretical depth. The creative project, Prairie Dog, serves as both proof-of-concept and aesthetic manifesto, embodying the thesis argument that imperfection re-humanizes the digital image.
