Category: Media Design

Here is a very brief overview of the six different Modes of Documentary Film by Bill Nichols as described in his 2010 book: 

The Poetic Mode

This mode is more focused on conveying specific moods, feelings, and experiences to the viewers rather than just facts. The editing of poetic documentaries is very intentional and specific (Nichols, 2010, p. 162). Like in the expository mode, the poetic mode will often not focus the relationship between individuals and the filmmaker. Individuals are shown but viewers never really get to know them (Nichols, 2010, p. 156). 

The Expository Mode

In expository documentary films viewers are addressed directly in order to convey information to them. Sometimes filmmakers will use the Voice-Of-God, a stylistic choice where we cannot see the speaker but hear them throughout the film. This is the classical voice over used in many documentaries (Nichols, 2010, p. 167). In expository documentaries rhetoric methods are used to make points as clear as possible. These types of documentaries usually move within a framework that has existed beforehand. They add to the viewers’ knowledge pool, but they do not question or challenge existing structures (Nichols, 2010, p. 169).

The Observational Mode

While poetic and expository documentaries often collect raw material aiming to edit it into something aesthetically compelling or informative, fitting their exact ideas of the film, observational documentary filmmakers will often just see what happens in front of the camera without any intervention. Often there will also be no voice over or commentary in observational documentaries (Nichols, 2010, p. 172). This also allows for viewers to choose the focus instead of the filmmakers (Nichols, 2010, p. 174). With more authentic pacing of the films, the viewers also get to experience the actual timing more realistically (Nichols, 2010, p. 176).
The development of newer, lighter, more mobile equipment has helped observational documentaries flourish by guaranteeing the camera almost disappears (Nichols, 2010, p. 172). Individuals ideally tune out the cameras as much as possible, especially when being preoccupied with their own struggles. This authenticity and closeness to ones struggling can many times be uncomfortable to watch, feeling very intrusive. This has raised some ethical questions about this mode of documentaries as well (Nichols, 2010, p. 174). Also, the non-involvement of the filmmakers in this mode of documentaries can create some ethical dilemmas. Moreover, the omission of any form of commentary or clarification can lead to a problematic misrepresentation of certain situations or behaviors (Nichols, 2010, p. 175).

The Participatory Mode

In participatory documentaries the filmmaker does not just passively observe the subjects but actively interacts with them and influences the events. Conversations and interviews are an important part of these documentaries and the film becomes a reflection of the interactions between filmmaker and individuals (Nichols, 2010, p. 179). The filmmaker develops from some ominous, neutral presence into an actual human, interacting with others (Nichols, 2010, p. 182). Like in the observational mode and the performative mode, participatory documentaries feel like meeting the individuals. The influence filmmakers have on them, however, can raise some ethical questions (Nichols, 2010, p. 157).
With some participatory documentaries, the interaction does not stop with filmmaker and subject, but also the viewers can participate via interactive websites or art installations (Nichols, 2010, p. 180). However, participatory documentaries are not the first example to foster interaction with their audience. For example radio shows where hosts and callers interact, or anthropologists living among their research subjects also rely on the interaction between individuals (Nichols, 2010, p. 181).

The Reflexive Mode

Where the participatory mode provides exchange between filmmaker and subject, the reflexive mode focuses on the interaction of filmmakers and viewers. Reflexive documentaries do not just talk about history, facts or experiences, but about their representation within the film. The focus is shifted from the content to the film itself (Nichols, 2010, p. 194). 

The Performative Mode

Similar to the poetic mode, the performative mode of documentary filmmaking tries to convey emotions instead of facts. The focus is less on delivering information and more on creating emotional understanding (Nichols, 2010, p. 199). Performative documentaries are also often used by filmmakers to talk about their own personal experiences or those of communities they are a part of (Nichols, 2010, p. 205).

This was just a brief overview of the existing modes of documentaries; there is a more detailed table describing more specific qualities for each of the mentioned modes which I might include in the appendix. For analyzing and categorizing documentary films, this more extensive information will surely be useful, but I believe that for this part of my work the shortened down version of the description will suffice in giving an overview of the different modes.

This and the next blog post will be a deep dive into Bill Nichols’ Modes of Documentaries. In this first part I will give an overview into what these modes are, how they can be used to classify documentary films and how they developed over time. The two sources I used are both books written by Nichols, one published in 1991 and one in 2010. I also briefly talk about the changes made between the two books, but will occasionally combine informations found in both of the books as I deem them fitting for specific passages.

The In his book Representing Reality (1991), Bill Nichols first introduced what he called “Documentary Modes of Representation”: The Expository Mode, The Observational Mode, The Interactive Mode, and The Reflexive Mode (NICHOLS, 1991, p. 32). 
These initial four modes have since been amended with two more, Poetic and Performative, which are explained in depth in Nichols’ 2010 book Introduction to Documentary, Second Edition. Furthermore, Nichols changed the name of The Interactive Mode into The Participatory Mode, while the ideas stayed more or less the same (Nichols, 2010, pp. 149–153).
Additionally to the initial modes of documentaries, Nichols also talks about another way of categorizing documentary films: different models for documentary film, taken from other nonfictional types of media such as biographies, reports, or essays. In comparison, models for documentary film are a categorization lent from other types of media which are also nonfictional, while the modes of documentary film are categories which can also applied to other, also fictional, types of film, but not to other media. These two systems of classification, when used in combination provide a useful tool for analyzing documentary films (Nichols, 2010, p. 148). While Nichols also gives a brief overview of the different nonfictional models, as well as many different documentary example which he categorized according to model and mode, the main focus of the chapter in his book, as well as this part of this thesis will be on the six different modes of documentary film (Nichols, 2010, pp. 149–153).

In his 1991 book Nichols talks about the development of the different Documentary Modes of Representation. While he does state that some of the modes have predominant time periods as well as geographical areas, this does not mean that one followed after the other or that some are inherently better than others. All of the modes have existed next to each other and still do. Moreover, a film can usually not just be categorized as one mode, but is usually a mixture of two or more (NICHOLS, 1991, p. 33). Nonetheless, Nichols tries to give some insights into what might have motivated the emergence of each of the four initial modes. The expository mode of documentaries was developed as a reaction to fiction films, which were considered to be too distracting and too focused on entertainment instead of conveying information. The poetic mode was created with the desire in mind to talk about historical information while showing the world in a new and different way. With the emergence of newer, more mobile technologies in the 1960s, observational documentaries emerged. They were also a counter-reaction to the morales in expository documentaries. Once the observational documentaries felt too passive and limiting, interactive documentaries were created, establishing more interaction with the subject and enabling filmmakers to visualize past events through witness statements instead of reenactments. Finally, reflexive documentary films were driven by the desire to question the representation of the topics itself as well as conventions of documentaries (NICHOLS, 1991, pp. 32–33). Seemingly, new modes have always been developed when old ones were found to be lacking. However, Nichols suggests that this might just have been due to the world meant to be represented in documentaries had changed and thus also the modes of representation had to adapt and still do. Especially developments like technological advances have had tremendous effects on documentary films throughout history. Also now, the fact that almost every major event is being filmed by multiple phone cameras changes the available footage immensely (Nichols, 2010, p. 160). 

To conclude, while the different modes have developed out of some dissatisfaction with previous ones, each of these six modes is still being used in modern documentaries and has its application. With changing topics, filmmakers, subjects and frameworks, the ideal way to approach a documentary project will vary greatly and will most of the time require aspects and ideas from more than one of the different modes.

Imagine you were born in Vienna. You went to school here, you speak the dialect, you pay your taxes, and you teach history—the history of the very democracy that defines this nation. Now imagine, when election day comes, you are politely, but firmly, asked to stay outside. You have no vote. No say. No voice.

This isn’t a dystopian concept; it’s the reality for over 1.4 million people of voting age in Austria. They are excluded from the most fundamental civic act simply because they lack an Austrian passport. This glaring democratic deficit struck me as an invisible, systemic failure, and it became the theoretical core of my current master’s project.

One of my ideas for the short film: designed to visually implement this theme and analyze its emotional impact, focuses on the character Vanessa. She is a 28-year-old high school history teacher in Vienna, born and raised here, the daughter of immigrants who run a small Afroshop. Vanessa embodies perfect integration, yet she is politically marginalized. Her personal struggle to acquire the right to vote, the basic premise of her life being determined by others, is the lens through which this story concept examines this systemic contradiction.

But why is Vanessa’s struggle so difficult? To illuminate this gap, we need to understand the facts and the sheer absurdity of the hurdles involved.

The Systemic Failure: 20% of Austria Is unrepresented

The sheer scale of the exclusion is staggering. Nationwide, roughly 20 percent of the resident population aged 16 and over cannot vote in federal (Nationalrat) elections. This situation is the direct consequence of the ius sanguinis (right of blood) principle governing Austrian citizenship, which stipulates that you inherit citizenship from your parents, not from your birthplace.

In a major metropolitan hub like Vienna, this figure rockets to an astonishing 35 percent. This isn’t an issue affecting only newly arrived migrants. It’s a generational one. For a child born and raised here, whose parents also hold foreign passports (known as third-country nationals), the struggle for a voice is a fight for their very identity.

The result is a societal split: a huge segment of the population is deemed essential for the country’s economic and social function—working in healthcare, logistics, and education—yet they are systematically denied the right to political self-determination. They are the system-relevant but politically irrelevant.

The Roadblock: The absurd Journey to Citizenship

Why don’t these well-integrated people simply get a passport? The path to Austrian citizenship is one of the most difficult and expensive in Europe. For someone born in Austria to non-EU parents, who has met every requirement, the journey is not a reward for integration—it is an exhausting, costly, and precarious bureaucratic marathon.

1. The Financial Barrier: The Price of Belonging

The costs associated with naturalization are prohibitively high, often reaching well over €5,000 when factoring in all necessary steps:

• Application Fees & Knowledge Tests: Significant administrative costs for filing and testing required knowledge of Austrian history and democracy.
• Language Certificates (C1/C2 Level): Expensive courses and exams, even for those who speak perfect, native-level German.
• The Final Act: A substantial fee for the actual “conferral” of citizenship.

For a young professional like our potential protagonist, Vanessa, this means years of saving money—money that could have gone towards an apartment deposit or building a stable future—just to purchase the right to vote. The kicker? If the application is rejected for any reason, the fees are generally non-refundable. The fight for a passport is a high-stakes, uninsurable gamble.

2. The Document Trap: The Unsolvable Riddle

Beyond the financial stress, the most common reason for application failure is the inability to produce required documents, particularly the “release from previous citizenship” (§ 10 Abs. 1 StbG).

Austrian law typically demands that an applicant renounce their previous citizenship. This creates an impossible situation if the applicant’s country of origin (like many conflict zones or unstable states) either:

• a) Refuses to issue release papers, or;
• b) Is unable to issue reliable official documents due to political instability.

The result is a Catch-22: You are deemed fully integrated by Austrian society, you pass every test, you meet the financial criteria, but because a bureaucratic office in a country you may never have visited can’t issue a piece of paper, your entire life in Austria remains legally provisional.

Designing for a Voice: The Master’s Thesis Context

The central theme of this work and the driving force behind my short film concepts is the deep irony that someone like Vanessa, who teaches her students about the importance of democratic participation, is systematically silenced. The thousands of Euros she spends are not for luxury; they are the price tag on a basic human right.

The master’s thesis, “Emotional Resonance through Narrative Deception: Strategies of Viewer Guidance and Character Identification in Fictional Short Film,” leverages this factual injustice to analyze emotional storytelling. The key strategies employed are:

• Narrative Deception: The film intentionally misleads the audience to believe the character’s financial stress is due to a typical housing issue or student debt. This maximizes the emotional impact when the political cause (the passport fees) is revealed.
• Emotional Resonance: The contrast between the character’s native-level competence and legal marginalization generates intense empathy and outrage, turning a statistical issue into a personal tragedy.
• Irony as Guidance: The consistent use of irony (teaching about the right she lacks) serves as a potent tool for viewer guidance, ensuring the narrative climax delivers a powerful, unambiguous message.

The goal of this project is to turn that silent majority into a visually and emotionally potent force, demanding that the system recognize the simple truth: If you call this place home, you deserve a voice in shaping it.

Sources: 

Bundesministerium für europäische und internationale Angelegenheiten. (2023). Staatsbürgerschaftsgesetz 1985 (StbG). (Cited for the legal hurdles and the requirement to renounce prior citizenship, § 10 Abs. 1 StbG).

Republik Österreich. Bundes-Verfassungsgesetz (B-VG). (Cited for the necessity of Austrian citizenship to exercise the right to vote in the Nationalrat election).

Statistik Austria. (2024). Bevölkerungsstand und Staatsangehörigkeit. (Cited for the absolute numbers of non-eligible voters in the voting age population (16 and over) and the estimate for Vienna. Data based on the latest available surveys).

A square slowly growing or a rectangle slipping across the screen seemed too minimal to create anything emotional. But the more I read about the effect moving shapes have on our preception the more I realise that motion itself can carry a kind of langueage. It doesn’t need details. It needs rhythm, timing and space. The viewers then fill the rest. I noticed this most clearly when I wanted Rhytmus 21. Nothing dramatic really happens in the film however the black and white shapes feel strangely confident in how they move (Richter, 1921). A shape that is growing feels like pressure and a shape shrinking feels like realse in a sort of way. Its not a narrative but it can create a flow that is easy to follow. It shows that timing has a purpose as it creats structure in the whole experience. 

Around the same time I was reading a psychology paper that explored how people react to abstract motion. This study shoes that viewers look for strucutre even when visuals are extremly simple (Bloom & Veres, 1999). There is no need for faces or objexts or any sort of representational content. As soon as movement has rhythm or direction, our brain starts to organise it. This helped me to understand why Richters film feels so intentional even though nothing is “doing” anything. The viewers mind gives the motion sense just because the timing fits together. Here I also learned that direction of motion matters. Forward motion feels way more natural. Reversed motion feels off and it breaks the sense of progression. That alone showed me how sensitive we are to timing and order, even in minimal animations. This also might explain why a loop can feel smooth in one version and confusing in another even fi the shapes are identical. 

I came across another study which then again changed my understanding of moving shapes. The study here focused on how small, more abstract motions can create emotional impressions without them needing any kind of character (Bartram & Nakatani, 2010). Here it surprised me that even very little motion has a big effect and can feel very expressive. A soft drift can feel more calm whereas a quick movment or jitter can make it feel more tense. In a way it makes a lot of sense but these are still just objects moving around randomly. Even movements that are barely visible can change how we read an animation. This outcomes also connects very well back to Richer’s film as the shapes there are extremely simple, yet they already carry athomsphere and feeling just through how they move. Reading this also made me think differently about how to animate. I sometimes do assume that there is a ceratin need for details however here the opposite seems to be true. Even small changes in acceleration or smoothness can change how the viewer expereinces the whole piece. 

Following that I also looked into other design research papers that examined how physical structures influence the movement of shapes. Here the study focused more on mechanical models, but the findings can still apply well to abstract animations (Harrison et al., 2015). Here the authors explained that motion depends on the relationships between parts. Some changes in the structure can change the experience completely. Motion worked only when the relationships between the shapes stayed in balance. If one angle or distance changed too much, the flow of the movement broke and suddenly looked irregular or unstable. This shows that abstract motion follows a kind of internal logic. When timing and spacing support that logic, the movement feels smooth and coherent. When they don’t, the viewer notices it immediately, even if the shapes themselves remain simple. It highlights how sensitive motion is to structural consistency, and how much the quality of a movement depends on the conditions that allow it to unfold naturally.

All of this showed again that motion can have a big impact on the shapes’ perception. The shapes themselves are simple, but their relationships, timing, and rhythm create structure, flow, and atmosphere. Motion can communicate emotions even when nothing represents anything.

Bibliography:

Bartram, L., & Nakatani, A. (2010). What makes motion meaningful? Affective properties of abstract motion. 2010 Fourth Pacific-Rim Symposium on Image and Video Technology, 468–474. https://doi.org/10.1109/PSIVT.2010.85

Bloom, P., & Veres, C. (1999). The perceived intentionality of groups. Cognition, 71(1), B1–B9.

Harrison, L., Earl, C., & Eckert, C. (2015). Exploratory making: Shape, structure and motion. Design Studies., 41, 51–78.

Richter, H. (Director). (1921). Rhythmus 21 [Video]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_kceafWtbE&list=RDR_kceafWtbE&start_radio=1

“My desire is to set up a situation to which I take you and let you see. It becomes your experience.” – James Turrell

James Turrell gehört zu den bedeutendsten Lichtkünstlern der Gegenwart. Sein Werk umfasst über fünf Jahrzehnte und bewegt sich an der Schwelle zwischen Kunst, Architektur, Wahrnehmungspsychologie und spirituellen Räumen. Turrells Arbeiten sind keine Objekte im klassischen Sinne, sondern Rahmenbedingungen, in denen Licht selbst zur Erfahrung wird.

1. Licht als Material und als Ort

Aus dem Art21-Interview wird deutlich, wie radikal Turrell Licht versteht. Er sagt:

“Generally, we use light. We don’t really pay much attention to the light itself. That’s my interest. This fascination with light and how we come to light.”

Turrell wendet den Blick weg vom „Beleuchteten“ hin zum „Licht selbst“. In einer Zeit, in der Licht meist als funktionales Werkzeug erscheint, zur Illumination, zur Orientierung oder zur Inszenierung, schafft er Situationen, in denen Licht als stoffliche Präsenz erfahrbar wird.

Turrell ist in der Quäker-Tradition aufgewachsen, wo Licht eine spirituelle Metapher darstellt („inner light“). Die Stille, das Sitzen, das Schauen und das Hinwenden zum Licht sind in dieser Tradition zentrale Praktiken.

Die Verbindung zu seinen Skyspaces und Meeting Houses wird hier deutlich: Die Räume erinnern an Andachtsräume, ohne sakral zu sein. Sie aktivieren die Aufmerksamkeit, die innere Ruhe und die Wahrnehmung des Materials Licht, als etwas, das den Raum formt, aber auch die eigene innere Wahrnehmung.

2. Roden Crater – Architektur des Himmels

Eines seiner monumentalsten Projekte ist Roden Crater, ein erloschener Vulkan im US-Bundesstaat Arizona, den Turrell seit den 1970er Jahren zu einem Gesamtkunstwerk transformiert.

Turrell beschreibt den Krater als einen Ort, an dem „der Kosmos herabgeholt“ wird:

• Licht der Sonne, acht Minuten alt,
  
• Sternenlicht, älter als das Sonnensystem,
  
• Mondphasen und kosmische Ereignisse wie der 18,6-Jahres-Zyklus des lunaren Stillstands.
  

Durch Öffnungen, Tunnel, Kammern und geologische Eingriffe wird Licht in hochpräziser Form in die Architektur gelenkt. So entsteht eine Situation, in der die Besucher:innen nicht mehr auf den Himmel schauen, sondern sich im Himmel wiederfinden.

„You realize its closeness… you discover that you’re in the atmosphere, not separated from the sky at night… you feel one with the universe.”

Diese Wahrnehmungsverschiebung ist zentral für Turrells Werk:
Der Betrachter soll nicht „sehen“, sondern erfahren, wie Licht Raum erzeugt und wie Raum Wahrnehmung verändert.

3. Das Berliner Skyspace – Licht als sakrale Präsenz

Turrells Installation im Dorotheenstädtischen Friedhof in Berlin ist ein weiteres Beispiel dafür, wie er Licht als architektonische Kraft einsetzt. Die Kapelle, 2015 eröffnet, arbeitet mit wechselnden Lichtprogrammen, die die weiße Innenarchitektur transformieren.

Der Raum wird nicht beleuchtet, er atmet.
Farbtöne gleiten über Wände, schärfen und verwischen Konturen, öffnen und schließen den Raum. Die Besucher:innen nehmen nicht einen „Lichteffekt“ wahr, sondern eine Atmosphäre, die sie selbst einschließt und verändert.

Diese Arbeit knüpft direkt an Turrells Skyspaces an, die u. a. in Lech am Arlberg und weltweit installiert sind. Die Skyspaces sind halboffene architektonische Räume, in denen ein quadratischer oder elliptischer Deckenausschnitt den Himmel als „lebendige Leinwand“ zeigt.

Turrells Grundidee:
Nicht der Himmel verändert sich, wir verändern uns, indem wir ihn bewusst betrachten.

4. Wahrnehmung statt Abbildung: Das Betreten des Kunstwerks

“A lot of people come to art and they look at it… They don’t actually enter the realm that the artist was involved in.”

Turrell fordert, dass Wahrnehmung nicht passiv bleibt. Seine Kunst muss nicht „interpretiert“ werden, sie muss betreten werden.
Das Publikum wird Teil der Arbeit, indem es im Licht sitzt, die Dauer erfährt, sich öffnet für minimale Veränderungen, die in ihrer Langsamkeit fast meditativen Charakter besitzen.

Das steht im starken Gegensatz zu einer Kunstrezeption, die von schnellen Impulsen, Fotografie und digitaler Reproduzierbarkeit geprägt ist.
Bei Turrell hingegen braucht Licht Zeit.
Raum braucht Zeit.
Wahrnehmung braucht Zeit.

Diese Haltung erinnert an die Tradition sakraler Architektur:
Kirchen, Moscheen, Tempel und Höhlen sind Räume der Langsamkeit, der Lichtsensibilisierung, des Übergangs vom Außen ins Innen.

Turrell greift diese Idee auf, entfernt aber narrative und religiöse Inhalte, und legt den Fokus auf die reine Erfahrung des Lichtes.

5. Relevanz für meine eigene künstlerische Forschung

Turrells Werk ist für meine Masterarbeit aus mehreren Gründen hochrelevant:

1. Licht als primäres Material

Auch meine Arbeit befasst sich mit Lichtprojektionen und Mapping-Techniken, die nicht als dekorative Effekte verstanden werden sollen, sondern als räumliche Eingriffe.

2. Architektur & Wahrnehmung

Wie Turrell testen auch Videomapping, Hologramme und immersive Installationen die Frage:
Wie verändert Licht den Raum, und wie verändert Raum die Wahrnehmung des Lichtes?

3. Sakrale Räume & Transzendenz

Turrells Werk operiert häufig zwischen Spiritualität und Wahrnehmung, ohne religiös zu sein, ein Modell, das sich gut mit meinen Überlegungen zur Nutzung sakraler Orte (Kirchen, Kapellen) für Lichtkunst verknüpfen lässt.

4. Atmosphärenbildung

Die Art, wie Turrell Licht als „Atmosphäre“ versteht, ist für meine Projektplanung (z. B. Hologramm, Nebelprojektion, sakrale Lichtinterventionen) äußerst inspirierend.

5. Das Eintauchen in das Werk

Turrell fordert nicht das „Anschauen“, sondern das Erleben des Kunstwerks.
Dieser Ansatz deckt sich mit meiner eigenen Ambition, nicht nur visuelle Bilder, sondern immersive Momente zu schaffen.

Schlussgedanke

James Turrell erschafft keine Bilder, sondern Situationen, in denen wir uns selbst im Licht begegnen.
Seine Räume sind zugleich archaisch und futuristisch, wissenschaftlich und spirituell, minimalistisch.

Literaturverzeichnis (Chicago Author–Date)

Art21. 2001. Exploring James Turrell’s Roden Crater and Quaker Meeting House. Video, 13:35. PBS / Art21.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TGzvDamBZQ

Champ Magazine. 2023. “Roden Crater – James Turrell’s Sky Observatory.” Champ Magazine.
https://champ-magazine.com/art/roden-crater/

Häusler Contemporary. 2015. “James Turrell – Kapelle Dorotheenstädtischer Friedhof.” Häusler Contemporary Gallery.
https://haeusler-contemporary.com/james-turrell-dorotheenstaedtischer-friedhof

Skyspace Lech. 2023. “James Turrell – Biography and Skyspace Lech.” Skyspace Lech Official Site.
https://www.skyspacelech.com/about/james-turell/

---

Hinweis zur Verwendung von KI-Tools

Zur sprachlichen Optimierung und Strukturierung wurde ein KI-gestütztes Schreibwerkzeug (ChatGPT, OpenAI, 2025) verwendet. Inhaltliche Reflexion basiert auf eigener Analyse.

Während meiner spielerischen Beschäftigung mit Diablo IV fiel mir auf, wie stark dieses Werk nicht nur narrativ, sondern insbesondere ästhetisch und atmosphärisch mit Licht, Schatten, sakralen Räumen und mythologischen Motiven arbeitet. Viele dieser Themen überschneiden sich mit jenen, die ich im Rahmen meiner Masterarbeit untersuche: Licht als Träger von Bedeutung, Atmosphäre als räumliche Qualität, sowie die Transformation von Räumen durch visuelle Interventionen.

Diese Nähe zwischen digitaler Spielwelt und realen Licht-/Rauminstallationen war Anlass für diesen Impulse-Blog.

1. Mythologische Grundstruktur – stark gekürzt, aber thematisch relevant

Der Kern von Diablo beruht nicht auf bildgetreuen religiösen Übernahmen, sondern auf einer ästhetischen und dramaturgischen Transformation christlich-jüdischer Mythen. Blizzard entlehnt Namen und Archetypen – Engel, Dämonen, Lilith, apokalyptische Motive –, formt daraus aber ein eigene mythologische Welt, in der Licht und Dunkelheit keine moralischen Gegensätze, sondern atmosphärische Kräfte darstellen.

Für meine Forschung ist genau dieser Aspekt relevant:

Licht wird nicht moralisch gelesen, sondern räumlich, emotional und symbolisch wirksam.

Damit teilt Diablo ein Konzept, das auch in sakralen Räumen zentral ist: Licht erzeugt Bedeutung.

2. Atmosphärenbildung: Licht, Schatten & sakrale Ästhetik

Besonders faszinierend ist die Lichtdramaturgie in Diablo IV. Das Spiel verwendet:

• volumetrisches Licht in nebeligen Räumen,
  
• harte Spotlight-Akzente in Kathedralen,
  
• gedämpfte Leuchtflächen in Ruinen,
  
• extrem starke Hell-Dunkel-Kontraste,
  
• farbpsychologisch aufgeladene Räume (Rot = Verderben, Blau = Magie, Gold = Heiligkeit).
  

Blizzard hat bewusst eine “European Dark Art Direction” gewählt (Art Director: John Mueller), die sich an barocken, gotischen und romantischen Malereitraditionen orientiert. Die offizielle Entwicklerpublikation Unter dem Lack: Die Grafik von Diablo IV (Blizzard 2023) beschreibt detailliert, wie volumetrisches Licht gezielt eingesetzt wird, um Raumtiefen, Materialitäten und Stimmung zu formen.Damit zeigt Diablo, wie digitale Räume über Lichtführung emotional und narrativ aufgeladen werden – ein Prinzip, das unmittelbar in meine eigene Praxis der Projektionen und Lichtinstallationen übertragbar ist.

3. Concept Art und Leveldesign: Die visuelle Grundlage der Welt

Im Zuge meiner Recherche stieß ich auf eine Reihe von Referenzen, die den Herstellungsprozess der Diablo-Ästhetik sehr gut dokumentieren. Diese sind nicht nur für Game Studies interessant, sondern auch für meine visuelle Forschung zu Licht, Raum und Atmosphäre.

Relevante Quellen:

• The Art of Diablo(Gerli 2019)
Ein umfassendes Artbook mit Concept Art zu Architektur, Landschaft, Kultstätten und Lichtstimmungen.

• Blizzard-Artikel: „The real-life inspiration for Diablo IV art“
Hier erklären die Entwickler, wie klassische Malerei (Géricault, Caravaggio, mittelalterliche Ikonografie) in das Leveldesign eingeflossen ist.

• Unter dem Lack: Die Grafik von Diablo IV(Blizzard 2023)
Technische Analyse zu Rendering, volumetrischem Licht, Oberflächen und Shadern.

• Room8 Studio – „Artwork for Diablo IV“ (2023)
Making-of zu Environment Art, Konzeptentwicklung, Lichtsetzung und Materialoberflächen.

• ArtStation-Galerien
Hier veröffentlichen Blizzard Artists ihre frühen Skizzen, Lichtstudien und atmosphärischen Farbtests.

Diablo IV – Erkenntnisse

A. Licht als emotionales Narrativ

Sowohl in sakralen Räumen als auch im digitalen Raum ist Licht ein dramaturgisches Werkzeug, kein neutraler Beleuchtungsfaktor.

B. Transformation durch atmosphärische Kontraste

Was Diablo übertrieben inszeniert (Nebel, Spotlights, Farbdramaturgie), geschieht in Kirchen subtiler – aber folgt oft denselben Prinzipien:

• Fokussierung,
  
• Bedeutungsschichtung,
  
• räumliche Öffnung oder Kompression.
  

C. Räume erzählen durch Schatten genauso wie durch Licht

Schatten wird zum aktiven gestalterischen Element.

D. Digitale Mythologien & sakrale Wahrnehmungsräume

Diablo zeigt, dass moderne Medien nicht nur unterhalten, sondern religiöse Bilderwelten transformieren.
Diese Transformation ist ein wertvoller gedanklicher Hintergrund für meine Arbeit an Sakralprojektionen und an der Erforschung künstlichen Lichts in heiligen Räumen.

---

Hinweis zur Verwendung von KI-Tools

Zur sprachlichen Optimierung und für Verbesserungsvorschläge hinsichtlich Rechtschreibung, Grammatik und Ausdruck wurde ein KI-gestütztes Schreibwerkzeug (ChatGPT, OpenAI, 2025) verwendet.

Beim schreiben meines Expose’s habe ich mich intensiver mit den Aspekten auseinander gesetzt die ich in der Masterarbeit behandeln möchte und möchte diese in einer etwas ausführlicheren (und deutschen) Version hier im Blog teilen.

Arbeitstitel: Beyond Characters: Alternative Narrative Strategien im Motion Design
Untertitel: „Character – Warum Marken- und Erklärvideos neue narrative Strategien brauchen“ 

1. Problem (Starting Point, Problem Description)

Character-basierte Erzählweisen dominieren das Motion Design in der Branche, besonders im Bereich der Markenkommunikation und Erklärvideos kleiner und mittelständischer Unternehmen – und das obwohl es zunehmend komplexere, abstraktere oder systembasierte Kommunikationsziele werden. Dennoch fordern viele Unternehmen weiterhin klassische Erklärfilme und Videos mit Figuren, Maskottchen und Co. Video-Content wird dort häufig entweder als Realfilm oder als Character-basiertes Erklärformat gedacht. Dadurch wissen viele Kund:innen nicht, dass Markenbotschaften auch durch eine starke Motion Identity, durch Motion Graphics, Typografie oder abstrakte visuelle Systeme vermittelt werden können, die ganz ohne Figuren oder „Maskottchen“ auskommen.
Vielen mittelständischen Unternehmen fehlt meinem Ansatz zufolge das Wissen über versch. Ansätze für animierte Markenkommunikation und „Character basierte Erzählweisen“ sind oft das einzige dass sie sich vorstellen können.

Diese eingeschränkte Vorstellung erzeugt mehrere praktische Probleme: Videos, die ihr Publikum nicht wirklich erreichen, dramaturgisch schwache oder vorhersehbare Erzählstrukturen, generische visuelle Ästhetiken (z. B. austauschbare Flat-2D- oder trendige Character-Stile) sowie eine deutliche Reduktion der wahrgenommenen Möglichkeiten von Animation im Branding. In manchen Fällen wird Animation als Medium sogar komplett ausgeschlossen, weil Charaktere als unpassend zur Marke wahrgenommen werden – obwohl eine non-character-basierte Lösung ideal wäre.

Ob meine Vermutung stimmt und was die tatsächlichen Gründe dafür sind, warum Unternehmen so häufig auf Character Animation setzen, wird im Rahmen dieser Arbeit weiter erforscht. Gewohnheit, mangelndes Wissen über alternative Motion-Ansätze oder Trends könnten eben mögliche Faktoren sein. Ein zentraler Teil dieser Arbeit ist daher, diese Entscheidungslogiken besser zu verstehen, die Probleme charakterbasierter Ansätze zu untersuchen und herauszufinden, in welchen Fällen non-character Strategien passendere und effektivere Alternativen bieten.

2. Stand der Forschung

Themenbereiche die ich hier recherchieren möchte sind folgende:

• historische Nutzung von Charakteren in Werbung & Animation
• psychologische Begründungen (Anthropomorphismus, Identifikation)
• Marketing-Mechanismen (Brand Recall, Emotionalisierung)
• kritische Perspektiven (z. B. „Mascot Fatigue“, Kritik an generischen 3D/Flat-Stilen)
• Forschung zu non-character Storytelling, Motion Grammar, Form-based Narratives

Es existiert umfangreiche Forschung zu visuellem Storytelling, Wahrnehmung und Animation allgemein. Autor:innen aus verschiedenen Disziplinen untersuchen, wie visuelle Formen interpretiert werden, wie Bildsequenzen Bedeutung erzeugen und welche Rolle Software und digitale Medien in der heutigen visuellen Kommunikation spielen. Zu der einen oder anderen Quelle kommt im Laufe der nächsten Wochen bestimmt noch ein Blogpost.

Psychologische und kognitive Studien zeigen, dass Menschen selbst einfachen bewegten Formen Intentionalität und Emotion zuschreiben – narrative und emotionale Wirkung ist also keinesfalls auf Figuren beschränkt. Forschung im Bereich Branding und Motion Identity wiederum beleuchtet, wie Bewegung als Teil einer visuellen Markenidentität funktionieren kann.

Dennoch gibt es Forschungslücken, die ich behandeln will

• Eine systematische Analyse, wann Character-basierte Narrative in Branding- und Erklärvideo-Kontexten schwach oder kontraproduktiv sind.
• Bestehende Literatur vergleicht Character-basierte Narrationen kaum direkt mit non-character Systemen wie typografischer, formbasierter oder rhythmischer Kommunikation.
• Konzepte wie „Motion Grammar“ und formbasiertes Storytelling werden selten praxisnah operationalisiert und kaum im Branding-Kontext getestet.

Diese Arbeit knüpft an die vorhandene Forschung an, setzt jedoch einen klaren Fokus auf alternative narrative Strukturen im non-character Motion Design und untersucht deren Potenziale sowie deren Grenzen im direkten Vergleich zu Character-basierten Ansätzen.

Autor:innen und Papers die ich bisher gefunden habe oder die ich noch genauer recherchieren werde:

Arnheim, R. (1974). Art and visual perception: A psychology of the creative eye. University of California Press.

Blazer, L. (2020). Animated storytelling: Simple steps for creating animation and motion graphics (2nd ed.). Peachpit Press. https://permalink.obvsg.at/AC16663659

Kim, J., & Lee, S. (2021). Motion as identity: Exploring dynamic branding in digital media. In Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Arts, Design and Contemporary Education (ICADCE 2020) (pp. 678–683). Atlantis Press. https://doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.210106.132

Manovich, L. (2013). Software takes command: Extending the language of new media. Bloomsbury. https://search-fhj.obvsg.at/permalink/f/1a6sh9s/FHJ_alma5114293650004526

Sweet, F. (1999). Frog: Form follows emotion. Thames and Hudson. https://permalink.obvsg.at/AC03426968

Heider and Simmel (1944) animation
+ The perceived intentionality of groups: Author: Paul Bloom Csaba Veres
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0010-0277(99)00014-1

Weitere: 

1. Scott McCloud (Visual Narration)
2. Donald Norman (Emotional Design)
3. Barbara Tversky (Cognition / Diagrammatical Thinking)
4. Motion Design Theory (Lupton, Betancourt etc.)

3. Forschungsfrage

Hauptfrage:
Wie können Marken- und Erklärvideos im Motion Design mithilfe non-character narrativer Strategien klarer, wirksamer und markenspezifischer kommunizieren als mit klassischen Character-basierten Animationen?

„Unterfragen”:

• In welchen historischen und praktischen Kontexten wurde Character-basierte Animation dominant?
• In welchen Anwendungsfällen zeigt diese Erzählform heute Schwächen (z. B. Redundanz, „Character Fatigue“, fehlender Markenfit)?
• Welche alternativen narrativen Strukturen existieren im non-character Motion Design und wie lassen sie sich systematisch beschreiben?
• Wie wirkt dieselbe Botschaft, wenn sie einmal charakterbasiert und einmal non-character erzählt wird – hinsichtlich Klarheit, Engagement und Markenpassung?
• Welche Rolle spielen Erwartungen, Gewohnheiten und Trendwahrnehmungen von Kund:innen bei der Bevorzugung von Character Animation?

Ich möchte „the rise of character animation“ und „wann/wo/wie character Animation gut eingesetzt funktioniert“ anreißen, aber Fokus darauf legen, raus zu finden „Welche Schwäche Character Animation” hat und vor allem „alternative Strukturen“ zu finden (Forschung zu non-character Storytelling, Motion Grammar, Form-based Narratives) und hier herausfinden welche Ansätze wann/wie/wo gut funktionieren.

4. Hypothese / Zielsetzung

Gedanken: Ich weiß bereits, dass es Bereiche gibt in denen Character-basierte Erzählstrukturen immer noch super funktionieren. Ich will für jene Fälle Alternativen finden, in denen Charcater-Animation schwach ist und hier die Wirksamkeit non-character testen. Am Ende will ich zumindest ein Video in dem Non-character-Animation ein Produkt/service/… zeigt/bewirbt/… und ev. mit einem Character Gegenbeispiel arbeiten.

Hypothese:
Obwohl Character-basiertes Storytelling historisch und psychologisch stark verankert ist, ist es nicht in allen Fällen die wirkungsvollste narrative Methode für zeitgenössische Markenkommunikation und Erklärvideos. In vielen Szenarien können non-character Strategien – basierend auf Typografie, Form, Rhythmus, Motion Systemen und abstrakten visuellen Metaphern – klarer, flexibler und markenspezifischer kommunizieren.

Ziele:

• Identifikation von Fällen, in denen Character Animation narrativ oder ästhetisch schwach ist.
• Erforschung und Systematisierung alternativer non-character narrativer Strategien (z. B. Motion Grammar, formbasiertes Storytelling, systembasierte Kommunikation).
• Produktion eines animierten Vergleichspaars:
  1. characterbasierte Version
  2. non-character Motion-Graphics-Version derselben Botschaft
• (Optional) Vergleichende Untersuchung der Wahrnehmung beider Varianten durch Testpersonen.
• Entwicklung eines praxisorientierten Frameworks bzw. Tools zur Kommunikation dieser Ergebnisse gegenüber Kund:innen.

5. Theoriebezug

Die Arbeit stützt sich auf folgende theoretische Ansätze:

• Narratologie & visuelles Storytelling
• Motion Grammar / Bewegung als Bedeutungsträger
• Gestaltprinzipien & kognitive Visualisierungsforschung
• Brand Identity, Dynamic Branding & Motion Identity
• Anthropomorphismus & Intentionalität (selektiv, zur Kontextualisierung)

Die eigene Position ist design-theoretisch mit stark praktischer Ausrichtung: Character Animation ist ein wertvolles Werkzeug, aber derzeit überrepräsentiert. Die Arbeit plädiert für ein erweitertes Verständnis von Storytelling im Motion Design, in dem non-character Systeme als gleichwertige – und oft überlegene – Optionen anerkannt werden.

6. Methode

Die Arbeit nutzt einen Mixed-Methods-Ansatz aus Theorie, Analyse und Praxis:

1. Literaturrecherche
2. Fallstudien & Vergleichsanalyse (Character vs. Non-Character)
3. Experteninterviews (Motion Designer:innen, Brand Strategists)
4. Design-Experiment – zwei Versionen derselben Botschaft
5. (Optional) User Testing zu Klarheit, Engagement, Emotion und Markenfit
6. Synthese & Framework-Entwicklung

Im Detail:

1.  Literature review

•  Systematic review of literature on visual storytelling, animation, motion design, motion grammar, perception and brand identity
• Identification of existing models that relate motion and narrative structure to communication goals.

2.  Case studies / analytical comparison

• Selection of existing brand and explainer videos that use character-based storytelling.
• Selection (or identification) of non-character motion design examples (typography-driven, form-based, system/identity-based).
• Qualitative analysis focusing on clarity of message, aesthetic specificity, narrative structure and perceived brand fit.

3.  Expert interviews

• Semi-structured interviews with motion designers, creative directors or brand strategists.
• Topics: reasons for choosing character vs. non-character approaches, perceived strengths and weaknesses, client expectations and real-world constraints.
• Evaluation via thematic coding and synthesis of recurring patterns.

4.  Design experiment / practice-based research

• Concept development for a short explainer or brand-related message (e.g. introducing a service or product).
• Creation of two animated versions:
  a) a character-based narrative solution,
  b) a non-character motion graphics solution (e.g. using typography, forms, rhythm, motion systems and abstract metaphor).
• Potentially also further non-character variations (e.g. typography-only, form-only), depending on scope.
• ALTERNATIVE: Ase an existing character-based narrative and translate it to a non-character motion graphics solution

5.  (Optional) User testing / evaluation

• Recruitment of test participants from relevant or mixed target groups.
• Presentation of the different video versions under comparable conditions.
• Data collection via questionnaires and/or short interviews focusing on:
  • perceived clarity and understanding of the message
  • attention and engagement
  • emotional response
  • perceived fit with a hypothetical or existing brand
  • Qualitative and, where applicable, simple quantitative evaluation (e.g. rating scales).

6.  Synthesis and framework development

• Integration of insights from literature, case analysis, expert interviews and user testing.
• Formulation of a set of principles or a framework describing when and how non-character narrative strategies are particularly effective.
• Translation of these findings into a practical “tool” or guideline that can be used in discussions with clients. 

7. Material

Vorhandene Materialien:

• Fachliteratur
• Beispiele aus Brand- und Erklärvideo-Praxis
• Animationssoftware
• potenzielle Interviewpartner:innen

Noch zu erheben:

• Fallstudien-Korpus
• Material zu Motion Identity & Motion Grammar
• Teilnehmer:innen für Tests
• Interview- & Testdaten

8. Idee für das Workpiece

Geplant ist eine Serie experimenteller Animationen:

• eine charakterbasierte Version
• eine oder mehrere non-character Versionen derselben Botschaft
• optional: Übersetzung eines bestehenden Character-Videos in eine abstrakte Motion-Lösung

Das Workpiece dient sowohl der Untersuchung als auch als späteres Tool für Kund:innen.

9. Vorläufiger Aufbau

1.     Introduction
Background, motivation and relevance of the topic, Research gap and objectivesStructure of the thesis

2.     Problem and context: Character dominance in motion design

– Character-based explainer films and brand videos
– Client expectations and common industry practices
– Initial observations from practice

3.     Historical and theoretical foundations

– Short history of characters in animation and advertising
– Psychological foundations: anthropomorphism, identification, perceived intentionality
– Basics of visual storytelling and narrative in design

4.     Brand communication, motion identity and design systems

– Brand identity basics
– Dynamic branding and motion identity
– Motion as a component of visual brand systems

5.     Limits and weaknesses of character-based narratives in contemporary contexts

– Aesthetic redundancy and “character fatigue”
– Generic styles (e.g. flat 2D, corporate mascot trends)
– Mismatches between character styles and brand identity
– Cases where animation is not used because characters are perceived as unsuitable

6.     Alternative narrative systems in non-character storytelling
(Should be the central and detailed chapter… still unsure what exact content will be)

–      Concept of non-character communication in motion design
–      Motion grammar: timing, rhythm, transitions and system behaviour as meaning
–      Typographic storytelling and kinetic typography
–      Form-based and abstract narratives (shape, composition, colour, scale, rhythm)
–      System-based and grid-based motion identities
–      Emotional expression through form and movement without figurative characters‘
–      …
–      Synthesis: a preliminary framework of non-character narrative strategies

7.     Methodology

– Research design and rationale
– Literature review approach
– Case study selection and analytical criteria
– Expert interviews (design, sample, procedure)
– Design experiment and user testing (setup, indicators, limitations)

8.      Analysis and results

– Insights from case studies
– Summary of expert interviews
– Results of user testing (character vs. non-character versions)

9.      Development and discussion of the framework / tool

– Integration of findings into a practical model
– Description of the experimental workpiece
– Implications for practice and client communication

10.  Conclusion and outlook

Summary of key findings, Limitations of the study, Outlook for future research and practice in motion design. 

Right now the main thing that is holding me back is mainly just my inability to make decisions. I have a lot of different options and ideas about what direction my thesis could go in, but no certainty what I am going to do. I have been pivoting between many different decisions for months now, switching between feeling sure and very lost. So this blog post is my effort to finally cement one of the decisions I have made. The theory is that by putting it online for people to read, I will feel obliged to fulfil their expectations of my thesis. Objectively, this would never work because first of all, maybe about two people are ever going to read this far (thank you at this point) and second of all, no one will be so invested into my thesis topic as to actually form any huge expectations. But I am a notorious people-pleaser who is deadly afraid of letting people down, so for me this method will work just fine.
Full disclosure: for the following information on the thesis structure as well as the exact formulation of my research question, I have used ChatGPT to help me find something suitable.

The Topic

At my talk with Roman last week I presented him with the options I had narrowed it down to in my last blog post, with the sole goal in mind to walk out of that room with a decision for my topic. I’ll admit, that was a fairly ambitious plan, but although I didn’t have a fixed title, research question and structure ready by the end of our talk, it was really helpful in deciding what to explore further. I decided to somehow combine the notion of convincing people to travel more sustainably via a visual media, and the question of how documentary filmmakers’ audiovisual and ethical decisions on how to portray contrasting viewpoints can change the viewers’ perception.
I then explained my ideas and intentions to ChatGPT, asking him to come up with an appropriate research question. The following is the option that resonated most with me and that I felt like represented best what I want to do with my thesis.
“How can the design of a documentary—through audiovisual style, narrative structure, and ethical framing—be leveraged to fairly present conflicting viewpoints while effectively motivating audiences toward more sustainable travel behaviors?”

The Title

Well, this one is still a work in progress, but ChatGPT and I have come up with some options that I already like the sound of:

“Seeing Fairly: Ethical and Audiovisual Strategies for Persuasion in Sustainability Documentaries”“Representing Conflict Fairly: Ethical Documentary Design in the Context of Sustainable Travel Communication”
“Influencing Perception Ethically: Documentary Media Design for Sustainable Travel”
“…: Ethical Documentary Strategies for Fair and Persuasive Sustainable Travel Communication”

One idea I have had for a while now is for the title of my documentary project, which I would like to call Only Planet, as a reference to both the travel guide company Lonely Planet and to the fact that Earth is the only planet we have and we have to take better care of it. When I asked ChatGPT about its associations with the name though, it immediately jumped to a connection with Only Fans, so before I make a final decision on the name, I might test it out with real people in my life to see which association they would make first.

The Methods

For my research on documentaries and how different filmmakers approach the task of portraying contrasting viewpoints as well as treating the topic of sustainability, I want to both interview experts in the field, who can tell me first hand how they would deal with such issues. Furthermore, I would like to develop an informed framework for analysing different documentaries myself and categorising them within my thesis. For writing about the current state of research, I will rely heavily on scholarly literature on the topic.

The Structure

The following would be a rough outline of how the thesis might be structured to properly deal with the topic. While a lot of this will most likely still change throughout the course of the next few weeks, for now it is a good starting point to know what chapters I will definitely have to write, and to be able to prepare literature and also excerpts for my thesis. Once again, the structure was provided by ChatGPT after I had prompted him with the topic, research question, and methodology of my thesis. I then added some comments of my own for what I might want to write about in certain chapters.

---

1. Introduction

1.1 Background and significance
-> talking about sustainable travel as well as documentary filmmaking and viewer persuasion

1.2 Research problem

1.3 Research question + sub-questions

1.4 Methodological overview

1.5 Structure of the thesis

2. Theoretical & Conceptual Framework

2.1 Documentary Theory & Styles

-> talking about the theory behind documentary filmmaking, what types and styles there are, how to categorise

2.2 Media Design for Persuasion & Behaviour Change

-> talking about persuasion through media in general, empathy, sustainability persuasion specifically

2.3 Fairness, Credibility & Trust in Visual Media

-> the ethics behind it, how fairness is perceived

3. Methodology

3.1 Research Design

-> explanation and justification of used methodology, also how literature, research and practice tie together

3.2 Data Collection

-> describing criteria for which documentaries to analyse and which experts to talk to

3.3 Analytical Procedure

-> creating the framework for film analysis as well as the set of questions for expert interviews, also considering ethics and viability

4. Analysis & Findings

4.1 Content Analysis Results

-> how the documentaries analysed conflicting viewpoints, ethical considerations, common techniques

4.2 Expert Interview Findings

-> describing the expert’s answers, methodologies and approaches to documentary filmmaking, conflicts and ethics

4.3 Synthesis of Findings

-> see whether there are common themes in analysed films and amongst experts, see how different results might be combined

5. Practice-Based Component (max. 1/3 of thesis)

5.1 Project Description

5.2 Application of Findings

-> how theoretical findings can be applied to my own practical work / what I could have done better

5.3 Reflective Evaluation

6. Discussion

6.1 Interpretation of Results

6.2 Theoretical Implications

6.3 Practical Implications

6.4 Limitations

7. Conclusion