The construction of identity in autobiographical animation.

“Perhaps instead of thinking of identity as an already accomplished fact, which the new cultural practices then represent, we should think, instead, of identity as a 'production', which is never complete, always in process, and always constituted within, not outside, epresentation.” (Hall, 1989, p. 222) Animated autobiography, also called animated memoir, is emerging as a unique form of self-representation which allows its creators to incorporate a variety of conventions and elements to help explore and represent an aspect of their identity. In this essay I will look at how identity is represented through narrative, specifically autobiographical animation. I will examine theories of identity and narrative, and look at how Stuart Hall’s theory of cultural identity and diaspora relates to animated autobiography. I will also consider the discourses, conventions and definition of animated autobiography, and the way cultural identity in autobiographical work impacts on identity and narrative. I then examine two films in relation to these ideas, and how they use the identified conventions to represent their creators’ identities. The practice element of my Master of Arts study involved creating a 10-minute autobiographical animation called Greensplat. This film focuses on my personal experiences between 1984 - 1990, incorporating memories, contextualised archival audio, and documentary elements, and is set in the wider context of mining and its environmental consequences. I conclude by examining how this work utilises the conventions and influences discussed to create a personal narrative that constructs individual identity