Dissertation Statement - Help me choose please!

Question

Hey guys,

I know I posted something reasonably similar before about anime but I was thinking about doing a dissertation on the subject, here is what I've got so far.

"What are the Processes Required in Creating a Successful Sound Design in Action Shōnen Anime?"

I noticed after watching a few anime, most of the sounds are synthesized or sounds that have been processed a LOT and there has been hardly anything on sound design of this kind. I would analyze generic action shonen anime sounds in terms of processes like EQ etc.

I was then thinking about comparing older and newer ones to see how they have developed over the years (I know that makes it partly a historical document, but I feel I should add it in the literature review somewhere) and finally whether using a more "realistic" sound design e.g. using soundscapes would benefit this form of anime.

I was also going to throw in some case studies and interviews with prominent sound designers (if anyone responds haha) in the field to see what they have to say about the matter.

The methodology would be something along the lines of putting my own bank of created sounds to a few clips and show unbiased subjects a film of my own design and the original film to see what they feel suits the picture more, maybe throw in a version with a combination of both, one to try and emulate more motion picture type sound, and one with "hyperreal" anime sound just to gather response.

Sorry for rabbiting on haha just wanted to get your opinions and feedback!

I also have another which is "What is the Validity of using Mathematical Techniques to Create Future Contemporary Hits in Popular Music?" (I know I'm a geek |8]) analyzing things like uplaya and scoreahit etc, but there is a lot of ambiguity on that and I feel as though I could slip up somewhere.

I digress, please let me know what you think! Would be much appreciated!

Kind Regards

Answer 1

To be absolutely honest, I can't say that your thesis, as stated, sounds like a terribly interesting read. Analysis, particularly when it comes to mixing technique, can be rather difficult to make interesting. It's kind of like reading the verbal equivalent of a spreadsheet. However, if you find a way to give it a broader scope in terms of how your analysis effects (or should effect) sound design practice, then pretty much any topic is fine. You have to have a topic that matters, or if you can't find one/aren't interested in one that actually matters, you have to find a way to make what you want to do sound like it matters.

So, why is the huge amount of audio processing done in Shōnen Anime important? Why should anyone care? Why do you care? Because that's really the point.

Contrary to @Internet Human, I think subjectivity is something that should be actively engaged with. If it doesn't affect you on a deep, subjective level, there's not much point in studying it, really. All of the driest, boringest, most academic seeming stuff (Philosophy, psychology, meta-linguistic theory, etc.) only exists in the first place because someone cared so much about the subject that they had to write 90,000 words on the subject.

Academic study and writing doesn't have to be as stale and lifeless as most people seem to think. Having an opinion isn't a bad thing. Expressing emotion isn't a bad thing. The only thing that you must be able to do is provide justification for any of the claims you make. As long as you do that, you're in the clear.

Writing a dissertation is no different than making anything 'artistic'. A good piece of writing has a sense of dynamic, a sense of flow, a sense of tension, and a genuine feeling of cathartic resolve when the conclusion is reached. You can't do that without engaging the reader on a personal/human level. Of course, you have to be careful not to be too personal and get carried away, but you won't be marked down for being enthusiastic, interested, and opinionated. Because if it seems like even you don't care about it, then who gives a shit in the first place?

So express yourself and show that it's important, even if only to you.

Also, for my two cents, I'd stay away from conducting surveys. I don't know what context you're working in, but if a study of the kind you propose is done under conditions that aren't strictly controlled and properly supervised, the results are scientifically and statistically meaningless, and the whole therefore is a bit of a waste of time. Also, in all likelihood, the sample size you'll end up having will be uselessly small. A study of 20 people who know you and whose answers will be affected by your relationship to them, basically nullifies any conclusions you could have drawn from the results.

If nothing else, when I was starting my dissertaion 8 months ago, the one thing my supervisor told me not to do was write a survey-based thesis...

Answer 2

I think doing polls is the best (or most publicly useful) way to go with art dissertations in general. Another could be sales or viewing/listening charts, if it's something that's sold or distributed. Remember that what we do (or consume) is perceived subjectively. So in order to get somewhat objective/truthful or just informative statements about art that carry weight, you have to ask (many) people what they feel or think.

I understand the interest to do analysis of sound and music, but again here lies the danger of excessive subjectivity and/or the study ending up being very non-informative, if one's attempting to draw some generalizable conclusions with inadequate methods and background study/knowledge. Or then you need to develop a specific methodology or criteria for the analysis or dig into the more scientific fields that study art or media formally (e.g. psychology) and lend methods from those.

Then, one popular method is to take the dissertation as a personal learning opportunity (which it of course is) and which you formulate by digging some background information (from reputable sources) about what you're going to do and then provide a practical case study about how something works or how you implemented something.

"What is the Validity of using Mathematical Techniques to Create Future Contemporary Hits in Popular Music?". What's this? Algorithmic composition?

Answer 3

The only advice I can give is, you're going to be spending a LOT of time with the material - so pick something you are genuinely interested in and want to learn more about. I'd go as far as saying don't treat it like a piece of educational work - but treat it as an opportunity to research something you want to know more about, or to better your knowledge of a subject you feel you're currently lacking (as long as it's relevant of course).

Not only will the work come out better because you're truly passionate about it - but, if you pick your topic wisely - it will be valuable to your progression as a sound designer.

Cheers,

Fred