In Pursuit of a Multimodal Ensemble in a Stop-motion Animation Movie Created by Six Young Children

Abstract

In this article, the authors explore the visual and auditive modes in a stop-motion animation movie created by six young children in collaboration with their teacher. Drawing on social semiotic multimodal perspectives as the theoretical framework, the authors apply the concepts of multimodal orchestration and multimodal ensemble to discuss the relationship between the modes. This study is a qualitative case study in which the movie and video recordings from the production are used as data. The findings indicate that the relationship between the modes is characterized by layers that partially interact; sometimes they do and sometimes they do not. The moving images form the basis, while the voiceovers and background music to a small extent deepen or nuance the visual mode. In the article the authors question whether the sequential design of the digital apps used in the production of the movie may have contributed to this partial interaction between the modes.