Actor to Avatar is my final practical dissertation project. In the form of a documentary, it explores how character and storytelling are communicated through performance in screen acting and performance capture.
​
The project examined the relationship between script, performance and narrative, considering how an actor's physical and vocal choices influence the way an audience understands a character and their role within a story.Â
​
It strengthened my skills in research, critical analysis and script interpretation while developing my understanding of performance led storytelling on screen.
By using scenes from HBO's The Last of Us and Netflix's Stranger Things, this study investigates the transposition of narrative across different performance mediums.
​
The research focuses specifically on the characters Joel (The Last of Us) and Nancy (Stranger Things), analysing how their encounters with death influence their character arcs.
​
Using professional studio workflows and technology, I directed and edited the production, documenting the process on a Panasonic 180 camera.
​
I wish to extend my professional gratitude to my assessor, Dr Darren Daly, for his academic help. I also thank Connoll Pavey, Jake Louden, and Alex Heald for their technical expertise in performance capture, along with Ryan Taylor and Jason Williams for their management of the screen acting studio facilities. This project wouldn't have been achievable at this scale without them.
