This week was primarily spent making final adjustments to the thesis proposal and reflecting on the progress made throughout the term. Looking back at my earliest blog entries, one of the biggest changes was how much my research topic had evolved. I originally considered investigating animation in advertising and projection mapping before gradually shifting towards immersive storytelling and audience attention in 360° animation. The final proposal feels much more closely connected to my interests and practical ambitions as an animator.
One of the most valuable lessons from this module was understanding the relationship between theory and practice. At the beginning of the year, I viewed the thesis and Final Major Project as separate pieces of work. Through discussions with Nigel and the process of developing the proposal, I began to see them as parts of the same investigation. The research informs creative decisions within the film, while the production process raises new questions that can be explored academically. This reciprocal relationship became one of the strongest aspects of my project.
The proposal process also changed the way I approach research. I became more comfortable reading academic sources, comparing different viewpoints and identifying patterns across multiple fields of study. Although there is still a significant amount of work ahead, I now feel that I have a clear research direction, a structured plan for investigation and a stronger understanding of how the dissertation can support the development of my Final Major Project.