Critical Reader

by Eszter Schmidt

26th of August 2026

André Bazin - The Ontology of the Photographic Image

André Bazin argues that true cinematic realism is not an artistic illusion (plastic realism), but an unambiguous representation of reality (essential realism). Bazin believed that cameras have the ability to capture things the way they are. To him, cameras didn’t copy but they captured realistic flows and accidents, how things happen in real life. However, it seems he overlooked the cinematic choices filmmakers can make to manipulate their message and reality. Examples for these are framing, camera movement, and lighting. These choices raise the question of whether cinema can ever be completely objective, or whether cinematic techniques inevitably alter the viewer's perception of reality..Bazin identified photorealism as essential realism because it captured objects that existed physically. Following his argument one can assume that animation similarly to painting is a form of digital creation rather than a direct capture of physical reality. Although it can resemble life, it cannot be verified as essential realism in Bazin’s sense.

Paul Wells - Understanding Animation

Paul Wells examines animation as a distinctive cinematic form rather than treating it simply as a less realistic version of live-action film. He argues that animation has its own methods of creating meaning, including exaggeration, transformation, distortion and different approaches to representation. This is relevant because it challenges the idea that realism should always be measured against live action cinema. Wells's study is useful for understanding how animation can communicate ideas and emotions through stylisation rather than photographic realism. However, because the book covers many different areas of animation, the discussion on realism may not provide a single definition that can be applied to every animated film. His argument is particularly relevant to The Wild Robot, where stylised environments and characters still create a believable world. It suggests that believability in animation can come from the way movement, design and storytelling work together rather than from reproducing reality exactly.

Zell et al. - To Stylize or Not to Stylize? The Effect of Shape and Material Stylization on the Perception of Computer-Generated Faces

Zell et al. investigate how different levels of shape and material stylisation affect the perception of computer generated faces. They compare different stylised characters and measure how audiences perceive their realism, appeal, eeriness, familiarity and facial expressions. The study found that shape has a stronger influence on perception and expression intensity, while material has a greater influence on attraction. Interestingly, the researchers also found that realism alone is not a good predictor of appeal or attractiveness. I find this study useful because it provides evidence that more realistic character design does not automatically create a stronger connection with the audience. However, the study concentrates mainly on the appearance of faces and does not investigate movement, acting or narrative context. As an animator, I find this relevant because stylisation can be used intentionally to make characters more appealing and expressive.

Lourdes Esqueda Verano - There is no such thing as one realism: systematising André Bazin's film theory

Lourdes Esqueda Verano challenges the idea that Bazin's theory can be understood as having only one definition of realism. She argues that Bazin’s realism can be considered through different levels, including the ontology of the image, film style and the deeper meaning or truth communicated by a film. This makes Bazin's theory more complex than simply saying that realistic film must reproduce physical reality. I find this useful because it suggests that realism can also be created through aesthetic choices and the way a film communicates its meaning. However, because the argument is focused specifically on Bazin, it does not directly explain how these different forms of realism work in animation. It would therefore be interesting to apply her ideas to animated films.

Angela Dalle Vacche - André Bazin's Film Theory: Art, Science, Religion

Dalle Vacche examines Bazin's film theory through the relationship between art, science and religion. She discusses that Bazin's ideas about realism are more complicated than simply believing that photography objectively reproduces reality. His theory also considers the viewer and the relationship between cinema, the world and human experience. This brings up the question that realism is only about photographic accuracy. However, because the article is focused mainly on Bazin's theoretical ideas, it does not directly address animation or contemporary filmmaking. For me, its relevance is that it provides a broader understanding of Bazin before applying his ideas to animation. It suggests that realism can influence how audiences experience and interpret the world represented on screen, rather than only whether an image physically records something that existed.

Power - Animated Expressions: Expressive Style in 3D Computer Graphic Animation

Pat Power examines the development of 3D animation and the influence of a hyper-realistic approach on the medium. He argues that the focus on naturalistic and photorealistic 3D animation can limit expressiveness. The article explores how more expressive and non-naturalistic visual styles can communicate emotions and engage audiences. Power brings together ideas from different areas, including psychology, art history, semiotics and cognitive science, to discuss how visual style can influence emotional communication. However, the article covers many different theories, which can make some parts difficult to follow. It was also published in 2009, so some examples relate to an earlier stage of 3D animation. Nevertheless, I find the argument highly relevant to animation because it suggests that realism and emotional expression do not always work together. Stylisation can instead give animators more possibilities to communicate emotion and create a distinctive visual style.

Reference:

Bazin, A. (2004) ‘The Ontology of the Photographic Image’, in What Is Cinema? Volume I. Translated by H. Gray. 2nd edn. Berkeley: University of California Press, pp. 9–16.

Dalle Vacche, A. (2020) ‘André Bazin’s film theory: art, science, religion’, Artium Quaestiones, 31, pp. 191–207. Available at: https://doi.org/10.14746/aq.2020.31.7 (Accessed: 28 August 2026).

Esqueda Verano, L. (2022) ‘There is no such thing as one realism: systematising André Bazin’s film theory’, New Review of Film and Television Studies, 20(3), pp. 401–423. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/17400309.2022.2088979(Accessed: 28 August 2026).

Power, P. (2009) ‘Animated Expressions: Expressive Style in 3D Computer Graphic Narrative Animation’, Animation: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 4(2), pp. 107–129. doi: 10.1177/1746847709104643.

Wells, P. (1998) Understanding animation. London: Routledge. Available at: https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/herts/detail.action?docID=1562841 (Accessed: 28 August 2026).

Zell, E., Aliaga, C., Jarabo, A., Zibrek, K., Gutierrez, D., McDonnell, R. and Botsch, M. (2015) ‘To stylize or not to stylize? The effect of shape and material stylization on the perception of computer-generated faces’, ACM Transactions on Graphics, 34(6), pp. 184:1–184:12. doi: 10.1145/2816795.2818126.