Project Title: 
Improving Audience Accessibility in 3D Animated Films Through Nonverbal Storytelling Techniques, Including Onomatopoeia and Emanata

Project Description:
Nonverbal communication is a powerful tool for visual storytelling in animated films (Ying & Blanchfield, 2010), often enhancing audience comprehension and immersion without dialogue. This paper aims to describes how nonverbal communication elements originating from comics, such as onomatopoeia (sound effects as text, e.g., “POW!”) and emanata (visual symbols like lines or shapes depicting a character’s emotions, internal state, or sensory experiences) are designed to enhance story comprehension, specifically character action, reaction and emotions in a self-made 3D animated film entitled Joy of Feeling Sound.
Using an applied film project as a case study, onomatopoeia is designed using typographic considerations, including typeface, weight, scale, color, kerning, tracking, form, etc., to visually represent sound. Emanata is designed through dynamic visual effects, such as  speed lines, spikes, sweat drops, etc., to depict the character’s emotional state and physical actions. In Joy Feeling of Sound, I aim to deepen emotional expression, engage the audience, and enhance visual storytelling through the use of these visual elements. The study concludes that onomatopoeia and emanata, when combined with thoughtful design choices in typography and color, can be effective tools for storytelling in 3D animated films without spoken words. 

Committee Members:

Maria Palazzi (Advisor), Peter Chan, Kyoung Swearingen

Keywords:
Onomatopoeia, Emanata

Exhibition Artifact: 
Joy of Feeling Sound

Artifact Description:
This film project explores how visual sound can be expressed through nonverbal animation using onomatopoeia (sound effects as text, e.g., “POW!”)  and emanata (visual symbols like lines or shapes that depict a character’s emotions, internal state, or sensory experiences) . Through my film "Joy of Feeling Sound", I develop visual sound techniques that communicate action, emotion, and vibration without audio, enhancing emotional understanding and narrative engagement for the audience.

Technical Description:
Format: Animated Film Video
Software: Maya, After Effects, Procreate, Photoshop
Specifications: HD MP4 (H.264), 1920 × 1080 px, 16:9 horizontal (No Audio)
Duration: Under 5 minutes and 50 seconds