The Strategic Use of Art Style Variation as Visual Language in Audiovisual Storytelling

Abstract

This thesis explores the strategic use of visual style shifts in audiovisual media and their function as a form of narrative language. The central premise is that art styles are not merely aesthetic surfaces but active carriers of meaning. The theoretical framework builds on concepts of visual communication, art historical style theories, and media studies, with a particular focus on diegesis, defamiliarization, and metalepsis. Within this context, art styles are understood as a visual language in which disruptions take on narrative and emotional functions. Methodologically, the thesis employs a qualitative analysis of selected films, series, animations, and video games. The analysis focuses on sequences where a marked change of visual style plays a central role in shaping story, atmosphere, or audience perception. Findings indicate that style shifts serve a wide range of purposes: they can alter perception, highlight emotional turning points, visualize inner states, and provide self-reflexive perspectives on fiction. They thus operate not as mere visual effects but as autonomous narrative strategies. The thesis further documents the master’s project Half-Life: Alex, an animated short film that tells the life story of a protagonist through multiple art styles, each referencing distinct video game aesthetics. This project demonstrates how style shifts can function as expressive tools for both personal storytelling and media reflection. The study argues that visual style shifts represent an effective mode of narrative communication. They extend the expressive potential of audiovisual media, deepen the understanding of art styles as visual language, and offer valuable impulses for future creative and scholarly engagement.

Date of Award	2025
Original language	English
Supervisor	Jürgen Hagler (Supervisor)