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In our contemporary moment, which some are suggesting is a “Golden Age” of American television, programs featuring Latinx characters, especially Latinas, remain scarce. The history of Latinx representation in American television is filled with stereotypical portrayals of violent drug dealers and forlorn domestic workers. This thesis examines how the animated fantasy television program Elena of Avalor (2016-) offers alternative, and potentially empowering, narratives for Latinas. Elena challenges gender norms, explores the ramifications of colonialism, and imagines a world in which whiteness is not the default. However, the show often fails to acknowledge the colorist and anti-Black discourses prevalent within the US and Latin America. as a product of the Disney empire – a corporation that for years has faced criticism for its portrayals of Latinxs in their live action and animated films and shows – Elena embodies the struggle for representation and the fight against commodification. Though a “Latina Disney Princess” can be a source of inspiration to Latinas around the world, there remains the question of how the Latina body is commodified by and for white, non-Latinx consumers. By analyzing the episodes and tie-in merchandise of Elena alongside other Latina-centric programs like Once Upon a Time (2011-2018) and Disney films like Saludos Amigos (1942), I argue that Hollywood’s fixation with cultural and ethnic authenticity is reifying hegemonic notions of Latinidad. While shows like Elena have the potential to dispel stereotypical understandings of Latin America, the US film and television industry continues to disregard the cultural complexity of its Latinx viewers, normalizing whiteness and exoticizing Latinidad.

My thesis project, entitled The Curse Breaker, is a personal and career venture studying the medium of 2D animation while battling my struggle with cigarette addiction. I researched and applied symbolism and narrative strategies while building an impactful hero narrative. Joseph Campbell's The Hero with a Thousand Faces provided insight into the monomyth and hero archetypes. Character and environment designs implemented symbolism as a driving focus of my thesis and fueled the semantic interpretation needed to successfully communicate my struggle with the audience in a non-verbal fashion. The language of cinematography aided in the effectiveness of my thesis film. The use of focal points and transitional wipes helped blend my film cohesively. Understanding the 2D pipeline with the production of my film, my thesis aligns with current industry demand. Large streaming companies have acknowledged this demand and invested heavily in new 2D animated content catering to children and adults.

Un-Portalable! is an animated multimedia short film about two friends who become fused together after using a faulty teleporter. They attempt to conceal their deformity while simultaneously navigating a social situation with one of their friends. The main focus in the film is the concept that boundaries tend to become clearer as they begin to break. This conceptual focus merges into the visual theory of the film in which highly expressive character design and hybrid media utilization are driven by relational and narrative design choices. This film serves as a condensed pilot and proof of concept for a larger prospective serialized work. The construction of the physical aspects of Un-Portalable! allow for flexibility in camera angles that benefits not only production of the film itself, but also future projects within the potential series.