Julian Lawrence - Relational Connections Through the Space of Learning: Exploring Youths’ Experiences of Filmmaking with Comics

Youth filmmaking is considered as a relational practice through the analysis of a case study that took place in an informal learning setting. Comics are employed as a research form allowing us to investigate and portray Sally’s story through a biographical-style sequential narrative. We visualize her experience through various encounters with the space of learning and identify characteristics of informal learning spaces that encourage youth to create meanings from filmmaking as media arts practice. This visual essay provides a contextual and unique outlook into Sally’s struggle and joy of learning, thus allowing teachers, educators and academics to ponder the role of relationality in youth arts engagement.

The presentation reflects on the use of comics as both research methodology and findings output. Some of the focus will be on the challenges that arise when creating academic comics for scholarly publications. Topics include maintaining anonymity, referencing in comics, mechanical type vs. hand lettering, and implementing editorial revisions.