Film Faculty member scholar Charles Forceville and former student Nina Gebraad have published a new study on the use of metaphors in short animated videos about cancer. Their research, featured in the journal Visual Communication, reveals that these animations predominantly depict cancer as a battle, with the ‘enemy’ often visualized as a monster. Surprisingly, the journey metaphor is seldom used, despite its potential to offer a more hopeful perspective. Forceville and Gebraad advocate for a more nuanced use of metaphors that better aligns with patients’ experiences, urging oncologists and animation creators to reconsider how cancer is portrayed in media. This research builds on Gebraad’s MA thesis in the dual master’s program Documentary & Fiction.
