The Shot Length Styles of Miyazaki, Oshii, and Hosoda: A Quantitative Analysis

• Published in: Animation : an interdisciplinary journal 2013-07, Vol.8 (2), p.163-184
• Main Authors: Kohara, Itsutoshi, Niimi, Ryosuke
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1746-8477; 1746-8485
• DOI: 10.1177/1746847713487472

How does a director express his or her film style in animated films produced by a group? To address this issue, the authors analyzed the shot length of 22 Japanese animated films directed by Miyazaki Hayao, Oshii Mamoru, and Hosoda Mamoru. Their analysis reveals the statistical measurements of shot length were clearly dependent on directors. Miyazaki’s films show that he avoids both longish and brief shots, Oshii’s shot length is relatively long on average, while Hosoda prefers relatively short shot length. Furthermore, both Oshii’s and Hosoda’s first films deviated from their subsequent films in terms of statistical indices, suggesting that they established their style of shot length during their first or second time directing. The authors determine that all three directors controlled shot length primarily through their own storyboarding as a crucial process of determining the value, since the shot lengths correlated well with the designated shot lengths on the storyboards. In conclusion, the authors identified the distinctive shot length styles of the directors.