VISUALIZATION OF SOCIAL CONFLICT IN CINEMA:
DESIGNING REPRESENTATIONS OF `THE OTHER`

Since the scope of our comprehension for self-realization is encircled by the sum of what we define as “the Other”, it may be claimed that the definition of the other is the major semantic determinant of one’s ontological position. Additionally, the integration of this pattern to the shared system of values by social communication would result in a re-production of mass perception, of self as well as the other. When the conceptual borders between self and the other are blurred, it eventually causes an uncertainty in our self-awareness.

The identification of the other in society is significantly influenced by how the concept is identified and visualized by cinema, which is a mutual process since the cinematographic visualizations are shaped by what the society draws before the designer and the director. The massive appropriation of this paradigm affects the construction of social life through various methods of communication. In this sense, the specific area of contribution for (production) designer is to form a solid visual expression for the motion picture by providing appropriate relations between the narrative and the visual elements. The ultimate goal is to obtain a coherent conceptualization of “identity” within spatial features, the characters and the audience.

This article investigates the participation of designers during the production stage of a motion picture and the contribution of production design to the representation of conceptual features. By cross-examining theories on industrial design, visual culture and cinematography along with specific case examples (such as “2001: A Space Odyssey” of Stanley Kubrick and “The Matrix” of Wachowski Brothers), the outcomes of this study aim to provide a certain awareness on the significance of Production Design within the design research field.

Keywords:  Industrial Design, Cinema, Production Design, Visual Culture, Representation, Identity, Semantics