The auteur theory, traditionally associated with film, states arguments about who is considered the author of a piece of work. In animation, this theory takes on unique dimensions due to the collaborative and multi-disciplinary nature of the medium. While Paul Wells argues in ‘Animation : Genre and Authorship’ that animation may be consdered the most auteurist of all film formats.
On the contrary, there is a challenge in attributing singular authorship within animation due to its collaborative framework. Wells mentions that recognizing an auteur in animation often involves analyzing their recurring themes, visual aesthetics, and storytelling approaches across multiple works. Very specific themes and genres are observed in the works of animation directors like Hayao Miyazaki and Junji Ito, making them the ‘auteurs’ even with the huge production team and studios involved in their works.
Wells further explains the auteur theory through the case of Disney of whether he can be considered an aurteur or not. While Walt Disney was barely involeved artistically in major Disney works, he shaped the studio’s brand and vision. Many directors of Disney studio downplayed their contributions to promote the ‘Disney’ name. This complicates the auteur theory as it aligns with a ‘studio-driven authorship’ model. It is not always the director who is considered the auteur, rather any producer or visionary leader that guides the production team in a specific style, genre, or theme.
Through his analysis, Paul Wells raises points for further discussions about authorship in animation, which is often a less regarded field of film practices. Animated film can be collaborative at larger scale and individualistic at smaller scale, making it complicated to define the true auteur of a piece.