The Art of Ghibli - Ethan Fong
Documentary Video
14:30
This video essay explores Studio Ghibli’s legacy through three lenses: Ma, Hayao Miyazaki’s creative vision, and the studio’s cinematic evolution. Through archival footage, film analysis, and historical context, it celebrates Ghibli’s storytelling mastery while examining its cultural impact.
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Ethan Fong is a Denver-based artist and videographer whose work explores themes of color, memory, and familial connections through the lens of moving images. With a strong foundation in both photography and broadcast production, Fong’s practice merges technical precision with a deep engagement in visual storytelling. His work reflects a subtle understanding of history and personal narrative, creating vivid compositions that resonate with both intimacy and broader cultural significance.
The Art of Ghibli
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This video essay dives into the artistic and narrative essence of Studio Ghibli, showing how three core elements—Ma (the Japanese concept of contemplative stillness), Hayao Miyazaki’s visionary direction, and the studio’s historical evolution—converge to create timeless animated masterpieces. Through a blend of film analysis, archival research, and curated clips, the project examines Ghibli’s signature storytelling techniques, from the meditative pauses in My Neighbor Totoro to the epic scale of Princess Mononoke, while contextualizing their cultural and emotional resonance. The scope focuses exclusively on Ghibli’s animated films, particularly Miyazaki’s works, with limited discussion of co-founder Isao Takahata’s contributions.
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The whole timeline of my project. Showing the beginning, middle, and current state of The studio GhibliÌý