Witt, Jacqueline
Master Thesis - M.A. Creative Direction
2021/2022

Stage / Design: Empathy for characters through acting techniques

This work pursues the hypothesis that empathy for non-human actors (actants) has the ability to enhance the design thinking method to include a more realistic approach to sustainability. It is based on the recently developed object-subject understanding of the new animism. As well as Bruno Latour's stage metaphor in which props enter the stage as actors in the Anthropocene. The latter raises the question how it becomes possible to communicate at eye level with props and - far removed from Latour's metaphor - non-human environmetal actors. The approach that has been chosen to meet these requirements is acting. Developing empathy for roles of any kind is rooted in theater tradition. In particular the development of roles proves to be suitable for enriching the design thinking toolset. 

The scientific elaboration is carried out in three acts: The first act involves the connection of stage and design thinking, in which non-anthropocentric design, narration, Aristotle's dramatic theory and cathartic effects are examined. In the second act, the exploration of empathy takes place, both in terms of the five forms of empathy and the empathetic perception of the environment and its influence on design and nature. Finally, in the last act, theater and acting techniques are explored and an initial solution is developed.


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