Process
The Masters Research Project (MRP) is a brief 2D animation that introduces viewers to the concept of sex-role reversal in females and its implications for evolutionary theory. This animation focuses on the importance of an “exception proving the rule” in science and what we can learn from this rare sexual selection method through examining the behavior of Rhamphomyia longicauda, also known as the dance fly. The concept of defined sex roles is pervasive when studying evolutionary biology and can lead to an oversimplified idea of the mechanisms behind sexual selection. By explaining the multifaceted occurrence of sex-role reversal, I aim to challenge the common assumption that only males can display ornamental traits and females must be the parental and choosy sex.
Script and visual script
Style frame
Asset production
Final frames vs storyboard
Research
Masters Research Project
Sex-role Reversal: Challenging Assumptions Surrounding Sexual Selection
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Created using Adobe Illustrator, AfterEffects, Audition, PremierePro, and DUIK rigging plugin
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Inform a general audience on the rare occurrence of sex-role reversal and its importance in understanding sexual diversity
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Rosalind Murray, Professor of Biology at University of Toronto
