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WHEN YOU ANIMATE DO NOT SIMULATE REALITY

• Phrasing

• Anticipation

• Action

• Reaction

When you animate, do not simulate reality

Direct mimic of real life is often not desirable in animation. The medium demands a distillation of the information that will enhance, exaggerate or push the presentation into a strong visual statement.

"Actions should be stronger than real life. To do so is to take full advantage of the medium."

- Ham Luske.

Actions should be clear after the meaning is understood

"Go extreme with your actions. When you think youÍve gone far enough, go twice as far and youÍll be 1/2 way there."

- Art Babbitt

Animation is a series of drawings

The relationship is more important than the single frame. "Animation is not so much the art of drawings that move as the art of movement that is drawn."

- Norman McLaren

Phrasing

Most actions resolve into ANTICIPATION / ACTION / REACTION Keep this clearly in mind when working with dialogue. The tendency is to create major action for each voice accent. It is important to look at the phrase as a whole and subordinate some accents to allow the dominant accents to present themselves in the context of ANTICIPATION / ACTION / REACTION. In most cases it will be a collection of many words with varying accents to serve as ANTICIPATION for a dominant accent in relation to the overall phrase.



Anticipation

- Preparation

- Catches audiences eye

- Directional focus, points out object of the action. Usually moves in the opposite direction to add punch and contrast to the action itself.

- In acting it will indicate character / personality.

- Once anticipation is established, the action itself is usually self evident. (especially true in fast actions)

- Slower actions have more minimal anticipations.



Action

- PRIMARY ACTION is not caused by another force. It is the motivating force.

- Once an action is started it must be completed.

- Real action is a manifestation of force. All actions have meaning, some stir an emotional response, these become gestures.

- In dialogue, strong actions are cued by strong inflections in the spoken phrase.



Reaction

- SECONDARY ACTION occurs as a result of another action.

- Subject to the effects of gravity, elasticity, buoyancy.

- Clothing is always secondary, either fixed or flowing.

- Drapery is secondary to body action and gravity.

- Appendages ( ears, arms, tail, legs,) can be secondary to body actions and gravity or become primary when motivated by thoughts.

- Overlapping and secondary action action BEGINS within the action itself.

- Overlap a series of actions to enhance overall fluidity

- CHARACTERS are subject to ALL the mechanics of structure and gravity as well.

- There is opportunity to expose character in reaction.



Next Tip: The Animation Work Process part 1