Performance
Great moments in the [animated] films we make don't come from flashy animation but from great performance. Animation is just a tool we use to create this performance, so sf this is done right, then our technique will be invisible and we will simply see the character in the moment.
You can have all the amazing, fluid motion you want, but if you miss the intent of the shot, then your story will suffer. The art of great performance draws you in to the character's situation, hits the beats it has to deliver, and does this as cleanly as possible.
JSG November 2005
My friend Jason came up from LA for Thanksgiving, and, as usually happens, we ended staying up stupidly late talking about animation. The quote above is basically what J said at some point as my sleepy brain struggled to keep up. I've had to piece it together from my jumbled memory, but it works better as a quote so that's what you're getting.
It's very inspiring to talk to him, for he has such a passion for acting. J used to sit next to me, and his comments were always eye-openers, for he would see things that I hadn't considered. (It was
he who taught me to distance myself from the "business" of a shot and look at the interaction of shapes within the frame to make sure that the movement was working underneath the surface.)
This is why it is very hard to watch something like a "Wallace & Gromit" or "The Incredibles" or "The Iron Giant" for their animation. The characters perform, and they draw you in to the story and then half an hour has gone by and you've forgotten to look at how the stuff was animated. I think this proves Jason's point very well, for the animation takes on a life of its own that we can connect with with very little effort.
Jason probably said lots more interesting stuff that night, but I was so sleepy that I didn't consciously remember it. Perhaps if anyone wants to hear more I can always try hypnotism...
...or, you could ask him the next time you see him. He's the one that looks like he's going to ask you for money.
posted by Kevan at
11/29/2005 12:47:00 PM
4 Comments:
Hey Kevan-
Excellent post. Could you go a little bit more into depth about your technique of distancing yourself from the business of a shot and thinking about shape interaction? I think a lot of animators (myself included) get wrapped up in the physics of the shot and the minutia even before looking at the big picture.
By
jeremy, at 4:18 PM
OK, Jeremy, will do. I'll make that my next post!
By
Kevan, at 5:20 PM
great insight. it does get distracting when you start making things move around. there is just so much you can do once you get involved with a scene that it is sometimes very hard to stay to the point. i'm not saying i'm an expert, but what i do is move on. i put the shot away for a while and work on something else. when i come back, all the stuff that doesn't make sense has to go. it also gives me a sense of what i need to do to make the point of the shot clearer.
really interested to hear your thoughts on it kevan.
-d
By
Drew, at 11:31 AM
This Jase sounds like a wise fellow.
By
Elliot, at 1:23 PM
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