Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
“Oh no daddy, Bogo is not sleepy, he is HUNGRY!”
Thelvin Cabezas, Poor Bogo, Ringling College of Art and Design
Tempo, Pacing, Rhythm, Intonation, and Timing
Early in the chapter, we looked at the use of dialogue in
A Great Big Robot from Outer
Space Ate My Homework
and
Respire, Mon Ami.
Because they use other languages, they
are good examples of tempo, pacing, rhythm, intonation, and timing of the dialogue in
relationship to the content and emotion of the piece.
Listen to them. Try to graph the rise and fall of the intonation of the voices. Pay attention to
pacing and rhythm of what the actors are saying as the confl ict rises. Focus on the
silences
in the scene. Silence can punctuate a line of dialogue, enhancing both the emotion and
impact of what is said. Silence allows your audience time to comprehend what your char-
acters are saying. Silence allows time for other characters to react. Too often, beginning
animators seem to fear silence when creating dialogue. They do too much too quickly and
without time for the dialogue to support the emotion of the scene.
When creating dialogue, write down what you want your characters to say. Then record it
a number of different ways. Take the script away and improvise the dialogue. Have many
different people do it for you. If you are lucky enough to have a college or theater in your
area, see if you can hire an actor to improvise your dialogue for you. It is amazing how
much the voice and interpretation of the words can enhance your animation and help you
determine the extremes of your poses.
Notes on Music and Sound
Music and sound do not play the same role as dialogue. As Sonia Moore said, “The words
are like toy boats on the water.” They reveal the underbelly of the emotion of the character.
And sometimes, if the acting is good, the words are irrelevant.
