Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
far less satisfactory approach to acting. As we have seen elsewhere in this text,
most actions can be broken down into phases, which can move from one into
the other in an almost seamless manner, but they are
distinctive
phases.
The illustration of the thought process in acting demands an even more
subtle approach to animation timing. Because it is thinking that instigates
most
movement and action, the ability to demonstrate this thinking is a
valuable tool for the animator. If your audience is to understand the reason
for the movement, they must understand or at least be aware of the thinking
behind the action. It is far too simplistic to consider the thinking process
as a separate and distinct action. Animating the thought process in this
simplistic action-thinking-action way will only lead to very strange and rather
unconvincing acting. Depending on the context, the thinking process may be
something as subtle as a narrowing of the eyes or a slight pause in movement.
Consider the moment in
Bambi
when the young deer meets the prince of
the forest for the first time and hears the dreadful news: “Your mother can't
be with you anymore, Bambi.” The expression on Bambi's face, the very slow
drooping of his ears followed by the downward movement of his head and
the very slight narrowing of his eyes, clearly shows the audience that the
magnitude of the news has hit home and Bambi realizes that he now faces life
alone.
On the other hand, the thinking process may be a more protracted event,
resulting in a series of actions: opening a bottle and pouring a drink, standing
up and walking across a room, or a sequence where the character uses a prop.
As with most good acting, there is no formula for animating this thought
process; you will find your own way of dealing with it. Largely it will be down
to the characters you are working with, the context they appear in, their
individual personalities, their intentions, and their motives. Noticing how
people's behavior and their use of everyday objects display their emotional
state will prove a very useful exercise for the animator.
Lip Sync
Perhaps the most familiar form of action analysis for animators is the use of lip
sync guides. These have been around for a very long time but were missing
from the very first text on making animation,
Animated Cartoons; How They Are
Made, Their Origins and Development,
by E. G. Lutz, published in 1920, when
movies were still silent. It does contain a series of drawings that illustrate a
method of animating a baby crying, complete with a text substitute for the
actual sound. Interestingly, the illustrated guides for creating walk cycles in
the same text are as valid now as they were then, clearly demonstrating that
there is no sell-by date on the principles of animation and action analysis.
The nature and the design of a character's face will determine the type of lip
sync that an animator will find possible. However, the principles that underpin
the lip sync remain the same for all examples.
