Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
performances, either in the form of animation or live action. If you are to
get the best out of this kind of reference material, you need to shift from
being an ordinary member of the viewing public to become an analyst of
the action.
Animation provides invaluable insight into how other animators undertake
an interpretation of a performance; live action offers a record of how people
move within their environments and respond to each other. Live-action
performances, though not necessarily ordinary and in some cases rather
artificial and extreme, are not mediated by a separate artificial process
through drawing or modeling.
Look initially at the nature of the performance. Is it a drama, is it a
documentary, is it poetic, is it naturalistic, is it humorous? To properly analyze
a performance we must first be aware of what we are watching. This is
relevant if you are to understand the nature of the dynamics and timing that
may
be associated with different types of performance. Comedy, for instance,
is largely determined by timing, which is critical if it is to be successful and
funny. Any comedian or comedic actor will tell you that timing in comedy is
everything.
• Look for the dynamic in the narrative, how the shifts in the story are
reflected in the changes in the action.
• Look at each character separately and in turn, then begin to analyze the
role each character takes in the sequence. Is this individual driving the
narrative, responding to others, or remaining passive?
• Begin to analyze the way the characters interact. Look for links and
tensions between the different performers, and look for the way the
characters influence one another and the situation.
• Make a note of the delivery of dialogue, the tone in which it is delivered,
the volume, the intonation. Don't just listen to the words being spoken;
listen to what is being said. The two are not always the same.
•
Take note of how a character responds to dialogue, the emotional change
that comes about as a result of the words and the physical action that
comes about as a result of the thinking about what is being said.
•
Take note of the eye contact between characters. A lot can be understood
about the relationship between individuals from a simple exchange of
glances.
This topic is covered in more detail in the chapter on action in performance
and acting.
Analyzing Still Images
Still images have a more limited use for the analysis of action because they
contain less information than a sequence of images that track the direction
over a series of images or the moving image that depicts speed and events
over time. However, a single image does have value. A single image may
