Personality and emotions in animation

[Shademaster]

Hi,

I'm currently a student doing my Final year project. I'll study how to create animations showing personality and emotions. I want the audience to feel the psychological state of the characters. The viewer should identify easily the character in the animation because it is clear, believable and credible. I'd like to see my characters live and think through the pictures.

To get close to this goal, two actors and a graphic designer currently studying 3d will help me. I also read carefully The illusion of Life from Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston, The Animator's Survival Kit, from Richard's Williams and a few other book. I'll finish my first short in a few weeks. I'm also aware of the movement around me, how the person react in an emotional state, how they speak, walk, love, hate, think etc.

At the end of the project, I shall acquire a professional method and produce a shot with high quality animation. I'm doing the project on the art, not on the medium.

Based on that, I request your opinion and advices on the project. What should I read? What kind of material should I study? Is it useful to study animation from animated movies or I should concentrate my work on live footage? Is it possible to do a work experience in a studio for a student doing that kind of project? I am lucky for that, the development of 3d animation is fast near Montreal, but I have to find a studio that would accept me for a day. Do you think it's possible?

Regards,

Charles Blouin, animactor in progress ;).

I got The Animator's Survival Kit on my doormat yesterday and am already halfway through it. I bought it after years of trying animation and looking at what Animation Mentor students produce.

I realize now that it is more important to just Animate more than study. One week of solid animation learns you a lot. Plus side is that you can create reelworthy material. Since your showreel is your way in to a big studio I'd really concentrate on producing animation.

I cannot help you any further since I am an animation n00b :D. Good luck!

[jdonnelly]

i disagree with the guy above this post. You really do need to study real people and animals to be able to convey what a character is feeling or thinking. You gotta remember that when you're animating, you're not simply animating their actions, you're also animating what they're thinking. Subtleties are key! The thing I DO agree with the above poster is that yes, you do have to animate animate animate. Studying is not enough, but it is as important so don't disregard that altogether.
You need reference material... there's no way an animator can think of EVERYTHING and expect to go through many many passes before you reach the final anim.
Best of luck to ya!

[Chab]

Thanks jdonnelly and Shademaster,

I totally agree, practise is very important and it's part of my project. But as the task focus more on the method and the research, I'll use that time mostly to work on animation outside of my computer. It's a unique opportunity, having time to study, and only trying only to achieve the greatest quality. I'll have the time to animate, animate and animate after, but in a much more efficient manner with the knowledge I'll gain (I hope, but maybe I'm completly wrong). I read somewhere that a good way to become an animator is to bury our computer in the backyard then study and draw. Then, you dig, try find your computer and animate ;) .

I forgot that question:

Does it help a lot to take theatre lessons? Maybe practise of plays (or acting the scripts on movies) and the help of actors may be enough?

Thanks again for your replies,

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