Tag: animation tips

Ice Age: Collision Course is Blue Sky Studios’ latest Scrat short, directed by Michael Thurmeier and Galen Chu, both tremendous talents in the animation industry.

“Go graphic; make the eyes tell the story.” – Mike Thurmeier

Today we’re gonna look at a shot from Blue Sky Studio’s 2005 animated feature, Robots – a show that featured a tremendous group of young talent and some of the finest people I’ve ever had the pleasure to work with. First and foremost is one of the leaders of studio (and long time figurehead of the animation department) Michael Thurmeier, one of finest and most talented people in the industry. Mike is someone whom I’m personally forever indebted to for giving me my own break in the feature animation business and has been a friend and inspiration for a long time. Due to his talent and the weight of the studio sitting heavily on his shoulders (at least early on in its development) we don’t get to see too much of Mike’s animation anymore since he’s moved on to full-time direction. He’s one of the rare animation artists who have received Annie Nominations for both Best Character Animator and Best Short Film (which also garnered an Oscar nomination).

So, I dug up this old shot of his for the purposes of our study. As you will see, there is both brilliant thought, acting and execution in his animation.

https://youtu.be/oDIdARuFkRE

This shot of Rodney’s dad, Mr. Copperbottom (voiced by the wonderful Stanley Tucci and animated by then Supervising Animator Mike Thurmeier) shows all the good things that great animators do – create texture, weight, balance, emotion and appeal. From Blue Sky Studios’ 2005 animated feature, Robots.

Here is a breakdown of some of the key moments of the scene:

As you can see, Mike begins with a clearly balanced triangular composition and starts the scene in mid-action.

Beautiful and slight rotations of the head create interest, as we go into a hold, and arm gesture pushes through the action. Line of action (LOA) changes.

The momentary stillness as he says “Robot City” gives the scene a temp break in the action, as he looks downwards, indicating feeling and thought. This creates visual interest during the pause in physical activity.

When Copperbottom pushes forward again, his eyes reconnect with Rodney as their hands meet.

Here, the body and head rise, building anticipation for the next big expression as he gathers emotional strength and support (for his son.)

Excellent reversal of line of action again, as the character pushes forward and outward. The weight shifts forward and his hand compresses onto Rodney’s shoulder, which depresses, confirming the reality of the forces at play.

Rotation inward and down form a nice reversal again as the head and body masses visually combine creating a nice ‘squash’ before the stretch. Face compression amplifies the expression.

The body and head spread out, as the character first pushes up and then down, as it builds into another anticipation of forward movement. The facial expression hints at confidence and belief.

The movement here is particularly nice, as Mike chooses to uses a scooping motion down and then upwards towards Rodney, giving variety to the combination of actions, as well indicating a kind and gentle support for his son, already hinted by tone of the monologue.

Beautiful twists and turn of the body and head lend force and weight to the movement. The second hand reaching out and pressing on the shoulder increases the connection between the characters.

The action follows thru, and the eyes connect looking upward as the body, head and hands settle into a short hold. Careful profile position of the head retains perspective and appeal.

The large anticipation backyards prepare for the final expression of encouragement. Shoulders and head lift high and back while the head rotates to form a nice strong torque. Facial expression is loaded.

Beautiful arc and flow of the forward movement give this last big expression force and intensity.

Last movement that finishes the scene, as the body rises up to the final position. Elements of the head and face drag giving weight.

Final settle position is high and close, as the facial expression indicates connection, hope and trust between the two characters.

A quality shot like this is rare. The best animators, like Mike Thurmeier, deliver them with surprising consistency (Mike’s work in particular has the best lip sync I’ve seen of any animator). As one can see, there is an obvious amount of planning involved along with detailed execution. Excellent acting, well-defined weight, strong use of forces, as well as concepts like lead and follow, solid posing, and varied timing, are what make shots like this so good.

An aspiring animator would do well to study scenes of this caliber. Don’t expect that following formulas or letting the computer do the work is gonna make you good. Work that features rich analysis, solid planning and expert execution can teach you a lot about what it takes to make art that connects.

“I don’t like to let the computer do too much for me, and I’ll have an idea what I want the character to look like going from one pose to the other.” – Mike Thurmeier.

There are certain films I watch periodically for knowledge, growth and inspiration. In live action, they include films like The Godfather, Lawrence of Arabia, 2001: A Space Odyssey, and Akira Kurasawa’s Ran. I never seem to get enough of those films because they are so epically crafted, rich in human emotion, and nearly flawless. I learn something new each time, and find myself in awe of the artistic mastery on display. It’s like experiencing a dream.

“I dream my painting and I paint my dream.” – Vincent Van Gogh

Animated films don’t carry nearly that kind of complexity, grandeur or critical acclaim. But I do have a special list of animated films that rank amongst the most magical. One of them is Walt Disney’s 1961 classic, 101 Dalmations. Both the story and animation are a charm. The designs are unique and timeless, and within its 103 minutes of run time lie some of the most original and appealing scenes in animation history. It’s a landmark film amongst Walt Disney’s bounty of animated productions.

But today, we’ll focus specifically on one scene from the movie animated by the magnificent Milt Kahl. It’s a clip that describes Roger and his dog Pongo anxiously awaiting the birth of puppies, like expectant fathers. The scene is short (more than half the shot is a series of small movements and holds) but loaded with personality, contrast and beauty.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBkCK78GLhU

Let’s break down some of the key areas of the animation choreography:

Set up

The initial setup is simple, clear and nicely balanced. A geometrically perfect triangle tells you exactly where to look. The line along Roger’s legs, back and arm, along with Pongo’s elongated neck, create a continuous line of travel for the viewer’s eyes. There is physical contact in the hands which pat Pongo’s head, as well as social-emotional contact created by the direct eye-to-eye connection.

Anticipation

In the first bit of significant action (anticipation), you see a strong coil-like build up of the bodies in nearly simultaneous action. The lines of action (depicted in blue) reverse. Compression occurs between the heads and shoulders, while areas like the hands, sweater, hair (red) and Pongo’s ears reveal shapes that contrast from their previous positions, either dragging, or expanding.

Action/Expression

In the action/expression phase, you can see that Kahl has taken advantage of the elasticity of animal anatomy to demonstrate extreme force and expression. The lines of action of the bodies now spring almost straight and upwards towards the screen, while elements of the arms, hands and jaws reflect drag (yellow), giving them weight and interest.

Hang Time

The most visually impressive and kinetic action occurs in the hang time, where Pongo frantically pedals his paws and Roger’s arms open upwards and outwards. Again, there is beautiful line of action in the main body masses, excellent display of overlapping action and shapes that give the shot depth, and a wonderful, almost floral texture and sense of excitement in the movement.

Follow thru

As the characters collide into each other, Kahl achieves another marvelous contrast from the previous phase of action. Here, you can see and feel the force of the bodies compress into each other, as the follow thru of elements like the ears, hair, tail, sleeves and paws give the action real heft and believability. The arcs are beautifully conceived, as each body part flows naturally from one position to the other. It’s most intelligently displayed in the action of Roger’s arms as they envelop his dog in circular motion.

Final Pose

In the final part of the scene, you see that Roger and Pongo, who were originally united by muted concern and only the slightest of contact, are now in full embrace at the end. Their arms and legs intertwine and overlap, their bodies glue together as one, while their attention jointly focuses towards the sudden alarm off screen. The conclusion of the action culminates perfectly.

People often attribute Milt Kahl’s notoriety due to his marvelous skill as a draftsman but when you look at a shot like this, you witness more than just beautiful draftsmanship or even perfect execution of technical elements. You realize that it’s all elegantly preconceived with much deliberation, effort and sincerity that shows how true the animator is to the characters and their situation.

“… it’s not the draftsmanship. It’s the conception.” – Milt Kahl

This sensational clip of animation is less than five seconds long, yet its quality and appeal is timeless. It’s a stark wake up call to all those animators who complain of doing “short shots.” It’s not the size or complexity that matters, it’s what you do with it.