NOTES
Animation acting has more in common with theatrical acting than live action film acting.
Theatrical acting is always exaggerated on the basis of life experiences and makes it easier for audiences to get the characters. The same rule also works on virtual characters.
In previous research, I found it interesting that both Western and Eastern drama’s acting skills can be used on animation characters, for the same purpose. Many works of the Shanghai Animation Film Studio used reference from Chinese traditional opera and created distinctive characteristics of animation performance.
Yet animation acting that approximates live action film is not so useless. Many Japanese animators, such like Satoshi Kon, prefer realistic acting techniques that make their animation vivid and delicate. Performance methods have to be used in the right place to make the most of them.
On the contrast, Ryuu Nakayama, director of Chainsaw Man anime, tried to give the animation a “cinematic sence”. It turned out that his work was too much about live action and became inefficient, sometimes not suitable for animation.
Animators have to use both classical acting and method acting techniques.
We rely on live action performance (usually acted by animator themselves) to avoid stereotype. It helps to get exquisite understanding of character’s reaction and emotion.
ASSIGNMENT
Our body acting exercise was a little bit beyond expectation, for we exchanged our characters to animate. Actually this simulated a real working situation. In most cases, animators receive character sheets which they are totally unfamiliar with to start. At this time the importance of communication reveals. Communicate with directors or character designers to get overall understanding of your characters, and to avoid “out of character“.
I got to know the character, a funny mosquito designed by Mingzhu, who is thirsty for blood and disguises himself as a bee. I also did some sketch to learn about his appearance.
The character performance sequence shows the mosquito seeking for blood. It came from a video reference acted and shot by me—a good animator should also become a good performer. Honestly it was quite awkward to bounce and jump in the corridor while strangers passing by.
I added follow through on the wings and antennas and exaggerated the character’s reactions and expressions.