Lesson: POWER OF ONE
Added 2023-07-20 05:14:20 +0000 UTCI say “one” as a general term to describe moments where we can sell a move within one frame versus 10. Another way to look at this is embracing big spacing in between frames. This obviously doesn’t apply to every animation that you do, but it’s a great reminder how much you can push your animation to achieve the energy you’re looking for. When we start as baby animators we often fall under the trap of following either too closely to the reference or “realistic” type of spacing & timing. You see, whenever you see smears, multiples in your favorite animated shows/movies, it wasn’t necessarily made to be “seen” but more so “felt.” They were made to solve the spacing with the limited frames they had. Sometimes they’d do this to sell additional texture as well (think of frantic arm/leg multiples to sell a scuffle). Next time you look at your animation, ask yourself if you can solve the move with less frames especially if the moment calls for it. And give the leftover frames to either your key poses, settles or follow-throughs. This can help your animation to feel more stylized but also have greater energy in your performance. Remember, this DOES NOT apply to every shot. Keep animating!
