P 1
Bul is built almost entirely on personality. In fact, it represents the peak of Walt's feeling for Mickey and has dialogue development that is so specific for this character that it never would fit Donald or Goofy or anyone but Mickey. One simple scene of Mickey reading to Pluto from a book on how to train hunting dogs, a longer shot of their camp in the woods, and that is all anyone needs to know about the situation. There is little continuity, once again, and each scene is in the picture...
Johnny Lounsbery
As is often the case, the pupil surpassed the master. Norm Ferguson had instructed well but Johnny had gone beyond what the legendary master had been able to do. His better drawing and bigger concept, not limited by old vaudeville acts, brought the bold, crude approach to new heights, using more refinement, more dramatic angles, more interest, and all without losing the main idea. His simple staging, appealing characters, good taste, strong squash and stretch, and controlled anticipations and...
Checking
One of the best ways to keep work flowing smoothly is to have each scene checked carefully before it moves on to the next department. Once the animation is completed, it should be checked for technical problems. The drawings may have worked well in test camera, but someone has to adapt them to their final form on the eels. Are the characters on the right levels to match the other scenes in the sequence Should some of the levels be combined Will the pan moves and trucks work smoothly Is the...
Info Mfk
Rain soft rain, hard rain, heavy rain, blowing rain, swirling rain, drizzling rain These were printed ontc special papers, so they could be combined with th lt animated rain as needed to get any effect wanted. Jos had been told. When I look at rain, I don't see a lo of black lines around every drop. Sometimes I don' even see the drops, just streaks of light, and littl-splashes on the ground. The animator's drawings b themselves could not give this illusion, but by combining them with...
I Iqa
Diagram m the Lay Manual of the Hon camera crane devised ft ' the final shot in Fantt Amazing effects kere of tained by painting low images on panels of and moving the camc slowly through them Pictures taken from the A t Maria section in Fantasia show how this looked c the screen D gt at dawn, giving a spiritual feeling for the end of the picture. The special effects men looked at each other. No camera they had could move that slowly and continuously why, it would have to be 40 or 50 feet above...
Effects Department
The effects animator is a special kind of artist he has a curiosity about the way things work, a feel for the mechanical, and usually sees great beauty in the patterns of nature. Some effects animators have been fascinated with pure realism and have tried doggedly to duplicate it, while others have created spirit in the movement of water and lava, drama in fires and storms, and astonishing loveliness in the handling of falling leaves and snow. During the making of Snow White, the Effects...
Ink and Paint
There comes a day when the animation drawings have been completed. The scene works in continuity, the character acts as he should, his expressions communicate strongly, the layout supports his actions, and the details of costumes and props are all accounted for. On that day, a big check goes up on the production chart. But the drawings are far from finished. They only have been approved as working correctly. Now thev must be put into their final form, the way the audience will see them. In the...
Appeal
Appeal was very important from the start. The word is often misinterpreted to suggest cuddly bunnies and soft kittens. To us, it meant anything that a person likes to see. a quality of charm, pleasing design, simplicity, communication, and magnetism. Your eye is drawn to the figure that has appeal, and, once there, it is held while you appreciate what you are seeing. A striking, heroic figure can have appeal. A villainess, even though chilling and dramatic, should have appeal otherwise, you...
Elephant Poses
Sculptors Ch doroandDuki part of a srna of artists wk drawings into sional master The Character Model Department eventus panded to include three sculptors who transla drawings into beautiful, little clay figures of cat acter. These were cast, and a limited number oi models, painted in the colors suggested by the Model girls, were distributed to the animators were no elusive smudges here but hard reality ii and shapes magnificently done, and they were aid to the whole animation department....
N
Layout man Ken O'Connor built an actual model of the coach and photographed it as an aid to drawing in changing perspectives. A circular pan is suggested in the preproduction planning of Cinderella's coach on its wax to the castle. Final eels of the coach show the accuracy of drawings that came from this approach. Four Ways to Plan and Make the Layouts
V Smd
More thought is put into visualizing the actual layout so that everyone will know exactly what is being planned and can judge if it will work properly. Changes still can be made, but they generally are confined to small things, such as extending the drawing so a slight pan move can be used, or moving a piece of furniture to make more room for the character in the scene. This method works best if the layout man has had enough time to plan the staging for the whole sequence. Also contributed by...
Gustaf Tenggren
Somehow he had the ability to make you see what was funny about the character itself, and it was the character's expressions that you saw and later tried to draw but, still, that dog's eyebrows could only have come from Walt. When Fergy projected the first tests of his new character sniffing and snorting and then stopping to think, everybody was enthusiastic. No one remembers what Walt said, but very probably his comment went like this Yeah . . . y'know, he ought to have a big snort, right into...
Q
Writes little notes on his drawings explaining any mysterious forms created by the movement. The women who had worked up to the more important jobs continually were looking for ways to make the individual eels look more appealing. They did not like to see crude, barren work going through the plant, even though they knew that probably, in action, these drawings would do the job. Still, if the draw ings could be made to look better, to have a bit of shading, or a smudge, or one more color, or a...
Little
The first scene Fred ani-mated on Snow White was with this early model of Dopey. Later scenes refined his appearance, adding charm and appeal. ARTIST Fred Moore Three Little Wolves. The changing shapes in Fred Moore's animation gave a special excitement to his extremely simple drawings and great clarity of action. STARTS ON PAGE 169 The final model of Dopey had the same mischievous look that Fred possessed. The final model of Dopey had the same mischievous look that Fred possessed. the...
T Have Been Successfully Animated
That necessitated doing the dialogue over with a different phrasing or expression that sequence would be marked for a retake the next time the voice talent was at the studio another reason for not recording all of the sound at one session. It became increasingly important to choose just the right actor for this type of live action, since it would have such an influence on the development of a character's personality, and even on the entertainment value in the picture. Some comedians were...
Info Vut
Geppeito and Pinocchio try to push their raft into the ocean when Xfonstro the whale opens his mouth to sneeze. The scene lasts barely four seconds on the screen and shows the amazing concept of what made a good-looking picture for this place in the film. The separate parts are A. Monstro's teeth and upper jaw. C. Wave action on distant ocean. F. Water splashes over the teeth, raft, and characters. G. Pinocchio and Gep-petto pushing the raft. H. The kitten Figaro. Not shown double-exposed smoke...
What Is Secondary Action In Animation
Actions all with the same intensity and amount of movement will quickly become tedious and predictable. It will have no punch. But if the overall pattern contains accents and surprises, contrasts of smooth-flowing actions with short, jerky moves, and unexpected timing, the whole thing becomes a delight to watch. Obviously, this is impossible to attain with Straight Ahead Action. Using Pose to Pose, the texture in the variety of the movements can be planned and the action designed to make this a...
Slow In and Slow Out
Once an animator had worked over his poses the extremes and redrawn them until they were the best he could do. he naturally wanted the audience to sec them. He timed these key drawings to move quickly from one to the next, so that the bulk of the footage of the scene would be either on or close to those extremes. By putting the inbetweens close to each extreme and only one fleeting drawing halfway between, the animator achieved a very spirited result, with the character zipping from one...
Info Fwy
Nation of these four men that helped Walt set a course that would take Disney films to heights never dreamed of the creation of characters that reached out to audiences in a way only a few live-action pictures ever achieved. However, it is conjecture to say that the big development in Disney animation came just from the chance combination of Walt, Fergy, Ham, Fred, and Bill. But because these men were put in positions of authority, they automatically had certain responsibilities thrust upon...
Poses
Together, fascinated by the relationships that were now so evident. A few excited moments later, Walt had another idea. Why not take Margie Bell who had been hired to do the live action of Snow White herself and shoot film of her on the stage, pretending to come through a door, entering the room, looking about in wonder, seeing a small chair and running over to sit on it This could all be done with the measurements of the model of the cottagc blown up to full size. Then on another reel of film,...
Usion o
This book is dedicated to Walt Disney and the staff of artists who brought the magical quality of life to character animation. Copyright gt 1981. Wall Disney Productions All rights reserved. No part of this book may he used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of the Publisher. For information address Disney Liditions, I 14 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 1001 I. Library of Congress Caialoging-ln-Publication Data Thomas. Frank, 1912 I'hc illusion of life Disney...
Ollie Johnston
Like most of the group, Ollie was at his best when leading off on a character, particularly if the story and the characters were at a stage where they were still flexible. He was often the first to perceive that a character or a story point was not developing the right way and would work tirelessly to correct it. He had a vision of what it ought to be and was dedicated to seeing it come out that way. Through early experimental animation, he was able to show the potential for entertainment in...
Info Xad
CHfZ J Viff AI43mo rv. gt fJ put , A v euep rue At amp ve. nHt 'Vfift HALF tstrtctrt 1 VflAvtriC, 2 IS Vow yaiWtoHO fAJ 5MCf HAur kJA-i tier f, -x . r w artist Gustaf Tenggren Pinocchio.
Backgrounds
The background painters were experimenting, too. trying to capture in water color or tempera1 mediums easy to change if necessary the same effect the stylist had achieved with chalk or inks or some special build up of paints. Taking the layout suggestions as scenes that actually would be in the picture, and surrounding himself with the original sketches that Walt had liked, the background painter searched for ways to duplicate an elusive effect. These painters are not the same as easel...
Timing Spacing and the Metronome
The action in a scene was planned by the animator and the director at the time of the handout. If there was music, there would be either a prcscored track or a tempo set by the musician that could be marked on the exposure sheet. When a metronome was set to that tempo, those written beats became audible, giving a good indication of the amount of time for the action of the scene. If there was no sound to use as a guide, the metronome was the only way to determine the length of any of the action....
The Principles of Animation
When we consider a new project, we really study it . not just the surface idea, but everything about it. A new jargon was heard around the studio. Words like aiming and overlapping and pose to pose suggested that certain animation procedures gradually had been isolated and named. Verbs turned into nouns overnight, as, for example, when the suggestion, Why don't you stretch him out more became Get more stretch on him. Wow Look at the squash on that drawing did not mean that a vegetable had...
And Overlapping Action
When a character entering a scene reached the spot for his next action, he often came to a sudden and complete stop. This was stiff and did not look natural, but nobody knew what to do about it. Walt was concerned. Things don't come to a stop all at once, guys first there's one part and then another. Several different ways were eventually found to correct these conditions they were called either Follow Through or Overlapping Action and no one really knew where one ended and the other began....
Pose Test
The quickest way to see how a scene is going to play is to shoot what we call a pose test. While the animator is setting up his scene, figuring the size, the movement, the acting, he is making rough drawings that will become the basis of the actual animation. Now, instead of refining those drawings and relating them to each other, he sends them to camera just the way they are. They are the key poses for the scene and show how the scene is being planned. By shooting them at no less than 4 frames...
I An Art Form Is Born
Animation can explain whatever the mind of man can conceive. Walt Disney Man always has had a compelling urge to make representations of the things he sees in the world around him. As he looks at the creatures that share his daily activities, he first tries to draw or sculpt or mold their forms in recognizable fashion. Then, when he becomes more skillful, he attempts to capture something of a creature's movements a look, a leap, a struggle. And ultimately, he seeks to portray the very spirit of...
L
Stone that called for special decisions. The young Arthur had been turned into a squirrel by Merlin, the magician, so that the boy could gain a better understanding of the world of nature. While in this guise, Arthur met some real squirrels who accepted him as one of their kind, even though he could not speak their language. The problem was to animate the boy so that he would be believable both to the audience and to the squirrels. If he were just a boy running around in a squirrel suit the...
Info Rlg
Later, dialogue was added, showing where the take started and ended. Location of sound effects were noted, too. There is still no music suggested, just the beats. -12 j i lt fi t. lt fc -12 j i lt fi t. lt fc The inspirational sketch by Mel Shaw that suggested the scene.
Secondary Action
Often, the one idea being put over in a scene can be fortified by subsidiary actions within the body. A sad figure wipes a tear as he turns away. Someone stunned shakes his head as he gets to his feet. A flustered person puts on his glasses as he regains his composure. When this extra business supports the main action, it is called a Secondary Action and is always kept subordinate to the primary action. If it conflicts or becomes more interesting or dominating in any way, it is either the wrong...
Pinocchio 1
Our first Pinocchio had wooden hands, a stocking cap, and a cocky personality, Walt found this to be too brash and lacking in appeal, so we stopped animating until a new design could be found, matching a new story concept of the character. Fred Moore's drawings at upper right suggested more innocence and the proportions of a boy rather than a puppet. Milt Kahl's drawings of the chubby, naive little boy in the Tyrolean hat became the final model when we resumed animating six months later....
Info Chy
Rough animation drawings from The Jungle Book establish the action and capture the adoration that the boy Mowgli has for his new friend Baloo the bear. High-quality clean-ups are required where the drawing of the eyes and the subtlety of the expression are the key ingredients in the scene. These were done by specialist Dale Oliver and projected amazing life on the screen. USuAtlW iHc PA T or gooV tunica CuGuE 0 IS THt ore fieSHi P KT M CH t 6AJ gt U gt S lisjujA 2D , iHf 1 L SUAICV IHF oev P...
Its C for me
The well-known phrase of resignation. You can't win was just coming into popularity. One effects animator shook his head and added a second thought. It's not only that you can't win you can't even get out of the game. 14 You know, the only way I've found to make these pictures is with animators you can't seem to do it with accountants and bookkeepers. Walt Disney The isolation of the animator did not end with the move to Burbank, but it was the turning point. Except for one final picture,...
Brave Little Tailor
Carry Tcaiktr onnfidsideof Mickey's hat. Note turn oil brini He really was a funny little guy, but it was not that he was trying to be funny. It was just that his proportions were cute, like his drawings, and it kind of tickled you to watch him move around imitating someone like Fred Astaire or Chaplin, or trying some fancy juggling act. Even if the stuff dropped on the floor, Fred would always end up in a good pose -just like his drawings. He could not seem to do anything awkward. The thing...
Les Clark
When Walt hired Les Clark in 1927, he said, Well, you know this is only a temporary job, Les. I don't know what's going to happen. But as Les said, So it lasted forty-eight years Les just kept going and kept up As Walt asked for the better drawing and greater refinements that left so many others behind, Les was able to adapt and continue in the front ranks of the animators, year after year. His drawings had appeal, were always gentle and warm and likeable, and his timing was always sensitive....
Snow White Drawings
Check all layouts for the scale you need in a picture. Examine your sequence for pictorial shots that will remind you of the size of the characters you are animating. The scale of the characters to the things around them, and to each other, is an important part of making them believable, as well as giving them charm and appeal. artist Ward Kimball Cinderella. Long diagonal pan accentuates the scale. artist Bill Tytla Brave Little Tailor. Page of drawings to the best way to show Hood as a gypsy...
The Story Reel
The storyboards must now be altered to match these wonderful sound tracks, so a recording is made that can be played while the crew watches the storyman point to the familiar sketches. It is one thing to tell aboard, making the parts spirited or peaceful by the pitch of the voice combined with the tempo of the presentation, but it is quite another to create any of this drama while trying to keep up with a sound recording that races through the slow parts and drags forever where it should be...
Character Model Department
In the mid-thirties, no model sheet of the characters was official until it bore the seal. OK. J.G. Joe Grant, artist, writer, designer, and. at one time, producer, was the studio authority on the design and appearance of nearly everything that moved on the screen, and his taste and judgment were largely responsible for the pleasing style that identified the Disney product during that period. He collected under his wing, in the Character Model Department, a strong group of very talented artists...
Recording
Walt wanted to find his characters before going ahead with other story sequences or even the experimental animation, so the production unit began searching for voices as one of its first assignments. By this time, we all knew the type of character we wanted in our story, but to find the precise voice that made him just right was always a very demanding process. For Geppetto we had wanted a gruff, crotchety old man, who had a heart of gold but was accustomed to having his own way since he lived...
Disney Animation Pencil Sketches
Fleeting smile, the raising of a shoulder as the body leaned forward these were the precious elements of life revealed by the camera. But whenever we stayed too close to the photostats, or directly copied even a tiny piece of human action, the results looked very strange. The moves appeared real enough, but the figure lost the illusion of life. There was a certain authority in the movement and a presence that came out of the whole action, but it was impossible to become emotionally involved...
Fantasia Rite Of Spring
Drawings for the splash of i passing storm in Bambi reflect study and observation by the effects animator. animator Paul KoSSoff Rite of SpringFantasia. Imagination in both design and movement was needed for this scene of lava Jlowing down the primordial landscape. artist Jules Engel ' 'Rite of Spring.9 9 Fantasia animator Ed Aardal Rite of Spring. Fantasia. artist Jules Engel ' 'Rite of Spring.9 9 Fantasia The Rite of Spring in Fantasia called for mist, rain, smoke, wind, water, falling rocks,...
Special Effects
Pinocchio is swimming madly to escape the powerful charge of Monstro the whale. He is surrounded by frh. all dashing for their lives. He finally breaks to the surface and apparent freedom, but the monstrous foci rises from the depths, and his huge jaws close with a heavy sound on all who had tried to elude him. It is a exciting moment the audience should feel the tension. the suspense, the desperation of the characters trying to escape. The animation of Pinocchio is good and does exact what is...
Pinocchio
COWWJni StlfS Of pmoocmo to t'vrro if to Roro - ptnocch o Jti HALF S 2 to lt gt tfo 3ultram always added xtra dimension to the acters he portrayed. i writer, gagman, and c. he helped build such onalities as Napoleon, arm dog in Arislocats Sheriff of Nottingham obin Hood Luke, the less muskrat in The tiers. labor gave elegance harm to Duchess in gt cats and deter mi-i and compassion to a in The Rescuers. anted more comedy-roles but we needed irmth and sincerity ojected with her dis-e voice. our...
X Aaw
A man landing and jumping contacts the ground for six to eight frames. Charted on the exposure sheet. it looks like this The exposure sheet with the action notes for the run. the jump. and the splash. The animator makes a chart showing where the pup's head will he on each of the drawings in the run and jump. When Pluto was sniffing, his nose hit the extreme up ami down positions on every other frame. 0 ie exposure sheet, the chart looked like this The exposure sheet with the action notes for...
Info
8. Burbank and The Nine Old Men 10. How to Get It on the Screen 13. The Uses of Live Action in Drawing 16. Animating Expressions and Dialogue 18. Other Types of Animation
Anticipation
People in the audience watching an animated scene will not be able to understand the events on the screen unless there is a planned sequence of actions that leads them clearly from one activity to the next. They must be prepared for the next movement and expect it before it actually occurs. This is achieved by preceding each major action with a specific move that anticipates for the audience what is about to happen. This anticipa- tion can be as small as a change of expression or as big as the...
Sweatbox
lo with film lacking as it he viewing lies a test as try to see ier. Walt had to have a way to see the animation before it went into his pictures. He could flip the scenes and study the drawings on the pegs, but the only way he really could tell how they would look was to have the drawings filmed. This was known as a pencil test, and it gave both Walt and the animator a chance to study the action and make corrections before the scene was inked and painted. Ub Iwerks had devised a way to look...
Thinking up funny business look prsvsta over the
Long-term, seemingly distant rewards of self-improvement. In many cases, the aspiring artist whose curiosity kept him seeking more and more knowledge often found himself the subject of ridicule from his coworkers. Bill Tytla was asked. What the hell do you want to go to art school for you're animating, aren't you They could not know it at the time, but actually there was little chance for these cartoonists to improve, given the type of material they were animating. The spot gags, stereotyped...
