animtangent

[animtangent]

Acting Choices

I came across this gif earlier today and got a kick from it lol. It has so much charm & humor to it! Even if it didn’t have the subtitles, the body language between the coach & his pet is clear, and collectively they communicate a story. Seeing this made me want to talk a little bit about acting choices and how I approach them as I begin to plan out a shot...  

Before recording any video reference or making thumbnails, I try to get a clear understanding of the context of my shot, “Where my character is coming from and where are they going to?”

Based on the answers to this question I’m already given a direction to explore within, and I’m then able to think of broad choices (actions) that best fits within this scope. I tend to like working broad to specific. When thinking about my broad choices, I ask myself questions like - Should I have my character standing or sitting? Looking this way or that way? And if so, whom & what? And Why and when?  

The answers to these questions should support & echo the idea behind your given shot. By ironing out the logic behind your choices, you’ll create a structure to your performance, and in this structure it will allow you to explore specificity with a direction & already set purpose.

So how would one break down the actions in the example above. Let’s say (for educational purposes) there was no dialogue to it and this was a shot you were planning to animate. What are the broad foundational actions seen & timed out that informs that the dog & it’s owner is having a falling out?

This is what I see...

(1) The male coach is getting low to the ground to level with his pet while (2) He maintaing eye contact the entire time. He then (3) makes a gesture that echos the notion of pleading.

As for the dog, since he or she isn’t feeling well and perhaps a little ashamed, It (1) barely makes eye contact with its owner, and even when it does it’s for a split second. Then decides to (2) plop its head to the ground while (3) still not making eye contact. 

This all sounds straight forward but if you were to view this moment & compared it to a newly made maya scene with a T pose male character & dog, you’ll soon see that the choices are all specific. It’s the choosing of having the coach come low on the ground vs remaining to stand up, the choosing of maintaining a strong eye contract to making his pleading clear, vs having him look off to the side or making glances or even blinking has he comes down.

As for the dog, it’s the choice of having it not have strong eye contact that makes it feel defeated vs choosing it to have a strong eye contact... When you can start breaking down acting in this way and seeing how the pieces all work in a harmonious way, you can start to see the power in thinking broadly first vs diving straight into video reference or thumb nailing with no clear direction. Tying down a truthful foundation while even in the early early stages of your planning is what will make all the difference in setting your performance off to a strong start!