tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27501132.post8660993096235664209..comments2024-03-24T16:25:05.751-04:00Comments on Mayerson on Animation: The Elements of a Scene: BusinessMark Mayersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00065971589878678848noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27501132.post-44952917342545615502011-06-09T23:25:53.629-04:002011-06-09T23:25:53.629-04:00Thanks for posting this series! Great brainfood an...Thanks for posting this series! Great brainfood and inspiration.Andrea K Haidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03912254285198107387noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27501132.post-88801458802545193132011-05-26T10:52:45.675-04:002011-05-26T10:52:45.675-04:00From my point of view as a published author of cri...From my point of view as a published author of crime fiction/noir novels, what the characters are physically doing in a scene (aka business) directly reflect their personalities and how they are interacting with the other characters in the scene.<br /><br />This is true even if the character is alone in his/her room. If I can't provide my reader with descriptions of character "business", then as a writer, I don't know what that character is all about and haven't fully developed that character in my own mind.<br /><br />So, in regards to film, I believe that the script writer has the responsibility to suggest in the script what the characters are physically doing in each scene (besides just giving speeches and flailing their arms about). This is at least a starting point that can be developed/elaborated/or simplified.John Celestrihttp://www.cathiejohn.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27501132.post-70846067029252077322011-05-26T05:19:15.252-04:002011-05-26T05:19:15.252-04:00@Mark:
I think a lot of our focus in animation is ...@Mark:<br />I think a lot of our focus in animation is so narrowed down (largely due to the process of animation) that we don’t take the time to properly layer in all of these seemingly mundane character actions / interactions, and therefore lose all these opportunities to be clever or specific in visually implicit ways. <br /><br />But that’s just me trying to sound smart while parroting back pretty much what it is you’re teaching here. <br /><br />Thanks for taking the time to write all this up and share it with us.Matt Bellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05689750474645953368noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27501132.post-40165054824796739632011-05-25T22:28:27.489-04:002011-05-25T22:28:27.489-04:00In the old days, a director would do character lay...In the old days, a director would do character layouts (or supervise them) and then time everything to the frame. That way, regardless of who was going to animate on a sequence, the director knew what the result would be.<br /><br />I don't think TV directors do this, which is why they rely on short cuts that don't have to hook up.Mark Mayersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00065971589878678848noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27501132.post-29206402539899953862011-05-25T21:55:21.538-04:002011-05-25T21:55:21.538-04:00"Upon questioning the current methods its bee...<i>"Upon questioning the current methods its been made clear to me that if we did attempt to do things 'the right way' and it took a little longer and we ended up missing a deadline for an episode the studio would be financially liable."</i><br /><br />Basically they're not willing to chance it.<br /><b>:-(</b>Sad Animatornoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27501132.post-65479781277869263632011-05-25T20:55:18.730-04:002011-05-25T20:55:18.730-04:00These scene analyses have been a great read Mr May...These scene analyses have been a great read Mr Mayerson, thank you for doing them.<br /> <br />One thing that strikes me with working in animation today is the hyperactive cutting and limited length of the average shot, no matter what business is happening in the scene.<br /><br />While working on shots for television animation, (though this phenomenon is not limited to just TV anim), I often feel that I'm doing little more than having a character deliver a single line of dialogue, a lot of this "talking heads" type stuff as you've put it, before they jump to the next shot, which is usually more of the same.<br /><br />And even if there is some scene exposition or action taking place, it’s always shown through a convoluted series of cuts pieced together rather than having a fluid and sustained shot that tracks the character or action though a scene.<br /><br />What’s most frustrating about all this is that it’s not simply the fault of the board artists, the director or anyone involved in the production, as they’re all competent artists themselves who know about pacing and all of these issues. <br /><br />It’s simply the limit of the budget and time constraints that dictate that it’s easier to have four or five animators doing little chunks of shots simultaneously, duck-taping them together and trying to make it work. <br />Rather than giving one or two a more sustained piece of animation to do and having them work within the scene to show multiple key actions taking place clearly in the one shot. <br /><br />Upon questioning the current methods its been made clear to me that if we did attempt to do things 'the right way' and it took a little longer and we ended up missing a deadline for an episode the studio would be financially liable.<br /><br />:-(<br /> <br />We all long to work on a project that has the ability to offer the artists sustained shots of animation & interesting character business, the way that Studio Ghibli often does.<br />But short of moving to Japan, France or parts of California, we're going to need a major paradigm shift in the culture of animation production in order to get that.Sad Animatornoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27501132.post-68500027577676360952011-05-25T08:07:49.099-04:002011-05-25T08:07:49.099-04:00This series of yours is really fine. As monumental...This series of yours is really fine. As monumental as your mosaics. <br /><br />Ford's focus on the girl is in keeping with his attitude toward women throughout all of his films. They are the backbone of society. (Very similar to a number of Japanese directors such as Kurosawa or Imamura.)Michael Spornhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02018522723674960270noreply@blogger.com