Staging

Staging is the process of communicating key elements of an animation to the viewer in the clearest possible way, whether it is a characteristic, action, mood or atmosphere. The goal of the animator is to make these elements obvious so that the viewer understands what is going on.

Fig 3














In this image (Fig 3) the viewers focus is on the heavenly light shining on the stone. This is achieved using various techniques. The crowd is arranged in a circle with the stone in the centre, every character is looking up at the light, and the light is highlighted by small sparkles.

Anticipation

Anticipation is all about preparation. When a major action is about to take place the animator must prepare the audience for it. This is not a set rule (or indeed a courtesy), but it is necessary not only to make the action believable, but to emphasise its importance.

Another aspect of anticipation is actions which physically cannot take place without some form of energy build up. Here (Fig 2) we see a character jumping over a box. In the real world it is impossible for a person to jump (A) like this without first gathering enough energy (B).

Fig 2

Squash and Stretch

Squash and Stretch refers to changes in the shape of an object while still retaining its volume. This principle can highlight the affects of a variety of different forces upon the object, depending on its weight, mass and flexibility. Squash and Stretch is regarded as the primary principle of animation as it encapsulates the essence of organic movement. It can also be used to emphasise and exaggerate movements in order to give them a more profound (and most often comic) meaning.

Examples of Squash and Stretch can be as simple as a bouncing ball (Fig 1.1), or as complex as facial expression (Fig 1.2)

Fig 1.1













Fig 1.2