Contrary to what many people expect, a scene doesn’t require an extensive number of poses to clearly demonstrate an idea. In fact, many people go to great lengths to jam so many ideas into a shot that the viewer is left confused by the onslaught of too much information. The end result is a jumbled mess of actions and motions that do nothing more than move around the screen. Remember, the animator’s job is to maintain clarity of emotion by keeping the viewer seeing one, and only one, idea in a shot. Limiting the amount of information presented is a step in the right direction.

[Figure 2] The character on the left is ambiguous in his presentation. The character on the right clearly shows the product being displayed.

Direct the Eye
Image composition can include a number of objects, characters, colors and events. These items combine to create a palette that is both informational and emotional. Although necessary, all these items can be a distraction to the idea an animator is trying to convey. The proper use of a pose can minimize these distractions and point the audience in the right direction.

As I said, clarity is the key to illustrating a point. The audience’s attention needs to be directed toward the concept being presented. Imagine a soda commercial. If an actor is going to proudly display the product, he’ll want the audience to clearly see the label on the can. Any ambiguity would distract the audience and lessen the impact of the advertisement. (See Figure 2.)

By directing the audience’s eyes to a specific location, the animator is making a direct comment on what needs to be viewed. The essential story beats are given proper screening time and keep the audience connected with the events that are unfolding. Actions are direct in their staging and contain the necessary accents to make them most effective.

During the production of Episode I, I was assigned a shot that contained the character Sebulba. The shot required that he sabotage another racer’s vehicle. He slowly crept up to a control device, reached up, and broke the piece from the engine. This moment was necessary for future plot developments and critical that the audience clearly see the action. Creating the proper pose would be necessary to unmistakably sell the action.

The end result was Sebulba directing his posture and appendages toward the important engine part. As he approached the device, I pointed both arms and head toward the lever, and created a “C” shaped figure with his body. This semicircular composition guided the viewer’s eye to the area of interest.

[Figures 3 & 4] A simple, silhouetted pose (left). The weakness of the gesture (right) is revealed when the lights are turned on.