Ed Hooks - Acting for Animators: Most Discussed Posts

The Significance of Rango

ehooks — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 14:31:08 -0800

Rango opens the door for U.S.-made animated features for adults. Ed explains why acting styles are evolving from the Disney silent film model to the 1950’s Method acting model.

Rise of the Guardians – Why Did It Flop?

ehooks — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 08:54:47 -0800

“Rise of the Guardians” is almost as big a flop as “Mars Needs Moms”. What is wrong with this picture? Ed Hooks takes a look and points to significant animation industry trends.

What’s Wrong with The Illusionist?

ehooks — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 12:26:07 -0800

Ed Hooks explains why Sylvain Chomet’s The Illusionist is a frustrating near miss. The lack of dialogue is not the biggest problem with the film. More significantly the girl’s character is not fleshed out.

Why Do You Animate?

ehooks — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 08:39:28 -0700

The decision to be a professional artist is unlike any other. There is no single well-trod path to success and, anyway, how is success measured when it comes to an art? Is it a dollar amount? Is an animator who worked on, say, “Up” more successful than one who worked on, say, “Waltz with Bashir” or “Triplets of Belleville” or the game “Fable II”? Or perhaps you consider animation to be a craft more than an art? Why do you animate?

What's Wrong with Wreck-It Ralph?

ehooks — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 16:12:00 -0800

Ed discusses his problems with Wreck-It Ralph as well as the issues of "empathy," "sympathy" and animators as actors with pencils.

Welcome to Ed Hooks – Acting for Animators

ehooks — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 17:27:14 -0700

Ed Hooks kicks off his expert blog on AWN by talking a bit about the genesis of his work teaching acting to animators as well as inviting readers to pose questions or comment about their experiences dealing with subjects like the connections between thinking, emotion and physical action.

Show, Don’t Tell

ehooks — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 11:48:36 -0800

Ed Hooks explains why too much dialogue and voice over narration can weaken your animation.

Animators – The Next Generation

ehooks — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 16:04:12 -0700

We have enough people that can do hat tricks with computers. What we need are a few visionaries and dreamers.

The Willing Suspension of Disbelief

ehooks — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 08:07:22 -0700

Ed Hooks (Acting for Animators) discusses the willing suspension of disbelief in theatrical transactions.

Empathy Matters

ehooks — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 15:43:19 -0700

Suddenly, books and on-line discussions about empathy are popping up like spring flowers. Since performance animation is all about establishing a sense of empathy with the audience, Ed Hooks weighs in.