How did Disney make their audience have feelings for their cartoons? Emotions in Anim

[5coop]

Okay so, its summer. Ill be a senior when i go back to school under the IB. Yep Extended Essay, 4000 words. This was my topic, "How did disney cartoons portray and emit emotions" something of the like. Basically emotions in cartoons.

Does anyone have ideas for good books/sites/resources? I already have The Illusion of Life...its my main source and quite spectacular, also the animators guidebookbla by the guy that did Roger Rabbit. Anything else? I mean, obviously there are large parts on how they played with the lighting the shadows to create certain moods their animal studies and the use of actual actors to give the animator more reference to draw a sad face ect. The music the in-house arguments they had to stimulate feelings through the artists so they could go to the desk and draw what they felt. Any ideas?

Im also gonna conduct an experiment with little kids by showing them a disney cartoon (most probably Hunchback, i hated it as a kid because it was too damn sad) and record their feelings or facial expressions.

Any bright ideas to help me out a little? Thanks :)

[tomwaits4noman]

the same way they do in live action

its just the medium that is different


The audience first has to emphasis with the character and care enough about them or at least be interested in them to want to see what happens them through out the film, - some films don't even get that right.

the only difference is obviously in animation the actors a mixture of voice talent and drawings or cgi.

so its a two part, first the voice talent has to be able to emit enough emotion in their voice performance to to create empathy

take Oscar in Shark Tale, a classic example of a loathsome character he was so overtly loud and obnoxious that I could not care about him and Will Smith's voice perform grated.

Then take a similar character Emperor Kusko from Emperors new Grove,
similar character but given just enough humanity or even personality

that is just the voice talent

then there is the animation

the animator has to use body language expression to illustrate the voice performance and bring the character to life.



http://www.animationarena.com/acting-and-animation.html

www.heinemanndrama.com/shared/onlineresources/E00705/chapter5.pdf -
a

[B u r l]

What tomwaits4noman said. It's about knowing the character you're animating inside out, to know how she/she/it will react in certain situations, right down to the subtle eye or finger movements. To study closely how humans and animals act. This can allow the animator to create a sense of believability (not necessarily realistic) that any audience can relate too.

Also, for books: http://corporate.disney.go.com/careers/walt_disney_animation_studios_resources.html

[Elwell]

You might want to reference Steven Jay Gould's essay on neoteny and Mickey Mouse from the Panda's Thumb (http://www.amazon.com/Pandas-Thumb-Reflections-Natural-History/dp/0393308197/). (PDF version here (www.monmsci.net/%7Ekbaldwin/mickey.pdf).)

[Aly Fell]

Couple of thoughts... With animation, as with acting (as all animators are frustrated actors inside anyway), presentation of emotion, characterisation and empathy are some of the main priorities. Empathy is very important, as it allows the animator to feel what his character is all about, and therefore present that characters personality all the more convincingly. A story well told is never solely about movement, no matter how convincing, but about strong character. The wonderful flourishes and nuances an animator can give to his character are the icing on the cake. A good character presented well, whether it’s a bag of flour, the carpet in Aladdin, The Queen in Sleeping Beauty or Mr Incredible, is about getting the audience to empathise. The carpet in Aladdin is a good example as it is perfect to illustrate the ‘bag of flour’ animation test, where an animator has to move a bag of flour, sugar or whatever and present it with different emotions. This has to be done without using facial characteristics, arms, legs etc, but to suggest fear, surprise and sadness, etc through posture and gesture. Taking these principles and applying them to every character you can master the basics of achieving empathy and getting those tears to flow at the right time!

[Ilaekae]

You...have...to...believe...

[Musselfarmstudios]

The storytelling aspect is the thing that you really have to look at. Its the part of the equation that Dinsey has that is very hit or miss. They've had lots of animated stories that looked good . . . but failed.

[tmbritton]

Look up the chapter in Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics where he talks about people identifying more with more iconically drawn characters. Basically the less realistically drawn a character the more the audience can project themselves into it.

[Ilaekae]

This, ironically, is why Japanese mangas have become such a big thing with young people in the western world, especially with female readers. At least 70-75% of all mangas are iconic or "cartoonish" allowing the reader to identify that much more easily.

[Musselfarmstudios]

This, ironically, is why Japanese mangas have become such a big thing with young people in the western world, especially with female readers. At least 70-75% of all mangas are iconic or "cartoonish" allowing the reader to identify that much more easily.

Manga could actually trace some its routes back to the old school disney cartoons. It's funny how we influenced them and intern it's come full circle.

[Mirana]

This, ironically, is why Japanese mangas have become such a big thing with young people in the western world, especially with female readers.

Mm, I'd say it's cause they portrayed characters beyond the 90's American-style stereotype (physically and mentally), stories are more diverse in nature, and...well...WOMEN DRAW COMICS more widely (and successfully) in Jpn. :D Never really considered the simplicity of the facial style a la McCloud's theories.


5coop: You hated Hunchback the DISNEY movie 'cause it was sad? Really? I felt Pocahontas was worse. Why just observe little kids? Why not adults as well?

[5coop]

thanks guys! Mirana: I was pretty little haha im 17. I just found the horribly deformed guy being tortured, hated and looked down upon by the people and that priest guy pretty bad and it made me like...hate the movie. especially when that priest started getting the fire all worked up in his room it was like wtf ure a priest but u look much more like a devil. and it totally went away from the disney sugaring thing... i wanted him to get the girl even though he wasnt good looking outside. but the hoe went with the blond model looking guy. What happened to the whole "love someone for what he is inside" crap they always tell you? I liked pocahontas i think i liked her curves haha. and the dog. Meh.

Actually in disney they filmed the cartoon first with live actors and the animators used the footage (fbf) to know how to animate the characters motions. Sorta rotoscoped it but not directly, they applied their drawings to the motion. Real life drawings make us compare it more to reality hence when we notice it doesnt behave how it should realistically since the image is tyring to give us a more real feel we subconsciously dont feel with it. At least thats my take on it.

[Mirana]

and it totally went away from the disney sugaring thing... i wanted him to get the girl even though he wasnt good looking outside. but the hoe went with the blond model looking guy. What happened to the whole "love someone for what he is inside" crap they always tell you?

The movie is extremely sugarcoated for what the source material was. Read the book, then watch the film and you might have a different opinion. ;)

[5coop]

The movie is extremely sugarcoated for what the source material was. Read the book, then watch the film and you might have a different opinion. ;)

I meant disney wise it was very macabre. Compared to the other movies. You hear disney you think cute bunnies talking and dancing birds. Not a horribly deformed kid in love with some hottie and a devil worshiping priest.