Chapter 4 - Page 184

DIALOGUE CHARACTER ACTING

THIS IS A MODEL SHEET FOR A PROPOSED ANIMATED SERIES OF THE HONEYMOONERS. THE DRAWINGS
DEFINE THE RANGE OF BODY LANGUAGE EXPRESSIONS THAT WERE THE REPERTOIRE OF THE ORIGINAL
ACTORS. THESE ACTIONS REINFORCED THE DIALOGUE SCRIPT WHICH IS WHAT MADE THE TV SERIES SO
FUNNY AND ENTERTAINING. THESE DRAWINGS SHOW THE ACTIONS OF THE CHARACTERS AS THEY REACT TO
THE UNFOLDING DRAMA.
RUNNING A GAMUT OF EMOTIONS, THE ACTING HERE ADVANCES THE PLOT-IN AN UPROAR OF DRAMA. THE
HEIGHT OF THE ART IS TO SURPRISE THE VIEWER WITH THE CHARACTER´S EXPRESSIONS... LEADING FROM
ONE CRISIS TO ANOTHER ... ON THE WAY TO THE FINAL CRISIS... IN THE ANTICS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE
DRAWN... BUT COME TO LIFE WITH THE ART OF THE ACTOR-ANIMATOR. THE ACTING AND EXPRESSIONS OF
THE FACE, B0DY LANGUAGE, BODY ACTION EXPPESSIONS, AND GESTURES, LINKED TO DIALOGUE, ALL ADD
UP TO THE CREATION OF AN ANIMATED PERSONALITY.
Chapter 4 - Page 186

DIALOGUE - VOWELS & CONSONANTS

BELOW ARE THE MAIN MOUTH EXPRESSIONS USED IN DIALOGUE. THE FACE IS AN ELASTIC MASS THAT CAN
BE SQUASHED OR STRETCHED TO FIT THE MOUTH EXPRESSIONS. THIS CREATED A GOOD CONTRAST
BETWEEN POSITIONS THAT HELPS YOUR ANIMATION. STUDY YOURSELF IN A MIRROR AS YOU SPEAK THE
WORDS YOU ARE ANIMATING. PRONOUNCE THE WORDS DISTINCTLY AND THE CORRECT MOUTH POSITIONS
WILL BE APPARENT.

WHEN ANIMATING A GROUP OF WORDS, STUDY THE WORDS AS THEY SOUND WHEN THEY ARE SPOKEN
QUICKLY. IT IS BEST TO FOLLOW THIS OVERALL MOUTH PATTERN AND REPRESS OR MODIFY INDIVIDUAL
SYLLABLES THAT ARE NOT IMPORTANT TO THE WHOLE.
BELOW, TO HELP GET YOU STARTED, I HAYE COMBINED A FEW MOUTH POSITIONS TO MAKE WORDS.
Chapter 4 - Page 188

MOUTH ACTION - PRONUNCIATION

THE ANIMATOR CREATES AN ILLUSION OF SPEECH - OR A BELIEVABLE IMAGE THAT IS BASED ON REALITY. AN
ANIMATOR ANALYSES REAL MOUTH ACTION FROM PHONETIC SCIENCE, THE PRONUNCIATION GUIDES IN THE
DICTIONARY, AND HIS OWN MOUTH ACTION.

WHEN YOU PRONOUNCE "ALL OF", YOUR MOUTH SHAPES THE SOUND "OL AV". THE "A" IN "ALL" IS LIKE THE
"O" SOUND IN BOUGHT OR CAUGHT THE "O" IN "OF" IS AN ITALIAN "A" SOUND AS IN "FAR" OR "FATHER".
(ENGLISH IS IRREGULAR).

A FAMOUS EXAMPLE IS THE WORD "FISH." THESE LANGUAGE SOUNDS COULD BE SPELLED "GH-O-TI" FROM
THE WORDS "ENOU-GH", "W-O-MEN", AND "NATI-ON".

IN THE PHONETIC CHART ABOVE, THE ITALIAN "A" IS FORMED AT THE BOTTOM MIDDLE OF THE MOUTH, THE
"I" AT THE TOP FRONT, AND THE "OO" AT THE TOP BACK. THESE ARE THE VOWEL EXTREMES. THE
CONSONANT "W" IS AN EXTREME "OO," AND THE "Y" IS A CONTINUATION OF "I". THE CHART IS A PATH TO
FOLLOW.

THE PHONETIC "I" IS REALLY TWO SOUNDS BLENDED: "A" AND "I", ALSO, "U" IS "I" AND "OO." MOUTH IT.
THE WORD "FEW" ACTUALLY ANALYSES THE SOUND "U" FOR ANIMATORS.

AMERICANS MOUTH "R" AS "U." A SCOTTISH "R" IS LIKE "N-T-D".

ACCORDING TO PHONETIC SCIENCE, "M", "N", AND "NG" ARE NASALS AND SOUND COMES AT THIS MOUTH,
BUT "P" (UNVOICED) AND "B" (VOICED) ARE EXPLOSIONS OF "M" AND THE SOUND IS AFTER THIS MOUTH.
ALSO, "T" AND "D" ARE EXPLOSIONS OF "N," AND "K" AND "G" ARE EXPLOSIONS OF "NG" (A SOUND WITHOUT
A LETTER).

THE DIALOGUE IS ENTERED ON THE EXPOSURE SHEET BY THE TRACK-READER. THE SOUND AND VOLUME OF
EACH FRAME ARE ALSO INDICATED. THE MOUTHS SHOWN ON THE EXPOSURE SHEET HERE ARE A GUIDE FOR
YOU, THEY ARE NOT USUALLY DRAWN ON THE SHEETS.

MOUTHS SHOULD FIT THE CHARACTER AND THE MOOD. OFTEN, A CHARACTER MUMBLES OUT OF THE CORNER
OF H IS MOUTH AND THE DIALOGUE IS A SLIGHT VARIATION OF A GESTURE MOUTH.

STUDY YOUR OWN MOUTH ACTION IN A MIRROR, STUDY THE GENERAL FLOW OF SHAPES THROUGH A
SENTENCE. YOUR MOUTH BLENDS AND CONSOLIDATES VOWELS AND CONSONANTS IN A CONTINUOUS
MOVEMENT. THE FASTER THE SPEECH, THE MORE THE WORDS ARE BLENDED UNTIL AN ENTIRE SENTENCE IS
MOUTHED AS JUST ONE WORD.

THERE IS A SPEED LIMIT WITH SPEECH, AND ANIMATION THAT PASSES THIS LIMIT CHATTERS
UNREALISTICALLY, DESTROYING THE ILLUSION. THIS IS CAUSED BY TOO MANY JUMPS FROM SIDE TO SIDE IN
THE ABOVE PATH. DON´T MAKE JUMPS TOO CLOSE TOGETHER OR MAKE TOO MANY TOGETHER IN THE
EXPOSURE TIMING. ALSO, MAKE JUMPS BEFORE VOWELS WHEN THE MOUTH OPENS.

IMPORTANT VOWELS ARE TREATED LIKE A POSE WITH PLENTY OF DRAWINGS TO MAKE THEM REGISTER.

MANY MOUTHS IN YOUR ACTION CAN BE INFLUENCED OR MODIFIED IN SHAPE TO FIT ADJOINING MOUTHS,
RESULTING IN SMOOTHER ACTION. MANY CHARACTERS CANNOT PRONOUNCE WORDS WITH ALL THESE
POSITIONS ON THE CHART (F-1, FOR EXAMPLE), AND MANY GESTURES LIMIT MOUTH SHAPES, SO JUST TRY
TO DRAW IN THE DIRECTION OF THE CORRECT MOUTH (BLEND).
Chapter 4 - Page 190

THE HECKLER

THESE CLEANED UP "KEY" DRAWINGS WILL GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF HOW DIALOGUE CAN BE ANIMATED. THE
FIRST DRAWING IS A TWELVE DRAWING "HOLD" (THE MISSING NUMBERS ARE IN-BETWEEN DRAWINGS PUT
IN BY ASSISTANT ARTISTS). THE SCENE IS A BASEBALL GRANDSTAND, AND THE HECKLER IS YELLING, "KILL
DE UMPIRE ! -GET´IM OUT O´ DERE ! -KILL DE UMPIRE ! -KILL DE UMP !" WHEN AN OFFSTAGE SHOT (SEE
BELOW) SIGNIFIES THE UMPIRE´S EXECUTION (96), THE HECKLER GOES INTO A SURPRISE "TAKE", RISES,
REMOVES HIS DERBY AND SADLY WATCHES THE DEAD OFFICIAL CARRIED OFF AS A TRUMPET PLAYS "TAPS."
TO REPEAT: THE MISSING NUMBERS OF THE HECKLER ARE IN-BETWEEN DRAWINGS PUT IN BY ASSISTANT
ARTISTS. THE FIRST DRAWING OF THE SCENE IS A TWELVE DRAWING "HOLD" AS THE SAME DRAWING
APPEARS ON TWELVE MOTION PICTURE FRAMES. LOOK OVER TH IS ACTION AND STUDY THE ANIMATION
PRINCIPLES I HAVE PREVIOUSLY OUTLINED AS SQUASH AND STRETCH ON HEADS, OVERLAPPING ACTION,
FOLLOW-THROUGH, THE USE OF THE ANTICIPATION DRAWING, AND THE DIALOGUE VOWELS AND
CONSONANTS FROM PAGES 186-188. ALSO NOTICE THE GENERAL PHRASING OF THE DIALOGUE HERE: HOW
THE HECKLER ASSUMES A GENERAL POSITION FOR A WHOLE SENTENCE AND THEN CHANGES TO ANOTHER
POSITION FOR THE NEXT SENTENCE, INSTEAD OF CHANGING POSITIONS ON EVERY WORD.
STUDY HOW ACTORS GO THROUGH A SERIES OF GESTURES AND ATTITUDES AS THEY ACT THEIR PARTS ON
TELEVISION AND HOW THEY RELATE THIS BODY LANGUAGE TO THE WORDS - THE SENTENCES AND
PARAGRAPHS OF THE DRAMA. THEN LOOK AT A COMIC BOOK, NEWSPAPER COMIC STRIP, OR ANY DIALOGUE
IN PRINT AND ACT OUT THE EXPRESSIONS AND POSE GESTURES YOU WOULD USE TO ANIMATE BRING TO AN
ILLUSION OF REALITY) THE STILL CARTOON DRAWING.

STUDY HOW ACTORS GO THROUGH A SERIES OF GESTURES AND ATTITUDES AS THEY ACT THEIR PARTS ON
TELEVISION AND HOW THEY RELATE THIS BODY LANGUAGE TO THE WORDS - THE SENTENCES AND
PARAGRAPHS OF THE DRAMA. THEN LOOK AT A COMIC BOOK, NEWSPAPER COMIC STRIP, OR ANY DIALOGUE
IN PRINT AND ACT OUT THE EXPRESSIONS AND POSE GESTURES YOU WOULD USE TO ANIMATE BRING TO AN
ILLUSION OF REALITY) THE STILL CARTOON DRAWING.
Chapter 5 - Introduction

Chapter 5 : TECHNICAL

This chapter includes clear explanations of many technical topics: timing and spacing patterns, background
layout drawings, the cartoon storyboard, and the synchronization of camera, background, characters, sound,
and music.

The storyboard and script are the foundations for the rest of the animation. Methods of synchronizing dialogue
with character actions and gestures and camera positions are shown on a single chart that ties them all together
into smooth, progressive animation. Cycles of planned animation and limited animation cutouts that can save a
great amount of time on certain types of animation are shown on pages 200-202. The use of background
pans, overlays, and cels is also explained.

Pointers on how to set up and build your own animation studio and camera compound are shown and discussed
on page 218. You can make your studio as elaborate as you wish, but a well-functioning studio can also be
constructed economically. Of course, the camera is the most expensive part of the venture, but the camera
"truck" is easy to construct. The most critical part of this construction is that all of the angles between the
camera and the filming surface (compound top) be accurate so that no distortion occurs.

This chapter contains all of the vital information needed to get you underway in your studio to develop and
produce your own animated film cartoons.
Chapter 5 - Page 196

TIMING AND SPACING PATTERNS

The animator is the "actor" of the film cartoon. An actor´s timing, which is based on instinct and personality, is
the essence of the art. The actor must learn the craft, such as how to walk or move with meaning, to never
pause unless there is a reason, and if there is a pause, to pause as long as possible. The actor/animator must
learn the value of a "hold": the proper amount of time to linger so it will register with the audience for all it is
worth. He must also decide whether to jump into a hold or to cushion into it gradually, when to "freeze" a hold
or when to keep up subtle secondary actions to give it a "breath of life", when to start small actions during the
hold that anticipate the following move, when to move the eyes to anticipate coming movement, and, finally,
after such anticipation, when to jump out of a pose or when to slowly move out. Such is the craft of the art.

The swings and ticks of a metronome can determine the exact speed of the frames of a walk, a run, or any
action you visualize. Set the arm at 8 frames and act out a fast walk or run with your fingers. You may then
decide that 12 frames are closer to what you need. Make frame-count marks, as shown above. Then check the
clock so thirty 12-frame ticks fit in fifteen seconds.

To check the look of even speeds, place your pencil over a straight 12-field, as in figure 12 below simply a line
divided evenly by 12). Then move the pencil back and forth, from one end of the 12-field to the other, at a 24-
frame tick (metronome set at 54, which equals 24 frames per second). By doing this, you can visually check the
look of an even speed. From this test, you will find that it takes one 24-frame lick to move across 12 inches.
This means that the movement equals 1/2 inch per frame. If you use two 24-frame ticks to cover 12 inches,
then the movement will be 1/4 inch per frame.

The pendulum pattern (figure 1) is evenly spaced. This pattern occurs in leg and arm movements in walks and
runs. The unevenly spaced figures (figures 2 and 3) change the action considerably. Figure 2 is slow-out, slow-
in, slow-out, etc. Figure 3 is either slowout, fast-in, slow-out, etc., or reversed to fast-out, slow-in, fast-out, etc.

Figures 4 through 11 are actions of the head or body in walk and run cycles. The recoil drawing is at the base.
When lime is spent around this, the weight is accentuated and the creature simply cannot seem to get off the
ground. When the high drawing is accentuated, the creature is so lightweight that he bounces up, floats, and
scarcely touches the ground. Walks with character usually have uneven spacing. Figures 4 and 6 are for
heavyweights. A lightweight deer would bounce and float like figures 5 and 7. Figures 8 and 9 are usual in a
walk or a run on a pan. Recoil is bottom, rise to the left midway up, high on top, and contact midway down on
the right. Any of these four positions can be accentuated in timing to create character. In figures 10 and 11 the
head or the body and the head are moving from side to side in the walk or run action on a pan. Reverse the
direction on these (or on figures 8 and 9) and you will get a different character.

Often, the best way to move is simply in a straight line as in figures 12 to 14. All patterns may be better when
evenly spaced in various accents.

Figures 15 to 18 occur in hand and arm movements.

Figure 19 happens constantly in live action. A hand and arm move in an arc, then suddenly jump to a different
arc as the result of another body action accent or jerk (such as a kick).

On figure 21, a hand and arm or an entire character comes back in anticipation, moves fast, then violently
stagger-stops. Figures 22 to 26 are some of the many stagger actions for takes, stops, collisions, crashes, etc.
An evenly spaced series of drawings can be a stagger action: 1-10-2-9-3-8-4-7-5-6, etc.

FILMED RESULT OF SPACED MOVES

The filmed result and meaning of a spaced move depend on (1) actual measurement, (2) relation to the field
size, and (3) relation to the size of the character. The animator has a specific action to do in a certain time or
number of frames. From experience he knows how specific patterns of spacing will work when they measure and
path the actions in the character. He often charts a pattern in advance, but these patterns are usually inherent
in the animation structure and they evolve intuitively during animation.

A puppet moves as the strings are adjusted. An animated character moves according to spaced-move patterns
in the actions. When the animator starts a scene, you can check the looks of even speeds by moving your pencil
back and forth across a 12-field as timed by a metronome. You can figure it out: At the 24-frame tick, one
move across 12 inches is a speed of 1/2 inch per frame, and it takes two 24-frame ticks to move your pencil
across 12 inches at 1/4 inch, etc.
My advice to the beginner is to first try to develop a sense of timing by animating and film testing a large and a
small circle in various speeds in the patterns outlined throughout this book. Then study the action of the
patterns and learn to adjust the spacing of the animation to create the exact character action for the specific
scene. You can then plan the timing so your animation will do whatever you visualize. You will learn to think of
animation in a series of motion picture frames and how to register takes, gestures, actions, and poses.

As shown above, a small move on a small circle has the same relation to the circle as a large move on a large
circle. A large move on a large held appears the same on film as a small move on a small field.
 Chapter 5 - Page 198

ACCENTS – BEATS - SCENE TIMING

The STORYBOARD and the SCRIPT are the building plans (like a blueprint), and the film is constructed on these
foundations. Each scene is described in the script for picture and sound. The scene title describes the
characters, the sound, and the type as (1) CLOSE-UP, (2) MEDIUM CLOSE-UP, (3) MEDIUM SHOT, (4) MEDIUM-
LONG SHOT, or (5) LONG SHOT. The transition from one scene to the next is described as (1) CUT-TO, (2)
CROSS-DISSOLVE, (3) FADE-OUT, (4) FADE-IN, (5) TRUCK-BACK-TO, (6) TRUCK-DOWN-TO, (7) WIPE, (8) IRIS-
OUT, (9) IRIS-IN, or (10) ANIMATED METAMORPHOSIS. Layout drawings based on the storyboard are made of
the background and key character positions. Dialogue and music are recorded and a film editor "reader"
measures and writes down the exact frame position on the BAR SHEETS and EXPOSURE SHEETS. The music or
BAR SHEETS plan the production timing on all the scenes in a film.

The EXPOSURE SHEETS plan the animation production timing of an individual scene. Each frame, foot, and
scene has a number. Each music beat, action accent, word sound, and timing detail also has a number. For a
drawing to appear "in sync" with a sound accent, the drawing should be exposed two or three times before the
sound. Some animators allow for this, but most animate to the same frame as the sound, then shift the entire
film two or three frames ahead of the sound track during editing. Sound accents can be "hit" by any radical
change in picture timing, such as sudden starts or stops, jumps, and action reversals or freezes. Sudden slow
spacing or wide spacing in a continuous action can accent a sound. Think in series of frames because you can´t
see anything else.

Accents on walk and run cycles come at the recoil-bottom or high point drawings. Most action and dialogue can
be on 2s. When the action is fast with wide spacing, use 1s to avoid too wide, jumpy spacing. The four cels over
the background in cartoon films allow four action levels. Also, parts of a character can move on one level (12A-
E, as shown on the production sheet "The Lost Kitten" below), while the other parts are held on the next level
(12). There shouldn´t be any vital actions or important dialogue in the first five or six frames of a scene.

TV bar sheets (as shown above) have one foot (16 frames) per bar. Theatrical music bar sheets vary in bar
length to fit the musical mood of the film. Dialogue and music are planned in these bar sheets with a stopwatch.
Music is then composed and recorded with dialogue and the scene timing may have to be adjusted to fit.
Adjustments and changes are a constant in animated films.

A STOPWATCH starts and stops with the push of the button. The animator must time his acting to plan the
number of frames for each action. Some watches have footage scales. A second hand on an electric clock, a
metronome, or live-action film research can also be used for scene timing.
Chapter 5 - Page 200

CYCLES-PLANNED ANIMATION

When the foot is placed on the ground in a pan scene, it moves with the pan moves, as in those indicated on
this page below. The "pan" in this case is the movement of the background while the character is walking in the
middle of the scene. The background art is moved a precise distance as required by the character action. For
example, the background would be moved more slowly for a walk than for a run. Consequently, foot contact on
the background and speed of movement must be precisely coordinated by using the methods shown at the left
below. These moves are related to a stationary centerline. The body and all the parts move in paths of action,
these are the usual patterns. The action can move in either direction. As in life, cycles have countless variations,
and you can exaggerate or subdue any position or move.

Never move a character without meaning. Bring out a gesture, mannerism, or story mood in every cycle. Two of
the cycles below are combined in a double-bounce-strut. Notice the cocky gesture at high points. It is a series of
closely related drawings, no time is lost in going to the opposite step gesture. Funny walks can "make" a film.

PLANNED ANIMATION is a system of combining animation methods and planning the reuse of the artwork for
many different scenes. It is used to produce the considerable film footage of a television cartoon series. A
change of pace results from the use of full animation in critical actions of the story and the use of limited
animation in dialogue with bursts of full animation for important gestures. Animation, backgrounds with overlay
backgrounds, and camera fields and trucks are planned for use in many combinations. Thus, the production
work gets more "mileage." You must plan your film!

CYCLE ANIMATION, as shown below this page, can be put on long cels that allow twelve inches on each side of
the drawing. Such animation can be used in the field center with a moving pan as the background. The same
cels placed on moving pegs can move the character through a still background scene. The same cels can also
walk into another background, stay centered as the background moves, and then move out when the
background stops. On the other three cel levels in the animation scene, other cycle characters can move at a
different speed, in any direction.

LIMITED ANIMATION is based on dividing a character into as many as four cel levels and a dialogue system. It is
especially adaptable to the type of characters illustrated on page 202. The dialogue system is often more
elaborate, as seven heads up and down and seven heads in a sideways move, all around a centered head.
Laughs and giggles are often animated by a laughing, evenly spaced, up-and-down series of such heads in a
stagger-timing on the exposure sheet. A dialogue head series can be fitted to a body cycle walking on a pan
background. A bottom peg camera device moves the pegs up and down to fit the walking action. (Note: body
action peg holes are adjusted.) Heads can fit characters in a vehicle on a pan. This entire action bounces on the
rough road using the same device attached to the bottom peg bar. Such mechanics are endless.

ANIMATED CUTOUTS can be added to both full and limited animation cels. After the cel is placed on camera, the
cutout is placed over or under the cel according to a few dot guides on the cel. For example, an elaborate line
engraving of an antique auto is cut out and placed under a cel series that animates the wheel action, dust,
smoke, and characters seated in the auto.
Chapter 5 - Page 202

LIMITED ANIMATION - CUTOUTS

Animation cutouts can be very cost effective in producing animated films. Body poses, with different head
attitudes, can be used over and over in multiple combinations. For example, different arms can be used on the
same body, as can mouths, eyes, and noses on a single cel head without having to redraw the entire body for
each movement. All parts of these "animation cutouts" can be stored for recall in another scene or film.

LIMITED ANIMATION for television is based on dividing characters into parts that work on separate cel levels.
Here are some examples of the many divisions possible. The same set of character cels can be used in many
scones.

DIALOGUE SYSTEM - The head moves in a slight nod action, up an down, in drawings 1 to 4. Each head has a
series of four to seven mouth drawings that work on the cel level above the head. Thus, the head nods in many
timings for any amount of dialogue.
Chapter 5 - Page 204

MAKING AN ANIMATION CEL

Here is the order of setting up the parts of a dog that are joined at socket points. Use perspective guidelines on
the body when needed - as you do on the head.

Once the parts are fit on, clean up unwanted lines.

COLORING THE CEL

This is a colored cel made from the cleanup drawing on page 204. The cleanup drawing was enlarged on a copy
machine, and then a brush and ink were used to trace it onto the cel.
The cleaned up animation drawing is transferred to a transparent cel (celluloid .005) by tracing with a pen or
brush and ink (special ink that adheres to acetate must be used). The drawing can also be photocopied onto the
cel. Then the colors are painted on the back of the cel with opaque acrylic paint (acrylics are used because they
will adhere to the cot). After the cot is colored, it is placed over the background and photographed with the
camera. (This process is explained in more detail on page 218.)

Most cartoon cels are inked with a pen, but the brush can be used to give a heavier, more accented line (the
drawings on these two pages were done with a brush). If you are designing an original character, experiment
with its coloration by using transparent watercolors on photocopies or enlargements of your cleanup drawings.
Color many drawings until you perfect the color scheme, and then make acrylic-colored cels using the
watercolor paints as guides. You can make colored backgrounds for the cels using both watercolors and the
opaque acrylics (the way studios do). Background texture can be created with a wet sponge and opaque acrylic
paint.
Chapter 5 - Page 208

THE CARTOON STORYBOARD

On this page below is an example of a storyboard that is the basic plan of an animated cartoon film. It
resembles a page in the newspaper comics. Artists in a story department develop the story line of the film by
attaching these story sketches onto a large blackboard-size board with pushpins. The storymen will replace
drawings and re-edit the storyboard constantly as they visualize and originate additions and changes to add
humor to the story.

The inanimate object that has come to life (the tree) is another type of cartoon character to add to this book.
Here the trees engage in the full verbosity of a violent argument, and the storymen must visualize the
continuity. Then, the film director and staff take a hand in the development, followed by the animator who often
puts in the vital finishing touches and changes. It is a constant creative process-at least at the important
studios-especially on features, The storyman has to know staging and drama, he has to figure out and
anticipate what the audience is thinking and then surprise, amuse, or spellbind the viewer. Such is the simple
recipe for a blockbuster epic. Story artists also visualize the art style of the film. Storyboards may incorporate
an occasional picture done in full-color watercolor or pastel that establishes the color and the background
treatment. Drawings may be from 6" x 4-3/8" to 12" x 8-3/4", which are the same proportions as the animation
field.

A team of artists usually develops the storyboard after the idea is acted out by the storyman before an audience
in a conference of evaluation. This helps the creativity process tremendously. For example, while looking at the
storyboard below, a storyman might add picture panels between the first two that visualize an interesting or
amusing way that the golden hatchet was obtained by our hero.
Chapter 5 - Page 212

BACKGROUND LAYOUT DRAWINGS

Working with the film director, a layout artist draws each scene for the animator. He makes pencil drawings of
the background and the key animation positions. These layout drawings establish the relationship between the
background and the animation art. In the example here, the drawing of the witch in the distance is separate
from the layout drawing of the village.

The animator and film director meet to discuss the scene. First they study the various elements of the scene:
the storyboard, sound track, layouts, and exposure sheets. Then they usually review the art that leads into it.
Finally, the director explains what he visualizes for the scene and how it fits into the rest of the story and film
production. For example, a small village is undergoing an aerial attack from the wicked witch, it is evening. and
the villagers have lit some lamps that can be seen in the windows. The blue cast of evening is the dominant
color of the scene. Starting as a small dot in the distance, the witch enters the near sky on her broomstick,
screaming and cackling hysterically. Lightning flashes as the whole scene jumps to a warm daylight color for a
few frames, this is followed by a clap of thunder, which intensifies as the witch winds her way forward, coming
down the street from the upper left. Panicked villagers run through the streets, hiding in doorways - here and
there people close their shutters.

Suddenly, with a fiendish scream, the witch rockets to the foreground for a moment, her head turned away as
she navigates the turn and screams at the villagers. Then, twisting down the street toward the upper right, she
turns left to fly around the chimney in the center of the scene. The fiendish hag disappears behind the roof at
the top of the scene for a moment and then reappears in the sky on the opposite side.

Turning forward, she hurtles up the narrow street canyon, pursuing the stumbling and falling villagers. Next,
preceded by a flash of light and a clap of thunder, the witch gyrates to the foreground to scream at the viewer,
as pictured in the drawing at far right, Then turning back to the village, she streaks down the street to the right,
twisting and turning around the chimneys, rooftops, and streets, finally rock sting into the far sky, becoming a
mere moving speck above the distant trees.

Today, it is possible to animate these active villagers and the distant witch on a much larger scale. The scene is
first divided into sections, these sections can be combined and reduced to the scale above on photocopied cels
(modern Disney feature animation demonstrates a computer-assisted process.) To do this type of animation,
you need four layers of cel animation - on either a single field or multiple fields (long cels) - which are on either
top or bottom pegs, a pan background that can move right or left on top or bottom pegs, and either top or
bottom floating pegs attached to moving flaps that overlay the background or cel. This setup allows for
adjustments for mastery and range, as well as the greatest variety of camera shots (see page 218).

By redesigning the background of this witch scene into a basic background and two overlay backgrounds you
can create a three-dimensional effect. The basic background includes the distant structures, the woods, and the
sky, the first overlay is of the central structures, and the second overlay is of the large foreground structures.
The three-dimensional effect is created by moving the second overlay quickly, the first overlay fairly slowly, and
the basic background even more slowly. The dramatics of the scene can be heightened by following the witch
with truck movements from her entrance to the hurtling up the street to scream at the viewer. In a simpler
version, the witch is on a single field cel and flies from the distance to the foreground and remains in the same
relative position shown across the scene.
 Chapter 5 - Page 214

STILL BACK GROUNDS. TRUCKS. AND FIELDS

The no. 12 field scene can have four cel levels and a number of overlays. The distant hills could be the
background. The foreground and the foreground inn and tree could be two separate overlays. They could
separate during a truck-down to give depth.

Cels can be separated vertically to create a natural movement of objects and create a feeling of depth during a
camera truck-down toward the cels. (The vertical movement up or down of the camera on the frame is called a
"truck"). A truck movement is indicated using the field center location of the chart (see below and page 218).
The truck move is charted on the chartmap (a portion of which is shown, actual size, below) that can be
registered below the camera on the compound, if necessary. To help you better understand trucks and fields,
the trucks shown below are designed to appear on film absolutely even, with no sudden moves or hesitations.
A truck is indicated as per field center location on the chart on page 218, like a map north, south, east, and
west. The truck is charted on a section of the chart (shown actual size, below). This truck is down (or up)
between a no.12 field at center (C) and a no.4 field at a center point that is three fields south of center and 3-
1/2 fields east of center (no. 4F., 3S., 3-1/2 E.).

Still the path of a truck can curve or even stagger. The field can tip to any degree or it can turn around. In this
scene, the fox could run up the road up the hill, past the inn, and into the foreqround into line camera or
reversed-followed by a curved truck from a 3-1/2 to 12 field.

Truck moves are usually evenly spaced on the charted path (in red) with a slight slow in and slow-out. To help
you grasp the meaning of trucks and fields, here is a truck that is figured to appear on film absolutely even.
Each move reduces the field by the same percentage. The fields look like the framework of a house. Even steps
down the road are in the same configuration. Use diagonals, as shown, to locate such positions in perspective
work.

Now when you animate in these fields, you can see that the same spaced move in your animation art will be a
different length and speed in each separate field. Let´s say you have to shift gears for each field. The same pan
move is also slower in the large fields and faster in the small fields.

COMPOSITION OF PICTURES

Under the realistic surface of every picture are abstract principles of composition that are the structure and
foundation on which the picture is built, the decorative pattern of the picture, and the means of telling a story or
expressing a dramatic mood. Thus, composition has a triple function.

The abstract principles are

2. The entrance and the exit of the eye.

3. Circular and rhythmic composition.

4. Angular composition.

5. Units/groups - the figure in landscape.

6. Light, shade, and color.

Artists operate intuitively with composition. Many draw without the power of knowing the composition principles
they use, they draw without recourse to inference or reasoning but with a kind of innate or instinctive
knowledge of composition. This was the case with Michelangelo, whereas Leonardo da Vinci composed with
knowledge.
THE CENTER OF INTEREST

An understanding of composition principles is extremely useful to an animator when he or she moves and poses
the actors in the stage set. The animation is the center of interest in the total picture. In all types of art there
are abstract elements that support and point to this center.

A classic example is Da Vinci´s The Last Supper with all the diagonals leading the eye to the central figure. In
the example here, the abstractions of the fox and the raccoon fit and take advantage of the circular rhythms
(red) and the vertical-horizontal-diagonal composition (blue). So watch the perspective in the set as the actor
moves (with meaning) and "play all of your cards".

As the camera trucks down and around the no.12 field scene above, the smaller fields that result have different
compositions with different abstract patterns, and the animator designs the animation to fit, keeping the
animation as the center of interest.
Chapter 5 - Page 216

PAN BACK GROUNDS. OVERLAYS. CELS

The bear and the raccoon (seen below) in a walk cycle animate through the scene, moving from right to left.
The pan background (top) moves to the right under the bear and raccoon long cars. Above these cels an overlay
background of the large tree moves right at twice the speed or spacing of the pan background. Above the tree
overlay, a second overlay background moves right at three times the speed of the pan. Thus there are three
different background pieces. Each moves at a different speed, giving the scene an illusion of reality, with great
depth and distance. For instance, close trees move faster than distant trees. Variations in pan overlay speeds
are plotted using actual perspective moves.

Backgrounds can be several fields in length or a cycle background is planned with three or more fields, such as
the first and last fields, painted exactly alike. Thus, the background can be jumped between these fields in a
cycle.

Cycles like this bear and raccoon that move through a scene are on long calls that allow a full, clear field (not
indicated) on each side of the characters. If a drawing is used in one peg position, it is usually put on a single
field cel.
 In planned animation for TV, many scenes are made from this artwork. Other pans are shot at smaller fields.
Still scenes are made from sections of the background with other overlays and other animation used. The bear
and raccoon cycle walk through other backgrounds.

Overlays are cutouts, or the paintings are made directly on the cel with vinyl-acrylic paint. This water-based
paint adheres to acetate, it is used for all animation cel production and for the artwork. As shown on this page
below, the back of the animation cel is painted with this opaque paint. Originally, the drawings were traced with
pen or brush on the front of the cel with acetate inks.

PHOTOCOPY

A state-of-the-art photocopy machine is used to transfer most animation art to cels using fumes instead of heat
to fix the image on the cel. Two types of machines are used, and the animator should know what each offers,
just as he should know what the animation film camera can do.

(1) The original machine with a hand-operated bellows offers both enlargement and reduction, it is used for
both cels and backgrounds.

(2) This is a 35 mm microfilm unit that is fitted with a 35 mm projector mechanism. The drawings are
photographed on film by an animation camera, and then this film is used to mass-produce cels. Thus, the
rotoscope is obsolete. Trucks and all operations of an animation camera can be done by this versatile camera.
Chapter 5 - Page 218

CAMERA AND TECHNICAL

The ANIMATION CAMERA moves vertically up and down from a fixed center point. The artwork on the
COMPOUND moves north/south (N/S) and west/east (W/E). A camera "truck" is the vertical movement of the
camera and the compound adjustments needed. Compound moves alone are called "cameramoves." The
camera trucks from a 3 1/2 to 12 field, according to the chart at the right. Fields are located by center of field
like a map: N/S and W/E. This measures compound moves. The COMPOUND TOP has top and bottom peg bars
that move right or left. These are called "pan moves" for a background and "peg moves" for cel animation
artwork.

Animation is drawn on 10-1/2" x 14" paper and photographed on .005 acetate "cels". These are punched with
peg holes for registry. The pegs at the top of the page are widely used for TV shows, commercials, and other
production.

Most animators use an aluminum-cast drawing disc that fits and rotates in a circular hole cut in a drawing board
or table. The disc shown above has an adjustable moving peg bar that can serve as either top or bottom pegs
by rotating the disc. Other discs have only the set pegs or two moving peg bars.

A 60-watt bulb or fluorescent light is used in a light box under the disc.

The 12 field (12" x 8-3/4") as charted above is the size and area of normal production. Only fields from a 3-1/2
hold to a 12 field are used. The location of the center point of a field on the chart above on the right is specified
as either "C" (for center) or the N/S and W/E field distances for "C". On the exposure sheet on this page below,
the start 5 field´s center point is 1-1/2 fields south of center and 3 fields east of center-like a map.

Cameras truck to an 18, 24, or as high as a 36 field. This is for special or unusual artwork that is rarely
animated (it is usually still). Cameras have special equipment for fully animated cel production at an 18 field.
Extra peg bars are built into the compound. Many compounds have double top and bottom peg bars to help with
12 field production.

Many compounds rotate 360 degrees (a complete circle). Fields can tip to any angle, twirl around, or shift to a
90-degree vertical that would allow for an up-and-down pan scene. An 8-3/4 field is the largest that will fit
sideways for such a pan. Tilted fields are indicated in degrees, just as surveyors indicate angles on a map. This
versatile camera can do many things.
The camera operator shoots the scene based on the exposure sheet form and method shown at the left. The
animator draws a heavy line at the start and stop of all camera and peg bar moves. A truck is indicated with a
vertical arrow, a camera dissolve-out is a V, and a dissolve-in is an inverted V, as shown. These two V forms are
combined in an X form for a fade-in and fade-out dissolve, and they overlap in an XX shape for a cross-dissolve.

Compound peg bar cel or pan moves are given in decimals, however, pan moves are also given with a chart of
moves above or below pegs on the edge of the background.

When a held cel is removed, resulting in no cel position in column, a blank cel is placed. There are four cel
levels. Sheets are usually for 80 frames or 5 feet (see page 198).A scene is easier to "shoot" if the pan is on
the top pegs and the cels are on the bottom pegs. Animation drawn on the "natural" top pegs can easily be put
on bottom peg cels.

The camera runs both backward and forward, and it can shoot a scene in either direction. Thus, a scene
exposed beginning at the end and moving toward the start enables a piece of artwork or an animated cycle to
be "scratched off" or cut off according to planned spacing. When projected forward, the action is growth.

An opaque shadow, cloud, water cycle, rainbow, or ghost animation becomes transparent to a certain degree by
making one run of the scene at a 50% (or other) shutter stop, then making a second run without artwork to be
transparent at a 50%(or other) shutter stop (the total exposure of both runs must be 100%). Or a character
appears to walk through an opaque rainbow, tree, cloud, door, or water cycle by making two 50% runs with the
character above and then under these artworks. A "matte" shot uses a black matte over a scene being
photographed, thus the area of the matte is unexposed. In another run a character is exposed in this exact area.
 Chapter 5 - Page 220

HOW CARTOONS ARE MADE

The simplest form of animation is the "flip" book. To make a simple flip book, draw a dot, a circle, a skeleton,
etc., on the edge of a notebook. Then draw the same figure, slightly progressed, on the next page. Do this for
fifteen or twenty pages, then flip the edges. An illusion of movement is created. Good animators retain the same
spirit of fun and simplicity of the flip book in their work.

In the film studios, the basic flip book idea is enlarged on. First, the animators and their assistants make pencil
drawings on paper (10-1/2" x 12-1/2"). This work is then traced in ink on celluloid transparent sheets (cels).
Next, opaque colors are painted on. These inked and painted cels are then photographed in sequence on a
painted background. This motion picture cartoon film is then projected onto a screen.

HOW TO MAKE AND USE AN ANIMATION BOARD

An animation board will be a great help in your study of animation. Buy some unruled, 10" x 12" loose-leaf
notebook paper that is punched with two big holes. Construct pegs of wood or metal on your board (as
illustrated) so the paper fits snugly over the pegs. The glass should be the same size as the paper.

When you turn on the light under the board, you will be able to see through several sheets of paper and note
how your series of drawings varies in position. Visualize and plan your action, then start with a key drawing or
"extreme." The next extreme in your action should be made on another sheet of paper with the lights on so you
can work from your preceding position. Follow this procedure until all the extremes of your action have been
roughed in, then make the in-between drawings to tie the action together.

If the background does not move to the right or left, the scene is "still".

If the background moves, the scene has a "pan" action and is called a "pan scene". During a pan action
everything that touches the ground moves with and at the same speed as the pan - for example, feet that touch
the ground in a walk or a run.
An animation board will be a great help in your study of animation. Buy some unruled, 10" x 12" loose-leaf
notebook paper that is punched with two big holes. Construct pegs of wood or metal on your board (as
illustrated) so the paper fits snugly over the pegs. The glass should be the same size as the paper.

When you turn on the light under the board, you will be able to see through several sheets of paper and note
how your series of drawings varies in position. Visualize and plan your action, then start with a key drawing or
"extreme." The next extreme in your action should be made on another sheet of paper with the lights on so you
can work from your preceding position. Follow this procedure until all the extremes of your action have been
roughed in, then make the in-between drawings to tie the action together.

If the background does not move to the right or left, the scene is "still".

If the background moves, the scene has a "pan" action and is called a "pan scene". During a pan action
everything that touches the ground moves with and at the same speed as the pan - for example, feet that touch
the ground in a walk or a run.
Chapter 5 - Page 221

POINTERS ON ANIMATION

1 . Work "rough" when laying out your animation. Feel out the basic construction of all the drawings in a scene,
add the details later. The drawings on page 204 are roughs. Cleanup drawings (page 204 & page 206) are
made by working over roughs with a new sheet of paper on your animation board (similar to a tracing).

2. It is always a good idea to anticipate an action. When animating a character from one place to another,
always go in the opposite direction first, just as a baseball player draws back and cocks his arm before he
throws.

3. To help accent a pose on a character, go slightly past the pose when animating into the pose. For example, in
a quick point make the finger go out fast and then, just for an instant, pass the position it finally stops at.

4. Create overlapping action whenever you can. When animating a character from one point to another, don´t
go there with all parts of the character at once - arrive at different times (see pages 128 and 134).

5. Always get a good follow-through action on loose, moving things such as coattails hair, long ears, ect. (see
page 156).

6. Remember "squash and stretch." Your character is an elastic mass - not rigid like a glass statue. This type of
distortion will give "sock" to your work. The recoil is a type of squash drawing, it is essential for a feeling of
weight in your characters. Study the bouncing ball action on page 100, also see page 154.

7. Appreciate the value of a good silhouette in your key drawings. A solid silhouette of a drawing should still
register the meaning and attitude of the pose (see page 178).

8. Be alert to use exaggerated foreshortening in animation - it is very effective. For example, if a character is
swinging a bat around horizontally, when line end of the bat comes out and toward line camera, force the
perspective on the bat, making the end very big. When it´s on the other side of the character, make the end
very small.

9. Make "pose" drawings. First visualize the scene, plan it with "poses", and, finally, animate. Make a few
drawings of how you think the character should look at the most important points in the scene. These should be
carefully thought out in regard to dramatic presentation, interpretation of mood, character, action, and humor.
With these drawings as a guide, start with your first pose and animate your in-between drawings toward the
next pose. When you reach the second pose, do not use it as an extreme in your action if it does not fit into the
logical progression, instead, make another one that ties in with your animation. Then proceed toward the next
pose, and so forth.

10. When possible, make a "path of action" and a "spacing chart" of the action you are animating. For example,
if a character is running away from the foreground, off into the distance, and over a hill, make two lines charting
the top and bottom of the character in its flight, then mark off the estimated position of each drawing on this
track. They will be spaced widely in the foreground and closely in the distance. The procedure of mapping your
action will increase accuracy and save time.

11. Remember the timing points, and vary the speeds of action in a scene. A change of pace is usually desirable
in animation. Learn the value of a hold: the perfect amount of time to linger on a pose so it will register with the
audience for all it´s worth. Study the art of going into and out of holds, cushioning into holds, when to freeze a
hold deadstill, and when to keep up subtle animation during a hold to give it a "breath of life." These points and
others under "timing" are the essence of the art of animation, just as they are with the art of acting, only the
animator is the actor of the animated cartoon film. It is the animator´s job to portray emotions, which is a
highly individual task. That is why animation is an art an art of expressing one´s own personality. Use these
pointers to learn how to animate characters that live, have feelings, and show emotion - characters who act
convincingly and sway the viewer with suspense, enchantment, and humor. The art of animation has a great
potential and future for an animator like you.
Chapter 5 - Page 222

HOW TO MAKE A CARTOON FILM

• PRODUCE AN ANIMATED FILM YOURSELF WITH LITTLE MONEY.

There are several ways to make your own cartoon film without too much money. You can also make a film of
your animation drawings without expensive sound tracks. You will need a 16mm or 8mm motion picture camera
that is able to shoot one frame at a time and a wooden frame to support the camera as it points down at the
animation artwork.

• MAKE A WOODEN CAMERA STAND.

The camera will be mounted to the frame in a fixed position, allowing only one field size. The frame is attached
to a baseboard, and the animation drawings are placed on a set of pegs attached to the baseboard.

• GET THE CAMERA ADJUSTED ON THE STAND CORRECTLY.

Determine the distance the camera lens needs to be from the artwork to photograph a full animation field (12" x
8-3/4"), then focus the lens to that distance. If necessary, make film tests to be sure the field size and focus are
correct. Be sure the camera is not tipped at an angle and attach the camera to the wooden frame. Then tape
the pegs to the baseboard.

• PUT SOME LIGHTS ON THE SIDES TO LIGHT THE ARTWORK.

Floodlights are mounted at an angle on both sides of the camera stand above the artwork. Make film tests to
determine the proper aperture. It is best if the lights are strong enough for a small aperture opening, but if the
lens needs to be wide open, it will take less light and, thus, less heat.

• HOW TO ELIMINATE THE EXPENSIVE COMPOUND MECHANISM.

Instead of taping down the metal peg bar, it is better to use an animation drawing disc (shown on page 218).
This drawing disc should have both top and bottom sliding peg bars. This allows you to include moving pan
backgrounds with the animation drawings.

• ELIMINATE THE EXPENSIVE PLATEN.

The animation drawings are lit by a light box built under the disc. The box should be well-ventilated, and mirrors
are used to intensify the light and reduce the bulb wattage and heat. Two layers of animation can be shot over a
moving pan background as the camera sees through the papers. (TV animation producers make pencil tests this
way.) The elaborate platen frames that hold the artwork down can be duplicated by placing a thick sheet of
plate glass over the animation art by hand.
• YOU DON´T HAVE TO HAVE A COSTLY STOP-MOTION MECHANISM, YOU CAN KEEP TRACK OF
THE FRAME COUNT YOURSELF ON THE EXPOSURE SHEET.

Animation camera stands have a single-frame, stop-motion motor assembly that operates by pushing a button
or a foot lever. A film counter is attached to this mechanism to record the number of frames photographed. You
can duplicate this process by operating the camera by hand for each frame. Make a check on each frame on the
exposure sheet after it is photographed.

• WHY NOT MAKE A COLOR ANIMATED FILM WHILE YOU´RE AT IT?

However, before you begin filming, you must prepare the animation artwork. Transfer the animation drawings
onto cels (.05mm celluloid sheets), which are available at many art supply stores, with ink or brush and ink.
Then paint the backgrounds and color the characters with water-based acrylic paint. Buy one pint each of black,
white, red, blue, and yellow acrylic house paint and mix these colors to make the full spectrum of colors, in all
shades. Studios use the same type of paint to paint backgrounds in flat opaque areas - similar to poster art.

• A VERY EFFECTIVE SPONGE PAINTING METHOD USED BY THE PROFESSIONALS.

An effective technique is to dip a sponge into the paint and then dab the backgrounds with the sponge, creating
a stipple effect. For sharp edges, an area in a cel is cut out and placed over the background to serve as a mask.
Different colors stippled in layers can create textures that look like stones, bare earth, trees, clouds, etc.

• YOU CAN MAKE ANIMATED ILLUSTRATIONS USING THE CUTOUT METHOD, IT TAKES LESS TIME
THAN YOU MAY THINK.

Animated cutouts can replace the inked and painted cel with art. Your animation drawings can be reproduced on
a copy machine to make paper copies. Paint these copies in watercolor with any kind of shading you prefer, then
cut them out with scissors or a pen knife. Place a cel over your original animation drawing and use rubber
cement or paste to attach the cutout to the cel in exactly the same position as the animation.

• HERE IS A REAL PROFESSIONAL SECRET METHOD TO MAKE IN-BETWEENS BETTER AND EASIER.

To make the in-between drawings that will help you with the animation, place the two drawings that are being
in-betweened on the pegs with a blank sheet on top for the in-between. Make a light rough sketch of the in-
between in the desired position, then take the in-between and the top animation drawing off the pegs. Place the
top animation drawing at any angle position over the bottom drawing to make the two drawings coincide
closely. Hold the top drawing down and place the in-between drawing over both animation drawings in the
closest in-between position you can adjust. The corners of the in-between drawing will be in an inbetween
position of the animation drawing corners - allowing for the arc of the in-between. Hold all drawings down at the
top (or make a contrivance that will) and make the in-between. It is much easier this way.

• GET GOING!

My sincere best wishes to you!

- Preston Blair