[ Based on PDF – Animation Study Material ]

CHAPTER 2 — FIGURATIVE ANIMATION

1. Four A’s of Animation

(These WILL appear in MCQs)

1. Activity

• Lowest level of animation.

• Pure movement with no association to nature.

• Example: text moving on screen.

• No intent, no internal motivation.

2. Action

• Movement of recognizable objects under natural forces.

• Example: bouncing ball, leaves moving in wind.

• No intent; movement caused by physics.

3. Animation

• Movement motivated internally from the subject.

• Intent is present.

• Example: dog scratching, fish jumping.

4. Acting

• Highest form of animation.

• Psychological reasons behind movement.

• Shows thoughts + feelings + personality.

2. Figurative Animation

• Hardest because humans/animals are familiar to audiences.

• People instantly detect “wrong” motion.

• Requires strong observation skills.

• Aim: make movement look intentional.

3. Walk Cycles

Key Components of a Walk Cycle

1. Stride Position – foot contacting ground.

2. Passing Position – body lifted; one leg swings forward.

3. Controlled Unbalance – body rarely in perfect balance.

4. Arm Swing – opposite arm to leg stabilizes walk.

5. Body Up/Down Motion – rises at passing, lowers at stride.

Principles

• Walks are influenced by physical + psychological factors.

• Simple mechanical walk works, but naturalistic walk needs detail.

Types of Walks (KNOW THE TRAITS)

These are common MCQ content:

Happy Walk

• More bounce, longer stride, upright body, swinging arms.

Tired/Depressed Walk

• Slumped posture, shorter stride, slow timing, minimal arm swing.

Old Person Walk

• Slow pace, little bounce, uncertain steps, arms may extend for balance.

Child Walk

• Arms stretched for balance, lots of bounce, head jolts.

Overweight Walk

• Side-to-side wobble, less bounce, wider support base.

Sneak Walk

• Body shifts forward/back to maintain balance, slow, exaggerated steps.

Snow Walk

• Legs lifted high; foot goes up and down (not forward through resistance).

Fast Walk / Confident Walk

 • Longer stride, forward lean, active arm swing.

4. Run Cycles

Key Components

1. Stride – leaving the ground.

2. Passing Position – similar to walk but faster.

3. Suspended Phase – both feet off ground (walk doesn’t have this).

4. Forward Lean (cartoon) or upright gait (real sprinters).

Run Types

• Realistic fast run → upright body

• Cartoon run → exaggerated forward lean, arms extended

5. Weight and Balance

Weight

• Characters must show weight appropriate to their physiognomy.

• Heavier things move slower, need stronger force.

• External forces affect weight expression (gravity, environment).

Balance

• Depends on:

o Character’s weight

o Age (toddler vs adult vs old person)

o Confidence

o Surface (flat vs icy vs steep hill)

• Balance must look continuous and intentional.

6. Exercises (Walk + Run)

MCQs often ask purpose:

Exercise 2.1 (Walk Cycle)

 • Aim: understand timing + basic walk principles.

Exercise 2.2 (Run Cycle)

• Aim: understand timing + suspended phase.

CHAPTER 3 — ACTING

1. Acting in Animation

• Highest level of movement.

• Shows internal motive + psychology.

• Hardest skill of all animation practices.

Acting characteristics

• No “kit of expressions” works universally.

• Expression must match context + character.

• Same dialogue can mean different things depending on delivery.

2. Characterization

• Starts inside → thoughts, motives, personality.

• Not just physical design.

• Great animators understand their characters deeply.

• Appeal = combination of design + psychological truth.

3. Dialogue

• Voice performance + animation work together.

• Strong voice acting can elevate animation.

• Poor animation can destroy a good voice track.

• Video reference of voice actors helps animators.

• Dialogue is optional — silent characters can still act (Chaplin, Coyote).

4. Motivation & Objectives

• Action begins with thought → leads to emotion → leads to movement.

• Characters move because something drives them.

• Audience must understand motives (even later).

5. Empathy

• Audience must emotionally connect.

• Animator must empathize first.

• You don’t need to like the character—just understand them.

• Characters become memorable through flaws (Daffy = envy + greed).

6. Types of Acting

Physical Acting

• Big gestures, clear poses.

• Seen in slapstick, cartoon work.

• Tex Avery style: strong held poses.

• Broad, exaggerated emotions.

Psychological Acting

• Subtle, controlled, minimal movements.

• Requires refined timing + phrasing.

• Example: “Bambi’s mother death” scene.

7. Planning a Scene (6 Stages)

Important for MCQs:

1. Think – understand scene deeply

2. Aims – what characters try to achieve

3. Objectives – tasks + emotional goals

4. Options – choose best method for action

 5. Timing – rhythm + pacing

6. Review – check continuity + narrative flow

8. Self-Assessment Questions (Acting)

• What are the characters’ aims?

• What motivates them?

• What do they think/feel?

• Is animation naturalistic or stylized?

• Are they performing or "just moving"?

• [ Based on PDF - Animation_2nd_Study Material]

• Chapter 9: Animation of Acting – Body Language

• Chapter 5: Human Walks and Runs

Chapter 9: Animation of Acting – Body Language

This chapter covers acting theories, the role of emotions, and specific body language
postures and gestures in animation.

Main Topic 1: Acting Theories

• Acting

o Developing a sense of the dramatic helps with character expression.

o Animation acting should be exaggerated to be convincing, similar to

theatrical acting.

o Live-action film acting requires restraint, as subtle expressions (like an

eyebrow movement) convey emotions.

o Animation finds subtle facial expressions difficult, and close-ups make

artificiality obvious.

• Method Acting

o Think of it as constructing a character from the inside out.

o Developed by Konstantin Stanislavsky (Russian actor, director, Moscow Art

Theatre founder).

o Premise: The actor fully "lives and breathes" the character, using their own
emotional experience and memory to react convincingly.

o Leads to natural body language, intonation, and facial expressions.

o Particularly suited to film (e.g., "acting on the hoof").

o Useful for animators to work out how a character acts in a situation (e.g.,
acting out the scene in a mirror).

• Theatrical Acting

o Think of it as constructing the character from the outside in.

o Inspiration is derived from the script.

o The director and actor work out a series of positions and facial expressions.
 o Sometimes called negative acting.

o Best used in animation to work out the main poses and facial expressions.

• Consequence (Comparison)

o Real Life: Demonstrations of emotion are a consequence of internal feelings.

o Method Acting: Body language/expressions are a consequence of genuine (or

imagined) emotions felt by the actor.

o Theatrical Acting: The actor mimics body language/expressions that are a

consequence of felt emotions to convey them to an audience.

o Animators use both: Understand the character (Method) and then mimic the
visible manifestations (Theatrical).

Main Topic 2: Emotions

• Emotions are the manifestations of conscious feelings; they include feelings,

attitudes, states of mind, or character traits.

• Emotions are divided into three types:

o Positive and Negative: Happiness, excitement (positive) vs. anger, sadness,

boredom (negative).

o Engagement and Rejection: Surprise, attention (engagement) vs. disgust,

contempt (rejection).

o Neutrality and High Intensity: Calmness (neutrality) vs. being highly excited
(high intensity).

• Groups can be intermixed (e.g., anger combined with contempt).

• Emotions can last briefly (seconds) or for a long time (mood, attitude, or character
trait).

• Acting is the bodily expression of these emotions.

Main Topic 3: General Body Language

• Sorting out body language is the first thing to do when animating a character.

• Body language alone should convey a character's thoughts/feelings; facial

expressions then make it stronger.

• Puppet animation often relies purely on body language.

• Humans can easily lie with their face (e.g., a fake smile).

• The body is more honest; the ability to lie weakens down the body. (e.g., stooped
shoulders, dragging feet for misery) .

Main Topic 4: Basic Body Postures

• Body language reflects how we react to people, ideas, situations, etc..

• Postures can complement or contradict each other.

• Four generally basic forms of body language postures: open, closed, forward, and
back.

• Acting out the emotion in front of a mirror is the best way to make the action clear.

• Open Body Postures

o Arms apart, hands open, legs apart, body fully facing object of interest.

o Shows a character is reacting positively to messages.

• Closed Body Postures

o Arms folded, legs crossed (if seated), body turned away, head lowered.

o Shows a character is rejecting messages.

• Forward Body Postures

o Indicate a character is actively accepting or rejecting a message.

o Leaning forward, pointing (fist/finger) shows the character is involved,

absorbed, or passionate.

• Back Body Postures

o Indicate a character is passively involved or ignoring a message.

o Leaning backwards, looking up, or engaging in other activities (cleaning

glasses, winding a watch, doodling) suggests being passively absorbed or
ignoring messages.

• Four Basic Modes (Combinations of the postures):

o Responsive: Open and forward postures. Moods: happy, interested, engaged,

in love, eager, liking, wanting.

o Reflective: Open and back postures. Moods: considering something, thinking,

evaluating, perplexed.
 o Fugitive: Closed and back postures. Moods: rejected, bored, sad/miserable, in
denial, unsure of self, lying, wanting to get away, resisting an idea.

o Combative: Closed and forward postures. Moods: angry, wanting to put over
a point forcefully, being defiant, wanting or having an argument.

Main Topic 5: Palm, Hand, Arm, and Leg Gestures

• Hands and arms are crucial for communication, reinforced by leg postures.

• Palm Gestures

o Open palms facing upwards/away: Suggests openness, honesty, and

submission (e.g., shrugging, happy, eager, contemplating).

o Open palms facing downwards/towards: Suggests dishonesty or dominance

(e.g., defiant, bored, sad, annoyed). Open body with downward palms
suggests lying.

o Closed palm/fist: Suggests anger, aggression, or exaggerated dominance

(e.g., aggressive pointing, arguing).

• Hand Gestures

o Rubbing palms together: Suggests eagerness, excitement, and expectation.

Doing it while speaking a phrase (e.g., "we're going to make a lot of money")
can suggest being too eager/pulling a fast one.

o Interlocking fingers (clenching hands): Suggests frustration, holding back

negative feelings. Higher hand position means increased frustration.

o Fingertips/thumbs pressed together (upright): Suggests superiority, being a

bit smug or a "know it all".

o Fingertips/thumbs pressed together (downward): Suggests attentive

listening.

o Rubbing thumb and fingers together: Suggests money.

o Prominent thumbs: Suggest confidence, dominance, or coolness. Pointing

with the thumb is derogatory.

• Arm Crossing

o Acts as a shield, suggests disagreement or discomfort with the situation.

o With clenched fists: Gives a hostile signal.

o Gripping arms tightly: Suggests nervousness and stress.

 o Partially crossing arms: Shows a lack of confidence.

o Crossing arms at the hands: Suggests humility.

• Leg Crossing

o Gives a similar, but less strong, signal than arm crossing (can suggest
defensiveness or just comfort).

o Combined with arm cross and backward body posture, it definitely suggests
displeasure.

o Heel at the knee: Gives a competitive, aggressive impression.

o Ankles crossed: Gives a prim and proper look.

o Entwining legs (sitting/standing): Gives an impression of lack of confidence

or nervousness.

o Crossing legs when standing: Reinforces the closing off of the body.

Main Topic 6: Animation Techniques

• Acting Out a Scene in Animation

o Straight-ahead animation is like method acting (spontaneous, but can go out

of control).

o Pose-to-pose animation is like theatrical acting (more control, but can seem
wooden).

o Use a combination of both.

o Animators should act out the scene in a mirror to understand the character
and then draw a series of thumbnail sketches of the minimum necessary
action.

o Avoid "twinning" (arms/legs doing the exact same thing simultaneously) by

offsetting one side slightly.

o After timing thumbnails, re-draw as rough key positions (major poses).

o Add minor key positions (anticipations, overshoots) and major in-betweens

(breakdowns).

o The movement in real life and acting shifts quickly between major poses, with
minor moves while holding the pose.
 o Animate different parts of the character at different rates (e.g., body first,
then drapery) in layers.

• The Different Sorts of Animated Acting

o Animated Radio (Limited Animation): A series of pictures that illustrate the

script; simplest, used in low-budget TV. Characters move little and are flatter
in design. Relies heavily on a good script.

o Pose-to-Pose Animation Acting: Typically used in Hollywood shorts (e.g., Tex

Avery, Chuck Jones). Involves drawing the best, strong poses that emphasize
themes and animating quickly between them. Suits fast, aggressive, violent
humor; cannot sustain a feature film.

o Full Animation Acting: Used in feature films; requires light and shade;
hardest to do. Uses techniques similar to pose-to-pose but poses are less
obvious; movement is more fluid and continuous. Has the freedom of
straight-ahead and the discipline of pose-to-pose. Voice actors and filming
live actors are often used for reference. Villains are often more exaggerated
and easier to animate than subtle heroes. Subtle movements (e.g., thinking
while sitting) are harder than fast, complex actions (e.g., a sword fight).
Requires good timing and screen design.

o Mime: Studying mime artists is valuable; they convey emotion with small
gestures and amazing control of the whole body. Mime is popular in
European animated films as mute films can be viewed by a larger global
audience.

Main Topic 7: Analysis of a Character

• The basic idea is to live and breathe your character (Method Acting).

• Write down a list of the main character traits (e.g., greedy, coward, selfish) before
animating.

• Having a good collection of model sheets is also necessary.

Chapter 5: Human Walks and Runs

This chapter focuses on the mechanics of animating human locomotion, particularly

walk cycles and runs.

Main Topic 1: Walk Cycles

• A piece of animation where a character walks on the spot, and the background pans
past, similar to a treadmill.

• Consists of two strides that are repeated.

• They are repetitive and can seem false or over the top. They work better when
stylized.

• Used frequently in TV series and computer games (produces screen time for less
work/money).

• Rarely seen in feature films, where characters usually walk from A to B in their
entirety to be more believable.

Main Topic 2: Walking

• Pace: The amount of frames it takes for a character to take one stride.

• Walk Cycle Key Positions:

o Stride Positions (2): The two major key positions at the extremes of each
stride.

o Cross Over Positions (2): The breakdown (major in-between) positions where
the trailing leg is picked up and crosses over the leading leg.

• General Pace: Most people take a stride about every half a second (10 to 16 frames
at 25 fps).

• A character slows down by making the stride shorter and speeds up by making the
stride longer, while maintaining the pace of roughly half a second per stride.

• Walks are affected by outside influences (sights, obstacles, company) and frame of
mind (mood).

Main Topic 3: Walking Mechanics

• The Four Basic Positions of a Walk: The two stride positions and the two cross over
positions.

• Stride Positions - Twist:

o Shoulders/Hips: Opposite shoulders and hips lead. The shoulder of the

leading arm twists forward; the hip joint of the leading leg twists forward.

o The largest amount of twisting happens at the base of the spine.

 o Hip Angle/Mood:

▪ Positive (Happy, Determined, Laid back): Leading hip is higher than

the trailing hip; throws the backbone back.

▪ Negative (Depression, Misery, Tiredness): Trailing hip is higher than

the leading hip; curves the spine forward.

• Cross Over Positions:

o These key drawings give a clue to character/mood.

o Light/High Leg Lift: Leg picked up high looks light; the hip of the raised leg is
higher.

o Heavy/Drag: Leg that drags along the ground looks heavy; the hip of the
raised leg is lower.

• Shoulder Movement:

o Stride Keys: Leading shoulder (opposite to leading leg) can be higher, lower,
or level with the trailing shoulder.

▪ Leading shoulder higher: Top part of the body looks pulled back;
upbeat, positive feel.

▪ Leading shoulder lower: Gives more direction/determination; leaning

toward the walking goal.

o Cross Over Keys:

▪ Shoulder of forward arm moves up, shoulder of back arm moves

down: Creates a forward rolling; suggests pushy, determined,
"gangster's walk".

▪ Shoulder of forward arm dips down, shoulder of back arm moves up:
Creates a backward rolling; suggests happy and positive.

▪ Both shoulders dip down: Suggests lethargy and depression.

• Arm Movement:

o Arms swing like a pendulum: accelerate out of the strides, fastest near the
body, decelerate into the next stride.

o Movement is affected by which joint initiates it (shoulders, elbows, or wrists).

• Up and Down Movement of the Body (Bobbing):

o Basic Walk: Body bobs down when all the weight is on one foot; lifts up when
the foot is brought over (between cross over and stride).
o Highest point at cross over: Gives a resentful, depressed, negative feeling.

o Lowest point at cross over: Makes the body bounce up and down more; gives
a more positive feel.
• Based on PDF – Lip Sync and Facial Expressions

• Chapter 12: Lip-sync

• Chapter 10: Animation of Acting - Facial Expressions

Chapter 12: Lip-sync

The Fundamentals of Dialogue and Timing

Lip-sync, getting characters to talk, is easier than many aspiring animators think1. The
timing is essentially worked out for you by the dialogue itself2.

• Priority: The quality of acting is the most important part of lip-sync3. If the acting is
strong, you can "get away with murder" concerning the mouth shapes4.

• Mouth Shapes: They make up only a small part of a lip-sync scene5555.

Recording and Breaking Down a Dialogue Track

• Recording: Record dialogue in short pieces (e.g., scene length or one person talking)
to give more freedom when editing your movie6. Use programs that divide the sound
track into units of 25 frames per second (PAL) or 30 frames per second (NTSC)7.

• Breaking Down: This involves working out frame by frame where each sound
occurs8. This timing is marked onto the sound column of an x-sheet9999.

• Breakdown Strategy (Listening Order):

1. Silences: Listen for silences first10. These occur between some words and
where mouth shut consonants occur11.

2. Mouth Shut Consonants: These are M, B, P, F, and V12. They are quiet or
silent because the mouth is shut13.

3. Other Consonants: Listen for 'S' sounds (hissing) and 'T' and 'C' sounds14141414.

4. Vowels: Listen for the loudest vowels last15. A and O are the loudest because
the mouth is wide open (jaw dropped)16161616. I and E are quieter because the
mouth is less open17.

Vocal Mechanics and Dialogue

• Sound Production: Vocal cords in the throat vibrate to produce noise18.

• Jaw Movement: To get the mouth as open as possible, the jaw must be dropped19.
The more open the mouth, the louder the sound20.
• Consonant vs. Vowel: The consonant (usually at the start of a syllable) gives shape to
the sound, and the vowel provides the power21. The mouth is usually more open
when speaking a vowel22.

• Jaw Test: You can track jaw movement by holding your index finger on your nose and
your thumb under your jaw while speaking23.

Mouth Shapes: Importance and Detail

• "Lip Lazy": Generally, our lips don't accurately make every shape, but rather slur
from one shape to the next242424242424242424.

• Focus Points: Concentrate on hitting the mouth shut consonants and the large
vowels; other shapes can be treated as in-betweens25252525.

• Animation Timing: It is always best to animate the mouth shapes last, after body
language and facial expressions26262626. Animate mouth shapes straight ahead rather
than key-to-key for a livelier look27272727.

Mouth Shut Consonants ($\text{M, B, P, F, V}$ - $\text{FVBPM}$)

These are the most important because they are highly noticeable to an audience,
who use them as markers to identify the speaker282828282828282828.

• Holding Time: Hold them for one frame longer than written on the x-sheet29.

• Movement: The mouth usually shuts quickly before the consonant and opens
quickly after30303030.

• M: Lips are shut, tucked under and wrapping over the teeth. Animating into and out
of M is slower than B and P because it takes longer to un-tuck the lips31.

• B: Lips are pressed, but less tucked than M. A humming sound occurs at the front of
the mouth32.

• P: Lips are squashed and pushed outwards33. When animating out, imagine spitting
grit off your lips; the mouth opens quickly with lips pushing outwards/upwards34.

• F/V: The bottom lip is tucked under and bitten by the teeth 35353535. F is mostly
hissing air36; V is a mixture of hissing and humming37. The top lip shape for F varies
with mood (relaxed vs. angry/tensed)38383838.

The Vowels

• OOO (as in pool): Noticed by the audience because it takes the lips a long time to
pull into and out of39393939.

• Loud Vowels ($\text{O, AR, A, EH, EE}$): These are the mouth shapes that produce
the most noise and require the jaw to be dropped40.
 o A (as in dad): A large but narrow smiling mouth shape41.

o EE (as in squeeze): Still loud, but the jaw is not as open as O and A; consists
of a wide smile42.

• Quieter Vowels and Consonants ($\text{N, T, I, C, D, Y, Z, K, etc.}$): These are

considered in-between shapes that link the major ones43434343. The mouth shape can
be almost any shape you like, and the same sound will come out44.

Acting with Dialogue

• Phrasing: Divide the dialogue into major emphasis points (involving body
movement) and minor emphasis points (e.g., head movement)45454545.

• Pose Frequency: At most, aim for about one pose per second; more will make the
character look like they are shaking too violently46.

• Timing Poses to Dialogue:

o Enthusiastic/Aggressive: Hit poses slightly early (2 to 4 frames early)47.

o Neutral: Hit poses exactly on time48.

o Relaxed/Hesitant: Hit poses slightly late (2 to 4 frames late)49.

• Movement Speed (Pose to Pose):

o Quick: For angry, excited, nervous, or worried characters (who may also
seethe in the pose)50.

o Slow/Calm: For calm, relaxed, happy, sad, or moody characters51.

o Erratic: Used when the character's mood changes (e.g., from calm to angry)52.

Chapter 10: Animation of Acting - Facial Expressions

Fundamentals and Emotions

• Face Expressiveness: Humans have the most expressive faces53. A combination of

eight basic expressions can create around 5000 different faces54.

• Face as a Signpost: The face is used as a signpost to show feelings, or it can be used
to mask feelings55.

• Priority: Always work out the body language first and then add facial expressions, as
facial expressions can be very ambiguous56.

• Basic Emotions: There are eight basic, inherited emotions common to all human
cultures57:
 o Happiness

o Sadness

o Surprise

o Fear

o Anger

o Disgust/Contempt

o Interest

o Pain

• True vs. False Expressions:

o True Expressions: Are involuntary and display the emotion actually being felt;
they tend to flit across the face and are not held for long58.

o False Expressions: Convey something other than how the character is

feeling59. Examples include a poker face (neutral face masking deep emotion)
60or a simulated emotion (like a sincere face when none is felt)61.

The Eyes: Windows of the Soul

• Vitality: The eyes are the main feature that makes a character seem alive62. If the
eyes aren't focusing, the character will look like a "groggy doll"63.

• Movement Hierarchy: The eyes will lead all movement of the face and body (eyes
move first, then the head, shoulders, etc.)64.

• Pupil Size:

o Dilate (Get Bigger): When a character likes or loves something, making them
look more attractive or cute65656565.

o Contract (Pinpoint): When a character is frightened, evil, or untrustworthy66.

o Bulge: When a character is surprised, emphasizing the whites of the eyes67.

• Blinking:

o Standard Blink: Eyelid closes slowly and opens quickly (makes the character
look alive)68.

o Sleepy/Stupid: Eyelids shut slowly and open very slowly, suggesting effort69.

o Sexy Look: The upper eyelid is lowered and almost cuts the eye in half70.

Detailed Facial Expression Anatomy

• Happiness/Smile: Eyebrows raised evenly. The corners of the mouth are raised
symmetrically71. A genuine smile involves muscles around the eyes contracting,
forming crow's-feet and puffing the skin underneath72. A false smile lacks this eye
muscle contraction73.

• Evil Smile: Eyebrows are angled downwards and inwards, and pupils may be
contracted to look sinister74.

• Sadness: The inner ends of the eyebrows are raised, and the outer ends are
lowered75757575. The corners of the mouth are turned down76. The lower lip can push
upwards/outwards, increasing the downturn77777777. During crying, the eyes will be
closed or almost closed78.

• Surprise: Eyebrows are raised high, and the forehead is furrowed79. The mouth is
usually open with the jaw dropped (oval or round shape)80. A surprised look is often
preceded by an anticipation move and a rapid movement of the head back81.

• Fear: Eyebrows are drawn together and raised, forming vertical lines on the
forehead82. The mouth is open, and the corners are pulled outwards and
downwards83.

• Anger: The inner ends of the eyebrows are pulled inwards and downwards, causing
a fold of skin between them84848484. The pupils may be contracted into tiny pinholes
85, and nostrils can flare86. Suppressed anger is shown by a narrow, closed mouth

with lips pressed hard together87.

• Disgust/Contempt: The head is pulled away from the object of disgust88. One or
both corners of the upper lip can be raised (raising one corner looks more
contemptuous)89898989.

Head Angle and Hand Gestures

• Head Angle: The head moves in an arc in relation to the neck and shoulders90.

o Forward/Up: Willingness to engage/challenge91.

o Forward/Down: Argumentative, determined, tired, or stupid92.

o Backward/Up: Arrogant or snobbish93.

o Side Angle: Rotating the head to one side while looking directly at someone is
an "asking gesture"—the person wants something94.

• Hand-to-Face Gestures (Deceit, Stress, Evaluation):

o Evaluation: Stroking the chin or delicately supporting the face95. If bored,

supporting the head as if it were heavy96.
 o Deceit: Covering the mouth, touching the nose or cheeks97979797. Rubbing the
eyes (avoiding eye contact or not believing what is seen)98989898. Fiddling with
the ears (doubting what is heard or lying)99.

o Stress: Sticking fingers in the mouth (for comfort) or biting fingernails100.

Scratching the neck/pulling the collar (nervousness, anger, frustration)101.

Animating Facial Acting

• The Process: Act out the scene yourself in front of a mirror or camera102. Write a
simple list of the minimum actions required103. Draw rough thumbnail sketches for
each action, shoot them as a "pose test," and set the timing (slugging it
out)104104104104104104104104104.

• Pose Duration: An audience needs a minimum of half a second (12 frames at 24fps)
to register an expression105.

• Avoiding Stiffness ("Moving Hold"): When holding a pose, characters shouldn't be

stock-still106. A good technique is the Moving Hold where you slightly change the
expression or slowly move the head/upper body while the character is in the
pose107107107107.

• Anticipation and Overshoot: These can be used within the face when changing
expressions (e.g., smiling face becomes slightly more happy, then moves into an
exaggerated frown/overshoot before settling into the final sad pose)108108108108.

• Extreme Close-ups: These generally do not work well in animation109. If you must
use one, keep it quick (less than 2 seconds)110.