Tuesday 13 February 2018

Acting for Animators Wednesday 21st Feb

Sarah Perry of Shapes in Motion is returning to Escape Studios on Wednesday 21st February and thursday 22nd February to teach our animation students a practical, physical workshop in "acting for animators".

Of course, everyone knows that animators are actors - but what does that really mean in practice?

Sarah's workshop will help our animation students explore acting methodology, and help them to become better actors. 

Sarah Perry
What is Shapes in Motion?
Shapes In Motion offers acting classes specially tailored for animators.

Why should animators learn acting?
Because animators are storytellers. We act with a pencil or a mouse - not with our bodies - but what we do is still acting, and it needs to be done well. Bad acting looks just as bad in animation as it does in a live action performance.

Many animators shoot video of themselves acting out a line of dialogue, or a bit of pantomime acting, as reference for our animation. If our acting isn't up to scratch, then the animation performance is unlikely to be much better.

Sarah Perry (bottom right) with some 2nd year animators
What do the classes involve?
Students get introduced to the fundamentals of Laban Movement Analysis, which is to say "the analysis of character in terms of body, effort, space and shape" which can be used for both human and creature animation.

Animators learn to observe and analyse a range of physical qualities, so as to develop character, and understand character "from the outside in".

Sarah helps animators to look at character types, but also to understand subtle gesture performance choices too. The class is a combination of theory, practice, games/exercises, play and group work. Fun, yet informative.

Where is their website?
Visit the Shapes in Motion website at http://www.shapesinmotion.com/ to see more about their work and what they do.

The Escape Studios Animation Blog offers a personal view on the art of animation and visual effects. To apply for our new BA/MArt starting in September 2018, follow this link.  



 

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