"Acting for Animators" Coming to Escape Studios

Acting and Movement for animators

We're excited to be welcoming Sarah Perry of Shapes in Motion to teach our students a workshop in "acting for animators" here at Escape Studios.

Everyone knows that animators are actors - but what does that really mean in practice? Sarah's workshop will help our animation students unlock the secrets of acting methodology, and help them to become better actors themselves.  So, what can our animation students expect?

What is Shapes in Motion?
Shapes In Motion offers classes, workshops and courses specially tailored and designed specifically 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 "business", as reference for our animation. If our acting isn't up to scratch, then the animation performance is unlikely to be much better.

What experience do Shapes in Motion have?
Shapes in Motion have done workshops at many of the stars of the London animation and VFX world - just the sort of places that Escapees have been finding work for years. Sarah has taught classes at studios including Double Negative, MPC and Framestore. 

Rudolf von Laban

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 2016, follow this link.