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| Jack Laskey |
"Acting for Animators" is back: on Thursday 1 December we welcome Star Wars actor and RADA graduate Jack Laskey for an "Acting for Animators" class with our undergraduate animation students.
Jack's class is a practical, physical workshop in acting skills, aimed specifically at helping animators to create more believable, authentic acting choices in their work.
Animators are actors - with a pencil or a mouse - and we need to learn how to make a strong acting performance and then translate that into our on-screen animation.
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| Jack Laskey as Mandetat in Episode VII |
Jack Laskey is a classically-trained RADA graduate, known for his many TV and film roles. Jack played DS Peter Jakes in the ITV series Endeavour, and in 2015 he played the role of Mandedat in Star Wars Episode VII - The Force Awakens.
Jack made his film debut in 2011 as Carruthers in Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.
Acting for Animators
Jack's class is for our second year animation students who are learning to create believable acting performances. The class is a practical, physical workshop in acting skills, aimed specifically at helping animators to create more believable, authentic acting choices in their work.
Animators are actors - with a mouse (or a pencil)
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.
Video reference
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 any better.
Classical Training
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".
Jack 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.
Animators are Actors
This class is a chance for animators to dig deeper into the acting skillset and find ways for animators to become better actors - and therefore better animators.
The Escape Studios Animation Blog offers a personal view on the art of animation and visual effects. To apply for our BA/MArt starting in September 2023, follow this link.
Where and When
Acting for Animators takes place in Room B12 in the Basement at 190 High Holborn for the morning of Thursday December 1st from 9.30am to 12.30pm. We are dividing the class into two groups. Winterfell will attend from 9.30am to 10.55am. Toontown will follow at 11.05am to 12.30pm.
About Acting for Animators
Acting for Animators
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| Acting for Animators with Jack Laskey |
Jack's class is for our second year animation students who are learning to create believable acting performances. The class is a practical, physical workshop in acting skills, aimed specifically at helping animators to create more believable, authentic acting choices in their work.
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.
Video reference
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 any better.
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| Animation by Escapee Jamie Floodgate - now at Blue Zoo |
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".
Jack 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.
Animators are Actors
This class is a chance for animators to dig deeper into the acting skillset and find ways for animators to become better actors - and therefore better animators.
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