Acting for Animators - With Michael Caine

 

Animated characters need to look at each other, so their eyes don't wander around screen.  Watch the short video above with acting legend Michael Caine for some tips from the master of screen acting.  The video itself is a little dated (1980s) but the lessons remain just as important today.  According to Caine, the number one lesson for stage actors is to "hold on to each others' eyes".  And, what is true for stage actors is true for animators too.  You can watch Caine's acting advice in the video above - the important part is all in the first 5 minutes.

  
Avoid Zombie Eyes

How to Use the Eye Direction Controller

The crucial take-away for animators is about eye direction. We should always try to avoid our character's eyes wandering meaninglessly around the screen. "Zombie eyes" don't make for good animation; they make the character feel stiff and lifeless. 

And it's important to remember that the character's eyes are what the audience will look at most of the time - this is where our attention goes. 

Eye Direction Controller

In 3D animation, an elegant and easy fix is to use the Eye Direction Controller (most character rigs will have one) to control your character's eye direction. To see how to do this, read this blog post. 

How to Animate Eyes

Eyes are the window to the soul. To see more about how to animate eyes, eye darts, blinks and facial expressions, follow the links below:

• How to Animate Eye Darts
• Hold On to Your Character's Eyes
• Why Animated Characters Need to Blink
• Animation Tutorials at Our Vimeo Channel

The Escape Studios Animation Blog offers a personal view on the art of animation and visual effects. To apply for one of our courses, follow this link.