Peter Sellers on Acting - For Animators

Comic genius Peter Sellers

Recently I stumbled across a quote from the late great actor Peter Sellers, on how he approached creating a character. 

Sellers said this: "I start with the voice. I find out how the character sounds...after the voice comes the looks of the man...after that I discover how the character walks...and then something strange happens...the man you play begins to exist."

It's just the same with animation. 

Acting For Animators w Joe Dieffenbacher 11 Dec 2024

Acting for Animators: Joe Dieffenbacher

On 11th December 2024 Escape Studios welcomes actor, clown and improv artist Joe Dieffenbacher to teach a masterclass in "Acting for Animators" with our Second Year 2D Animation Students.

Acting For Animators will take place at Husky Studios (near Elephant & Castle), Studio 2, from 9:30am to 12:30pm. Joe Dieffenbacher will lead the workshop.

Joe Dieffenbacher's class is a practical, physical workshop in acting skills, aimed at helping animators to create more believable, authentic (and funny) 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 turn that into animation.

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.

Comedy Acting for Animators is Back on June 30th

Joe Dieffenbacher

On Friday 30 June 2023 we welcome back actor, clown and improv artist Joe Dieffenbacher to Escape Studios, to teach a masterclass in "Physical Comedy for Animators" with our Short Course and MA Animation students.

Joe's class is a practical, physical workshop in acting skills, aimed specifically at helping animators to create more believable, authentic (and funny) 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.

Comedy for Animators with Joe Dieffenbacher

Joe Dieffenbacher

Tomorrow, Tuesday 6 December 2022, we welcome actor, clown and improv artist Joe Dieffenbacher to Escape Studios, to teach a masterclass in "Physical Comedy for Animators" with our Short Course and MA Animation students.

Joe's class is a practical, physical workshop in acting skills, aimed specifically at helping animators to create more believable, authentic (and funny) 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.

Acting for Animators Returns on 1 Dec 2022

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.

Jack Laskey "Acting for Animators" 24 November

Jack Laskey as Mandetat in Episode VII

"Acting for Animators" is back: on Thursday 24 November 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.

Acting for Animators is Back on Jan 16th

Sarah Perry of Shapes in Motion is returning to Escape Studios tomorrow, Thursday 16th January, to teach an all-day "Acting for Animators" class to our second year animation students, as they embark on their Animation Specialism module.  Sarah is an expert on teaching acting skills to animators, having taught classes at MPC, Framestore, and many other leading UK animation and VFX houses.  To find out a little about the class, and about Shapes in Motion, watch the video above.