Working it out.

Sometimes, things just don't work. And when they don't work, you need to move on and try something else. That's one of the most important things I've learned while studying and doing animation.

Sometimes a particular action or piece of acting just isn't the right one. For example, I've now just run into this situation while trying animate Lily's reaction to first seeing the falling star in the sky. I've tried some slight squash and stretch with a hint of anticipation to make her sorta 'twitch' (sounds wrong but we'll go with that word for now) when she realises what she's looking at. But it's not right.
The main problem is it's slowing her and the animation down. I'm not wholy believing this is her character. So I've taken about an hour or so's work out, just after finishing it and watching the sequence a few times. Why? Because it's time to try something different.

There is absolutely no point in dwelling on trying to make this work. It might take me longer than it should to get it right. I may not ever get it right. Or I might get it down a lot better if I try again. But the main point is I'm not believing it and if I don't believe it how can I expect an audience to?
But it's ok because I have other ideas. I've thought about Lily's personality and thought of a few reactions that are more 'Lily-like'.


Now, a quick note: I am not saying throw it out as soon as something doesn't work. That's not what I'm trying to get across here. If there's a particular action that is right but just isn't working, try again. If it's something that the character would definitely do, try again. Maybe from a different angle or a different way but certainly try again. The point is learning to recognise when an idea is awesome but just needs more time and working out and when an idea just isn't appropriate/right/believable and a new idea is needed.

It's part of what I think is the fun of animation; the working it out.

(And of course the results of your efforts!)

Well... that was certainly a long and somewhat deep post from me. I occasionally like to write my thoughts down so that one day I'll read it and think 'God, what a freak I was...'