Developing dynamic and moving performances can be one of the greatest challenges for actors and directors working in collaboration. Let’s add to the mix another set of creators who generate performances in motion pictures: animators.
Here are some interesting resources that highlight the extensive work of animators in developing compelling and well-defined characters through drawn or CG images. First, there is an excellent article on the work of Pixar animators for a new movie featuring a beloved character: Woody in Toy Story 4. Along with Tom Hanks’s exceptional voice work, a team of animators led by director Josh Cooley (at least for this fourth installment of the franchise) worked diligently to capture the wide range of emotions and traits seen in Woody and the rest of the Toy Story gang, and this is explored extensively in this piece by journalist Darryn King.
To investigate the ties between acting and animated film, it is critical to explore the creations of the Japanese master director Hayao Miyazaki. Here are two articles on Miyazaki: an interview from The Telegraph and an overview of his career and the films of Studio Ghibli.
From “Cumo” by Emily Fabrizi
Speaking of performance through animation, here are two films from students of mine. Cumo is an exceptionally crafted and delightful piece of animation by high school senior Emily Fabrizi that is highly worthwhile to explore for its reliance on performance — and without dialogue! Another animated movie that weaves a strong character-driven portrait — and once again without any dialogue — is this award-winning college project by my former student Brendan Kirschbaum: Solo. Both shorts feature many elements worthy of study for nuances in performance, all crafted by animators.
So there are lists all over the place, of course, to mark raves and disses across the spectrum of motion picture media, for the year or the decade past. I really liked this one with a nice theme curated by the folks at Criterion: Hidden Gems of the 2010s. And it’s worth it just to see the suggestion for Twin Peaks to “become part of the core curriculum of high schools across this country.” Hahaha, we’ll see about that!
