Exciting things are happening in Mexico. My workshop at Anima Estudio in Mexico City was my second trip south within eight weeks. The talented team there is working on a feature film that features the famous Hanna-Barbera character Top Cat, and I predict it will be successful at the box office. Look for it late next year. Muchas gracias, Anima Estudio!

 

Hayao Miyazaki's studio is hooking up with the game developer Level-5 to make a game. "Ninokuni" is its name, and the Sony PlayStation3 game will come with a 352-page book that is full of magic spells to help the main character, Oliver, fight enemies and bring his dead mother back to life. Look for it sometime next year.

 

I first met D.J. Nick when he was working as an animator for Disney in Sydney, Australia some years ago. We've stayed in touch over the years, and I've always been impressed with his many creative enterprises. This time, he has launched a website, www.AnimationSalvation.com, on which he is offering "Webinars" on the basics of character animation, industry info, etc. Check it out!

COMING SOON: AN ED HOOKS' ACTING FOR ANIMATORS BLOG FOR AWN

The good folks at Animation World Network have invited me to be one of their "expert" bloggers, and I can't refuse that kind of compliment. I've sent them my photo, and we should be live within the next few days. Keep an eye out. NOW LIVE! Check it out . . . (http://blogs.awn.com/)

 

OMIGOD, this unlikely creative marriage presents me with a personal dilemma. As you probably have already heard, Brad Bird is apparently going to direct the movie Mission Impossible 4, starring Mr. Cruise.  My problem is that I make it a practice to see anything and everything Brad does because he is brilliant. On the other hand, I make it a practice to avoid anything and everything starring Tom Cruise because I think his acting is uneven, and his hyper-energized, faux laser-focus personal manner makes my teeth itch. Ours is an amazing industry, isn't it? 

 

ACTING FOR ANIMATORS WORKSHOP SCHEDULE

 

When Barack Obama was running for President, his goal was to be elected. But he first had to win primary elections in order to become the Democratic candidate. In acting terms, his objective back then was to win in each individual state - Iowa, Pennsylvania, and so on. You see what I am saying? A goal is not the same thing as the objective that motivates a character to act.

 

In my workshops, I teach that a character should be playing an action in pursuit of an objective while overcoming an obstacle, but I think that that word "objective" is unclear to some animators. Think of it this way: Your character is going to do something right now, immediately. Right? What is his immediate objective? Why is he moving? Analogy: When you go to the studio to work, getting out of bed in the morning is an action in pursuit of that objective. Taking a shower and eating a bowl of cereal are actions in pursuit of that same objective, getting to work. Stepping onto a city bus or starting your car is an action in pursuit of that objective. Your ultimate goal, perhaps years down the road, may be to be direct movies at Pixar. That is what causes you to have the kinds of objectives that you have. It is good to have goals, and most people do. But in terms of acting, starting your car in the morning is not going to lead directly to making movies for Pixar. It will result in you getting to your job this morning. That is your objective, and it is provable. You will know whether or not you got to the studio, right? An objective should always be provable. If you want to make a salad tonight, then going to the market to buy some lettuce and tomatoes is an action in pursuit of that objective, and you will know whether or not you achieved your objective. You will know whether or not you get the salad made. Your goal may be to lose ten pounds, but your objective is to make a salad.

 

If your character wants to travel from Paris to London, then getting to London would be his objective. Deciding whether to fly or take a train is an action in pursuit of the objective of getting to Paris. In order to make it theatrical, you need an obstacle of some kind - a snowstorm or blocked railroad track or something. Simply getting from London to Paris is not sufficient because that would be "regular reality". In storytelling, we want "theatrical reality", and that requires an obstacle. Theatrical reality has structure, form. Regular reality does not.

 

Stage actors also take into consideration what is known as the "super objective" when playing a character. This kind of objective is different from an immediate objective or even a goal because the character is often unaware of it himself. A woman works eighteen hours a day to build her cake-baking business. Her objective might be to fill particular orders, and the conflict might be a lack of sufficient time. Having a successful business that gets written up in the food magazines is her goal, but right now she has to get the cakes out on time. Her super-objective has to do with why it is important to her in the first place to be the owner of a successful business. Why is she looking for business success rather than, say, spiritual fulfillment as a Catholic nun? All humans have super-objectives, but not everybody is conceptual about it. That is what psychotherapy is for. Performance in animation has not yet reached the point at which we need to talk a lot about super-objective, but it will in time. Just remember, you cannot play actions in pursuit of a super-objective. Nor can you play actions in direct pursuit of goals. The concept of actions and objectives is an immediate motivating idea.  

 

Until next month...be safe!
"Actors – and Animators – Are Shamans"