Action Analysis for Animators

Chris Webster is an animator who has worked for twenty years in the industry and has extensive experience as an educator teaching across a broad range of levels from schools, higher education and professional training programmes and within the studio environment. He is currently Head of Animation at the Bristol School of Animation and the University of the West of England.

Introduction
Why analyse action? The value of action analysis to animators. Sports science, anatomical study.

The Study of Motion
Naturalistic action, abstract action,
Pioneers of Motion Analysis - Muybridge, Marrey,
Animation Based Analysis ? George Lutz, Fleisher Brothers, Disney Studios, Walt Stanchfield

Dynamics and Laws of Motion
Newtonian laws of motion, Laban system of movement.

Animation Principles
Webster's Four ?A's of Animation. Animation Timing, Overlapping Action, Follow Through, Drag, Balance and Weight, Arcs, Anticipation

Figures in Motion
Anatomy, Walks, Runs, Lifting, Carrying, Pushing, Throwing, Jumping, Character Interaction, Dance and choreography, Movement under Loads, Movement and the environment, Children in Motion, Adults in Motion, Movement in the Elderly,
Assignments

Animals in Motion
Quadrupeds ? Cats, Dogs, Horses, Cows, Others
Anatomy, Walk, Run, Trot, Canter, Gallop, Jumping, Hauling loads, Group Action
Birds ? Song birds, Pigeon type birds, Swans, Waders, Hummingbirds, Raptors, Others
Anatomy, Principles of flight, Types of Flight, Take Off, Landing, Hovering, Flocking.
Fish ? Bony Fish, Rays, Eels, Others
Anatomy, Modes of swimming, Types of Swimming, Shoaling
Assignments

None Organic Action
Clothing and costumes, Water, Wind, Fire, Others

Capturing Action
Drawing from Life - Anatomy, Construction, Materials, Mark Making, Sketchbooks
Photographing Action - Cameras, Exposure, Technical Issues
Filming Action ? Cameras, Film speeds, Technical Issues, Creating movies
Motion Capture ? Automated systems for the capture and analysis of movement.

Methodologies for Analysis
Staging actions, Analysis of Timing, Choreography, Analysis of Performance, Motion capture, Reading a sequence, Rotoscoping,

Reference and Research
Sources, Creating a Reference Library