This section focuses on adding personality and story to one’s animations. People, animals, and main characters are always thinking about something, even if they’re not doing much.

• What is their state of mind
  • Happy
  • Sad
  • Scared. . .
• Age
  • Toddler
  • Teen
  • Middle aged
  • Old A character’s age will affect their posture, movement, and characteristics like clumsiness. Also, gender, muscular versus lean, tall and skinny versus short and squat will affect their animation too.

What is their personality. Are they a confident, bossy, weak, introverted. . .

Weather will affect characters movements

• A frozen landscape is going to slow movement down, make footing unsure, etc.
• A heavy rain causes people to bundle up and hurry

Does a character have quirks

• Always playing with their hair
• A limp
• Chew gum

Something that’s tricky to portray is a character trying to hide their emotions

Next is to Design a Set That Supports The Acting

For example, animating a heavy lift.

For instance, maybe the character is moving into a new apartment. Maybe they’re lifting a heavy canister.

Building the Story, Step By Step

• If sound is important for the shot, find the track you want to use
• Pick the rig you’ll be working with - a limiting factor
• Decide the primary action
• Develop the secondary action based on:
  • Character’s personality and quirks
  • Mood
  • Inner dialog
  • Age
  • Physical build
  • Energy levels
  • Environment and weather
• Build the set to support the story

Distinguishing Main and Secondary Actions

What the character is doing is the main action. Be it cooking, lifting weights, or what have you. The secondary actions are the character’s expression, gestures, and those things that make the action unique.