Character & Narrative

        For the Character & Narrative module we are required to select and self record a short (15-20 second) song lyric to use as a framework for animating a basic character in Maya. Although I was disappointed that this module doesn't offer the opportunity to develop and design our own characters, it does provide a welcome opportunity to develop our performance skills (important, as animators are essentially actors who perform through their creations). While a character's appearance can provide clues as to their role in a narrative, their performance and body language is equally, if not more, important.

        Character & narrative are intrinsically linked, not just in animation but across all areas of film. An interesting character that appeals to the viewer enables them to invest in the narrative, which a character's behaviour can drive the narrative. For example, hesitating before an action could be a powerful tool for heightening tension; behaving shiftily could create suspicion around a character. It is the job of the animator to pick up on subtle body language that the audience can pick up on and interpret. 

        Once we have decided on our lyrics, in order to imbue our generic character with an individual personality we will need to study how people move in everyday life to covey a sense of realism that the viewer will recognise and identify with. How do people move? How does this movement change depending on mood and emotion? Although we will be creating a simple prop for our character to interact with, and including a level of facial animation, the majority of the communication will fall on the character's performance. It will be interesting to see at the end of this module the diversity of characters created, despite the fact we will all be using the same CG model.