The Importance Of Character & Narrative In Animation

        Character and narrative in animation go hand in hand. There is an intrinsic link between the two. A strong and appealing character acts as the audience's emotional compass in all forms of cinema, not just animation. Without a character that the audience finds engaging, it is difficult to invest in the narrative; after all, if you don't care about a character, understand their motivations, connect with their predicament, or want to find out how their story develops, why continue watching?

        To be engaging and hold the audience's interest, a character need not necessarily be 'likeable'. Many animations have villains which are more intriguing and arresting than the heroes (Maleficent is a prime example). What they must be is 'appealing'.

        For a character designer, knowing what audiences will and won't find appealing is essential. Although technology is reaching new heights and able to achieve new levels of realism, Shannon Tindale (a character designer who has worked on Coraline and How To Train Your Dragon among others) is of the opinion that characters should strive for believability rather than realism. These two concepts are similar but not interchangeable. Up's Carl Fredricksen is believable; he moves, talks and behaves like the epitome of a grumpy (yet secretly softhearted) old man. He is exceedingly well observed, but his design is angular and stylised, rather than realistic. If a character is believable, then the audience is more likely to feel a connection with them and invest in the narrative than if they are confronted with realistic yet lifeless or bland character.

        Another thing to bear in mind is that the style of a character should fit with the mood and tone of an animation. If there is a disparity between the two then it can be jarring, and ultimately confusing. Coraline, for instance is a slightly off kilter, creepy fable perfectly suited to the quirks of stop motion, but would have been completely inappropriate as a screwball cartoon.

        Also, the design of a character can give us hints as to their role in the narrative, and even the direction of the narrative, before said character has even moved. Animated series are particularly good at this; The Simpsons uses a number of similar yet subtly different versions of a cultural stereotype, primarily soulless lawyers and network executives, in order to mock and lampoon. Despite being told by our mothers to 'never judge a book by its cover', we form snap judgments of characters on first sight, based solely on their appearance. After all, every aspect of a character is carefully designed for a purpose, so why, for example, would Maleficent have green skin and horns if she wasn't the evil type?