Detailed Research into Body Movement

Below are 3 videos that I have chosen that show very different types of body and facial language. I tried to make them as different as possible to give me as many ideas for when deciding the storyline for my character animation.



The above clip is from the film "Dodgeball (A true underdog story.)" I have chosen a scene from the end of the film where the main characters have a sudden death match to decide the winner. This clip of video shows how both characters betray there feelings, on different ends of the scale. One being over confident and the other content and some what nervous. You are also shown facial expressions of the team mates watching the match, needless to say they are all very different. (But mainly showing anxiety and impatience to find the result.) Then once the winner has been decided the sudden change to happiness and great joy.




We all have a creepy relative but nothing like this I am sure!! The above clips show the character count Olaf from the film Lemony Snicket's, A Series of Unfortunate Events. I have chosen this because there is not allot of jumping around and obvious physical actions, but Jim Cary does a fantastic job of betraying this creepy sinister man by mainly using his facial expressions. At one point he uses only his eye to really give you a shiver down your spine!!!





The last video that I have found does not actually betray any acting etc, but simply takes a documentary styled look at body language. It is American so you have to bear with it, seeming to be a mick take. But there are some quite interesting facts about how different gestures mean different things, and does have the ability to make you laugh at some points.


Video Overview

After researching into body language and how it has been betrayed in different ways, I liked the idea from dodge ball on how characters react to tense situations and the facial expressions that characters can make when presented with a threat (or a ball to the face.) This will defiantly be the basis of my 3d Animation. I love the idea of creating an old man character that is really creepy to watch, but feel my level of skill would not be able to live up to the visions in my head. Or anything that Jim Cary can produce on screen, and feel it would not work as there would have to be such a eye on detail of the face.

This module has been one of the most fun and interesting over the past 3 years, I love learning about how you can tell a story with not even talking. Then in the future taking time to notice yourself and those around you. This is why it was crucial to include the 3rd video as i found enjoyable to watch and also quite insightful, which will really help when drawing up the storyboard for my personal animation.

Tasks to do next??

Now I have some ideas of what I can make for my animation, I need to start getting this ideas down on paper. Sketching a story board (probably only with stick men.) but looking at each scene and deciding how the character would act and what gestures are made, probably my acting them out myself.

Another importnat part after this is to come out up with the ideas of the character and how he/she will look because this will change how they react to elements in the scene. (e.g. depending on there weight and height, how they walk and show emotions.)