Live Action Reference with Pernille

A while back I was teaching a class at The Animation Workshop in Viborg, Denmark, one of Europe's best animation schools. Students are required to film themselves acting out a shot and then use the acting as reference for the animation. One of the best examples was this shot animated by Pernille Flyvholm.  Like all the students, Pernille filmed herself acting out the shot, filming multiple takes until she got it just right. The live action has some great detail in it - such as the little flip of the phone in the character's hand - an authentic detail that makes the acting feel believable. 

Using Live Action Reference

One of the hardest things for junior animators to learn is how to use live action reference to create animation. This is one of the core skills we teach at Animation Apprentice, and it is a technique that I  relied on for decades to get my shots approved at studios like Disney, DreamWorks, Sony and Warner Bros. Learn this system, and you will have a long career as an animator.

Live Action Reference - Pernille Flyvholm

Watch the video and compare it with the final piece of work. Pernille has followed the live action carefully, and used this to make her animation authentic and believable. In my experience, animation students are often reluctant to learn this technique - most animators tend to want to be behind the camera - not in front of it. But, whether you are camera shy or not, this is a skill that every animator needs to learn. 

Resources for Acting and Performance at Animation Apprentice

To see more resources at Animation Apprentice on how to approach animating acting and performance shots, read these blog posts:

• Why Animators Should Always Start with an Idea
• Why animators should avoid a profile view
• Dialogue and Lipsync Tutorial
• How to Build and Block a Scene
• Why Animators Need "Head Muppeting"
• Why Animators Should Avoid Famous Lines of Dialogue
• How to Animate a "Two Shot"
• Getting Eye Direction Right
• Seven Questions for Actors & Animators

To find out more about Animation Apprentice, click here for a link to Frequently Asked Questions. To sign up for our next classroom at Animation Apprentice, follow this link.