Animation+-+Staging+-+Olson

= 3. Staging = media type="youtube" key="a6GEEi67atc" height="315" width="560" This animation, a short called "Switch" by Tyson Hesse, illustrates the principle of staging because it purposefully utilizes 'camera' angles, poses and facial expressions to communicate mood, ideas, and the attitude of the character and to help tell the overall story. The most obvious thing used in this animation is the facial expressions and poses. Through expressions, the main character (Rittz from Tyson's comic, Boxer Hockey) clearly communicates his confusion at the start of the story, and his growing frustration as the short progresses. An example of this is his changing reactions to the big green monster as the short progresses. The first two times he see the monster, Rittz's his startled and frantic motions (which are poses) communicate that he is scared, and the last time he see it, his pointing and angry fist shaking as well as the monsters fearful pose communicate Rittz's frustrated anger/annoyance. Less obvious but equally effective are the 'camera' angles used. The short utilizes long shots to show the entire room and that it is empty, as well as to show how small Rittz is compared to some of the things he encounters in the room such as the monster, which helps to communicate why Rittz is scared and also to make it funnier when the tables are turned and the monster acts scared of tiny Rittz. Close ups increase the effectiveness of facial expressions by making them bigger and more obvious on the screen. The best utilization of angles, in my opinion, is the shot which looks down at Rittz from above after the room becomes full of eyeballs. It really emphasizes the sort of disoriented 'wtf nope' feel that Rittz is probably experiencing, along with his poker face and wide eyed stare.

Yes. I seriously wrote an entire text wall about an animation of a guy flipping a light switch.