How Animated Cartoons Bring Characters to Life
Animated cartoons are successful in large part
because of their ability to create an emotional connection between the viewers
and the cartoon characters. The personalities, faults, and quirks that these
cartoons weave into their characters make those characters winsome and
engaging. In the hands of a skilled animator, even machines, animals, and
household objects become characters with whom viewers can connect. There are
many reasons that animated cartoons are so effective at bringing characters to
life. Following are a few of these reasons.
Animated
cartoons visually depict personalities-
In non-animated productions, the characters' realism
and appeal rely mostly upon the dialogue and upon the actors' ability to
capture the personalities described within the script. In animated cartoons,
the cartoon studio often creates this realism and appeal through the appearance
of the characters. That is, the studio uses the appearance of the characters
and the details in the scenes around them to express the characters'
personalities and foibles.
For instance, in some cases, soft, curved lines may
be used to represent the gentleness (or even weakness) of a character. Small
background details may give clues to the character's personality. Other
details, such as the shape of the body or the type of clothing the character
wears can provide further information regarding their personality. With these
physical clues in place, the animated cartoon character springs to life before
they ever speak a word or take a step onscreen.
Animated
cartoons create an emotional connection with the viewer-
Cartoon production often creates human or
almost-human characters who appeal to audiences because they look like the
audience. However, animated cartoons also often bring non-human characters to
life (consider Simba from The Lion King and the candlestick Lumiere from Beauty
and the Beast).
The reason that animated cartoons are such an
effective medium for bringing characters of all kinds to life is that they
possess a unique ability to highlight the qualities that those characters have
in common with the viewer. The character design underlying these creations
makes them so believable that viewers find themselves connecting at an
emotional level with animated cartoons.
One reason for this emotional connection is the
cartoon studio's ability to express the characters' humanity through their
appearance and actions. At times, this means imbuing a character (even a
non-human one) with certain human features. In addition, animated cartoons
often have facial expressions that convey human emotions. Take, for instance,
Simba in The Lion King. He is carefully crafted to reveal mischievousness,
surprise, sadness, and anger, all skillfully written into his lion-like
features. The result is a character that displays human qualities and emotions
that resonate with the audience.
Animated
cartoons are capable of dealing with adult themes-
Another way in which animated cartoons bring
characters to life is by transcending exclusively child-focused themes in order
to embrace the whole realm of thought and action experienced by the adult
viewer. Of course, some cartoons are directed at children and therefore possess
those appearances and deal with those themes that are suitable for their young
audiences. However, many other animated cartoons skillfully incorporate
violence, use adult humor (such as The Simpsons), or tackle modern-day issues
(such as South Park). In addition, these types of cartoons are able to put
forth characters who accurately represent the wide variety of personalities
present in the real world.
This ability to embrace adult themes and create
diverse characters adds to the lifelikeness of the cartoons' characters because it adds to their believability. A viewer is far more likely to engage
with a cartoon that accurately captures human emotion and personality. When the
viewer sees an animated production dealing with themes and issues that they
recognize, they feel closer to the characters and are more likely to be
convinced of the characters' realism and message.
This ability of cartoons to capture a variety of
personalities, emotions, and themes also allow the cartoon animation partner
to tailor the project to the needs of the target audience. By doing so, the
animator allows the cartoon to resonate with viewers in a way that adds to its
realism and power, whether the goal is to target potential customers, entertain
executives, or create education animation.
Animated
cartoons utilize exaggerated actions and expressions-
Finally, animated cartoons bring characters to life
through the use of exaggeration. Realism and exaggeration must be carefully
balanced by the cartoon studio. On the one hand, the features and emotions of
each character must be realistic enough to connect with the viewer. On the
other hand, they must be exaggerated enough to provide the entertainment factor
that makes cartoons such a popular medium for everything from feature-length
films to advertising animation.
One area in which exaggeration is put to good use in
animated cartoons are in the actions and facial expressions of the characters.
These exaggerations, when done properly, accurately capture how the body looks
when the actions and feelings are registering in a real person, while
exaggerating these appearances to the extreme. For instance, a look of surprise
would include huge eyes and a grossly dropped jaw instead of the more subtle
appearances that actually occur in real life.
Animated cartoons are a rich and entertaining way to
bring characters to life. Through their ability to convey the characters'
humanity, connect emotionally with the viewer, deal with adult themes, and
skillfully use exaggeration, they provide a way to connect with almost any
audience.
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