Exit Interview Question Answers

1) My EQ is: What is the most important aspect of designing a character for an animated feature?  I picked my first answer, the 3P’s (Powers, Personality, and Physical Appearance), as my best answer.  The reason I chose this answer over the others is because it describes all the necessary traits of the character that bring the story to life in an animated feature.

2) My process for arriving at my answer was actually quite interesting.  It came from my favorite anime, Pokémon.  Before senior project even started, I was thinking of the classic Marvel and D.C. superheroes such as Batman and Spiderman (I had watched many superhero movies over the summer) and what Pokémon would best suit each hero.  I did not want to simply stick to the way a Pokémon looked or what powers they had that were closest to the hero’s.  To make a successful connection, I realized I would have to consider the powers, physical appearance, and personality of a Pokémon that would best match up with and benefit the superheroes in battle against the villains. Basically, combining my dad’s era of cartoons with my generation of cartoons inspired what I now call the “3P’s” of character design.

3) Coming up with my 3rd answer to my EQ proved to be a somewhat challenging process.  I had two answers already; the 3P’s and model sheets/concept art.
     I later recollected an animation class I had taken at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena when I was in the 6th grade. The instructor had us create a storyboard before we could begin the animation process on Adobe Flash.  Since storyboarding was an important process for animation, I decided to use it for my 3rd answer.

4) My first primary source was taking a class at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, which gave me great insight and knowledge of character design. My second source was the fabulous opportunity to speak with a true animator with Disney Animation Studios.  She explained in detail the “whys and reasons” many characters are depicted as they are.

5) At this time I do not have a product to share.

3 Column Chart

Name: Pilar I. Perrault                                     House: South                                        Topic:  Character Design for Animation

THREE COLUMN LOGIC CHART

Essential Question: What is the most important aspect of designing a character for an animated feature?

Best Answer: The Three P’s (Powers, Personality, & Physical Appearance)

Statements	Reasons	Verification
1) What is the most important aspect of designing a character for an animated feature?	1) Given	1) None
2) To design is to plan or lay out the blueprints for something, such as a building, art project, or as in my case, a cartoon character.	2) We need to know what it means to design something so we know what we are doing.	2) Ronal Llanos
3) An animated character is a fictional person/animal, etc. that is brought to life in the form of animation. The story could not exist without the characters to tell and move it along.	3) We need to know what a character is in order to know how to create one.	3) The Art of Character Design/Illusion of Life: Disney Animation
4) An animated feature is a story in the form of animation made using a series of moving pictures (through the use of drawings, puppets, or digital media). It can be a movie, a cartoon on television, or even the plot of a video game.	4) We need to know what an animated feature is because this is where you are going to find the animated character.	4) Animation Facts/ ccad.osu.edu/womenandtech/Storyboard%20Resourcea
5) Answer 1: The Three P’s	5) You cannot create a character if you do not plan how he/she will look or act. The development stage is important!	5) Nickelodeon/Illusion of Life: Disney Animation/ tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/.../DevelopCharacterPersonality
6) Powers are often assumed to be superpowers, such as having superstrengh, the ability to move things with your mind, shooting bolts of lightning form your body, flying, etc.	6) This is basically what most people think when they hear someone talking about having “powers.”	6) Lilo and Stitch/Pokémon/Superman
7) Powers do not always need to be dramatic. They can be much more subtle, such as being able to talk to animals, being an expert jury rigger, being a computer whiz, smooth talking, ability to tame wild creatures, etc.	7) Many people mistakenly believe that “powers” always have to be “super.”	7) Wild Thornberries/Lilo and Stitch
8) Personality is what makes character relatable to audience (seems “human”). If character can make you laugh or draw a tear, then their personality is believable.	8) We need to show the feelings of those characters with emotion to figure out why people care about characters, even though they do not actually exist.	8) The Illusion of Life: Disney Animation
9) Heart’s Desire: Simple and extravagant! What motivates the character to act? (desire to get the girl, get to work on time, become a Pokémon master, etc.)	9) This is important because it is the motivation for the character can tell you a lot about their personality. It is important for the viewers to be involved in the character’s feelings.	9) Illusion of Life: Disney Animation/Spilling Ink
10) Flaws: Flaws make a character’s trek humorous and make their virtues believable	10) Flaws help a character seem more human to the audience. Everyone has them, nobody is perfect.	10) tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/.../DevelopCharacterPersonality
11) Theme: Character theme is a determining factor for how they act (ex. hero and villain, bully and nerd, etc.)	11) This is important because it influences the character’s actions to something the audience would expect. Viewers expect to see a hero to be confident, stong, and brave, not cowardly and weak.	11) Ideas for the Animated Short/ tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/.../DevelopCharacterPersonality
12) Appearance matters. Circles are often used for cuddly, friendly characters	12) By examining a character’s body shape, one can see hint of their personality.	12) Creating Characters with Personality/Dragon Art
13) Boxes or Squares usually represent the heavy, solid, dependable characters	13) By examining a character’s body shape, one can see hint of their personality.	13) Creating Characters with Personality/Dragon Art
14) Triangular shapes tend to represent malevolent or villainous characters	14) By examining a character’s body shape, one can see hint of their personality.	14) Creating Characters with Personality/Dragon Art
15) Costume can reveal where the character is from and what they do (ex. An armored knight is likely to live in the Medieval Times and slay dragons)	15) This is important because the character’s life does not play out in a white void. Setting and costume help establish place, which makes sense for the viewers.	15) Anime Mania
16) Answer 2: Model Sheets & Concept Art	16) It is not uncommon for a designer to have to redraw a character repeatedly before they can get a satisfactory design.	16) Ronald Llanos/www.animationarena.com
17) Shows the character from different angles, usually front, back and to the side	17) Helps the animator keep the character looking consistent so the character has the same proportions from every angle.	17) Ronald Llanos/sheridanportfoliotips.blogspot.com
18) Keeps note of height and small details (folds in clothes, wrinkles, etc.)	18) Helps the animator keep the character looking consistent with height and small details so they do not mysterious change from frame to frame.	18) www.remindblog.com/2010/02/11/definition-modelsheet-character-turnaround
19) Sketches depicting what the character may look like, which are often simply drawn, with little to no inking or coloring	19) Helps determine what the character is going to look like. Animators never settle on the first design.	19) sheridanportfoliotips.blogspot.com/ www.remindblog.com/2010/02/11/definition-modelsheet-character-turnaround
20) Answer 3: Story Background	20) The next step of animating a character, putting them into a storyline.	20) Storyboards/SpongeBob Squarepants
21) Character: Whom the story is about, often told through their eyes.	21) This goes back to the beginning. The character is important because he/she is the very soul of the story.	21) Ideas for the Animated Short/Storyboards/Art Center College of Design, Pasadena
22) Goal: (aka the heart’s desire)  The very thing that the character wants to obtain; the whole reason for their trek	22) This is important because it is the character' goal influences how they move through the story and affects their actions and emotions.	22) Ideas for the Animated Short/Storyboards/Art Center College of Design, Pasadena
23) Conflict: What lies between the character and the goal. The conflict creates obstacles, and hardships that can endanger the character either mentally or physically.	23) This makes it harder for the character to reach their goal, which adds drama to the storyline.	23) Ideas for the Animated Short/Storyboards/Art Center College of Design, Pasadena
Best Answer: The Three P’s (Powers, Personality, & Physical Appearance)	If: the three P’s, model sheets, and the storyline are all part of the design stages of a character Then: the most important aspect of designing an animated character is the character’s development (both physical and personal) because those are the primary factors that will affect how the character looks and acts before he/she is even drawn.

Project Reflection and Working EQ

1. I think the most positive thing to happen to me since I started my senior project was being able to observe at a real, live animation studio. Seeing the documentaries on television and actually stepping foot into the studio are two completely different sensations. I was lucky enough to see from up close every step the workers take when animating; starting from the initial rough sketch, going through clean-up artists, in-betweeners, and several scanners, then finally ending with a beautiful; computer rendered, fully animated feature.

2. I think the most useful piece of research I currently have is the article from the website Animation Arena.com. It states the importance of learning how to draw if you want to become an animator. This is actually the most basic piece of advice given to people who want to get into the animation business. The article recommends taking life or figure drawing classes to improve your skill set.

3. So far, the thing that has worked out most for my senior project was how I was able to find Duncan Studio and be able to interview their head animator.

4. Unfortunately, what has worked out for my senior project is also what may not work out. I was lucky to get into Duncan Studio in the first place, as they are a small studio in Pasadena and do not normally allow minors. In fact, many animation studios do not allow minors, only college students looking for an intern.

5. The biggest question I have regarding my topic is: how could I create and animate my own television series? Most animators simply draw and animate other people’s characters, but I have my own idea for my own show. How would I even get started?
    My goal at the end of senior project is to have a better understanding of animation (both 2D and 3D) and hopefully use what I have learned to get me into a good college so I may one day fulfill my dream of creating a cartoon series.
    I am to take CG animation classes very soon, so I plan on talking to the instructor of the class and see if I can learn everything about 3D animation. Though I am more fond of 2D animation, 3D animation is usd in video games, which is another branch I am interested in.