dialogue

[jtq3]

http://www.donbluthanimation.com/videos.php?showvideo=382

http://www.donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=239&pictureid=1086

http://www.donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=233&pictureid=1082

I think what I have always loved most about The Secret of NIMH are the little animated gems as in the quicktime example.

Theresa tells Auntie Shrew that Mother has gone to see Mr. Ages.
Auntie Shrew responds in such a complex and nuanced way, immediately giving us insight into who she is as a character and her relationships with all of these other characters(including Mr. Ages)
"To Ages?" she asks and then under her breath, "that old flim flam," punctuated by a sudden burst of breath (as in "that old flim flam huh"). Finally, showing impatient irritation and her need to know everything and be in control she barks "Whatever for?!"

Great stuff. There's a bit later on in this sequence in which she tells Brisby "the frost is off the ground and moving day is at hand. Prepare to move your very very odd family... Good day." Check out her eyes as she delivers that line. Superb.

I think Richard Williams said it (and it was the retelling of instruction coming from Milt Kahl) about how when animating a character speaking, you want to progress the character from somewhere to somewhere. I'll look it up to get it right. This is enormously complicated stuff and I'm not doing it justice here.

Anyway, I've grouped all of the frames together so you can see how Auntie Shrew delivers the line "Rats in the field, up to 'heaven knows what kind of mischief." I love the changes in direction of her head and the subtle head shakes for emphasis.

I've also posted an album in which I've traced over the drawings to try to show more clearly the direction of Shrew's face and the range of broad to very close moves the animator is making. All images are found in my albums.

I don't know who animated the scene. Anybody know?

[Rodney]

I'm enjoying your insight on this one.
I remember that sequence very well.
"That ol' flim flam"
"Aunty Shrew... Timmy's sick."
What a great bunch of characters.

The artwork of course is superb but perhaps first and foremost that dialogue... the voice characterization... that really captures the essence of the characters.

It's little (almost throwaway) scenes like this that really sell the character's personality to us.

[jtq3]

Hi Rodney, thanks for responding.

True. The script and Hermione Baddeley's performance are both packed with information and entertainment. But, this is an animation forum and I'm partial to the drawing part of the exercise and so, see those components as the launching points for a wonderful performance by the animator.

I'm not disagreeing with you , I'm just trying to focus my celebration on the drawing. :-)

I remember when "All Dogs..." was released, a common criticism was how easily recognizable Burt Reynold's voice was. The critics could not see Charlie because they heard Burt. I thought that argument was specious at the time and believe in the years since, a recognizable voice (Tom Hanks as Woody, Robin Williams as Genie, Jack Black as Po) has many times proven to be the starting point for so many great character performances.

I think what I'm trying to do here is an analysis of the animation technique. I haven't done much dialogue in my own work so, I'm hoping this will be a useful exercise and ultimately have a positive impact on my animation.

[Rodney]

I'm partial to the drawing part of the exercise and so, see those components as the launching points for a wonderful performance by the animator.

I find us in total agreement about the importance of the components that lead to the animator's imagery. For convenience's sake as I'm studying I'll tend to break things down into their various components but I think we can all agree the various elements are come together and can make or break a shot or sequence.

My limited experience with computer animation has certainly reinforced the importance of a good reading of the dialogue by voice actors. A dry reading where a scene calls for action or emphasis can make animating that sequence difficult indeed. I can almost imagine the animator who drew this sequence with the Shrew being very pleased with Hermione Baddeley's handling of the audio.

From watching 'The Secret of NIHM' I find the audio of all the dialogue translated well into images on the screen. Don and others who recorded the dialogue obviously knew what they needed and how to coax that out of the voice actors to get what they needed to the screen. Masterful strokes of animation like the one you've pointed out here (as subtle as it is) don't just happen by accident. I'd wager the Don Bluth team leaned heavily on their considerable experience.

I should say... You are doing something I most definitely need to do more of and do more frequently; study high quality animated films such as these frame by frame.

[jtq3]

It's something I've been thinking about doing for a long time. It's time consuming so, I kept putting it off.

Anyway, more to come!

[Don Bluth]

http://www.donbluthanimation.com/videos.php?showvideo=382

http://www.donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=239&pictureid=1086

http://www.donbluthanimation.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=233&pictureid=1082

I think what I have always loved most about The Secret of NIMH are the little animated gems as in the quicktime example.

Theresa tells Auntie Shrew that Mother has gone to see Mr. Ages.
Auntie Shrew responds in such a complex and nuanced way, immediately giving us insight into who she is as a character and her relationships with all of these other characters(including Mr. Ages)
"To Ages?" she asks and then under her breath, "that old flim flam," punctuated by a sudden burst of breath (as in "that old flim flam huh"). Finally, showing impatient irritation and her need to know everything and be in control she barks "Whatever for?!"

Great stuff. There's a bit later on in this sequence in which she tells Brisby "the frost is off the ground and moving day is at hand. Prepare to move your very very odd family... Good day." Check out her eyes as she delivers that line. Superb.

I think Richard Williams said it (and it was the retelling of instruction coming from Milt Kahl) about how when animating a character speaking, you want to progress the character from somewhere to somewhere. I'll look it up to get it right. This is enormously complicated stuff and I'm not doing it justice here.

Anyway, I've grouped all of the frames together so you can see how Auntie Shrew delivers the line "Rats in the field, up to 'heaven knows what kind of mischief." I love the changes in direction of her head and the subtle head shakes for emphasis.

I've also posted an album in which I've traced over the drawings to try to show more clearly the direction of Shrew's face and the range of broad to very close moves the animator is making. All images are found in my albums.

I don't know who animated the scene. Anybody know?

Thanks for noticing. I believe that John Pomeroy was the animator. He was always a very gifted actor. Some of his best work on NIMH, in my opinion, was his handling of the character Jenner. John always liked the darker side of his characters and that quality would always surface in his work.

[jtq3]

Jenner is spectacular! Great design for a great character. The scene in which he schemes to kill Nicodemus is so beautifully animated. I love how expressively his eyes move to punctuate what he is saying. I'll have to do that scene next.

Thanks Don.

[dartzy]

That scene with Jenner is my favorite too...I have always had a passion with the villains and Jenner stood out to me as a child watching that film. Love it!!

[Leo]

That scene with Jenner is my favorite too...I have always had a passion with the villains and Jenner stood out to me as a child watching that film. Love it!!
I love that scene when Brisby guided by Nicodemus used the power by the red stone.

Myself as NIMH fan artist I invented a new concept named "stone of wisdow

that was the legay for my own character. He is a little mouse named Leo almost identical to Timmy http://fc07.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2010/127/e/3/best_you_can_be_by_LeandroValhalla.jpg ( I think I said it many times ago but is good meet new friends and I wish to talk with MR Bluth for my ideas I need a guide from a professional like him

[warduria]

Thanks for sharing.

[Sidney]

I concur.
Thanx for sharing. :)

[Leo]

I concur.
Thanx for sharing. :)
You're welcome, felloow :o