Channel Frederator Blog

Most action has three parts.

1. Preparing for the action (the anticipation)
2. The action itself
3. Ending of the action

The anticipation can serve several purposes. The most common is to show the viewer what is about to happen. You are also building up the energy for whatever is about to happen next. You see this a lot right before a fast run or quick motion, like when Tom tries to hit Jerry with a log from the fireplace.

This is also an opportunity for humor. Many times, the anticipation of a move or action is not equal to the result. Look at how Jerry anticipates the ripping of the book (around the 3:50 mark). You are setting up the audience for one result, and then showing them something they are not expecting.

Anticipation is an important part of animation, otherwise you are going to end up with a lot of quick motions with little or no continuity. The resulting animation will feel disjointed and spastic. As with all the principles, there may be times where it may make sense to bend the “rules” a bit, but overall it is a good idea to look for anticipation in your animation while you are working through a shot or scene.

-Floyd Bishop