Channel Frederator Blog

Staging refers to the presention of an idea in a way so that the action is clear to the audience. In the 1937 Mickey Mouse short The Worm Turns, you can see this principle in action. At the start of the cartoon, do you notice how Mickey holds the cups out from his body? This is to allow them to show up better. If he had held them in front of his body, it would obscure his face and form. By staging the action so that it happens out away from in front of his body, we get a much better look at what is happening.

If you are animating a bit of business for your character, and it isn’t reading well, have another go at your staging. Maybe you can display the action in a much clearer way.

-Floyd Bishop