Monday, October 2, 2017

Golden Poses ?

A little while ago I had an interesting conversation with Frank Thomas'

son Ted.
He brought something up that I had given some thought to for a while.
Ted pointed out that his father's character  animation seldom included
what today is referred to as "golden poses", "super poses" or
"storytelling poses".
The kind of all important drawings in a scene that by themselves define
the character's business or thoughts. I heard someone mentioning those
terms years ago at Disney...from an animation intern, who most likely
picked them up at his animation school.

Ted and I both agree that Milt Kahl's animation showcases exactly that:
one golden pose after another, timed in a way that the audience registers
them very clearly. When I study Frank's animation, most of the time I
can't find that golden pose. It is usually a series of drawings that stand in
for the ONE all important pose. Look at these two key drawings from
Pecos Bill by Milt. They are practically illustrations that give you all the
information about the scenes in one drawing.
Slue Foot Sue is in control as she embraces Pecos bill for a kiss.
Phenomenal design, staging etc.
The same goes for the next scene. Pecos reacts to seeing Slue Foot Sue
for the first time. Look at the directional force. Pecos becomes one
forward pointing arrow.

Milt's first animation from Mickey's Circus already shows extraordinary

dynamic staging. I'd call this one of his early super poses.
Peter Pan is warning Wendy and the Lost Boys that once you leave Never
Land, you can not return.
Everything is perfect here. His lowered head shows that he is serious in
what he is saying, as he points one finger at the group. What great
clarity!

I would say that Edgar's poses 1, 3 and 4 qualify as super poses. First he
anticipates throwing a kiss, then he gleefully hops up and down because
of some good news and then the change in attitude as he overhears that
the news might not be as good after all.
Ridiculously strong drawings give away Edgar's emotional state.

Great clarity again in this action/reaction situation. One vulture pushes

the other three down a branch.
His straightened out wing is in stark contrast to the wings of the other
two, who try to maintain balance. One drawing says it all.
King Louie teases Mowgli as he dances to the Jungle rhythm. Every key
drawing in the scene is beautifully designed within a clear silhouette. 

Let's get to Frank Thomas. This is one of his drawings for a scene in
which Mowgli is reacting to Baloo's loud roaring. He is practically up
against a storm breeze.
No superior design here, and perhaps a little out of proportions. BUT
seen in motion this piece of animation looks incredible because Mowgli's
motion feels utterly real and convincing. Every step has proper weight.
You really forget you are looking at drawings and accept this kid as a real
person.
An almost dull close up drawing of Baloo, as he argues with Bagheera.
Again, in motion this scene showcases the kind of life very few animators
ever achieve.

A few drawings by Frank from a scene where Mowgli is reacting to Kaa's

grip on his arm.
You couldn't' pick any golden drawings out of the whole scene. Somehow
they all matter the same and were drawn with the conviction that the
movement supersedes any single carefully designed pose.
Frank often declared that he had to fight to make his drawings look good,
and looked at the draughtsmanship of colleagues like Milt and Marc Davis
with envy. But he also felt that as far as personality and acting he dug
deeper than other animators.
I love this little sketch of Bambi Frank drew for a fan decades after the
film's release. There is a soul behind those rough lines, and isn't that the
whole thing about animation? Giving your characters a soul?
This just in from Ted Thomas:

 I find a compelling part of Frank's method and thinking was that

he was not necessarily opposed to golden poses, but he felt that
they must be an integrated part of the scene and be supportive
of the overall idea of the scene.  I think that's one of the reasons
he thumbnailed scenes so extensively, until he felt comfortable
and confident with the business.  In some ways I think Frank's
self-proclaimed struggles with drawing were not as much
draughtsmanship-related as they were feeling "right" in his
gut... and he felt it when a series of drawings worked together. 
As such, he'd throw out a "good" drawing if it didn't support his
overall goal for the scene.  In contrast, Milt argued with him that
you can always use a "good" drawing, and when you're lucky
enough to get one, that should be the tent pole for the rest of
the scene, even if it meant retooling the scene to build in and
out of that pose.  Frank, of course, differed, feeling that clarity of
design was not always the same as clarity of character.  I think
part of Walt's genius was getting their push and pull
collaborating together, because when I see Milt's beautiful work
I always know what I'm watching, and with Frank's I always
know who I am watching. 
Andreas Deja at 12:53 AM

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13 comments:

Marc Hendry October 2, 2017 at 2:07 AM

This is super interesting. I've always thought that Frank's animation felt a
bit different (more "alive") than most other scenes, even before I knew
who he was.
Maybe that's another reason why he was harder to inbetween for.
I've seen a video of Glen Keane before, talking about "Golden Poses" in
Ollie Johnston's work- maybe the term comes from him?
Reply

Jeremy LE LAY October 2, 2017 at 8:37 AM

This comment has been removed by the author.
Reply

Christoph Siemens October 2, 2017 at 12:20 PM

When Glen Keane spoke to, I believe it was Clay Kaytis, about Frank
Thomas, he mentioned Thomas advised him to find his Golden Poses and
then - *spend time around them*.
So maybe therein lies the difference. While animators like Kahl put their
Golden Poses into stronger and sharper contrast than secondary keys,
maybe Frank Thomas divided these leading poses, or ideas, up more
evenly over a variety of keys and with that a duration of time.
Reply

Lauren October 2, 2017 at 5:27 PM

Something tells me this will be one of the posts I will revisit several times.
It has given me a lot to notice and look for.
Reply

Monkey JUMP October 2, 2017 at 11:25 PM

If Frank is the kind of person that animates from the gut then it's
apparent in his animation. It looks like it from came from within which is
what makes it so great. I hope I can animate like that someday.
Reply

Francis Cole October 3, 2017 at 1:28 AM

Great post!
Reply

Jason Schirle October 3, 2017 at 2:07 AM

Great post on individual artists approach and execution. Great to have
Ted Thomas weigh in on the subject. Wonderful objective critiques of two
master draftsmen!
Reply

Herman Gonzales October 3, 2017 at 8:35 AM

Great Post Andreas. Quick question, Milt would really take his key
drawings this far with the final line it looks like? This is all him and it did
not go to clean-up? Gorgeous super poses!
Reply

Christian Svenningsen October 3, 2017 at 9:38 AM

Andreas Deja, when are you going to post Marc Davis's sketches of an un-
developed Disneyland attraction based of Hans Christian Andersen's fairy
tale the Snow Queen? Would like to see it on your blog
Reply

Jared Kowis October 3, 2017 at 12:05 PM

man, really inspirational and interesting analysis! I love your blog!
Reply

frankie_flower October 5, 2017 at 4:50 AM

Dear Andrea, I translate some of your posts into russian for Dorogov's
students (I've heard that you worked together before). And I don't know
about student's opinion, but I know for myself - your blog is really a
TREASURE BOX. I'm not kidding.
I also study to draw, and want to work in animation someday. And
 translating your articles - is always an inspiration. I did this one in high
gear, like if I had a wings!
What I want to say - your business has incredible power of knowledge
and inspiration. Please, never stop this :))
I'm grateful for your blog very very much.
Thank you!!

Yours respectfully,
Angelina
Reply

Jesse Hamm October 8, 2017 at 3:12 AM

Ted's contrast of design vs character and "what" vs "who" is marvelously
apt.
Reply

Unknown October 13, 2017 at 1:22 PM

I feel like Frank's work was always about "Golden Movement" rather than
pose. As you noted, Mowgli reacts to Bagheera's roar utterly perfectly in
the sequence with every weight falling perfectly as he physically and
psychologically processes the moment. This is why Frank's work seems
more real and genuine rather than caricatured--the character isn't
hopping from pose to pose necessarily, but is constantly working through
all kinds of factors in his environment.
Reply

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Andreas Deja
I spent 30 years at Disney. Right now I am focusing on my own
 animated short films, sculpting with wire and this Blog. I might be
back at Disney some time.....who knows.
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