Well we're back. Referencing for animation is incredibly important. I've pretty much used reference material for not only everything I've ever animated but also most the drawings I do to. To me I wouldn't even be able to comprehend working without reference material as I am heavily reliant on it and found just using my imagination to be entirely more difficult. We had a seminar about the importance of using reference in animation and even though I felt I already new how important referencing was to animation I learnt a lot of new things. For example I found out that in early Disney animated classics they didn't only film the odd piece of reference material, they in fact would often act out and film the entire movie in live-action, almost like a stage play before going back and animating it.
We looked at the silent movie legends such as Charlie Chaplin who animators at Disney would also study. Charlie Chaplin to this day retains an uncanny natural ability to perform silent physical comedy that continues to inspire comedians and actors alike.
Adding my own personal input to this seminar, silent actors such a Laurel and Hardy have influenced me a great deal and to me I feel the pair are two of the greatest physical actors of all time and this seminar made mrs realise that they almost seem animated in their physical comedy.
