This reference was originally recorded for the Dialogue Animation module. Although I won’t be using it in my final submission, I still wanted to include it here to document my process and thought development. The purpose of this exercise was to explore the nuances of transitioning between emotional states—both internally (subtle facial shifts) and externally (spoken delivery and gestures).
The reference is based on a scene from Monsters, Inc., specifically the moment when Sully and Mike meet the Abominable Snowman in the Himalayas. What drew me to this clip was the dynamic emotional interplay between the characters: one emotes before speaking, the other speaks before emoting. This layering of emotional beats and verbal rhythm really helped me observe how character intention shifts from moment to moment.
However, while studying this clip was useful, I’ve decided not to use it for my final piece. Although we weren’t explicitly told to avoid referencing existing animations, it makes sense from an academic standpoint to animate original material or live-action references. Using pre-animated content—especially from stylised films—risks undermining the learning objective, which is to interpret and convey raw emotional beats through our own animation work.
Still, I found this study valuable for understanding how emotional expression isn’t just about exaggerated mouth shapes or eye movements—it’s about timing, contrast, anticipation, and subtlety. I’ll carry this insight into the rest of my project, using live-action or self-recorded references instead.
This second reference is taken from Whiplash, specifically a moment when Fletcher—the film’s intense and domineering antagonist—publicly confronts a student with thinly veiled contempt. What drew me to this scene was the emotional tension beneath Fletcher’s delivery: there’s an underlying aggression simmering below the surface, yet his facial expression remains controlled and composed. The subtlety of this interaction made it a compelling study for how rage can manifest through micro-expressions and tone rather than overt gestures.
My intention was to explore this emotional restraint and attempt to reinterpret it in a 2D animated format. However, I ultimately chose not to use this reference for a few reasons. Firstly, the shot involves swearing which I apparently shouldn’t use in my showreel, and if I censor it then whats the point really? Might as well use a better clip, the character will be swearing visibly as well so. Secondly, after reviewing the criteria, I realized that the emotional transitions within the clip are minimal. Fletcher moves from calm to contempt without much visible progression, and the shift happens quickly and with limited variation in facial expression.
Additionally, because this moment is already animated cinematically (in the live-action sense), recreating it one-to-one would offer little creative interpretation. The goal of this task is to explore the character’s internal state and show emotional evolution—something better achieved through original or live-action references where I can capture a broader spectrum of emotional change.
While I won’t be using this scene in my final submission, studying it still helped me reflect on the complexity of restrained emotion and the importance of contrast and build-up when animating subtle psychological shifts.