1 00:00:08,869 --> 00:00:13,410 animation has a long history of sharing 2 00:00:11,308 --> 00:00:15,570 the screen with live-action as you can 3 00:00:13,410 --> 00:00:17,519 see here with the enchanted drawing the 4 00:00:15,570 --> 00:00:19,740 first piece of animation ever put to 5 00:00:17,519 --> 00:00:21,600 film the magic of animation from its 6 00:00:19,739 --> 00:00:23,579 foundation was about bringing these 7 00:00:21,600 --> 00:00:25,650 two-dimensional characters to life not 8 00:00:23,579 --> 00:00:28,198 just on the page but in the real world 9 00:00:25,649 --> 00:00:30,000 and nowhere has it been done better than 10 00:00:28,199 --> 00:00:33,210 in Robert Zemeckis and Richard Williams 11 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:34,320 1988 film Who Framed Roger Rabbit so 12 00:00:33,210 --> 00:00:36,000 today I want to look at the three 13 00:00:34,320 --> 00:00:37,738 fundamental elements in integrating 14 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:40,019 animated characters for the live-action 15 00:00:37,738 --> 00:00:41,789 environment and what made Roger Rabbit 16 00:00:40,020 --> 00:00:43,649 stand out from the rest of them the 17 00:00:41,789 --> 00:00:46,259 first and probably the simplest from a 18 00:00:43,649 --> 00:00:47,280 technical perspective is eyeline eyeline 19 00:00:46,259 --> 00:00:48,869 is important for a number of reasons 20 00:00:47,280 --> 00:00:50,640 that establishes an emotional connection 21 00:00:48,869 --> 00:00:52,140 with the animated character in the actor 22 00:00:50,640 --> 00:00:54,058 it set the blocking reference for the 23 00:00:52,140 --> 00:00:55,439 animators and it also convinces the 24 00:00:54,058 --> 00:00:57,419 audience that both characters are 25 00:00:55,439 --> 00:00:59,519 occupying the same dimensional space and 26 00:00:57,420 --> 00:01:02,100 when the effect works is a seamless 27 00:00:59,520 --> 00:01:03,780 interaction when it doesn't the actors 28 00:01:02,100 --> 00:01:05,609 seem to be blankly staring into dead 29 00:01:03,780 --> 00:01:07,829 space which is the case with a lot of 30 00:01:05,609 --> 00:01:09,780 the animated scenes and Mary Poppins you 31 00:01:07,829 --> 00:01:11,819 can see her eyeline never quite connects 32 00:01:09,780 --> 00:01:13,739 with the other characters and no matter 33 00:01:11,819 --> 00:01:16,079 how beautifully animated the Penguins 34 00:01:13,739 --> 00:01:17,339 are it still breaks the illusion now 35 00:01:16,079 --> 00:01:18,810 let's look at this scene from Roger 36 00:01:17,340 --> 00:01:21,000 Rabbit where Eddie and Roger arrive 37 00:01:18,810 --> 00:01:22,829 outside of Maroon Studios Rogers 38 00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:24,780 character model stands roughly three 39 00:01:22,829 --> 00:01:27,179 feet tall and you can see here Bob 40 00:01:24,780 --> 00:01:29,460 Hoskins actually misses his eyeline same 41 00:01:27,180 --> 00:01:31,470 mistake as Mary Poppins but the 42 00:01:29,459 --> 00:01:32,219 animators used a creative workaround to 43 00:01:31,469 --> 00:01:33,750 correct it 44 00:01:32,219 --> 00:01:35,548 having Roger stand up on his toes 45 00:01:33,750 --> 00:01:37,799 against the wall making them a bit 46 00:01:35,549 --> 00:01:39,030 taller to reconnect the eye and there 47 00:01:37,799 --> 00:01:40,650 are a lot of clever moments like that 48 00:01:39,030 --> 00:01:42,118 throughout the film here Rogers hand 49 00:01:40,650 --> 00:01:43,618 comes up higher to jump on the bed 50 00:01:42,118 --> 00:01:45,328 because that's where Hoskins is looking 51 00:01:43,618 --> 00:01:46,769 in the shot and a lot of these gestures 52 00:01:45,328 --> 00:01:48,868 were done out of necessity 53 00:01:46,769 --> 00:01:50,578 simply chutes were absolutely not an 54 00:01:48,868 --> 00:01:52,799 option the live-action portions of film 55 00:01:50,578 --> 00:01:54,569 had to be shot in its entirety before a 56 00:01:52,799 --> 00:01:56,159 single frame of animation could be done 57 00:01:54,569 --> 00:01:58,228 because the animation is drawn directly 58 00:01:56,159 --> 00:01:59,939 on the photostats so that meant any 59 00:01:58,228 --> 00:02:02,099 contact made by a toon had to be a 60 00:01:59,938 --> 00:02:04,500 hundred percent premeditated which 61 00:02:02,099 --> 00:02:06,640 brings us to element number two physical 62 00:02:04,500 --> 00:02:11,560 interaction 63 00:02:06,640 --> 00:02:13,300 soompi only one for me any level of 64 00:02:11,560 --> 00:02:15,640 interaction no matter how small or how 65 00:02:13,300 --> 00:02:21,400 large chairs bumping windows crashing 66 00:02:15,639 --> 00:02:22,958 plates shattering okay a special sex 67 00:02:21,400 --> 00:02:25,120 division had to develop a custom 68 00:02:22,959 --> 00:02:26,590 mechanism to mimic that movement and a 69 00:02:25,120 --> 00:02:28,750 lot of times those mechanisms were 70 00:02:26,590 --> 00:02:30,219 specific to one single effect maybe 71 00:02:28,750 --> 00:02:32,379 Herman's cigar for instance was 72 00:02:30,219 --> 00:02:34,330 manipulated by a copycat system with 73 00:02:32,379 --> 00:02:36,159 servo controlled motors in order to 74 00:02:34,330 --> 00:02:37,630 create all six degrees of movement 75 00:02:36,159 --> 00:02:39,549 something that couldn't have been done 76 00:02:37,629 --> 00:02:40,900 with string marionettes and it would 77 00:02:39,550 --> 00:02:42,880 have been much simpler to just use an 78 00:02:40,900 --> 00:02:45,159 animated cigar or have the weasels carry 79 00:02:42,879 --> 00:02:47,469 animated guns and most people wouldn't 80 00:02:45,159 --> 00:02:49,030 notice but there are rules that govern 81 00:02:47,469 --> 00:02:51,280 the universe of Roger Rabbit 82 00:02:49,030 --> 00:02:53,500 if Rogers drowning in real water then he 83 00:02:51,280 --> 00:02:55,539 spits up real water and every little 84 00:02:53,500 --> 00:02:57,729 detail like that serves as a reminder to 85 00:02:55,539 --> 00:03:00,159 the audience that yes these characters 86 00:02:57,729 --> 00:03:02,738 are inhabiting this world just look at 87 00:03:00,159 --> 00:03:04,689 this shot of Roger on a soapbox it looks 88 00:03:02,739 --> 00:03:07,269 as if every slight shift in weight has 89 00:03:04,689 --> 00:03:09,609 an equal reaction when in reality is the 90 00:03:07,269 --> 00:03:11,110 reaction influencing the movement as 91 00:03:09,610 --> 00:03:12,820 part of the reason Roger such a klutz 92 00:03:11,110 --> 00:03:14,950 throughout the film gave the production 93 00:03:12,819 --> 00:03:17,139 team more excuses from interact with the 94 00:03:14,949 --> 00:03:18,699 environment it's about blending the 95 00:03:17,139 --> 00:03:20,409 medians not just sandwich hang them 96 00:03:18,699 --> 00:03:22,328 together and far too often with live 97 00:03:20,409 --> 00:03:24,579 action animation hybrids characters 98 00:03:22,329 --> 00:03:26,590 exist almost exclusively in separate 99 00:03:24,579 --> 00:03:28,750 planes if we look at the scene with 100 00:03:26,590 --> 00:03:30,430 Eddie and Jessica she's on his lap in 101 00:03:28,750 --> 00:03:32,709 his coat she grabs his hat 102 00:03:30,430 --> 00:03:34,540 she has real presence and weight and 103 00:03:32,709 --> 00:03:36,250 that's what sells the illusion but if we 104 00:03:34,539 --> 00:03:39,340 compare that to a similar scene in Ralph 105 00:03:36,250 --> 00:03:41,169 Bakshi's 1992 film cool world you'll see 106 00:03:39,340 --> 00:03:43,180 there's nothing really connecting these 107 00:03:41,169 --> 00:03:44,708 two characters I can cut out Holly with 108 00:03:43,180 --> 00:03:46,540 a pair of scissors and nothing would 109 00:03:44,709 --> 00:03:48,009 change you can also see how subtle 110 00:03:46,539 --> 00:03:49,569 camera movements make it seem like 111 00:03:48,009 --> 00:03:51,969 Holly's locked to the front of the wind 112 00:03:49,569 --> 00:03:53,799 almost floating against the background 113 00:03:51,969 --> 00:03:55,150 and the separation between the character 114 00:03:53,799 --> 00:03:57,400 and the environment would consider an 115 00:03:55,150 --> 00:03:59,170 obvious which is why historically there 116 00:03:57,400 --> 00:04:00,969 was an unwritten rule amongst animators 117 00:03:59,169 --> 00:04:03,099 who mixed mediums to keep the camera 118 00:04:00,969 --> 00:04:05,229 stationary and there was really only one 119 00:04:03,099 --> 00:04:08,560 reason for this rule because they're 120 00:04:05,229 --> 00:04:10,139 lazy yeah I mean we're supposed to be 121 00:04:08,560 --> 00:04:13,299 able to turn things in every direction 122 00:04:10,139 --> 00:04:14,809 that's our job so you can shoot your 123 00:04:13,299 --> 00:04:16,189 movie and we're just 124 00:04:14,810 --> 00:04:18,620 the character in me said wasn't that a 125 00:04:16,189 --> 00:04:20,930 lot of work yeah twice as much work 126 00:04:18,620 --> 00:04:22,879 camera movement is an essential part in 127 00:04:20,930 --> 00:04:24,560 making these moments feel cinematic and 128 00:04:22,879 --> 00:04:26,449 the animated element in Roger Rabbit 129 00:04:24,560 --> 00:04:28,579 never compromised that move it's shot 130 00:04:26,449 --> 00:04:30,649 like a real film because it is a real 131 00:04:28,579 --> 00:04:32,000 film and you have to remember this 132 00:04:30,649 --> 00:04:33,620 synchronization of the characters 133 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:36,439 against the camera was done before the 134 00:04:33,620 --> 00:04:38,149 age of digital compositing there's no 135 00:04:36,439 --> 00:04:39,439 tracking software to account for the 136 00:04:38,149 --> 00:04:41,179 movement to keep the characters and 137 00:04:39,439 --> 00:04:43,550 corresponding motion this is all 138 00:04:41,180 --> 00:04:45,709 accomplished by eye and by hand not only 139 00:04:43,550 --> 00:04:47,629 drawing each frame for drawing each 140 00:04:45,709 --> 00:04:48,620 frame in perspective and that becomes a 141 00:04:47,629 --> 00:04:51,168 lot more impressive when you consider 142 00:04:48,620 --> 00:04:53,079 the layer build of each character which 143 00:04:51,168 --> 00:04:56,120 brings us to the third and final element 144 00:04:53,079 --> 00:04:57,979 shadow or more specifically light and 145 00:04:56,120 --> 00:04:59,660 shadow accuracy and this is what set 146 00:04:57,980 --> 00:05:01,819 Roger Rabbit apart from its predecessors 147 00:04:59,660 --> 00:05:03,260 each tune is their own individual layer 148 00:05:01,819 --> 00:05:05,870 but there are also at least five 149 00:05:03,259 --> 00:05:08,029 additional cells of shadow and highlight 150 00:05:05,870 --> 00:05:09,680 layers for each character in each frame 151 00:05:08,029 --> 00:05:11,779 built up like a watercolor painting 152 00:05:09,680 --> 00:05:13,910 starting with a mask as a backlight and 153 00:05:11,779 --> 00:05:15,739 a shadow mat painted with hard edges and 154 00:05:13,910 --> 00:05:18,020 the soft ended in the optical printer a 155 00:05:15,740 --> 00:05:20,360 second shadow mask is a cast shadow and 156 00:05:18,019 --> 00:05:21,949 inner positive and an articulate mask 157 00:05:20,360 --> 00:05:23,900 learning physical interaction with the 158 00:05:21,949 --> 00:05:25,909 character and when composited together 159 00:05:23,899 --> 00:05:28,129 it gives a realistic three 160 00:05:25,910 --> 00:05:30,080 dimensionality to the characters now 161 00:05:28,129 --> 00:05:32,930 keep all those layers in mind when 162 00:05:30,079 --> 00:05:34,969 watching this did you never take a look 163 00:05:32,930 --> 00:05:38,538 at the changing large presence change 164 00:05:34,970 --> 00:05:40,669 somebody's made-up Tatiana - why this is 165 00:05:38,538 --> 00:05:42,259 called bumping the lamp a phrase coined 166 00:05:40,668 --> 00:05:43,849 by Disney during the production of Roger 167 00:05:42,259 --> 00:05:45,469 Rabbit to describe going above and 168 00:05:43,850 --> 00:05:47,030 beyond what was expected of the 169 00:05:45,470 --> 00:05:48,650 animators it would have been perfectly 170 00:05:47,029 --> 00:05:50,059 feasible with Roger States flatly 171 00:05:48,649 --> 00:05:52,370 eliminated throughout the scene like a 172 00:05:50,060 --> 00:05:54,228 cartoon normally would but instead the 173 00:05:52,370 --> 00:05:56,509 animators put in the time of shade every 174 00:05:54,228 --> 00:05:57,978 cell uniquely so that the practical 175 00:05:56,509 --> 00:05:59,839 light would bounce off in the same way 176 00:05:57,978 --> 00:06:01,250 metaphysical option and they had to 177 00:05:59,839 --> 00:06:03,228 account for that dynamically shifting 178 00:06:01,250 --> 00:06:05,689 Lighting's every contour on Rogers limbs 179 00:06:03,228 --> 00:06:07,759 is closed its face the cast shadow he 180 00:06:05,689 --> 00:06:09,589 creates on the environment loved texture 181 00:06:07,759 --> 00:06:11,240 of the light the slightest difference in 182 00:06:09,589 --> 00:06:12,799 color temperatures the lamps weighs even 183 00:06:11,240 --> 00:06:14,930 larger spheres have a slight 184 00:06:12,800 --> 00:06:15,740 translucency since a much thinner in the 185 00:06:14,930 --> 00:06:18,079 rest of his body 186 00:06:15,740 --> 00:06:20,418 they sought effect audiences had no 187 00:06:18,079 --> 00:06:23,359 expectation for the global realism in 188 00:06:20,418 --> 00:06:25,889 1988 but all these seemingly superfluous 189 00:06:23,360 --> 00:06:27,749 details helped sell the effect at a 190 00:06:25,889 --> 00:06:29,400 conscience merkel and the best part of 191 00:06:27,749 --> 00:06:32,039 this film is that without having noticed 192 00:06:29,399 --> 00:06:34,288 any having no technical knowledge of the 193 00:06:32,038 --> 00:06:36,598 animation process of the filmmaking has 194 00:06:34,288 --> 00:06:38,490 no effect on your enjoyment of Roger 195 00:06:36,598 --> 00:06:41,098 Rabbit it's an incredible film by its 196 00:06:38,490 --> 00:06:43,499 own mix the storytelling heart and the 197 00:06:41,098 --> 00:06:46,199 humor that's where the true movie magic 198 00:06:43,499 --> 00:06:48,300 is but it's those technical subtleties 199 00:06:46,199 --> 00:06:50,848 and the dedication to the craft that 200 00:06:48,300 --> 00:06:53,520 really inspires you artists and that's 201 00:06:50,848 --> 00:06:56,069 something to be admired so in your work 202 00:06:53,519 --> 00:07:00,589 always take the chance to bump the lamp 203 00:06:56,069 --> 00:07:00,590 because somebody out there will notice 204 00:07:02,550 --> 00:07:19,129 [Music] 205 00:07:19,430 --> 00:07:21,490 you