ABSTRACT
This chapter presents an exercise for looping the dropping head that requires a little photography, some X-Acto knife work, and a simple downshooter setup. It will not be necessary to shoot these cutouts on a downshooter or a piece of glass, but that may add another element for the more advanced animator. Have the head drop pretty fast (about three to five frames) and settle on the headless body. Once the new head is on, hold for 20-30 frames so we see what the new head is, then raise the arms again to jettison off the new head the same way one did with their original head. The final head should be their own head dropping into frame once again. Settle out this final position and compare the body, arms, and head to the original first frame to make it as close in position as possible.
