ABSTRACT
A great deal of the animation that is made using all kinds of techniques and intended for distribution through different formats concentrates on performance-based animation. Not all of it involves performance, of course, but such a large proportion of animation does involve acting and performance, whether for the obvious formats such as feature films and TV or the less obvious ones such as commercials, corporate video, and interactive work, that it becomes essential for all animators who want to work commercially to give this serious consideration. Acting and performance constitute such a big topic that to cover it extensively and comprehensively would be a work of considerable magnitude dedicated to this subject alone. This chapter does little more than touch on the subject and point out how animators may begin to use observation and analysis to deconstruct performance, to look at the structures that make up a performance and that will ideally lead to a more in-depth study and practice of acting. I encourage animators to look beyond animation for guidance here. Few texts are dedicated to the topic of performance and acting specifically for animation, but many more cover the subject in a live-action context, whether for screen or stage. As I have stated elsewhere, we should be looking beyond animation for our sources of inspiration and guidance; nowhere is this more evident than in acting.
