The Lion King - Characters and movement.

The Lion King is a brilliant work of animation, and film in general. Not only is the animation itself done to a high quality, but the movements and attributes of the Characters are so well thought out that the mix between Lion and Human characteristics is seamless.




The below video explains some of the background work that was involved in creating the characters and their movement - including observing lion's movements and how characters frames were exaggerated (such as Mufasa's shoulders and head, which are  blocked out to show he has a strong build and is an impacting character - and a contrast to the more weedily frame of Scar). 


Exaggeration is one of the 12 principles of animation and can been seen a little in the movement in the above video. In animation is has been said that if movement is too realistic  it seems a bit dull. Exaggeration may not be that noticeable, but helps add energy to the movement of characters, giving them life.


An animator in the below video points out that hand's are important to stress emotions, and once challenged with Character without hands had to concentrate on the movement of the body's attitude. This is something that I'm attempting with my animation, as my character hasn't any hands and has limited facial features (unlike in the Lion King, which faces are brilliantly expressionate) so should mainly express itself in it's movements. Therefore the movement should be deliberate and lively.




I think hand drawn animations like these are able to create life in the characters anyway due to the time and care that is obviously taken whilst drawing them.