Visual Elements of Effective Character Design
October 20, 2004 | Levent OZLER
No matter how effectively you design a character, his true nature will ultimately be defined by his actions, reactions, and interactions.
As the comedian Bill Maher once suggested, “You are what you do.” In most short films, there simply isn’t enough time to fully develop a character this way. Therefore, you must apply shortcuts to successfully characterize through behavior. Exaggerated mannerisms are often quite effective in this capacity.
A man who strokes his chin, a girl who twirls her hair, or a cat that limps will be immediately identifiable every time he or she is displayed on screen. In Moonsung Lee’s Bert, the small vegetable characters trip and fall often. This recurring mannerism helps to identify them as children.
Often, providing a character with one or two quick initial actions or gestures is sufficient to tell the audience all they really need to know about a character’s personality and goals (see Figure 58). In The Wrong Trousers, Gromit (the dog) reads a birthday card at the breakfast table and dismisses it with a roll of his eyes.
This quick, singular action indicates that he is not only more intelligent than your average illiterate canine, but perhaps a bit less childish as well. Within a few seconds of seeing this character for the first time, viewers have all the information they need to decide
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