Love your creepy commonalities posts! So good! Anywhoo, Starr, I have a question. I was reading about Henry Selick, and it made me wonder about directors of animated films. How does that really work? Aren't the artists that draw or illustrate or create these stop motion films really the directors? How can you really direct an animated film? I know it's kind of a dumb question, but I knew that if someone had the answer, it would be you! And thanks!
Asked by
Anonymous
Thanks, and I’m glad that you enjoy the Creepy Commonalities series!
It’s not a dumb question at all. Think of it in the sense that a director - whether it’s for an animated or live action movie, a play, a video game - is in charge of how any movie is realized on screen. The artists may provide the art and animation, but the director has the overall vision for the project. Directing an animated film is no different from a live action one, in the sense that the director still has to oversee the production of the film, from managing the actors (in an animated film’s case, voice actors) to the editing of the film, visual effects and production design. The best analogies I can think of are an orchestra conductor, an executive chef, or a fashion designer. An orchestra conductor seems like a mere figurehead to some, since he or she doesn’t actually play any instruments. However, the conductor is in charge of the music’s timing and cuing the different sections of the orchestra. Similarly, an executive chef of a restaurant doesn’t usually do most of the cooking. They may taste the food before it goes out to the dining floor, but they leave the cooking up to the sous chefs. The sous chefs execute the Executive Chef’s vision. Finally, a fashion designer (such as Alexander McQueen for example) does not actually hand sew each of his pieces. He has seamstresses for that. But the seamstresses are executing the designer’s vision. It doesn’t matter if the seamstress likes avant garde or prefers more casuals sportswear. If the fashion designer sketches something that is avant garde, the seamstresses are expected to deliver a piece of clothing that conforms with the designer’s vision.
On the same token, an animated film director manages all of the moving parts in a film crew, and it is the director’s vision that the artists are executing. The director makes sure that the entire project is cohesive and communicates a particular message in the best manner possible. The artists may be hired to illustrate the story, but they are not in charge of how this story plays out. The director has a say in what the look and feel of the movie is. An artist will usually collaborate with the director to achieve a particular scene, especially during storyboarding process. Also, the director still gets to decide on how the camera works in an animated film. Do we want a close-up of this character during this particular scene in order to give the audience a chance to see their expression clearly and empathize with them? This is still something that needs to be done in an animated film. The director will also instruct voice actors on line delivery, to ensure that it matches with the intended feel of the scene.
For example, The Nightmare Before Christmas is very obviously a Tim Burton movie. As moviegoers, we have come to know and love Burton’s signature style and aesthetic. He hires artists that can execute his vision and help him realize the kind of story he wants to tell. He can hire actors whom he believes will best fit the characters in his story, and work with visual artists who can help him achieve the type of atmosphere his film needs to carry. Had The Nightmare Before Christmas not been produced by Tim Burton, it may have had a completely different look and feel, and parts of the story may have even been completely different in tone and message in the hands of another filmmaker. Henry Selick was approached by Burton to direct the film because of his experience in Disney animation. Here’s what Selick had to say about the filmmaking process:
It’s as though he [Burton] laid the egg, and I sat on it and hatched it. He wasn’t involved in a hands-on way, but his hand is in it. It was my job to make it look like ‘a Tim Burton film’, which is not so different from my own films.
A better example is The Adventures of Tintin, which was directed by Steven Spielberg. There are particular scenes that stand out as very iconic Spielberg scenes. One incredibly long action sequence was a feat of VFX that benefited from amazing direction from Spielberg. Another example is Lord and Miller’s The LEGO Movie. Animators and visual effects artists brought this story to life, but it was Lord and Miller’s comedic sensibilities and attention to detail that really made this film resonate with audiences.
Hope I answered your question!
