It was a great pleasure for us to have Steven Brown, a former professor in CalArts, holding a workshop and introducing the students to the comedic animation performance, on October 21st afternoon. Steven used to teach at Tainan National University of the Arts, Beijing Film Academy, Jilin Animation Institute. He focuses on character design and character animation.

Steven explained that an animator would receive a "pantomime test" before they got hired. Like its name, the test required the animator to express the character's emotions only through performing, without editing. The technique resembles the one we saw in the mime-comedy films by Chaplin. That's where the name "pantomime test" originated from.

Steven then brought up the breakdown drawing of blowing up a balloon. A theory from "The Animator's Survival Kit" by Richard Williams. These simple, non-plot-twisting gags can often add textures and fun to a scene. Steven told us that setting up a gag can be simplified into three steps: 1. setting up expectations, 2. the character acting according to the pattern, and 3. breaking the expectations. The final step is the most essential part of the whole gag. Steven also prepared his essays for the students. It contains an elaborate analysis of old Disney gags. Although some may say this form of gag is outdated, Steven thinks it's still crucial in modern entertainment.

Steven demonstrated a "pantomime test" in the workshop, and he broke down his process for the students. First, Steven came up with a performance. Second, he sketched out the poses and the emotions of the characters. Then, he drew all the key poses, and eventually adjusted the timing of the sequence. Steven encouraged us to apply what we had learned to our own sequence. Explore the magic of the media with dramatic performance.

Steve Brown　　

Steve Brown is a visual artist, independent short animation filmmaker and director, and is currently the Associate Program Director for the Program in Character Animation at the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts).

He has also previously taught extensively in the Graduate Degree Animation Program at the Tainan National University of the Arts, and has also been a frequent visiting faculty in the Beijing Film Academy’s animation program, as well as a recurring guest director at the Jilin Animation Institute.

Several of the films he directed with the students at Jilin Animation Institute have won awards, Including official selection screenings at the 10th Annual KuanDu International Animation Festival and the 2nd Annual Los Angeles Asian Film Festival; Golden Dolphin Award at the 11th Annual Xiamen International Animation Festival and Cyber Souza Award at the 10th Annual Xiamen International Festival; Animation Theater Award in the 13th Annual ASIAGRAPH Art Gallery division."