Animation is about creating the illusion of life. And you can't create it if you don't have one.
Interpretation
Animation captures life-like qualities, which can only be achieved through genuine experiences.
In this quote, Brad Bird emphasizes that the essence of animation lies in its ability to evoke real emotions and life-like qualities. He suggests that animators must draw from their own experiences and understanding of life to create engaging and believable characters and stories, as authenticity is key to the art of animation.
In practice
During a talk on animation techniques at a film school.
For me, I try as much as possible to just think about being in the movie theatre, having the lights dim, and what would I want to see on the screen. That puts me in the frame of mind that made me want to be in the movie business to begin with.
I never heard one word in Pixar about, 'Will kids get this?' I don't think it's important that they get everything. I think that it's important that they get engaged, interested.
Words are like gems to me... imagine yourself walking through a very shallow stream and picking up beautiful stones that catch your eye... that's what names are like for me.
Life is like music, it must be composed by ear, feeling and instinct, not by rule. Nevertheless one had better know the rules, for they sometimes guide in doubtful cases, though not often.
Parodies and caricatures are the most penetrating of criticisms.
Everything comes out in blues music: joy , pain , struggle . Blues is affirmation with absolute elegance.
Say anything you want against The Seventh Seal. My fear of death - this infantile fixation of mine - was, at that moment, overwhelming. I felt myself in contact with death day and night, and my fear was tremendous. When I finished the picture, my fear went away. I have the feeling simply of having painted a canvas in an enormous hurry - with enormous pretension but without any arrogance. I said, 'Here is a painting; take it, please.'
Some people start with the lyrics first because they know what they want to talk about and they just write a whole bunch of lyrical ideas, but for me the music tells me what to talk about.
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