Staging...
is about finding the most effective framing for every shot. The effective use of low, medium or close up shots as well as various camera angles helps at how an action can be presented in its most readable form to the audience. The purpose is to direct where you want the audience's attention by framing each action separately so that the audience will not be confused by many actions happening all at once in the same frame causing chaos in the film.
Classic example:
Within this example from Sword in the Stone, staging has been used here effectively as although there is a lot taking place, the viewers are not overwhelmed by everything that's happening. The close ups on the books and the humour added by focusing on the owl as he attempts to flee the chaos are all clever camera shots that direct the audiences eyes so they can see the effect the magician is having on the entire room. Furthermore, the camera angle at the end of the clip as it zooms out and shows the bare room is effective as it allows the viewers to see that the magician has indeed managed to pack every single item into a tiny suitcase.
Contemporary example:
With this contemporary example, the use of staging here has given the entire scene a much more dramatic feel. It has camera angles that allow the viewers to see the situation the vegetables are in and goes into close ups that enhances how serious the potato is about this and he peels himself. Yet despite how serious the potato acts, it still adds a lot of comedy to the animation as these vegetables, acting extremely dramatic await their destiny of becoming curry.
Written by Antonia Atsiaris and Melina Shoukri