Straight Ahead and Pose to Pose...
...are two different approaches to a drawing process, mostly used within 2D animation. Stop motion animation can only use 'straight ahead' due to the precision necessary in keeping the model in the right place.
Straight Ahead deals with generating each frame one after the other, from beginning to end, whereas Pose to Pose deals with drawing the main key frames and inbetweening as the next stage.
Straight Ahead deals with generating each frame one after the other, from beginning to end, whereas Pose to Pose deals with drawing the main key frames and inbetweening as the next stage.
Chigley: Stop Motion - Straight Ahead
Straight ahead animation, in any context, keeps the animation fresh and loose as it's not necessarily planned compositely in advance. In this example of Chigley - the movement isn't elaborate and wouldn't have necessarily been thought out further than where the story was going. It is therefore quite jerky. Animating this way also leaves open the opportunity for new ideas to be incorporated. In drawn animation, straight ahead can also lead to complications with keeping the character's proportions and volume consistent.
Treasure Planet: Digital 2D - Pose to Pose
Scenes that involve key emotional expression are best suited to pose-to-pose to construct the most effective composition. As the animation is plotted out in key poses, the action works well and with control - but loses a life inducing spontaneity. Both methods provide their advantages which is why a combination of both is usually advisable.
Written by Madeleine Grossi