Empathy is defined as the ability to understand another's perspective. It’s our attempt to experience somebody else’s point of view, and one of the most natural ways to do that is through storytelling. The best stories always leave the audience with a new sense of understanding. Perhaps it’s no surprise, then, that the best storytellers have the unique ability to create a world that's empathetic to their audience. How do animators make imaginative characters and whimsical worlds so believable? Among the most important considerations are the sounds they carefully choose, and the environments they build for their characters to inhabit. 

Reading & Writing

Animated Storytelling, by Liz Blazer 

Chater 7: Sound Ideas
Given the importance of sound to any video or animation, I find it interesting that Liz Blazer, author of Animated Storytelling, doesn’t introduce the topic in detail until Chapter 7. This, despite that fact that she challenges the reader to “not only consider your soundtrack at the same time as writing and design in your production time but to lead with sound, using it as the primary compass for your storytelling.” I can’t help but agree — bad sound is the first step towards creating an unempathetic animation.

When creating an environment for audiences to understand, there are many sounds to consider. Diagetic sounds, for example, come from sources seen on-screen, and from the physical world presented in the video. This includes dialogue and music from a source that’s visible. Non-diagetic sounds, on the other hand, include all the sound effects that are not natural in the scene, including the musical score. Blazer describes sound effects, dialogue, narration, and musical options in detail, including some unexpected ways to enhance the audio experience. The musical score, for example, can be used effectively to create supporting sound effects. 

For animations that include dialogue, it’s important to match each line with the character’s personality. Dialogue should sound natural and effortless — don’t make the audience work to understand who’s speaking. Oftentimes, it’s this very dialogue that sets the mood of the scene. The same goes for narration or voiceover. Wouldn’t it benefit the storyteller to work on sound early in the creative process? There’s another practical reason to create sound first: clients often require a specific Total Running Time. A :32 second commercial will be cut off at :30 seconds, which could leave the audience with the worst possible cliffhanger, and that’s no good for business.

Chapter 6: Design Wonderland
Animation enables storytellers to stretch our imagination, because the animated world doesn’t have to exist as we know it. However, unexpected environments can make it harder for the audience to understand context or empathize with characters. This is why it’s so important to set and define rules. We have a unique ability to understand — even be consumed with — unique worlds, as long as the storyteller has committed to a new world order. With context and continuity, unexpected worlds gain both credibility and, ideally, the audience’s curiosity.

There are several environmental rules for storytellers to establish. The first two may seem obvious: Time and Place. Animated settings can take place in reality or fantasy. And, they can take place in the past, present, or future. Time and Place are also crucial for establishing conflict and adding intrigue among the characters. The Natural Order, including physical laws, must also be set. Blazer warns that these laws should only be changed to enhance the story. Similarly, the animated world’s Social Order can be whatever the story teller deems important to the story. Perhaps most flexible is the world’s Visual Order. Space, line, shape, color, contrast, and texture are all creative decisions that can establish a unique and memorable world. Establish an environment that’s relative to the plot and characters, and you’re well on your way to creating an empathetic story.

Research to Inform

Here’s two examples of animation that use sound effectively to help the audience understand mood:

Home Improvement Title Sequence
This is a bit of a quirky animation, but the Home Improvement title sequence uses some interesting sounds that immediately relate to the “DIY” nature of the show. It’s built around sound effects that sample the various noises of power‑tools, like an electric drill. Mechanical sounds blend with traditional instruments like the flute and Tim Allen’s iconic grunts. It’s so cheesy, but so is the TV show — That’s exactly why this sequence works.

Corpse Bride Title Sequence
On a slightly more serious note, listen to all the subtle sound effects used in the opening of Tim Burton’s, Corpse Bride. The long scratch of pencil on paper, the whimsical flutter of the butterfly’s wings, and the clapping of the book all blend with the score, allowing the viewer to experience a real sense of place. When the butterfly flies outside we hear the ticking of the clock, the sweeping of a broom, and, eventually, the ambient noise from the busy street. When you listen carefully, there are so many layers of noise that help make this introduction such a tactile and seamless experience.

Next, here’s two animated title sequences that leverage type effectively:

Psycho Title Sequence
The original Psycho title sequence, designed by Saul Bass in 1960, uses simple graphic bars to fracture the screen. The bars slide in and separate the text in a way that successfully echoes the film’s theme of split identity. Plus, the score syncs perfectly with the movement of these bars, turning simple geometric movement into a jarring introduction that, I can only imagine, really put the audience on the edge of their seats.

Se7en Title Sequence
Check out the type in the opening animation for the movie Se7en, designed by Kyle Cooper. The shaky, hand‑scratched letters feel like they’ve been carved by the killer himself. The offset alignment combines with erratic motion to create a sense of instability that can only be described as disturbing. By treating the type as part of the visual narrative, Cooper sets an unsettling tone before a single line of dialogue is spoken.

Create

You Can Say How you Feel in Helvetica

Like most title sequences, typography is the driving force behind my stop motion animation. It had to be. Massimo Vignelli, the Italian designer often cited as bringing Swiss Typography to America, famously suggested that only five typefaces are necessary. Helvetica, of course, is one of them. Vignelli firmly believed that expression should come from the message, and not necessarily the font.

Appropriately, I distilled each animated line down to the absolute minimum. I was able to do this by, for the most part, sticking to my original storyboard. Each beat is a different feeling expressed only with type. The choice to shoot everything in black and white was to further establish the idea that type can communicate without any other distractions. An external shutter release helped with this process. The slight movements were then used to enhance each beat with a slight nod to the language. “I like you,” for example, forms a slight smile before animating out.

The nonlinear story quickly transitions from light-hearted to dark, with “I Warned You” and I Hate You.” Both sentiments needed to be more ominous. The flickering light was created by adjusting the lighting, while the thunder and lightning claps were added in post production. Sound effects and lighting created the environment I was looking to achieve, but the music was still too happy. By transitioning to a somber track, I was able to make the shift in mood more obvious and symbolic.

To stay true to the bookending format, I needed to come full circle and end with “I Love You.” However, simply lifting the initial animation felt too contrived. As such, I animated multiple outro options and landed on an explosion-like exit to make the letters disappear. Reverting to the music from the opening scene also didn’t work — the beat was off and the tone didn't provide a realistic conclusion. I landed on a smooth jazz saxophone that gave the entire animation somewhat of a retro vibe. It paired nicely with the black and white photography as well. Empathy, achieved. Take a look and let me know if you agree: