Timing for Animation, 2nd Edition

Introduction: General Principles of Timing

In a film, ideas must come over immediately to the audience. There is no chance to turn back, as with a book, and reread a section.

The ‘readability’ of ideas depends on two factors:

1. Good staging and layout, so that each scene and important action is presented in the clearest and most effective way.
2. Good timing, so that enough time is spent preparing the audience for something to happen, then on the action itself, and then on the reaction to the action. If too much time is spent on any one of these things, the timing will be too slow and the audience’s attention will wander. If too little time is spent, the movement may be finished before the audience noticed it, and so the idea is wasted.

To judge ...