Technology can make for a lot of cheap shortcuts. I think one of the main evidences of this in modern animation is a sort of “puppet” style animation that is done on shows like metalocalypse. They do it well, but it always has the feel of someone manipulating elaborate paper dolls rather than actually animating. But you can do animation in a traditional way digitally and in many ways it’s easier. You don’t have to use reams of paper. Spend countless hours scanning or photographing. You don’t have to retrace drawings onto acetate and paint them carefully by hand. All of those things are kinda obsolete even though the real techniques of drawing, acting, humor, pathos, etc etc are still as valid as they were 100 years ago. If you’re using the computer to get around learning to draw or act, you’re doing it wrong. Technology won’t make you a good animator, but it can make the job of a good animator less tedious.
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