Condensation

Condensation: The maximum degree of suggestion in the minimum of imagery. “Condensation is the animation process which uses the minimum amount of imagery to suggest the maximum of narrative and thematic information. Individual images, sometimes parts of objects and environments, are used to represent the whole of that object and environment, or operate as symbols or metaphors for more complex ideas.” Referenced from Basics Animation: Scriptwriting by Paul Wells. This technique in effect condenses the visual imagery and only focuses on the detail which will shape the narrative and enhance it. Many films will use codes and conventions to tell the narrative and in my Alevel media we had to use this as we had a complex narrative and less than ten minutes of screen time. We used props and visuals to enhance the narrative more than long character developing scenes with heavy dialogue.

Animation mostly will abandon the depth created with lengthy live action character development scenes and dialogue; animators will instead prefer the intensity of suggestion in visual composition and design. The characters created within animation are more defined by what they do than by what they say; the connotations and denotations of how they behave will define the characters rather than the actual scriptwriting.

Here is one of my favourite videos which has no dialogue and is focused entirely on the visuals: Created by mikeinel .