Mind is the Pilot

      Think before one speaks and before one leaps. The body follows the mind as much as speech should follow the mind. Walt Disney said, “..the mind is the pilot. We think of things before the body does them.” We can see this in real life settings and also in the realism created in animation. Disney artists mean that action is based on the mind of a character. The action and movement in animation is based on attitude and personality of a character. 

      Chapter 5 of The Illusion of Life:Disney Animation by Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston discusses this idea. The chapter describes when Walt Disney himself acted out Pluto and Norm Ferguson who drew Pluto observed his actions. Ferguson never drew Walt in Pluto but rather drew the expressions and attitudes that Walt was acting out. Pluto was also not so much about drawing a real dog but more about drawing what a real dog did. The mind being the pilot is seen here when the action of Pluto was based on real dog characteristics. Thoughts and emotion from the mind are the pilot. Animation is not about having mechanical or too real of a drawing. 

      Flexibility in character movement showed the mind of a character. Symbols like frowns or expression are signs of the body that show the mind of a character. Hamilton Luske was also an animator for Walt discussed in the chapter who was very organized. He knew the exact poses he wanted and did them with clarity, definition, and caricature. Caricature, clarity and definition of poses are also signs of the body that show the mind of a character. Every time Luske came across a weak action he turned it into a clear action with a strong accent. The strong accent too showed the mind of the character. Emphasizing an action, emphasizes a sign of the body, which in turn shows mind of character.

In the following clip from Space Jam, Lola Bunny’s signs of her body show her mind:

The way she goes up to Bugs Bunny and pulls him shows the confidence behind her character. Her walk was a confident one with a hand on her hip. The hair flip at the end also shows her confidence and that is showing up to Bugs was easy. She is not afraid or unassertive and this is shown by how close she gets to Bugs but she makes sure she gets his attention which putting her finger on his face. Her walk, hair flip, and actions toward Bugs showed the mind of Lola. She’s one assertive and confident female character.

      

      The mind is the pilot is the sense that a character cannot be a character without a mind. This mind is shown through a character’s actions. The actions of a character are based on its personality and attitude, its mind. Movement and expression show the thinking and feelings of a character. Animation is not just a drawing. Just like the audience who watches him Bugs Bunny has feelings too.