Animation Troubleshooting Guide

Something’s off. Use this to find and fix it.

Symptom-Based Diagnosis

“It feels floaty/weightless”

Check:

• Slow in/out – Is spacing too even? Add bunching at start/end
• Timing – Need more frames for weight? Fewer for snap?
• Squash/stretch – Impact reaction visible?
• Follow through – Settling properly or just stopping?

Fix: Add 2-4 frames to settle. Increase spacing variation. Add impact squash.

“It feels stiff/robotic”

Check:

• Arcs – Are paths too straight?
• Overlap – Is everything moving at once?
• Secondary action – Is it present?
• Anticipation – Too uniform?

Fix: Offset timing between body parts. Curve your motion paths. Vary anticipation amounts.

“I can’t tell what’s happening”

Check:

• Staging – Silhouette clear?
• Anticipation – Is viewer prepared for action?
• Timing – Too fast to read?
• Exaggeration – Key poses pushed enough?

Fix: Simplify composition. Add anticipation frames. Extend key poses. Push silhouette.

“It feels dead/lifeless”

Check:

• Secondary action – Present and supporting?
• Overlap – Different parts moving differently?
• Timing – Varied or monotonous?
• Appeal – Character design working?

Fix: Layer in secondary actions. Offset everything by 1-3 frames. Vary timing between actions.

“It feels cartoony when it should be subtle” (or vice versa)

Check:

• Exaggeration – Calibrated to style?
• Squash/stretch – Amount appropriate?
• Timing – Snappy vs. naturalistic?
• Anticipation – Size matches style?

Fix: Dial exaggeration to match reference. Adjust squash/stretch ratios. Match timing to style guide.

“Something feels wrong but I can’t identify it”

Check:

• Arcs – Track every moving part. Find the broken curve.
• Volume – Is squash/stretch preserving mass?
• Twins – Are poses too symmetrical?
• Spacing – Graph your drawings. Find the anomaly.

Fix: Often it’s one broken arc or inconsistent spacing. Track paths obsessively.

Principle Conflict Symptoms

Anticipation vs. Surprise: Big anticipation kills surprise. Choose intentionally.

Exaggeration vs. Subtlety: Can’t have both. What does the scene need?

Follow through vs. Snappiness: Heavy follow through softens snappy timing. Balance.

Secondary vs. Primary: If secondary distracts, remove it regardless of quality.

Last Resort Fixes

1. Return to blocking. Is the idea clear at the key pose level?
2. Remove all overlap/secondary. Does primary action work alone?
3. Reference check. Compare to reality or quality examples.
4. Fresh eyes. Walk away. Return tomorrow.

If multiple principles are failing, fix timing and arcs first. Everything else depends on them.