Anime Style Action Shot Exploration
I have a vision for a shot in my film that might turn out to be the most ambitious and well-animated moment in the entire project. It centers around the beast letting out a powerful roar, one so intense that the ground beneath it cracks open.
The fight sequence which made me think how its made
My approach is to keep the camera very close to the creature. The idea is to follow its body in a fast, dynamic sequence that ends at its head, just as the roar erupts. At that moment, the force of the roar would push the camera away, almost as if the camera itself is being impacted by the sound. I want the camera movement to communicate the raw strength of the beast, not just visually but emotionally. This will also help emphasize the creature’s enormous size without having to show it all at once. Keeping the camera close and letting it be affected by the roar allows me to show scale, power, and emotion in a single flowing shot.
The Challenge
The challenge, of course, is execution. I have never attempted anything like this before. It feels like the most technically and creatively demanding thing I’ve tried as an animator. I’ve seen similar shots in incredible work from freelancers and studios like Goppo and The Line. Their use of dynamic angles and fluid camera motion has always made me stop and wonder "how do they do that?"
I don’t want to create this shot for external validation. This is something I want to do for myself. I want to face the challenge head-on and see if I can actually bring it to life. This shot is my personal benchmark. It’s the one that will tell me, not just as a student or a project-maker, but as an animator, whether I can push my limits and deliver something that I once only admired from afar.
I asked my tutor how I should approach this shot, and what specific things I should be keeping in mind while developing it. He shared a few strong pointers to begin with. One thing that stood out was his emphasis on how a lot of the action sequences we see in animated films are not just creative choices, but also smart economic ones. These moments often rely on techniques that are both visually effective and efficient in terms of production.
Burst of Black Frame and White Frame in Jujutsu Kaisen
For example, he pointed out that smears are frequently used to convey speed and energy. Backgrounds are often blurred or simplified between keyframes to suggest quick motion, which also reduces the need for fully detailed frames. Another impactful trick is using a few frames of black followed by a burst of white. This simple switch can make a hit or an explosion feel far more powerful. When combined with camera shakes, fast cuts, and slight horizon tilts, these elements together create the kind of high-impact action shots we all love watching
Inspirations and Direction
I started referencing some sequences to study how these ideas are actually applied. Among the many references I gathered, two stood out the most. One was from an animation breakdown by THE LINE studio, and the other was from a deleted sequence in "Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles." What I found interesting is that the same techniques my tutor described are present in both examples, but they’re used differently, and that’s what makes each sequence feel unique.
In the breakdown from THE LINE, for instance, there’s a moment where a character unleashes a lightning strike. The shot begins in a close-up, then transitions into a wide shot showing the full range of the lightning’s impact. What makes this shift so smooth is that the lightning itself is used as the bridge between the two shots. Because our attention is guided to the lightning, the change in perspective feels natural and exciting. It also removes the need for complex in-betweens. They even tilt the horizon slightly, adding a sense of instability and movement that makes the sequence feel more alive.
Animation Breakdown by Line Animation
While the first video focused primarily on presenting the shot from two specific angles, the breakdown by Mycoal Dough explores a much wider range of possibilities for staging similar sequences. What makes this breakdown especially engaging is how it uses multiple viewpoints to cover a vast environment, while still maintaining a strong sense of visual clarity and rhythm.
One of the most striking examples is a full 270 degree camera rotation as the character moves through the air. The sequence constantly shifts perspective. At times the action is viewed from above, then from below, followed by a side-angle shot, and eventually a close-up that draws focus to the most crucial moment. This constant interplay between wide, sweeping shots and tight, focused compositions helps keep the viewer grounded while also elevating the intensity of the scene.
The close-ups act like visual anchors, drawing attention to the story beats that matter most. In contrast, the more stylized transitions such as smear frames and motion blur act as connective tissue between these moments. While these frames may not hold up individually, they deliver just enough visual information for the viewer’s mind to bridge the gaps. This approach keeps the sequence feeling fast, fluid, and immersive without requiring every single frame to be crystal clear.
Animation passes by Mycoal Dough
First Draft of my Sequence
My first attempt and stitching a sequence
I’ve created the first draft of my shot. It’s far from what I imagined,(and despite it being too rough i want to include it for documentation so that i can compare it with the finished one later) but it’s helping me answer key questions and refine the idea with each pass. One thing missing is the use of camera tilts. Adding subtle turns as the camera pulls back could better convey scale and movement. I also need to plan the perspective shifts more carefully. If the angles aren’t right, the shot might lose its impact. Getting that right is crucial for the energy and scale I’m aiming for.
THE LINE (2025a) BUMP! Superbrawl! Animation Breakdown | THE LINE. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMJQjnqrZ_g.
Mycoal Dough (2022) Deleted ROTTMNT movie Fight scene | Pull the Trigger & SFX. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcvPSa0xSdE.
Anicrad (2023) Sukuna vs. Mahoraga Part 2 | Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 Episode 17 | 4K | 60FPS | Eng Sub. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQpipG1Pr5Y.
