‘Jab We Met’ (When We Met) is a Hindi film (live action), one of my favourites, that I’ve watched quite a number of times. I was just watching it again recently, ’cause why not and I happened to notice something I never did before!
Robert Bradbrook mentioned in one of his lectures, that we don’t or rather shouldn’t start a film with the cliche of someone waking up, eating breakfast, showering and getting dressed and then finally getting to work. We can very easily get away with showing the person in the location they are meant to be in and start there!
This is exactly what I noticed with Jab We Met! We don’t start with the protagonist’s morning routine, but rather him at the office, looking lost – and how do we know this? – by the fact that everyone around him is arguing and we just hear this drowning gibberish, while our hero sits centre screen not paying attention. We straight away realise that something is bothering him, and his actions in the next couple of shots tell us why. In fact there isn’t much dialogue or rather any dialogue at all in the beginning where we are introduced to our protagonist. His body language and facial expression, along with his intense silence, are enough for us to know that he is depressed.
I just wanted to put this here, as a reference and to remember how similar tools can be applied to animation to make it more effective and compelling to the audience! I also find it amazing how I can apply what I have learnt to not just animated films but also live action! 😀