Animation Techniques In Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse1 min read
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Is There a Secret Ingredient Behind Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse’s Success?
Well if there is, it’s a technique called Animated Naturalism.
Sony Animation’s INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE was one of the most unexpected delights of last year’s crop of superhero movies. It was fun, funny, heartfelt, and exhilarating. But how did the production and animation team get so much extra juice out of what could have been a spraypaint-by-numbers superhero flick?
Animated naturalism is the art (and science) of making something animated that feels human. Since all animation is completely planned and storyboarded, it requires a lot of precision and expertise to make something so planned feel like it’s unplanned. Humans can improvise, but animation can’t.
Let’s take a look at a few ways INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE conveys animated naturalism:
Non-Super, Non-Hero
One of the best things about INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE as a superhero movie is that it takes its time to set up the main character, Miles Morales, as neither superpowered, nor heroic. It makes sure to show the audience that Miles is just a normal, everyday kid dealing with the usual teenage issues. He’s got an overbearing father, a high-pressure school environment, and the typical social anxieties that all high schoolers have.
Photo credit: No Film School
