The ‘ahaa moment’ of my life came while playing gully cricket with some kids in Calcutta
“If you’re pursuing any form of art, being a keen observer is essential!” emphasized renowned Animation Director Chris Kirshbaum during his masterclass, The Thrill of Victory, held today at the 55th International Film Festival of India (IFFI). Organized alongside the festival’s film screenings, the session explored the often-overlooked potential of world of sports as a creative reference. Kirshbaum highlighted that while animators often draw inspiration from films, TV, and everyday life, sports stand out for their unscripted, authentic performances, offering invaluable insights into genuine human reactions.
“Human drama is best revealed in athletic competitions,” remarked Chris emphasizing how the power of poses connects deeply with emotions. He explained that athletes, being some of the most motivated individuals, offer a wealth of learning opportunities for actors, technicians, and animators. “Athletes are great to study,” he noted, encouraging creators to observe their movements and emotions closely. To illustrate this, Kirshbaum analysed a broadcast from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, guiding the audience through the body language and expressions of both winners and losers.
He highlighted how the defeated athlete’s posture and expressions reflected the five stages of grief i.e. denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance on the other hand the winner’s elation was vividly conveyed through their demeanour. “The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat are classic emotive examples for anyone in artistic pursuits,” Kirshbaum explained, urging artists to use sports as a rich source of authentic emotional and physical references.
Chris opined that humans are tribal creatures. As they evolved in tribes, they cannot be neutral. “We have to take sides and neutrality is death,” he asserted. “This is where emotional displays in sporting events come in.”
Animators, film makers, artists and other creative people have to observe movements, postures and emotions. It is very important thing for animators, he stressed. “Animators have to be like psychologists and look into emotions. It also helps to know the back story to one’s work in animation better” Chris advised. In his words, “In animation or storytelling, what matters is how the characters involved feel. The fallout matters. What happens next matters. The randomness of life is what we need to observe. Different characters react differently to the same thing. Diverse reaction to the same incident creates drama and comedy and makes us love the characters,” he added and urged animators to study real emotions.
Chris Kirshbaum also revealed that he found his calling in life during a visit to India in the 90s. The ‘ahaa moment’ of his life came while playing gully cricket with some kids in Calcutta during that trip. It was then that he discovered that animation was what he wants to pursue.
“My mantra for success is to pursue what you love. Try to watch everything”, he concluded.