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Something I just now noticed is how American animation is largely laid out like a stage drama. This probably originates from earlier films being perceived as an extension of theater. So when Looney Tunes and Disney framed cartoons like a stage play, it stuck. It’s still stuck.
Everything is laid out sideways. While 3D space is toyed with, where characters get larger or smaller to indicate distance, we don’t tend to see different angles of the environment and characters. By the 60s, Americans believed that this is what animation “looked like”
Carry over to the modern day, we’re still stuck with this “side scroll” style. Everything from Spongebob up to the Loud House still primarily functions in this angled space, even as we start to see more angles to the settings and backgrounds.
Characters are still drawn in this 2D style as it’s safe and considered less risky for studios to take on compared to some sweeping, cinematic series. Everything is still the perspective of a comic or newspaper cartoon - sideways. Some characters we never even see the front of.
Even modern, groundbreaking shows in the west that have bold animation styles are still tied to this format.
Now does this detract from the shows at all? Of course not; everything I’ve shown here is fantastic (though I still haven’t seen SU lol). Mainly it just pains me how we don’t see more diversity in shots, framing, and cinematography, and how money prevents “risky” new styles
There are exceptions, as with everything. Avatar,m and the Boondocks, taking inspiration from anime, have interesting new angles. And Mike Judge tends to favor movie-like cinematography for King of the Hill. There are still plenty of shows that do this
So it’s not like I’m saying “no one is doing this.” However, I always feel like there’s a fear to experiment with new styles of animation (not just art styles), and, of course, this bleeds into a hesitation to try new storytelling techniques
With everything being framed like a classic cartoon, America has tended to associate animation with comedy. And really that can just date back to our first hit series all being comedic. Everyone wanted a new Looney Tones, not an animated drama
That in and of itself is its own separate issue that goes beyond simply how things are drawn. And as I said, trying ANYTHING new and bold is seen as a risk to production companies. Like everything in life, it loops around to money again
