Every Frame a Painting has a fantastic analysis of the work of master animator Chuck Jones:
As the video points out, Jones’s work has stood the test of time. Why? The video teases apart the elements that make Jones’s Looney Tunes cartoons work:
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A two-part gag structure that 1) leads the viewer to make an assumption, and 2) proves that assumption wrong.
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An emphasis on building character.
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The discipline to abide by “the challenges and restrictions you set for yourself.”
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Being open to inspiration from the real world.
The combination of these simple rules led to some most effective — and funniest — short films ever made. (Including my all-time favorite, One Froggy Evening.)
While all the rules are important for storytelling, I consider discipline paramount since it transcends the medium. When creating a complex work (be it a book, a website, or an animated cartoon), you’re establishing a little universe with its own logic and rules. One of the central concerns of the creator is ensuring that this logic is internally coherent. While can sometimes be tempting to make exceptions for the sake of expediency, such exceptions often point to structural deficiencies, which left unresolved can ruin the work.
Having the discipline to abide by constraints (self-imposed and otherwise) is key to producing good work. Chuck Jones’s cartoons ultimately stand the test of time because of his insistence on abiding by the rules.