12 Principles: Secondary Action

What is secondary action in animation?

An additional action that supports the main action by adding personality, emotion or detail.

What is the main purpose of secondary action?

To make movement more interesting and communicate personality or emotion while supporting the main action.

Give an example of secondary action.

A character walking while whistling.

In a character walking while whistling, what is the main action?

Walking.

In a character walking while whistling, what is the secondary action?

Whistling.

What should secondary action avoid doing?

Distracting the audience from the main action.

How does secondary action differ from follow-through?

Secondary action adds a supporting action; follow-through is movement that continues after the main action.

What is the memory trick for secondary action?

Extra action that adds something.