I think one of the funniest HA! HA! things in movies is unexpected relationships, how people act to each other. That’s what really gets me going in Woody Allen films. Not just the truths of the relationships between people – which is great fun to create and capture in animation and to watch, like Mrs and Mr Incredible’s relationship – but also unexpected ways people treat each other in subtle (and not so subtle) glances, shoulder reactions, turning away ever so discreetly from someone they don’t like and so forth. People watching simple put. That’s some fun stuff beyond straight out jokes and gags. Like in Tangled between Maximus the horse and Flynn (the hero) which had the theatre roaring with laughter, including myself, but which also created one of the strongest relationships between the all the characters in the film.

One of my greatest Aha! moments as an audience was (spoiler warning!) that the shrink was dead at the end of Sixth Sense. Half of me felt like a sucker for not seeing it coming but the other half of me was overjoyed for the pure entertainment of that twist.

I love the question that Nishaanth puts: What exactly is the element that creates AAH moments? For me, its escapism. To fully, without comprise, immerse the audience in the essence of the subject matter – visually, emotional, editorially etc. When the film–makers manages to capture the reality of the characters, their story and their world (to quote Pixar) so fully but one can’t help get lost in it all. Examples that worked for me: Amadeus, The Mission, Monsters Inc, RAN, The English Patient, Jungle Book and so forth. But for me there also has to be solid, sincere relationships between the people in the story. If the relationships don’t work between the actors (animators and voice talent in animated films) then the film won’t get me to the AAH moment. Up for example didn’t do it for me because I didn’t buy into the relationship between the old man and the boy scout. Same in Bolt because the relationship between Bolt and Penny, Bolt’s owner, wasn’t solidified no matter how much she loved Bolt and missed him.

Bolt had great HAHA! and a few AHA! (especially the AWESOME helicopter design, but that’s a visual AHA! not a story AHA! for me

Anyways, AWESOME material Clay and everyone that wrote these wonderful inputs. Brilliant inspiration. Now I need to get back to my animation and push those inter-character subtle relationship clues that layer in the “MA” between the “CLAP!” as Miyazaki would put it (according to an interview I heard, not that I know him in any way!).

L8ter anim8ters!
Leo of Sweden

thank animation podcast . . .

pikoy

I’m not an animator, but there has always been a very strong interest in movies (not only animated) and I think it’s “the AAH” that fascinates me.

I’m studying to become a painter and I think your approach is interesting for paintings, too. There are “single images” in all of these categories, even though AAH is probably the most common. I think one can use this info to make single pieces (as opposed to moving scenes) stronger, more narrative, captivating, entertaining and comical, when one is thinking of these three guys: HA HA!, AHA!, AAH!

Your podcast really get’s me very very much interested in animation!
Thank you,

dorian

another AHH moment is the Part of your World reprise segment in The Little Mermaid

HA HA could be all of Les Poissions

AHH can also be felt when Dory finds Nemo.

Ha Ha: – nearly ever scuttle scene – thinks that he knows every thing about humans, but doesn’t even know what one looks like….. (boat scene especially)

Ha Ha / Aha: Ariels Grotto Sequence – learn and discover ariels true feelings, humerous names for objects ect and sabastian in background…..

Aha: “Belle (reprise)”- the one with Belle on the hill singing….. you get more of an insight into her desires… it is sang in the first song… but here there is alot more emphesis on her wishes and wants from life, rather than her backstory….

Aah: The last sequence of Pocahontas (the running scene) – you just hope that she makes it to the cliff on time to say good bye one more…. it is a combination of the swelling music- gives me goosebumps!

Cool Anthea. I’m glad you found it valuable. Great blog too!
-Clay