Dr. Paul Ekman, who worked in San Francisco - still does…
“Dr. Paul Ekman, who worked in San Francisco - still does - which is where Pixar Animation Studios is, he had early in his career identified six. That felt like a nice, manageable number of guys to design and write for. It was anger, fear, sadness, disgust, joy and surprise.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Ekman identified six basic emotions for animation.
In simple terms: Six core emotions guide character design.
Leverage basic emotions in storytelling.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- film making
- animation
- psychology
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you portray nuanced feelings?
- Can basic emotions convey deep narratives?
Complex emotions may exceed six categories.