Straight Ahead Action and Pose-To-Pose Action
Straight Ahead and Pose-To-Pose Animation are the two basic methods used in animation.
In straight ahead animation the animator draws or sets up objects one frame at a time in sequential order. For example, the animator draws the first frame of the animation, and then draws the second, and so on until the sequence is complete. In this way there is one drawing or image per frame that the animator has setup. This approach tends to yield a more creative and fresh look but can be difficult to time correctly, and tweak.
Drawing or setting up key poses and then drawing or creating inbetween images is how Pose-To-Pose animation is done. This is the basic computer "keyframe" approach to animation. It is excellent for tweaking, timing, and planning out the animation ahead of time.
You won't see the straight ahead technique used for movies. With computer animation it is almost imposable to do. It does, however, lend its self to creativity and strange zany looking work.
Because pose-to-pose animation lends its self to planning and the ability to time the sequences it is used in movies.
*The definitions used for straight ahead and pose-to-pose animation were obtained from “CG-CHAR Mailing List-FAQ”
