Most of the animated films which con- tain animal characters allow audiences of different ages to easily identify with them. However, it is not clear exactly which aspects are important for eliciting the audience’s empathy – storytelling techniques or multifaceted animal character design.
This master’s thesis examines the FACS facial motion coding system and Laban motion analysis as a theoretical basis in order to describe character design and the animation of animals which evoke empathy. These methods make it possible to depict the animal figures with authentic facial expressions and body movements.