🎠The Joy Balance in Animation – And a Practical Fix
I’ve analyzed almost every major animated film, act by act. And here’s something I keep noticing.
Take Raya and the Last Dragon. By the end of Act One, there’s an absence of joy. A young girl’s trust leads to war, kingdoms fall, her father is turned to stone—all before a single uplifting moment has landed.
On the other side of the spectrum, you have Minions—where joy and silliness are ever-present, but emotional depth is minimal. And that’s fine! Their success shows there’s absolutely a place for those kinds of stories.
But when we think back to the Disney masterpieces era, we see something special: a blend of joy and depth.
Let’s look at Aladdin. By the end of Act One, Aladdin is still poor and imprisoned by Jafar. So no, the “win” hasn’t happened yet. But the film already feels joyful because of something powerful:
Take Raya and the Last Dragon. By the end of Act One, there’s an absence of joy. A young girl’s trust leads to war, kingdoms fall, her father is turned to stone—all before a single uplifting moment has landed.
On the other side of the spectrum, you have Minions—where joy and silliness are ever-present, but emotional depth is minimal. And that’s fine! Their success shows there’s absolutely a place for those kinds of stories.
But when we think back to the Disney masterpieces era, we see something special: a blend of joy and depth.
Let’s look at Aladdin. By the end of Act One, Aladdin is still poor and imprisoned by Jafar. So no, the “win” hasn’t happened yet. But the film already feels joyful because of something powerful:
✨ Small victories
In the first act alone:
-Aladdin sings a clever, upbeat song (One Jump Ahead) that makes us root for him, not pity him.
-He gives his stolen bread to hungry children—his heart is instantly clear.
-He meets Jasmine, they escape the guards, and they almost kiss.
Even Jasmine, a secondary character, gets her wins:
-She tells off her suitor—and her tiger eats his pants.
-She runs away—not for love, but freedom.
-When Aladdin offers to help her leap rooftops, she’s already ahead: “I’m a fast learner.”
That’s five joyful or empowering beats—before the main plot has even kicked in.
So here’s a practical tool:
👉 Ask yourself: “Where are we on the joy meter?”
If there’s no emotional lift, no charm, no tiny triumphs—your characters won’t feel alive yet. And your audience won’t either.
We don’t need artificial highs. We need intentional ones.
Joy doesn’t have to wait for the third act.
It just needs to be woven in from the start.
And if joy is already present?
👉 Ask yourself: “Where are we on the emotional depth meter?”
Having an honest answer to both questions brings us closer to the storytelling balance that made so many of our favorite animated classics unforgettable.
