Though in some cases there might be a size discrepancy due to the visual requirements of keeping two actors of wildly different heights in the same frame. difficult to modify the size of an actor in a live-action series. Note that this trope mostly applies to animation and special effects. Don't be surprised if a fairy who fits in a character's shirt pocket later turns out to be as big as a baseball in a later fight.
Unless size is specified, characters who are simply stated to be "small" tend to bounce between the size of a housecat and a rat, or for even smaller characters, a rat and a roach. The same lack of consistency holds true for tiny characters as well. This effect is particularly noticeable when size is compared to other characters a regularly-sized human might stand about as tall as the giant's hip in a regular scenario, but the giant will easily catch that same character in the palm of one hand in a later action sequence. on the outside! On the inside, he's got a good 10 or so feet (3 m) of space between his head and the ceiling.
It also becomes much more difficult to keep everyone on panel or camera if there are huge height discrepancies.įortunately, animators have found the solution to this problem: completely disregard any sense of consistent scale! Sure, the giant is half the size of the building. If The Hero has to lead his True Companions through the Elaborate Underground Base or the Evil Tower of Ominousness, the Gentle Giant can't really follow along if his hand can completely block off the entrance. There's a problem with having giants as part of the main cast, though: they don't fit in small places. They punch harder, take more hits, and aren't afraid of breaking certain laws of physics.