Oh my god, I just wrote so much feedback, and the file size was too big so I lost it all! GRRRRRRR!!!!!
Ok here goes, in a nutshell this time hopefully
I'm attaching a gif animation (quick and dirty, the way I like it), and a sample storyboard.
The animation is demonstrating anticipation and arcs, notice the head moves down in anticipation for the up+turn, and that there's an arc associated with that too. Avoid point A->B animation, use arcs where appropriate (ALWAYS, unless it's a robot). I also showed some 'going past', meaning that I overshot the pose by one frame, then settled into the final pose, adding some feeling to it. This is also called exaggeration.
It sounds like common sense, and it might sound like I'm talking down to you, but it has to exist in your animations, even it the most subtle movements, all of the principles.
Break your shots up into something like that awesome storyboard I drew
I think it's pretty self explanatory.
I start my job on Monday so I probably won't be able to comment quite as much, ask questions now if you got 'em! Or anytime really, I'll just be much busier. Hope this is helpful
Cheers!
Mike/Pa
Get to know him!