How is animation made?

Making a cartoon movie can be time-consuming and labor-intensive, and here we can break the process down into seventeen steps (the traditional process of making a movie or TV cartoon).

1. Planning

2. Script

Story Script

Modeling and Art Setting

Scene Design

Composition

Backdrops

Original Art

Animation

QC

Film Tracing

Color Setting and Coloring

General Inspection

Colorization and Coloring

Colorization and Coloring

Colorization and Coloring

Colorization and Coloring

Colorization and Coloring

General Inspection

Photography and Printing

Editing and Sets

Dubbing, Soundtracks and Sound Effects

Preview and Distribution

One Production (This part is still manually produced)

1. Planning: Planning is the preparatory work before a cartoon is made, which includes holding planning meetings and production meetings.

Planning meeting --- is to make the money to do this film and cartoon company people, as well as responsible for the future to sell this film distribution companies, and even toy manufacturers and other related people are convened together to discuss how to do this film, how to distribute this film, there is no peripheral merchandise can be developed, and so on, of course, the best situation is to make the film look good and money, which must be dependent on the film, but also to make money, it is necessary to rely on the film, The best thing is to make the movie look good and make money, which requires people with different specialties to plan together to make the movie a success.

Production meeting --- In the previous planning meeting, in fact, some of the production of the basic content of the direction of the drawing, and then by the cartoon company to convene a technical, progress, design meetings.

2, text script: whether it is their own invention of the story, or will be written by others to adapt the story can be, must have the characteristics of cartoon, that is, there are some funny, there are some exaggerated, there are some tense, and there are some touched, then the story will be welcomed by everyone. Of course, don't forget to write out the dialog and action and scenes. Based on the information from the production meeting, the writer begins to write the script:

Characters' appearances should be clearly written, their locations and environments, and their shapes and sizes should be correctly understood

Dialogue should accurately reveal the characters' personalities

Actions should also be clearly written in order to provide the textual images to the script artist

And definitely, it must be able to give the animator something to play with

Historical dramas should be based on evidence.

Costumes, props, buildings, natural objects...etc. should all be written out in shape

3. Story script: After the text is written, it should be drawn into a picture, but it's not really an animation script, it's just a series of small drawings, with detailed drawings of the characters in each frame, the location of the story, the angle of the camera, the dialogue, the time of the frame, what is done, and what is done in each frame. , the time of day of the frame, what action was done, etc. This script allows the artists to understand the whole story, because from the step after the "composition", a cartoon will start to be split up into many artists, so this script must be as detailed as possible, the less mistakes will be made.

After reading the script in detail, the cartoonist then organizes and digests it in cartoon language, and then begins to draw the scene scripts

Character locations, geography, and environment must be drawn

Scenes must be very clear

Dialogue, action, sound, and number of seconds must be written

Camera use, special effects (such as translucent light, high contrast, ...) must be written, and then the scripts must be drawn. ...) must also be specified

The best person to draw the script should be a cartoon director who knows the movie very well

Line of sight, direction of entry and exit, and point of view should be drawn smoothly

4, modeling and art settings: Modeling is to design the characters one by one according to the needs of the story, and also to draw the ratio of height and height, and various angles of appearance between them. The proportion of height, the appearance of various angles, the expression of the face, the supplies they use, and so on.

The art setting is a visual feeling, including color, light and dark, perspective, lines, etc., which constitutes a film's "art style", such as "Totoro" is very warm, verdant and comfortable, and this style is very suitable for the expression of the story of the relationship between the family, and "Batman" is a kind of exaggeration, oppression, and a strong sense of this style is very suitable for the expression of the confrontation between the good and the evil. This style is very suitable for the confrontation between good and evil.

The main character, the supporting characters and the ugly characters should have obvious differences (proportions or costumes, colors, features...)

Consideration should be given to whether the animation or downstream work will be difficult (not too complicated and trivial)

The modeling and the art style should be in line with each other (shapes, tones, and evidence)

The art setting is based on the story's dynasty, culture, and background, setting out the culture of that era.

Art setting is based on the story dynasty, culture, background, set out the culture of the era of architectural decorations, artifacts, urban streetscape ... etc., or do not have to test the history of the drama, then according to the story needs to set out different styles of content

Clothing and the character's personality should be coordinated with the need to match the color of the art setting color system at the same time to designate a good

6, the composition: "Composition," as its name implies, is the picture composition, and a cartoon to be formally produced. The first stage of the production of a cartoon, the previous planning is part of the design, the design of the modeling, scenes and scripts, to be handed over to the graphic designer for the design of the screen, according to the instructions and descriptions of the script to draw a detailed picture, including the characters from where to move to where the character's concise movements and expressions and the position of the character's station (the background of the pencil scripts), the angle and size of the camera, the camera how to move, and the future we will see on TV, the camera will also be used for the production of the cartoon. The future of the picture we see on TV.

With the script modeling and set design, we need to hire an experienced animator to be the director to coordinate the style and quality control of the film. First of all, he has to tell the scripted performance in detail to the framer, and sent to the above information, each framer about to complete dozens of scenes of the composition design (i.e., the scripted images transferred to the production of animation paper):

Drawing and the script shows the same angle or posture of the characters, and according to the length of dialogue to increase the character pose (POS.) These poses are representative of the expression, movement, location, and the expression of a scene, the expression, movement, position, the expression of a scene, the expression, movement, position, the expression of a scene. These poses are representative of a scene's expression, movement, position, angle, direction of entry and exit, etc.

Draw the background so that the characters can move freely in the background, and mark the position of the combination of the characters, day or night, with or without the foreground (O.L.), furniture, ornaments, floors, walls, ceilings, and other structures should be clearly drawn

How big is the frame (the safety frame), the camera pushes and pulls, etc.

The use of the frame is not a problem. Safety frame), the lens push and pull, etc. should also be marked out

7, background: the background pencil sketch drawn by the previous mentioned composition artist, is to be handed over to the background department to complete the colorful drawing work, the background will be based on the style and requirements of the "art settings" to draw, he is not with their own meaning of the drawing. The character part of the composition is handed over to the original artist for dynamic performance based on the character's representative pose and expression, position, etc. shown in the composition, while the background (BG) part is handed over to the background artist to draw in color, and the color performance artist will control the hue changes.

8, original drawing (including the first pencil draft test shot): the picture is designed by the composition, it should be divided into two parts of the work, the front of the "background pencil draft" to the background artist to draw into a very beautiful color draft, and the character of the one by the original artist to make a series of wonderful action performance, the original drawing is an actor, to cartoon characters of the seven feelings and character performance, but the original drawing does not need to be drawn out every picture, only the original painting, the original painting is not necessary, but the original drawing is not a good idea. But the original drawings do not need to draw every picture, just draw a key sheet can be, and the rest to the animator to draw.

After the completion of the composition must be checked by the director (CHECK), modified to meet the requirements of the story, and then will be completed composition, script, modeling information, section (each section of about dozens of scenes) sent to the original artist to perform the action of the part, and instructions to the original artist that the performance of the focus:

Line of sight, direction of movement, exaggeration, speed (TIMING), character perspective, body mechanics

Movement of the key:

The distance of movement, the speed and distance of pushing and pulling the camera should be calculated

The movements and the processing of the performance should be written on the EXPOSURE SHEET

The position and length of the fade out (F.O) and fade in (F.I), and the overlap (X-DISS) should also be indicated on the EXPOSURE SHEET, so that the cameraman can shoot in accordance with the EXPOSURE SHEET. The original drawings show the flat characters giving life and personality and combining them with the background (BG)

The completed sketches of the original drawings are handed over to the filmmakers for the first pencil test shots, and then to the director for review and approval.

9, animation (including pencil test shots): animators are like assistants to the original drawings, they have to complete all the movements for the original drawings (that is, cut or split), and the animators also have to make all the action drawings for the "final draft".

The so-called "center cut" is the insertion between the original drawing and the original drawing. Because the original drawing only splits an action into several key poses, so it is skipping, so there will be interruptions in the middle of the action that need to be inserted, and the animation is responsible for the interruption of the action to make up for it, and this work to make up for it is called "center cut".

Once the original artwork has passed the director's inspection, it is passed on to the producer. The staff will divide the original drawings into one scene to be handed over to the animator to complete the action designed by the original drawings. For example, the original drawings will only draw the beginning and the end of an action, and the process in between will be the animation, which on the one hand has to draw according to the standard modeling, and on the other hand has to perform the action space shown in the original drawings, and the animation checking will be done to review the drawings after they are done:

Is it shaped? Is the center cut correct? Is the movement smooth?

Has the original intent of the drawing been conveyed correctly?

The shooter will do a PENCIL TEST and the director will do a final review.

Two system ((at present, this part has been replaced by the computer, that is, the so-called 2D animation)

10, quality control: "quality control" is the quality control, in fact, cartoon in every process are responsible for the person in charge of the gatekeeper. For example:

Producer: responsible for the film can be completed as scheduled, and grasp the progress of each painter, as well as serve as a painter and the administrative department of the link between the coordination, so that the production department and the administrative department of the smooth operation of the inter-departmental.

Director: is responsible for directing the painters to draw the picture, can meet the requirements, because a cartoon to hundreds of painters to draw, if there is no director to lead the words, it will become a personal painting personal, every one of them draws and other people are not the same, then the film will fail, so the director's work is very important, at the beginning, to be the director, usually are very experienced! Painters only have this ability, such as composition director, original painting director, art director, etc. are.

Directors or team leaders: routine animation directors, directors of photography, coloring team leaders, special effects team leaders, editing team leaders, general inspectors, etc. are also responsible for different ranges of quality control.

CHECKER: The finished animation is then checked by the CHECKER in a non-technical way:

1) Whether the original drawings are correct or not, such as the distance between the backgrounds, the animation level, what is left out, and whether the scripts are correct or not, and so on.

2) Mark some names on the animation and the color of different levels for coloring.

11, photocopy tracing line: check the animation of a scene by scene to the photocopying department, the animation of the lines under the paper photocopying in the transparent celluloid), if there is a part of the color line must be expressed, it is necessary to manually hand tracing line tracing on the color line (with a dabbing pen), printed or traced the celluloid must be wiped with alcohol, and then a very thin layer of transparent paper to protect the good, to the Department of coloring! Prepare to apply the color.

12, fixed color and coloring: that is, spray repair or brush the special treatment. Stroke the line of the celluloid should be in accordance with the animation number row, and then handed over to the coloring department to set the color (in each part of the color written on the number), and then use acrylic paint is not transparent, if painted on the front side, it will cover the animation line, in order to retain the line, so it is necessary to paint the pigment on the back side.

13, the general inspection: that is, will be coated with a good color of the celluloid and color background set together to check to see if there are no flaws or errors, that is, sent to the final check before the photography. The colored CELs, together with the painted backgrounds, are handed over to the general inspector for final inspection. The CELs are placed on the backgrounds one by one to check:

Is the color correct? Is the combination with the background correct?

Are the holes positioned correctly? Are the sheets missing?

Are the images all clean and unscratched?

14, photography and printing: now you can hand over all the finished products to the photographer, for each picture shooting work, the photographer completely according to the previous artist wrote the "shooting table" (table of laws) shooting, as long as the shooting of one of the wrong frame, we have to re-shoot the entire scene, so be very careful. The finished negative is sent to a printing company to be developed, and you can see the animation drawn by the artist turn into a 35mm frame by frame in the movie. At this time, the developed film is only a "rough" film because there is only the picture without the sound, and the order of some frames still needs to be adjusted. Check the CEL, background and the table of laws together by the camera staff to shoot the completion of certain special effects such as: FADE IN (fade), FADE OUT (fade), DISS (superimposed), SS (vibration), WIPE (sweep), through the light, high contrast, rotating the screen, TRUCK IN (push in), TRUCK OUT (push out), PAN (pull the BG) and so on. The effects are accomplished by the cinematographer according to the instructions of the meter.

15, cut and set: then the thousands of feet long film to the editing division, in accordance with the correct length of the picture connected to become a standard version, which is cut. A standard version, and then develop a set of standard version does not need to be cut again, also known as the "set", this time the film is called "A copy of the film", is only the picture without sound.

16, dubbing soundtrack and sound effects: finally came to the last level of the sound part, in order to let each cartoon star has the best voice, often to hire well-known big stars to voice, like "Toy Story" Sheriff Woody is by Tom Hanks voice. In order to let the audience enjoy the best movie soundtracks, musicians are hired to create theme music that can be passed down to the next generation, and a symphony orchestra plays first-class background music. The "sound effects" are the sounds of various effects, such as wind, rain, opening doors, walking and punching. After synthesizing these sounds with the picture, a printing company is asked to develop a "B-Copy Positive" or "Official Copy" with both picture and sound, and the project is completed. The American style is usually dubbed beforehand, while the Japanese style is dubbed afterward. The dubbing is done in front of the camera, and the sound effects are usually dubbed afterward, while the sound effects are usually dubbed afterward.

17. Pilot and release: The director, producer, financier, painter, etc. are invited to view the film with music, and after everything is completed, the film is submitted to TV networks or movie theaters for release. The purpose of the pilot is to let the media reporters and film critics, culture, entertainment and other people who have seen it first, can be published on the film favorable comments, can be said to be a kind of official release before the warm-up, and then it is issued to the market, such as on the cinema line or the release of the film, etc., if not issued out of the words, can not be recovered the cost of the film, so it is very important to find a good distributor.