Unit 07 - 2D Animation Production

(07.1) Understand the Techniques and Development of 2D Animation

1.1 Summarise accurately the techniques and development of 2D animation with some appropriate use of subject terminology

There are several ways of creating 2D animation and many types of software to use. I am new to 2D animation and have only done 3D Stop Motion before. However, I have a keen interest in it and the process. 

Before advanced technology, animation had to be drawn by hand, frame by frame, for example the old Disney films (Cel Animation). This would have been very stressful and time-consuming, but well worth it for that final product. It’s a magical process that takes a lot of dedication and patience. On their earlier films like ‘Snow White’ and ‘Fantasia’ for example, you can tell they have been drawn, whereas on Disney animations of today like ‘Tangled’ and ‘Frozen’, everything is really smooth and crisp because advanced software has been used to create them. 

Now technology is far more advanced, there are many more options and it is a lot easier. However, it still takes a lot of time and skill to do.

Various Animation Terms

Frame:

In animation a frame is each individual image throughout the video. Usually videos are shot at 24 or 30 frames per second or FPS. 

Tweening:

Short for in-betweening, this is the process of one image evolving smoothly into the next. Tweening is used in all types of animation. Sophisticated animation software enables you to identify specific objects in an image and define how they should move and change during the tweening process.

Stage:

This is the main space you’d be working on, or like the background layer, which on my animation was the alternating coloured rectangular backgrounds which remained stationary and didn’t need to move. 

Onion Skinning:

This is a function in Flash that allows you to see a desired number of frames at once. It is used to check the spacing and arc of your poses.

Rotoscope:

This method is used to get realistic movements. With this, an actor is filmed doing the required movements. The animator would then use a particular animation package and draw round the actor frame by frame. The actual animated character is then drawn within the border of the movement. 

(07.2) Be able to devise a 2D animation with soundtrack 

2.1 Generate outline ideas for a 2D animation with soundtrack, working within appropriate conventions and with some assistance

My colleague, the Social Media Apprentice has had some animating experience. One of her first jobs was to make an animation for Youthinc, Derbyshire. She also quite recently finished making one for an anti-bullying organisation, and showed me how she did it. She started by creating her vectors in Adobe Illustrator, then saved each item in the scene separately on individual layers. She then opened up a piece of software called ‘Motion’, which in my opinion looks across between Adobe Illustrator/ Photoshop and Final Cut Pro. The final animations she created were simple but effective and got a lot of positive feedback. 

My idea is to do something similar to promote DCAS and the open access sessions we provide. I have Illustrator on my Macbook so will be able to create the vectors, but would then have to memory stick them over to one of the work ones as I don’t have Motion. As for the soundtrack, I can put something together in either ‘Garage Band’ or ‘Logic’. 

I should be able to make the vectors quite easily, but will possibly need some help when it comes to using Motion. But there are people at DCAS who can help get me started with this.

I had an idea of what I wanted so did a brainstorm to gather all the information I would need. I also did a storyboard to get an idea of how it would look and the timeframe. In the end I planned for roughly the first half to be a general DCAS promo, then the other half split into three for each session.

(Above: Brainstorm)

(Above: Storyboard)

(07.3) Be able to produce a 2D animation with soundtrack

3.1 Produce a 2D animation with soundtrack with some assistance

To start with, I need to create my vectors and scenes in Illustrator. I started with my generic DCAS scene, remembering to keep each individual vector on a separate layer. I started with the backdrop, then the building, trees, people etc. layering each scene up, also remembering to include the social media vectors (Facebook, Twitter, Youtube).

For the individual sessions, I created some of the vectors from my own mind and others I found images on the internet and traced round them with the pen tool. I used to struggle with the pen tool, but now after lots of practice, I find it a lot easier. 

I then arranged my vectors into separate folders and put them on my memory stick before transferring them over to the 17 inch Macbook. I opened ‘Motion’ and imported the vectors.

Unfortunately, my colleague who had Motion experience was away on holiday at the time, so I had to remember as best I could what to do from the time she briefly showed me how it worked. After struggling at first, I quite quickly picked it up and managed to create the first part of my animation. I then created the next three for each of the sessions.  

I exported them all individually and put them together in Final Cut Pro.

Altogether, the animation comes to just over a minute. So when I put the soundtrack together, it shouldn’t take too long. 

To piece my soundtrack together I used Garage Band on my Mac. I combined a variety of Apple loops to create a sort of fresh, House/ Electronic sound. It was quite easy and didn’t take too long as the video is only short. 

Now that everything had been created, I needed to put them together. I was able to do this on my own Mac as I have iMovie (A free and simplified version of Final Cut Pro, but with the same shortcuts and similar functions). 

A slight problem I encountered was that the audio was a bit too short for the video. To fix this I went back to Garage Band and put another loop at the front. It meant having to export it again, but it wasn’t too much of a hassle. This time the audio was slightly longer than the video, but I solved this by fading the audio out smoothly at the end. 

07.4) Be able to Evaluate audience responses to own 2D animation work

4.1 Comment on audience responses to own 2D animation work with some appropriate use of subject terminology

I showed the animation to my colleagues and they really enjoyed it. I particularly had good feedback on my vectors. They liked the fact that I'd used the DCAS colours and that the animation was bright and vibrant. The music suited the video and it wasn't too long.

Colleague Feedback:

"I think it is fun and I like how you've done it. I think it's simple but still captures attention."
- Megan

"Nice timing for screen changes. Music not too loud or overpowering, but catchy. Very watchable!"
- Karen

"I love the individual characters you have created you can really tell who they are. I like how the elements move into the frame. I would suggest that you add the address and telephone number to the end page, not just the DCAS logo. This would be a great tool to use in schools, possibly on their reception TV screens."
- Lucie