Looks at the artistry and production process of cel animation in a friendly, how-to manner. This book guides animators through various steps of planning and production and includes examples of actual production forms, organization tips, screen shots, and sketches from the pre- to post-production processes.

PRODUCING INDEPENDENT 2D CHARACTER ANIMATION takes an in-depth look at the artistry and production process of cel animation in a friendly, how-to manner that makes the sometimes tedious process of animation enjoyable and easy to understand. This book guides animators through every step of planning and production; includes examples of actual production forms, organization tips, screen shots, and sketches from the pre- to post-production processes; and contains detailed information on the hardware and software used to complete each step. By mapping out the course of how his small studio brainstormed, created, then produced its award-winning animation, TIMMY'S LESSONS IN NATURE, Mark Simon explains to animators what it takes-both creatively and resource-wise-to get their animations to market. Includes exclusive interviews with Oscar-nominated independent animator Bill Plimpton, Craig McCracken, creator of the POWER PUFF GIRLS, Craig "Spike" Decker of SPIKE & MIKE'S SICK AND TWISTED FESTIVAL OF ANIMATION, David Fine & Alison Snowden who are the Academy Award-Winning producers of BOB AND MARGARET, Cartoon Network's Senior Vice President of Original Animation, Linda Simensky, and Tom Sito, Co-Director of OSMOSIS JONES...as well as others.

This concept-to-pitch guide teaches independent 2D character animators, students and small animation production studios how to produce short cel animation films. By mapping out how his own studio created and produced an animation, the author shows what it takes, both creatively and in terms of resources.

This book explains the creation of animation from concept to production. Instead of focusing on singular aspects of animation production, talented animators can learn to make better films by understanding the process as a whole. Veteran independent filmmaker Hannes Rall teaches you how to develop an animation project from the very start of conceptual exploration though to completed production. Subjects like script, storyboarding, character and production design illuminate the pre-production process; later chapters explain the production process applied to different animation techniques like 2D animation, 3D computer animation and stop motion. This book is just the right mix of practical advice, lavish illustrations, and industry case studies to give you everything you need to start creating animation today. Key Features Learn the concepts of film animation production from an expert instructor Interviews with legends Andreas Deja, Hans Bacher and Volker Engel Robust coverage of the pre-production process, from script to storyboarding and visual development Includes a glossary and further reading recommendations

Creating a 3D Animated CGI Short presents an insightful behind-the-scenes tour of the entire production process for 3D artists, animators, and independent filmmakers who are interested in creating their own CGI shorts as well as for those who are simply fans and enthusiasts of CGI films in general. This book presents detailed examples of every step of the production process; from initial concept through character design, set design, modeling, texturing, lighting, camera animation, character animation, lip sync, rendering, post-production, compositing, and all the way to film festival submissions and online web distribution. It truly has something for everyone interested in CGI films. Using readily available off-the-shelf hardware and software such as modo, LightWave 3D, FPrime, HD Instance, Peak, Shake, iMovie, iDVD, GarageBand and more, Creating a 3D Animated CGI Short shows how to produce a complete 3D animated CGI Short, including how to fund the production by taking on paid freelance projects along the way. Where other filmmaking books typically describe industry standard methodologies that are most effective for larger productions, this book shows how to drastically simplify and condense those processes and focus only on the essential elements that will enable a single artist or filmmaker to complete a CGI short on their own.

Improve your 3D animation by understanding the key traditional 2D skills. Learn the basics for producing original and exciting animation.

Animation has a lot to do with acting. That is, character animation, not the standardized, mechanical process of animation. Acting and animation are highly creative processes. This book is divided into two parts: From film history we learn about the importance of actors and the variety of acting that goes into animation; then, we will turn to the actor's point of view to describe the various techniques involved. Through exhaustive research and interviews with people ranging from the late Ray Harryhausen, Jim Danforth, Joe Letteri, and Bruno Bozzetto, this book will be the primary source for animators and animation actors. Key Features Interviews with industry legends are found throughout this exhaustive work on animation From film history we learn about the importance of actors and the variety of acting that goes into animation, then turn to the actor's point of view to describe the various techniques involved Coverage of acting from Vaudeville to Rotoscoping to Performance Capture Case studies throughout bring the content to life while providing actionable tools and techniques that can be used immediately