Greetings,
Thank you for following up on this epic animation Nollywood themed project, so far we have answered two basic questions when entering the animation business. Moving on, let's identify and analyse the kinds of animation we have out there. This will be interesting.
WHAT KIND OF ANIMATION DO I WORK WITH?
This decision is a very key one, it will determine a lot of things like; your production style, time, team, gear and budget. There are a whole lot of animation types out there, but I am going to narrow it down to five types. I will also deduce the ideal animation for the direction I'm heading.
1. TRADITIONAL ANIMATION (2D, CEL, HAND DRAWN)
Traditional animation, sometimes referred to as cel animation, is one of the older forms of animation, in it the animator draws every frame to create the animation sequence. Just like they used to do in the old days of Disney. If you’ve ever had one of those flip-books when you were a kid, you’ll know what I mean. Sequential drawings screened quickly one after another create the illusion of movement.
In traditional animation, animators will draw images on a transparent piece of paper fitted on a peg using a colored pencil, one frame at the time. Animators will usually do test animations with very rough characters to see how many frames they would need to draw for the action to be properly perceived. Timing is extremely important in traditional animation, since the frames has to fit the soundtracks exactly, as such the animation process of traditional animation can be lengthy and costly. Once the clean-up and in-between are complete, the production would step over to photographing each individual frame.
The history of animation can be stretched as far back as 5.000BC, if you are lenient on the techniques of the art form, found on a pottery bowl in Iran that depicts a goat leaping.
The techniques of animation that we are more familiar with, however, first appeared in 1650 as The Magic Lantern, by the Venetian inventor Giovanni Fontana. Whether or not he truly is the inventor is still highly debated. A simple lantern with a strip of animation sliding past a crude lens, illuminated by a single candle, was the humankind’s first introduction to projection. Which was primarily used to scare people witless with images of devilish creatures running on the wall, and generally play on people’s superstitions.
Many more inventions came along, such as the Phenakistoscope and Zoetrope, but the first projection of animation on a screen came in 1877 with the Praxinoscope, invented by the French science teacher Charles-Émile Reynaud. He then later invented the Théâtre Optique in 1888, which he then used to stage the first public screening of animation at the Musée Grévin in Paris in 1892.
There he screened the animated short Pauvre Pierrot, which is notable for being the first time film perforations was used, and also for having the animation drawn directly on the frames instead of photographed.
The first film recorded on a filmstrip was made in 1900, which also included animated sequences where J. Stuart Blackton draws a man on a aisle holding a bottle of wine, and then the man grabs the bottle. Blackton then followed it up five years later with the Humoureous Phases of Funny Faces, which cemented J.Stuart Blackton as the forefather of American animation.
Stepping to France in 1908, we saw the worlds first fully animated film, made by the French artist Émile Cohl. The film was called Fantasmagorie, which contained stick figures encountering various inanimate objects that they interact with.
As the 1910’s rolled around, studio produced animations came into fruition with the newspaper cartoonist Winsor McCay, who directed several animated shorts. As such, during the 1910’s animations we’re then nicknamed ‘Cartoons’. They we’re mainly produced for cinemas to as pre-show attractions before the feature film. John Randolph Bray and Earl Hurd was the most successful animation producers of the decade, and was responsible for patenting the cel animation process, which would come to dominate the animation industry for most of the century.
Nowadays, traditional animation is being done mostly on computers by using a tablet (such as the Wacom Cintiq.) It is usually animated on 12 frames per second, with occasional faster actions animated on 24 frames per second.
Softwares used for this type of animation include; Photoshop, TVPaint, ToonBoom, Anime Studio.
2. 2D ANIMATION (VECTOR BASED)
This style has become very popular in the last decade with the increasing amount of people doing it due to the accessibility of the technology. Flash is cheap and easy to use. Such are other vector based animation programs. 2D animation can be done in After Effects too.
2D animation is mostly referred to any key framed animation that is produced on a flat surface, but can also refer to vector animations that adopts the techniques of traditional animation.
Cel animation is often most thought of when talking about 2D animation, and the process is often lengthy and complicated. The technique is the same as in traditional animation, but when the animations and in-betweens are done, the frames are brought over to a process called ink-and-paint.
There the people in charge of inking and painting the frames, places a plastic sheet of celluloid on top of the transparent paper containing the animated characters, and then proceed to copy the frames on the celluloid. This way frames can overlay each other because of the complete transparency of celluloid, which makes it easier to place multiple characters and props on top of a background.
Vector based animations, meaning computer generated 2D animations, uses the exact same techniques as traditional animation, but the benefits is the lack of physical objects needed to make traditional 2D animations apart from a computer.
In the late 90’s, due to bandwidth restrictions, many artists started using Flash to distribute short (and very limited) animations on the web, which were usually very small in size.
That limitation gave Flash the mass appeal that made it such a huge success among independent artists and animators, which lasted to today.
Flash really skyrocketed in 2005 when it was purchased by Adobe. When YouTube started growing, it completely exploded, and today you can find thousands of Flash animations there.
The reason 2D was put in a separate category in a different category is that in addition to the option of animating frame by frame, an animator has the option of creating rigs for the characters and then moving the body parts individually instead of drawing the character over and over.
After Effects allows you to create complex rigs for animation, or use the puppet tool to drag and move body parts of a drawn character.
These flexibilities give beginners more options when approaching animation, especially if drawing isn’t their strong suit, unlike traditional animation, when drawing skills are mandatory.
Softwares used for this type of animation include; Adobe Flash, Adobe After Effect, Anime Studio.
3. 3D ANIMATION (CGI, COMPUTER ANIMATION)
3D animation works in a completely different way than traditional animation. They both require an understanding of the same principles of movement and composition, but the technical skill set is very different for each task. while in the past you had to be an amazing draftsman to be an animator, with computer animation that is not the case. 3D animation is more similar to playing with puppets rather than drawing.
3D animation, also referred to as CGI animation, is made by generating images using computer graphics that create a series of images that forms an animation. CGI means Computer Generated Images, so it can easily mean both static and dynamic images using computer graphics.
The animation techniques of 3D animation has a lot of similarities with stop-motion animation, as they both deal with animating and posing models, and still conforms to the frame-by-frame approach of 2D animation, but is a lot more controllable since it is all digital feedback.
Instead of drawn or constructed with clay, characters in 3D animations are digitally modeled on screen, and then fitted with a ‘skeleton’ that allows animators to animate the models for their use.
Animation is done by posing the models in certain key frames, which the computer will then calculate and perform a ‘tweening’ animation that is interpreted by the computer in each frame between the key frames.
When the modeling and/or animation is complete, the computer has to render each frame individually, which unlike 2D or stop-motion animations, can be very time consuming depending on the quality of the images and the quantity of polygons in the scene.
a 3D animator will spend most of their time looking at curves that represent the movement of different body parts over time.
Another big difference with 3D animation is that unlike traditional animation, the character’s body parts are always present and should be taken to consideration.
When animating in 2D, the character has to be drawn from every frame. When the character is viewed from the side, half of its body isn’t shown and thus isn’t drawn. It technically doesn’t exist. It’s drawn on a flat page and there isn’t really more of the character other than what the animator draws.
With 3D though, the character’s body parts always exist in the shot. Even when one hand isn’t visible, it’s still there. That adds some work for the animator, since we need to be aware of the entire character at all times.
The last major difference with 3D animation is the frame rate. Traditional animators usually work on 2’s which means they draw a new drawing every 2 frames, and thus having one drawing last for 2 frames. With 3D animation, however, the motion is always smooth (except for stylized pieces which intentionally try to look different) and having a character stop completely looks like a mistake.
Even when the character is standing still there should always be some sign of life or gentle movement to keep the illusion of life, this is something 2D animation can get away with much more easily than 3D animation.
3D animation has definitely revolutionized how the animation industry looks today, and it was all started with Toy Story (1995, Lassetter.) Computer generated animations wasn’t completely new at the time, since it had already been often used in TV shows, movies and computer games, but Toy Story set the bar by being the first feature-length computer animation, leading to a whole new industry and market.
3D animation also lead to studios trying to achieve photo-realistic animations by combining high-level computer processing with advance motion-capture. This has led to films such as Final Fantasy: Spirits Within (2001, Sakaguchi) and The Polar Express (2004, Zemeckis), with very mixed results. This kind of animation became rarer as the decade passed, as the process is a lot more complicated than key framed 3D animations, but has passed on to feature film VFX.
Sofwares used for this type of animation include; Autodesk Maya, Autodesk Softimage, Autodesk 3DS Max, Cinema 4D. Blender,
4. MOTION GRAPHICS (TYPOGRAPHY, ANIMATED LOGO)
While still considered a form of animation, motion graphics is a rather different from the other types of animation. Mostly because unlike the other types on our list it is not character or story driven. It’s the art of creatively moving graphic elements or texts, usually for commercial or promotional purposes.
It’s the art of creatively moving graphic elements or texts, usually for commercial or promotional purposes. Think animated logos, explainer videos, app commercials, television promos or even film opening titles.
The skills for motion graphics don’t necessarily translate to the other types of animation, since they don’t require knowledge of body mechanics or acting, but they do have some attributes in common such as understanding good composition and the all important camera motion.
The process of creating Motion Graphics depends on the programs that are used, since video editing softwares often have different UI or settings, but the process is the same. Motion Graphics usually involves animating images, texts or video clips using key framing that are tweened to make a smooth motion between frames. These programs also supports scripts that will automatically alter the animations to various preferences that are required. Motion graphics also often uses particle systems to create various effects. It is basically points in 3D and 2D space that is shown as texts, images or visual effects. The particle effects are made with emitters that digitally produces lights, surfaces, or a disassembling animation.
Motion Graphics are simply flat-based images or 3D objects that are given the illusion of motion, accompanied with music or sound effects. This technique is often used for multimedia projects.
The term Motion Graphics came about computer based video editing, as programs like Adobe After Effects and Apple Motion made editing images definitely a lot more easier, since previously, before the advent of computer editing, it was a very time-consuming process, which made it limited for high-budget productions, but in present time it is highly popular for commercials, news shows and internet videos
Softwares used for this type of animation include; Adobe After Effect, Cinema 4D
5. STOP MOTION (CLAYMATION, CUT-OUTS)
Stop motion is done by taking a photo of an object, and then moving it just a little bit and taking another photo. The process is repeated and when the photos are played back one after another they give the illusion of movement. This is similar to traditional animation but it uses real life materials instead of drawings.
Stop-Motion animation can be referred to any animations that uses objects that are photographed in a sequence to create a animated action.
The process of Stop-Motion animation is very long, as each object has to be carefully moved inch by inch, while photographing every change, to create a fluid sequence of animation.
Claymation
One of the most popular form is Claymation. Working with clay or play-doh characters that can easily be manipulated for animation. Advanced claymation (such as The Neverhood or Armikrog) uses metal skeletons on which the clay is then molded for more sturdy rigs.
Puppets
Some animators would use regular Puppets instead of clay one, usually also built upon some sort of skeleton rig. The faces of the characters can be replaced based on the expression, or be controlled within the rig.
Cut-Out
Another popular form of stop motion is Cut out. Using construction paper or cardboard characters and placing them on a paper while shooting the animation from above (That’s how South Park was made before they switched to computers.) The cardboard is then moved a little each frame to create the illusion of movement.
Silhouette
Similar to cutout animation, silhouette animation uses cardboard or some kind of flat material, but the objects are all black and the shot is depicted with silhouettes only. This is one of the oldest forms of stop motion and is rarely used today.
Action Figures / Lego
Some use action figures or lego characters for animation. This genre is very popular on YouTube with many channels dedicated to creating funny skits with lego characters. Robot Chicken is a great example of that. They use famous action figures to make fun of pop culture.
Pixelation
Pixelation is a form of stop motion that uses real people and real environments to create unreal videos. It uses the stop motion method of taking a still photo, moving things around, and then taking another photo, but the subject matter is usually real people instead of puppets.
Stop-Motion animation was very often used as special effects before the introduction of CGI animation, and as such has a very long history in both the animation and film industry, starting from The Humpty Dumpty Circus (1887, Blackton.) One of the most earliest of clay animations was Modelling Extraordinary (1912), and Stop-Motion animation also created the first female animator, Helena Smith Dayton, who made a clay animated short based Romeo and Juliet in 1917.
Another technique, which came about in the 80’s, was Go Motion. This technique involved programming a computer to move the models for the animators before each frame was photographed. It was used when creating visual effects for RoboCop (1987, Verhoven) and The Empire Strikes Back (1980, Kershner.) It was a lot more complicated than doing it by hand, but the result was a more realistic looking animation.
The Stop-Motion art form also created animators that would set the standards, like visual effects master Ray Harryhausen who created animations for Jason and the Argonauts (1963, Chaffey) and Clash of the Titans (1981, Davis), and Nick Park who created the Wallace and Gromit franchice. However, Stop-Motion wasn’t always made for shorts and visual effects. There have been many feature-length Stop-Motion animated films, most notably The Night Before Christmas (1993, Selick) and Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005, Park.)
Softwares used for this type of animation include; Dragonframe, iStopMotion.
BOTTOMLINE
We have seen it all, it is decision time. Considering mass appeal, practicality and production economics. Traditional animation, 2D animation and 3D animation takes the lead. Since the integration of computers in animation Traditional animation now involves character rigging, so it is technically the same thing with 2D animation. Leaving us with two options.
2D animation involves drawing of characters on a flat surface, which means you need to be a good draftsman to be able to master this type of animation. The present use of computers makes work faster, with the use of rigs, this means you do not have to re-draw the character over again on a new frame. There are talented artist everywhere in Nigeria, pick your soft wares and get them familiar with it and you've had your animation team. Putting together powerful computer systems, buying software license and paying artists will not blow your budget and you are good to go. 2D animation have massive appeal, most of the shows on Cartoon network are 2D, Marvel and DC Comics also work with 2D.
3D animation, 3D animation, this is serious animation. There a lot that is needed for this type. 3D animation is nothing like 2D animation, animation is done in a 3 - Dimension environment, where in 2D the X and Y axis is considered, in 3D the X, Y and Z axis is considered. In 3D animation you don't necessarily need to be a draftsman, because you just move the models as a puppet. Modelling is a long and tedious process, this is what really eats time in 3D animation, you have to sculpture everything from set to characters and the computers used are serious computers compared to 2D animation. Mastering 3D animation is not a walk in the park and employing professionals will definitely blow your budget. 3D animation also have massive appeal.
Personally as a newbie in the industry I will settle for 2D, the budget is leaner compared to 3D, I have a lot of artists around me who are computer friendly, throw anything at them and they grab it.
So the decision is made. I want to use this opportunity to appreciate Morr Meroz, founder of Bloop Animation for his guide and support. Thanks for reading.
Suremovet.
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