Animation and VFX Pipelines and How They Interact.
Enter the Matrix:
Choose...
Blue Pill.
Red Pill.
You decide.
Welcome...
How many types of animation are there? Broadly speaking, there are five types of animation. As you develop your animation skills, interests, artistic vision, and software expertise, you can learn to draw from various theories and traditions in animation as you develop your own signature style.
Traditional Animation.
2D Animation.
3D Animation.
Motion Graphics.
Stop Motion.
What is real life animation called?
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.
Animation Pipelines and Process.
What is the 2D animation pipeline? The 2D animation process involves the creation of characters, storyboards, and backgrounds in two-dimensional space. Objects in 2D animation move up, down, left and right, but they don't move towards or away from the camera, like in 3D animation.
What is 3D animation process? In its simplest form, 3D animation is the process of creating three-dimensional moving images in a digital environment. 3D models within a 3D software are carefully manipulated to make them look like real moving objects. ... The same principle is used in 2D or stop animation.
How many types of VFX are there?
three main types:
CGI,
Compositing
Motion Capture
What is VFX pipeline? The VFX pipeline refers to the various stages of production required to add visual effects to a film. The pipeline helps to organize each department so that every artist knows their role, and a production can move along within the allocated timeline.
How do animations work in games?
In games you need to create animations that respond to gameplay, storytelling, mixing both together and dealing with a few other things. Most animations are short and as they are combined to each other they make the character move with attitude and conviction.
A Brief List of Skills needed.
Key skills for animators
Creativity.
Artistic talent.
A knack for storytelling.
Attention to detail.
Ability to work under pressure.
Ability to meet tight deadlines.
What skills do you need to be a 3D animator? If becoming a 3D animator seems like a dream job, consider honing these talents. The skills include creativity, teamwork, attention to detail, quick learning, good memory, organizational skills, and passion for 3D animation. Any artist needs to have creativity pouring out of their heart and soul.
Now the main event.
Key Note Speaker of the Day: 31/05/2021.
Ken Anderson.
Kenny Anderson has 15 years of experience in character design and digital art for games, animation, and illustration. You can check out some of his amazing work at https://www.charactercube.com/
Key Note Speaker of the Day: 14/06/2021.
Jessica Leslau.
Jessica has been working as an animation assistant and layout artist for 9 years in the industry. She's fresh off Love Death Robots season 2, and worked on films such as , Ethel and Ernest, We're Going on a Bear Hunt, The Tiger Who Came to Tea, Isle of Dogs, and Dolittle.
Key Note Speaker of the Day: 02/07/2021.
Freya Hotson.
Freya graduated from DJCAD Animation 10 years ago, and has since led an extremely successful career as a 2D animator working on a huge range of awesome projects. Most recently, she was a character animator on the latest Love, Death & Robots series from Netflix, and is able to share some of her work with us.
Key Note Speaker of the Day: 12/07/2021.
Scott Yorke.
Scott is a lead lighting, rendering and compositing artist at Axis Studios in Glasgow. Scott is also a fellow DJCAD graduate, and has worked on a huge range of epic projects since finishing the undergraduate course.
Industry Positions from Pitch to Screen in Animation.
Source of Information: https://www.screenskills.com/starting-your-career/job-profiles/animation/
Production Management Department.
Director:
Directors hold the creative vision of an animated film or TV series. They work out the style of the animation; its mood, how it will look and how it will sound. They share the vision and get everyone working towards it.
Directors sometimes create the original designs for characters. They direct the teams working on the design, storyboard, layout and background animation. Sometimes they recruit the teams too.
When an animation involves voice actors, directors work with them to get the kind of performance that they need. Sometimes actors are needed to act out scenes for animators to capture and imitate. Directors work with the actors for this too.
Directors are responsible for the quality of the edited film. When all the animation frames have been assembled, edited together and the sound added, the director signs off on it; this is what is known as the director’s cut.
On large projects there is usually an animation director as well as a director. In these cases, the director is in overall charge and delegates the day-to-day management of the animation department to the animation director. On small projects, such as some commercials or music videos, there’s just the one role and it might be called director or animation director.
Directors can be employed by an animation studio or they might work as freelancers.
Producer:
Producers have overall responsibility for an animation production. They manage the director and all the other departments to ensure a project’s delivered on time, within budget and to the best creative brief.
Sometimes producers start with an idea for an animation. Then they get financial backing from distributors or broadcasters to produce it. This means producers need to be able to predict production costs well and propose a budget.
Producers also have a deep understanding of animation and its creative possibilities. They allow the animators the freedom to experiment, at the same time as keeping the production on schedule.
Animation producers can be employed by animation production companies or studios. Depending on the size of the studio, producers’ work can be different. For instance, in larger companies, producers may be more focused on management, whereas, in smaller companies, there is more potential for producers to oversee creative decisions. Some producers freelance and move between companies.
Producers are always looking for opportunities to finance their productions. They think of all the ways they can bring in money, including raising finance through merchandise. They go to film, TV or arts festivals to meet people who might be able to fund projects or work as partners. The role of a producer can vary depending on the job or project and the skills or experience of the other producers and executive producers.
Production Coordinator:
Production coordinators keep everything in the animation pipeline running smoothly by supporting all departments with their production requirements.
They are responsible for creating and maintaining asset databases and for tracking the delivery of assets to third parties. They schedule and attend reviews and can be responsible for taking detailed notes. They can be responsible for checking stocks of and reordering studio supplies, as well as organising couriers and shipments.
Production coordinators help with the accounts by processing invoices and keeping the petty cash records. They can provide holiday cover for other members of the production team.
Their role will vary slightly depending on the size of the company that they’re employed by. If they’re working for a larger production company, they may be responsible for uploading and delivering completed animated series episodes to broadcasters and animated films to distribution partners. If they are working for a small independent production company, they may be required to work on reception.
Runner:
Runners keep an animation project running as smoothly as possible by assisting the work of the production management department of an animation studio.
They are the most junior members of the department and do any number of administrative jobs. Their role varies depending on the size of the company they’re working for. In smaller companies, they support all the departments, whereas, in larger companies, they may specifically help the production coordinator.
Runners’ responsibilities might include:
Taking notes in production meetings and distributing reports to the appropriate people
Organising and logging incoming and outgoing materials
Maintaining databases and spreadsheets for tracking work progress and workflows
Dealing with script preparation and printing for voice recording sessions
Doing general office jobs like answering the phone, filing paperwork and entering data
Booking travel and accommodation
Some animated projects, including animated TV series, outsource the animation part of the production abroad. In these cases, runners may be responsible for scanning and labelling the storyboards and any associated documentation for shipping.
Runners are usually employed by animation studios. They don’t tend to be freelance, but might be employed on a short-term contract.
Development.
Writer:
Animation writers develop story ideas and present them in the form of scripts. Their scripts are used by storyboard artists and directors to work out the visual art style of a project.
Writers either work on an original idea or contribute to an existing project, such as a TV programme or series. They come up with a story, and then an outline of what happens in each scene. Finally, they write the full script, including dialogue and action. This gets pitched to a producer or animation film studio. For ongoing animated TV series, writers can pitch an episode to producers with a view to being commissioned for that particular episode.
Sometimes the commission happens the other way around. A producer or a studio has an idea of an animation or animated TV series they would like to make and then they commission a writer to write the screenplay, or scripts for episodes.
Animation writers are more descriptive than writers on live action projects. In live action, it’s up to the director to interpret what the action will look like and how the characters will act, whereas, in an animation, the writers put in all those details. For example, in a live-action screenplay, a writer might put: “a girl comes round the corner and bumps into a boy.” In an animation, a writer would write: “a girl rushes round the corner looking panicked, arms flailing, and collides with a boy. They both fall to the ground with a thud and the papers he is carrying fly into the air and flutter around them.”
Writers are usually freelance, but sometimes big studios will have their own staff who work as writers.
Concept Artist:
Concept artists come up with ideas for the look of the animation. They draw the very first sketches. Their artwork is then used as a reference point for animators and background and character designers further down the line.
Concept artists are usually freelancers. They produce artwork to a brief from an animation studio and work with them to find a visual style that works. It’s important that they communicate well with the client to understand what they want. They will often have to go back and redo their designs several times before they find something the studio is happy with. Sometimes the first passes are quick and loose for a fast turnaround. Other times, they add more detail and quality. They use computer software as well as hand-drawing and painting to create their art.
Concept art is the earliest exploration of looks and ideas and is often used as part of a pitch to sell a project, film or series, before production is underway.
Pre-Production Department.
Head of Story:
Heads of story are in charge of turning the writer’s words and the director’s vision into a visual representation of the narrative. They produce series of panels to plan the action, staging and camera choices in 3D digital shots or 2D animation frames. They also work to ensure continuity between animated scenes.
Depending on the production, the panels might consist of rough drawings, or cleaner artwork. If the panels are being sent overseas to be animated, for example, more accurate and detailed drawings are necessary. For computer-generated (CG) animated films, detailed drawings are less important. Heads of story can draw their panels in any medium, but often combine different kinds of software to get the results they need. Once these have been edited together, they form the basis of the production team’s animations.
Heads of story work closely with the director to develop and structure the story. They often contribute to the writing and editing of a film or series. They manage and inspire a team of storyboard artists. They present sequences, animatics, or reels, to allow signoff for the next stage of production, often managing multiple revisions and variations in the process.
Heads of story might work in-house at an animation studio or they might work on a freelance basis.
Storyboard Artist:
Storyboard artists help the head of story create a visual representation of the animation’s narrative. Storyboard artists translate the script and the director’s vision into pictures. They produce a series of panels of images to plan the shots and ensure continuity between them. These form the basis for the animation in the next stage of production.
Storyboard artists may be asked to complete partly-drawn panels and ensure they are in the right style for the animation project. Depending on the production, the storyboard panels might need to be cleaned up (in terms of the lines and sharpness of the image), so that the drawings are tighter and more accurate. If the panels are being sent overseas to be animated this is particularly important.
Storyboard artists might also need to fill in background details or they may be asked to revise scenes already drawn by senior artist. They may be required to work using various different types of software to prepare panels for editorial.
Storyboard artists usually work in-house at the animation studio.
Art Director:
Art directors are responsible for the visual style of the animation. They decide how the characters, props and environments are going to look and provide a basis for the rest of the art department to work from.
Art directors start by examining the script and working with the director to understand the vision for the film or TV programme. They then create their designs and determine the tone, mood and colour palettes.
The work of an art director is more specific and directive than the work of a concept artist. Art directors determine the design ‘language’ of the film, which requires them to have an understanding of what the final, on-screen image will look like and how to get there. They work with the concept artists to develop sketches and artwork that communicate the artistic vision to the rest of the crew.
Generally, art directors produce 2D designs (drawings or paintings) regardless of what the final format of the animation will be, although it’s becoming more common for early design work to be done directly and digitally in 3D. This work is presented to the director and producerand possibly to investors in the project.
Art directors are involved throughout the project up to its release, acting as a supervisor to the other artists, such as modellers, character designers and background designers. This is a job that involves a lot of communicating with people and needs strong management skills. They are responsible for ensuring all artwork is of a high quality and in keeping with the director’s vision. They are also responsible for making sure everyone in the art department stays on budget and on schedule. Art directors are sometimes employed as freelancers working on a project by project basis.
Character Designer:
Character designers visualise and create the look of individual characters. They work from descriptions given to them by the director. These might include notes on a character’s personality as well as physical traits. Character designers take inspiration from the script and concept art to design characters. They communicate the characters’ personalities through artwork of facial expressions and physical poses.
Character designers carry out research into the anatomy of characters and relevant fashion styles to inform their work. This role relies heavily on drawing ability. Characters are drawn on paper or digitally. Character designers create a variety of designs, usually including multiple designs for a single character. They present these to the director and address any of the director’s feedback to achieve a result that they are happy with.
Once a design has been approved, character designers create ‘model sheets’ which show the character from different angles. In 3D animation, these will be used by the modellers to create the characters. In 2D animation, the animator uses the model sheets to ensure each frame of animation is “on model”. Storyboard artists will also look at these designs to incorporate them into their work as the project progresses. Character designers are often employed by an animation studio rather than freelancing.
Modeller/Model Maker:
Modellers or model makers build the digital or physical versions of everything that is seen on screen in an animation. They translate concept art, character designs and environment designs into models ready to be animated.
They work in-house at an animation studio. In bigger animation studios, there might be modellers or model makers dedicated specifically to character modelling or prop modelling. In smaller studios these are more general roles.
In stop-motion animation the role is known as ‘model maker’. In 3D computer-generated animation, it’s usually known as ‘modeller’.
Stop-motion animation Model makers create physical models of the characters and other objects out of modelling clay or other materials. They create lots of identical versions of the characters to be moulded in different ways for different scenes. To do this, they break down the design for a character into simple, easy to construct shapes. The job can involve a variety of skills including sculpting, mould making, casting foam, latex or silicone, fettling (trimming or cleaning the rough edges), metal working, welding, painting, finishing and costume making.
Model makers need to establish colour themes and consider and test materials for construction. They also need to think about the scale of the model in comparison to sets and props. A head model maker will often be in charge of these decisions, as well as hiring crew and liaising with outside suppliers. They consider technical, timing and budget restrictions. Large studios might also have a model-making team leader who supervises a team of model makers.
3D CG animation Modellers create digital versions of the characters and props, which can then be ‘rigged’ to be animated. They start by creating a wire framework. They then sculpt around this to develop how the model looks from all angles.
Modellers provide initial feedback to designers on whether a design is going to be possible to model to then be rigged and animate or not. Therefore, good communication with designers, riggers, animators and the director is very important. Modellers need to keep their work ‘on model’ (in the art style of a project) and meet the creative and technical requirements of the project. Riggers can then develop the joints and rig (points of articulation) of characters, using the model frame created by the modeller. These two steps enable models to be able to be animated. Often in smaller to mid-sized studios, the modeller is responsible for texturing and colouring the model themselves.
Background Designer:
Background designers design the scenery around, or on top of, where the animation happens. Once the storyboard has been signed off, they use the storyboard panels as a basis and inspiration from which to create detailed backgrounds for each scene.
Sometimes multiple scenes will use the same background, so, firstly, they need to make a list of all the backgrounds that need to be designed for the film. They create designs which fit the style of the animation, thinking about colour, texture and light. Background designers also watch out for the way objects in the foreground and background of scenes will interact and make sure that everything lines up appropriately and that nothing is too distracting.
They present these designs to the director and address any of their feedback to create a scene with which the director is happy. Once approved, these designs can be refined with line and tone, often by a layout artist.
The role of a background designer varies depending on the size of the animation studio. In smaller studios they are likely do the role of a layout artist and a background designer. In larger studios, these roles will be divided between different people.
Background designers are usually employed as staff in an animation studio, rather than being freelance.
Where does the background design come in the animation pipeline?
Animation is created through a process in which creatives contribute to the final animation at different stages. This process is known as the pipeline. The pipeline starts with an idea which is developed into a script. Then a storyboard artist sketches the panels which map out the scenes of the animation. That’s where background designers come in. They draw the backgrounds while the character designers create the figures. Once those elements are in place, the layout artist decides how the figures should be placed in the background.
Production.
Rigger:
Riggers create digital skeletons for 3D computer-generated (CG) characters. These skeletons, or rigs, are like puppets that define the movements of a character or creature, such as how a big cat runs or how a person’s face and mouth move when they sing or how someone raises an eyebrow. They are used by animators as the basis for the movements of their characters.
Riggers start with 3D models in a static pose, created by the modellers. They then create the network of movements for that character. For a singing character, they create rigs for the mouth, tongue, eyes, ears, arms and belly, as well as one for how these parts move together.
Animators test rigs and then give feedback to riggers who complete any requested fixes or improvements. The process will continue until both the riggers and the animators are happy with the rigged models (the 3D puppets).
Riggers usually work with characters, but they can also create rigs for anything that moves in an animation.
They can be freelance or they can be employed by an animation studio.
Animator:
Animators create still images that are played in a rapid sequence to create the illusion of movement. They are artists, actors and storytellers. They know how characters show emotion and a have a good, technical understanding of the way things move. They make a believable world through the blend of realism and artistry. Animators take a visual brief from a storyboard and a verbal brief from a director. From the brief, they create the drawings, models or computer images in a way that gives the illusion of movement. This ability to translate the brief into movement is at the heart of all animation. Within that, there are different kinds of animators:
2D or traditional animators Examples of productions: Ethel & Ernest, Horrid Henry, The Tiger who Came to Tea 2D animators draw each frame by hand. Nowadays, animators tend to draw into animation software with a graphics pen and tablet. 2D animators don’t necessarily produce the finished ‘line’ seen on screen. They concentrate more on the overall action and character performance in a scene. They will usually produce a few clean, on model drawings as needed, for the assistant animator to follow. These are known as tie-downs. 2D assistant animators, also known as in-betweeners, clean-up artists Assistant animators take the animator’s drawings, make each frame precisely on model and apply the final ‘line’ that will be seen on screen. This is known as clean up. They will often have to fill in frames that the animator did not need to produce. To do this they follow the animators ‘charting’ - visual instructions left for the assistant animator as to where missing drawings should come in the timeline. This is known as in-betweening. They might also lip sync, which means drawing the mouth in a way that lines up with the speech. 2D rigging animators, also known as puppet animators Examples of productions: Charlie and Lola, Peppa Pig 2D puppet animators work with rigged models that are reminiscent of shadow puppets, with lots of separate moving parts that are interlinked. The kit of parts is often produced by the art department. The animator then uses the available assets to animate the character as detailed on the storyboard. 3D or CG Animators Examples of productions: Digby Dragon, Go Jetters 3D animators use computers to fill in the frames of their computer-drawn models. The movement of their models is pre-programmed through a moving skeleton, or rig. 3D animators animate the most important frames - key frames. This is known as blocking the shot. Then they either draw the in-between shots by hand or allow the computer to do the rest of the work through the rig in a process known as interpolation. During pre-production, 3D animators test the rig and check it will work for their characters. Stop-motion animators Examples of productions: Shaun the Sheep, Postman Pat, Isle of Dogs Stop-motion animators work with puppets or models made from clay or other materials. They move the models of characters by tiny amounts, one frame at a time, so they can be photographed and recorded, as though moving continuously in a sequence. On a large-scale project, such as a feature film, stop-motion animators can be hired for particular skills. For example, some animators might be especially good at working with action, others with charm, comedy or dialogue; some might excel in animating certain characters, others in non-creature objects. Common materials for stop-motion animation include clay or Plasticine, paper, or action figures like Lego. Animators often work in large teams, which means they need all to be capable of adhering to the same look and animation style. They can work for animation studios, film studios or TV production companies. They may also be freelancers.
Animation Technical Director (TD):
Animation TDs program digital tools to improve and speed up the workflow of artists in the animation department of a project.
Animation TDs work with the animation software, developing and testing tools, custom features and add-ons, and making sure it does the best job possible for the animators and layout artists.
They also make themselves available to solve their colleagues’ problems. If an animator or layout artist has a technical problem, they turn to the animation TDs for advice on how to fix it.
Animation TDs need to have a good understanding of how the various artist roles in an animation department use animation software. They use analytics to monitor the workflow of the company or studio and streamline operations.
Animation TDs are usually employed by animation studios.
Layout Artist:
Layout artists begin their work at the start of an animation production, after the storyboard and the look of the project have been agreed upon. Layout artists determine the depth and perspective of what is displayed on screen. The way that this is achieved varies depending on the kind of animation being produced. In traditional 2D hand-drawn animation, layout artists define the perspective of the animation frames by drawing the backgrounds. The relative size of the objects in the background of a flat image, as compared to the action in the foreground, influences how viewers perceive the scene. How large or small characters or other aspects of an animated scene appear to be influences how the audience feel. 2D layout artists base what will appear in the image on the storyboard, but they more clearly define what appears in an animation frame. In 3D animation, layout artists are the directors of photography (DoPs) in a virtual space. A DoP in a live-action movie makes decisions about lenses, camera angles and camera movements. In a 3D animation, the layout artist makes the same decisions, but with a virtual camera within 3D animation software. 3D layout artists listen to the director to learn the desired style of virtual photography for the animation. Then they work from storyboards and tidy up the rough versions of the animation (known as animatics). They work out the timing and the placement of the characters at key points within each shot. This is known as blocking. They aim to keep a consistent scale to the elements within the frame, always working out how best to tell the story. They do a rough version of the lighting and produce the shots.
In stop-motion animation, there are no layout artists because this animation form is photographed by physical cameras and, therefore, there are actual DoPs. Layout artists can be employed by animation studios.
Lighting Artist:
Lighting artists light the scenes in an animation. Just as in live-action production, there is a director of photography and gaffer who decide what lights to use and where to place them, so there is a lighting artist in a computer-generated (CG) animation. The difference with an animation is that the lights are created through software and the lighting artist has complete control of what the effects will be.
Lighting artists use light to enhance the atmosphere, tone, depth and mood of a scene. They input different light effects depending on the factors in a frame or scene, such as the weather or the time of day. They make it clear where the light sources are meant to be in a scene.
There’s a technical side to digital animation lighting, which is sometimes done by lighting artists or by lighting technical directors (TDs), depending on the type of studio. Lighting artists light images in such a way that they are easy for the computers to render. They work to create colour keys, which are guides that indicate a range of colour hues in a scene. They use the shader settings to create effects like reflections and the appearance of wet surfaces.
Lighting artists are employed by animation companies or studios, advertisement agencies or graphic or web design companies. Otherwise, they may work as freelancers.
Effects Technical Director (FX TD):
Effects technical directors (FX TDs) create physics-based digital effects, such as explosions, smoke and water, that the animation artists can use in their shots and sequences. They make sure the effects look believable and also consistent with the style of the animation so that they blend seamlessly with the other art assets.
The role is both artistic and technical and so is ideal for problem-solvers with a good eye. FX TDs aim to meet the director’s vision, in terms of digital FX, with the resources available to them.
FX TDs work for animation companies or studios.
Compositor:
Compositors create the final image of a frame, shot or sequence. They take different digital elements; like the animations, background plates, graphics and special effects (SFX) and put them together to make a believable picture. They are responsible for the composition of images and shots. They make these look good by way of how the different art assets and elements are digitally placed. Compositors enhance the lighting, create convincing shadows and add motion blur where required. They are also responsible for continuity; making sure art from different sources and different artists looks the same. They make sure the blacks and other colours match each other in the image. They spot mistakes and either correct them or send the work back through the pipeline to be improved. They ensure the overall style of the film is consistent and in line with the director’s vision. Some studios have junior compositor roles. Junior compositors help compositors by doing the simpler parts of the job, sometimes under supervision. They might match colours or add in shadows.
Post Production.
Sound Designer:
Sound designers create the soundscape for an animation. In animation, there are no natural sounds to work with (as there would be when filming live action) so everything sound in animation is created from scratch by sound designers.
Sound designers decide which sounds to use to create the right atmosphere and communicate the story and characters to the audience. They discuss with the director the kind of effect they want and then find creative ways to achieve this.
They might create sounds from scratch on the computer, known as synthesis, or record real life sounds to use, known as foley. Foley often involves recording one sound to use it as something else. For example, the sound of frying bacon can be used as a rain sound effect. They also use layering, combining multiple sounds to create one new one.
Animation sound designers need to be highly imaginative, especially when designing what a fantasy creature or environment might sound like and in term of how to produce those sounds.
Sound designers edit their chosen sounds and, using timecodes given to them by the director, put them into the film. They work to tight deadlines in post-production, determined by the delivery dates of the project. They are usually freelancers.
Composer:
Composers write original music for an animation. They write music to reflect and communicate the atmosphere, character's emotions, and the story. A film score has to work with the film, rather than as a standalone piece of music.
Composers for animation are usually given a brief at the start of the project, at the stage where storyboards are edited in time with the soundtrack (animatics) are being created. They create some demo recordings, which can be used in the animatic edit. In animation, music can really affect the timing of the edit so it’s important to get the composer involved early on. Then they can create a full score for the final film. Composers rewrite their score according to feedback from the director, producer and editor. A section of music might need to be a different length, highlight a different onscreen moment, or have a different feel to it.
Animation composers need to be aware of the genre they are composing for. Music for cartoon TV shows will often be quite clichéd and over the top, in keeping with the style of the animation and storytelling. For animations which include songs, like feature-length musicals, or TV shows with a theme song, the composer might be involved with writing these. Or this might fall to a different musician, with the composer sometimes scoring the backing for the songs.
On big-budget productions, composers prepare the score, usually on midi files, for the orchestrator and copyist. In most TV and lower budget films, composers do their own orchestrating. They also prepare the score's electronic aspects for the recording sessions and deliver the score to the producer, together with all recordable media. Composers often need strong music production, recording and performance skills in order to realise their works for projects as music budgets are generally tight. They are freelancers and usually work from their own home or office.
Editor:
Editors shape the whole animation. They craft the telling of the story from the start of the production to the finish.
At the beginning, they work with the writer, director. and producer, discussing the script and storyboard. They plan the different scenes and shots. They work out what will need to be animated and how scenes will be pieced together.
Once the animation work has been done, they arrange the final footage and prepare a rough cut, making revisions for the final cut which must be approved by the producer. Editors then oversee the incorporation of audio into the film, collaborating with sound designers and music editors.
Editing an animation is quite a different process to editing a live-action film or TV show. Animation is expensive and labour-intensive, so no footage is produced that hasn’t been precisely planned. In live-action, editors work with existing footage in post-production, choosing between a variety of shots. In animation, the whole film, including each of its scenes and their order, is planned out beforehand. So essentially, in animation, the editing happens first. Editors might either be employed by animation studios or work as freelancers.
Edit Assistant:
Edit assistants support the editor in putting all the parts of the animation together in the right order.
They keep a log of all materials coming into the editorial department. This can include storyboard panels, animated scenes, dialogue and sound effects, and the musical soundtrack. They output the film in different formats for clients and other departments as required. Sometimes they are asked to cut rough assemblies for the editor.
Edit assistants are sometimes responsible for administrative jobs such as booking sessions with clients and in-house staff for the editor. They make sure equipment is working and keep abreast of changes in software and technology. They also place orders with suppliers when needed.
Edit assistants aren’t freelance positions. They work in-house in animation studios.
Distribution.
Sales Executive:
Sales executives make it possible for an animated production to be shown - whether that be in a cinema, on a TV channel or streaming platform. They work on behalf of the producer to license the rights of the production to platforms or channels across the world.
Sales executives negotiate fees and commercial terms with platforms or channels. Their negotiations are based on their estimate of how much money the production will make at the box-office or through advertising or the sale of merchandise. In animation a much higher percentage of the revenue comes from merchandise than is the case with live-action movies. For example, Astley Baker Davies' Peppa Pig brand generates around £200m in UK sales of licensed products each year, which is 150 times its original production budget. It’s the job of the sales agent to accurately forecast this.
It’s usually smaller independent animation companies who need a sales executive as major companies have their work distributed by their subsidiary companies or an in-house team. Normally, an animation company needs to involve a sales executive before they start animating as they need deals to be secured as pre-sales before they spend money on production. Sales agents will pitch and promote the films to investors, platforms or channels using storyboards, scripts and concept artwork in the form of a pitch bible.
They are also responsible for promotion. They promote the films they represent at festivals and TV and film markets, invite film distributors to screenings and hold premiere parties. They assemble and organise the delivery of any physical film materials and are usually involved in developing the marketing plan.
Sales executives can work freelance or for a distribution company. They are continuously acquiring new content to sell from animators and they build relationships with clients all over the world, so the job usually involves travel.
Marketing Executive:
Marketing executives plan, develop and implement marketing campaigns to help persuade audiences to watch an animation. They work very closely with public relations (PR) and sales professionals.
When an animation is about to launch or go to broadcast, it’s promoted through a marketing campaign that can be targeted at either a trade (professionals or bodies of the relevant industry) or consumer audience. The campaign might involve print, TV, cinema, event and digital advertising.
Marketing executives need to have a good understanding of the product that they are marketing and the audience that they are trying to reach. They decide on the story to tell the audience, write the copy (words) and collaborate with creative partners to develop and deliver promotional material. They often coordinate market research projects and use the resulting data to assess the current effectiveness of campaigns to help with future ones.
Marketing executives prepare the marketing budget, bearing in mind income forecasts, acquisition costs and contract terms. If an animated film is being screened internationally, the campaign needs to be adapted to different cultures and countries, often working with separate distributors in each territory.
Some marketing executives also manage online communities, including social media accounts. In larger production companies there tend to be specialist roles for community management.
Marketing executives can be employed by film sales agencies, marketing agencies, production companies or broadcasters. Big production companies or animation studios will have their own marketing departments for their animated projects. Smaller ones will use a separate marketing company, agency or freelancer. For animated TV series, marketing executives may be employed by the broadcaster or channel, such as BBC Studios or Channel 4.
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