Everything we see before us, at a certain time, was different than what it is now. When it comes to Videos or animated Movies, they have gone through different processes to be what they are now. Depending on the approaches used and techniques employed, some might not be completely produced digitally on computers. In this industry, it does not matter which method has been used, because every work will have a lot of its work done behind the scene.
The process of creating an animated movie is a tour de force, and it also consumes a lot of time. Its different processes require a lot of dedication and hard work, creativity, and patience. Behind the scene of any Movie, there is a professional team. A team of talented artists, animators, designers, writers, and technicians, and these people bring the story to life. In this article, I’m going to take a look at the different things that happen behind the scene and those things that the animators have to deal with.
The development of the Idea and the Animated Movies
The most important step in creating an animated movie is to have a concept, idea or come up. Because without a concept or idea, there would not be any story and; therefore, no Movie at all. This concept or idea could be anything such as a story, a character, a theme, or even a moral message. It can be that the animators want to tell their audience about. Once there is an idea and it has been shaped, the animators are going to need to create a plot. Then, they are going to design and create the characters. Creation based on the plot and sequence of events they have decided upon.
Characters are the heart of any animated Movies (or anything really, whether it is a game or even a movie). They need to be designed carefully, so they can bring joy to the audience and attract their attention. The animators need to first have some sketches and illustrations of the characters they have in mind. Then, they need to experiment with them, creating different shapes, colors, and features. They have to continue it until they have found the perfect look for the Movie. Also. found the means they want to convey to the audience.
Storyboarding in Animated Movies
Storyboarding is what we have named the process of turning the story and the selected characters into a visual representation of the story using sketches and illustrations with the help of various Animation techniques and using different approaches. This helps the animators to plan the different details of the scenes and organize them the way they want them to be and visualize the animation before they start animating.
The storyboard is one of the most important tools in the making of Animation at the disposal of the animator. As it helps the team to visualize the story, to imagine how it would be once it is done. What possible flaws it would have? What make the necessary changes before they start animating? The storyboards are reviewed and revised until the desired level is achieved. So, they are perfect – and this process can be repeated endlessly. The animators are confident that they have captured and shown the essence of the story. So, they have represented it in the best way possible to maximize its effect.
Animated Movies
The animated movie process is where the magic happens. This is also the hardest and the longest part. This part takes a lot of preparation and even once the preparations are over, an unbelievably long time must be spent animating everything that had been prepared before. This is where the characters come to life, and the story is brought to the screen. All the details, plots, interactions, events, etc. that the animators had in mind in the previous stage take its form here.
Sometimes, however, certain limitations such as time, computing power, available technique, or many other things might prevent the idea from taking its form the way the animators had in mind. Animators use a combination of traditional and digital techniques to create the Animated Movie. Although, as we move forward and newer technologies and techniques are becoming available, traditional techniques and approaches have been replaced by modern and digital ones.
Traditional Techniques
The traditional technique involves drawing each frame by hand. Sometimes, a single frame might take a long while since the result might not be to the liking of the animator and create a satisfactory result, thus, forcing them to redraw it again. Also, depending on how much quality is important for the animators, they will have to draw on more paper to create a precise and satisfactory frame
Digital Techniques
On the other hand, there are digital techniques animators can use. Digital techniques are quite different than the traditional approach of hand drawing everything, although, that does not mean they do not have any drawing at all. While drawing, whether the traditional approach is taken or whether the animators have decided to be more modern, the animators create the movements, expressions, and emotions of the characters. This will add depth and personality to the characters, it also makes them look more realistic and alive. As a result, the story will also look much livelier and better.
The movie process takes a lot of effort and time, and it can take years to complete. Although the amount of time it takes depends on the complexity of the movie and how many details are going to be put into work by the animators. It involves creating thousands of frames, each one slightly different from the previous one, to create the illusion of movement. Although, some of the techniques and approaches to animated movie use different methods to achieve the movement of characters.
Voice Recording in Movies
Voice recording is yet another very important part of making an animated movie. The animators usually hire voice actors to voice the characters – they might sometimes do it themselves too, but that usually does not happen as voicing characters requires knowledge and experience in the job, and they record the dialogues in a studio. The job of a voice actor is to bring the characters to life, and their performances can make or break the movie. This part is so important that many studios hire the best voice actors out there, not only to be sure that the job is well done but also because a well-known voice actor can attract the audience for the animated movie.
The voice recording process is done separately from the movie. When creating the animated movie, these dialogues have already been written and prepared, and the movements of characters and their facial expressions have been adjusted based on them. Thus, when syncing the voice on the movie, there wouldn’t be any problem. If a problem occurs, animators can always go back and make any necessary changes to either the movements of their characters or their facial expression. In the process of creating the animated movie, this step is a must, as it ensures that the characters’ movements and their facial expressions and the also the movement of their mouths and lips match their speech. This is done in order to create a natural and realistic experience for the audience.
Sound Design
Sound design is the process where the creation of sound effects, music, and background score for the animation happens. This is done after the animation has been completed, the voice actors have done their job and the dialogues that are meant for characters have been finished and synced on the movie. During this stage, sound designers use their creativity and technical skills to enhance the viewing experience. This is done by adding certain sounds to where they are needed. For example, the sound of glass breaking cannot be produced by the voice actors Thus, it is produced and added to the animation on the stage. Also, it might be deemed necessary to add background music to the animation, to make it an enhanced feeling of realism.
There are different techniques sound designers can use to achieve the effect they desire. They usually use a combination of recorded sounds and synthesized sounds to create the effects. They usually have massive archives of different sounds. Sounds already made for different things that are universal. That is, they can happen to everyone in every place at almost any time. For example, they might have over a hundred different recorded sounds of the breaking of a glass. They also work closely with composers to enhances the effect of the story and the characters. A piece of well-composed background music can massively boost how well the scenes are perceived and understood by the audience.
Final Production
The final production is where all the elements of the movie come together. That means the Animators have gathered all their thoughts on what they want to create. Even on what their story or plot should be about, also what their characters are going to look like. Also, they have finished the creation of the animation and are decided it serves their purposes. They have finished recording the dialogues, and tunes and edited them, and have added and synced them with the animation. Also, they have also made any necessary changes to the animation. Lastly, they have composed and synced any special sound or music with the animation. The animators, sound designers, and composers have to work very hard and do so together to create the final product, edit and refine the animation until it meets the animators’ visions, and goals, and gives the feeling of satisfaction.
The stage of final production is where the process of creating the final cut of the movie happens. This is where special effects are added, colors are graded, and every other finished touch is applied to the animation. Once every final touch is made, all the changes are applied, the animation is finally complete, and it is ready for release.
Conclusion
Making an animated movie is not a simple process, but quite the opposite. It is a very hard process that consumes a lot of time. It is a process that involves a lot of creativity, hard work, and dedication. Also takes a lot of patience on the side of animators.
The animators start with an idea and try to bring it to life by bringing it to paper. They develop the story and characters by constantly refining them so they meet their standards. They finally move on to create the animation. Once the creation of the animation is done, they will start the process of recording the dialogues. After the voice actors have done their job and the dialogues are voiced, composers are going to design any necessary sound based on what has been created so far. Finally, the production of the animation is completed and it is ready to be released.
Behind every animated movie, there is a team of talented artists, animators, designers, writers, and technicians. A team who have had to work very hard to bring the story to life in the form the animation. The result of the labor and talent is a masterpiece, it has managed to capture and bring to life. The imaginations and hearts of millions of people around the world. For get success in this industry, without a doubt, you are going to need the help of a professional team. Luckily for you, there is one such team nearby: Pixalent.com. They are exactly whom you need. A team of young, talented, and experienced professionals who have worked with and aided many different groups including big companies, TV channels, and commercial groups. Good luck
