How An Animated Movie Is Made

Many people are familiar with the term “animator,” but few know what that actually means! That is not to say that most people don’t understand what it is, they just think there isn’t very much to it.

In this article we will take a closer look at what animators do by looking at some of the key roles they play during the production process as well as how they contribute to the final product.

We will also talk about one of the main things animators work on- animation! What makes them so famous is their talent for creating moving images.

But before getting into that, let us first have a quick look at the different stages in the filmmaking process where animators can be found.

Artistic development

As mentioned earlier, artists develop their skills by exploring new styles and techniques. An artist can learn something new every day! They may explore artistic concepts in still life painting or figure drawing, for example.

The trick is to look outside of your genre for inspiration. Artists take many different lessons from other fields, such as sculpture, illustration, photography, and so forth.

General art classes are great ways to expand your horizons. Many colleges offer them at the college level and some even have dedicated departments like Graphic Design or Photography.

These courses not only teach you about the field, they also give you the opportunity to try out what they do! You get to use your own brain and apply it towards creating beautiful images, which is one of the most important parts of being an artist.

Director's cut

As mentioned earlier, directors typically make two versions of their movie. The first is the director’s cut, which is usually completed around three months after filming has finished. This version is typically longer than the one that gets released, sometimes much longer!

The second version is the re-edit, or “theatrical release” edit. This is typically done about six to eight weeks later, just before the film is set to be shown in cinemas. During this time, the editor will go back through the footage looking for any mistakes or potential weaknesses the filmmaker could not fix during the initial editing process.

This is also the chance they have to really hone in on what makes the scene work and give it extra attention. They may also find new ways to shoot certain scenes so that the audience can connect more with the characters.

Understanding film language

A movie is made up of many different components that work together to tell a story. These components are categorized as either visual or verbal, and some mix both into one scene. This goes beyond just having people talking while things are happening, there’s actually a way to make sure everything in a movie has meaning.

When filmmakers do this they use what’s called “film language.” Film languages include such things like rhythm, proportion, repetition, contrast, harmony, and pattern. All these elements work together to create a sense of flow and consistency for the audience.

Rhythm refers to how quickly something happens in a given amount of time. In movies, there’s usually a rule about two minutes per minute of screen time. That means if a scene takes twenty seconds longer than your normal speed-reading track then it will feel too slow and drag out. If however, you read the same page of text in fifteen minutes then it feels fast because that’s how long it took you!

Proportion looks at how much space something occupies in relation to other things around it. A feature length movie can easily take up several hundred meters across so that’s why we measure movie lengths in kilometers instead of feet and yards.

Repetition uses components that have already been shown or said before so that you know what to look for.

Recognizing great animation

There are many ways to recognize great animated movies, but one of the most important things is understanding what makes for good storytelling. As you watch films, look out for examples of strong narrative structure and character development.

The way that stories are structured can make a big difference in how well they play with audiences. Films that focus more on action or jokes may be fun to watch, but they lack depth so eventually people will stop watching them.

There are several different styles of movie making that use different techniques to achieve this depth. Some of these include:

Framing storylines around characters instead of events

Using longer shots than close-ups

Making settings and scenes that feel natural

Showing off the craft of the filmmakers by doing things like using silhouettes or emphasizing shapes

In conclusion, there are many ways to tell a story through film! A lot of it comes down to how well you, as a viewer, understand the story and who the main characters are.