How To Make A Short Animated Film
Making an animated short film is much different than making any other type of movie. There are no stories, nor are there characters in an animated feature length film! You have instead got yourself a series of scenes that tell a story!
The hardest part about animating a short film is deciding how long each scene should be. You do not need to use all whole minutes of the video, but you must give your audience enough time to connect with the scene and/or the narrative.
This article will go over some basics of animation as well as discuss some tips for creating your own short films! So put down those crayons and pick up your digital camera, it’s time to make something beautiful!
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How To Make A Short Animation
Introduction
Making a short animated film is much different than making any other kind of movie.
Make a storyboard
A storyboard is an easy way to make your film. You can create yours using any software, such as Adobe Photoshop or Google Sketchup. These programs are free to use.
In the world of filmmaking, a storyboard is one of the most important tools. It helps you tell a narrative by clearly outlining what happens in each scene and how the scenes connect with each other.
A storyboard does this through a simple illustration (or “shot list”) and a written account of who, where, and when each shot occurs.
The two go hand-in-hand - without the writing, there would be no pictures! The picture would be just a vague idea that you cannot draw from. So, having both is crucial for creating a successful movie.
There are several types of storiesboards. Some have individual shots separated into separate illustrations, while others combine all of the same content together under one cover. Which style fits best depends on the movie and what feels natural to you.
Write your script
Writing is the most fundamental part of making a movie. A screenplay is a story told in prose, so make sure you know how to write a good story!
Screenwriting courses have become very popular in recent years. Many schools offer them at no cost or low cost to students. Some are totally online while others require some face-to-face interaction with other students and teachers.
Whatever style of class you choose, make sure it teaches you fundamentals such as plot, character, structure, etc. Beyond that, look for lessons on writing scripts for different genres (action, comedy, drama, sci-fi, etc.).
The best way to learn about screen writing is by reading books and doing exercise sheets and drills within those books. There are many great resources out there if you spend time looking through them.
After that, start writing! Try writing a short story or novel to test yourself on your ability to tell a tale. You can easily get help for this by using free writing websites and apps.
Fund your film
Now that you have an idea for a movie, it is time to start looking into how to make your movie! First, you will need to fund your production. This can be done in several ways, but most of them include producing or filming yourself as part of the project. Producing means gathering enough money to cover all of the expenses involved in making the film, such as paying artists and writers, buying equipment, etc.
Filming yourself includes finding a place to do it (most likely free) and investing in necessary gear such as a camera. The hardest part about this option is figuring out what style of filmmaking you want to pursue.
There are many different types of filmmakers, so deciding which one fits you is important next. For example, if you love action scenes then directing those may be our best bet. If you enjoy acting more than anything else, definitely consider doing a role on your own movie!
If you would like to try out being a filmmaker before diving in head first, there are plenty of ways to learn without having access to large amounts of cash. Some of the ways to learn include creating a YouTube channel, starting a Instagram account, and reading tutorials online.
Pick a cast and crew
There’s no universal set formula for making an animated short film, but having a team that is willing to work together and support each other in creative endeavours is a key ingredient. Your characters need to be self-aware and likeable, so people will want to watch them interact for a few minutes.
Your director needs to be able to motivate others and lead a project towards a targeted goal. They should enjoy filmmaking and have time management skills, as well as the ability to prioritize tasks.
Producers are usually hired because of their knowledge or connections to similar projects. As such, they can help you connect with other professionals and get necessary resources for your movie.
Writers create narrative sequences by putting events into scenes and organizing those scenes into paragraphs. A good writer can make even the most mundane topic interesting!
Artists bring energy to a production through visual expression and creativity. Animators use drawing, painting, and computer software to construct stories and designs.
Shoot your film
A short movie does not have to be fully animated or feature any speaking characters. You can actually start filming by yourself using camera apps such as YouTube, Google Camera, IOS Cam, or Photoshop!
There are many free online tools that make it easy to create an animation of anything for anyone. No matter what kind of filmmaking you want to pursue, there is always something new and inspiring you can learn from the internet.
Making a short movie doesn’t require very much equipment or time, and you don’t need special training to do it. There are plenty of ways to get started beyond just buying a camera!
You can find all sorts of helpful information and tips anywhere you look.
Edit your film
The next step in making your short movie is editing! This is probably the most important part as you will spend a large amount of time working on your project before launching it into people’s hands.
You will need to edit your film down at least twice, if not many more times after that. The first round of cuts can be very brutal - trying out different styles and approaches to see what works and doesn’t. You don’t want to waste too much time on something that doesn’t work so make sure everything you create is worth keeping.
The second cut should be much less harsh than the first one. Use this time to hone your craft and improve upon anything that needs fixing or tweaking. Don’t worry about perfection yet though, especially when it comes to music - our voice for the character usually says enough!
Once both edits have been made, your final product should be around 5-7 minutes long.
Finish your film
Once you have done all of the above, it is time to start editing! The first thing to do is save your final project as an AVI (or MOV) file so that you can upload it online or use a video editor to edit it.
This will depend on what software you are using to create yours. Most good digital artists/creators have this tool built in already!
Once saved, begin editing by importing your movie into the appropriate app. You want to make sure there are no sync issues while editing, so test yours out before completing!
After testing, you now need to choose which format to put your movie in. This depends on the device being used to view it.
Publish your film
After you have finished filming your short, it’s time to publish it! Once your video is fully edited, you can choose to make it publicly available through YouTube or other streaming sites, or keep it private so that only people who have subscribed to your channel can view it.
If you want to ensure that your work gets seen, the best way to do this is to create an account for yourself on one of the many free hosting websites like WordPress, Squarespace, or Google Sites. These allow you to upload your videos and let the community spread them for you!
Your username will be linked to your films, which helps promote both you and your work. For more tips, read our article: how to start writing your movie script.