How To Make An Animated Film
Creating your first movie can be tricky, even for experienced filmmakers. There are many different styles of creating feature length animations, so it is very possible to get confused as to what goes into making a film.
In this article we will go over some basics of how to make your own animated short or feature film. We will discuss things such as storyboards, character designs, settings, filming techniques, etc.
Fund your film
Now that you have a good idea of what it takes to make an animated feature, the next step is figuring out how to finance it. There are many ways to do this, and most come with their own set of rules and regulations. Some things to consider include - how much money you have in the bank, whether or not you have connections, and how well you market yourself and your product.
In fact, one of the biggest reasons some people get stuck in the process of bringing their movie into fruition is because they don’t quite know where to find the necessary funding. It can be tricky!
That’s why I have compiled a list of every little detail about financing an animated feature.
Write a script
Writing a movie is not a simple task, especially if you are new to writing or even creating stories. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by all of the different steps involved in producing a film, from finding your story idea to developing it, drafting a screenplay, filming the movie, editing it, and then marketing it!
Finding a way to motivate yourself to write every step of this process can be tough at times. That’s why many people start with someone else’s script - they want to read a book without putting in any effort to learn how to do that themselves, so they choose a script instead.
It’s the same thing when starting as a writer for animation. You may find a good script you like, and you could probably make changes to it and improve it, but sometimes there's no need to take such a hands-on approach.
Instead, you can pick up a genre that already has lots of great scripts written in it and modify it to fit your needs, or create your own original material.
Make a storyboard
An animated film is very much like a normal movie except it is not real-time. It is instead made up of several scenes or episodes that are connected together to make one continuous narrative.
In between each scene, the filmmaker inserts a break or transition. These can be still shots, voice over narration, backdrops, or anything else he/she wants to include.
The reason for this is so the audience does not get distracted and lose interest. If there was no break, then they would have to watch as one long event which could easily distract them.
There are many ways to start making your own movie! The easiest way is by creating a storyboard. A storyboard is just a collection of pictures and descriptions organized in order to tell a story.
Your stories do not need to be too complicated. Try writing a short story using different pictures and descriptions to create your story board.
Produce your film
The next step in making your own animated movie is to actually produce it! This includes finding the right team, paying for production costs, and creating the script.
Once you have all of those things under control, producing can be quite difficult. There are many different types of producers that play various roles during filming.
This could include giving direction to the crew or taking charge of certain aspects. A producer’s job is to make sure everything goes smoothly and that everyone has what they need to do their jobs.
They typically don’t work directly with actors and writers but instead talk to them about their role so people know who they are working with.
A good producer will also keep you motivated and encourage you to pursue your dreams. While money may not be the most important thing to you as a filmmaker, she/he will make sure you get what you want because they take care of their colleagues.
Market your film
Now that you have a script, you can start to market your movie! While making the animation is definitely a team effort, marketing it is mostly one person’s job. This person is usually referred to as the filmmaker or producer.
They oversee all aspects of production - budget, timeline, tone, etc - to ensure everything goes smoothly for the rest of the crew. The more prepared and organized the producer is, the better our filmmakers will be able to work under us!
Producers also typically find distribution for their films, manage studio relationships, create media strategies, coordinate with other departments (for example, art, writing, editing), and so on.
Get your film seen
As we mentioned earlier, making an animated feature is a long process that can take anywhere from six months to years depending on how much time it takes to get funding. But you must be aware of this before starting!
While getting your movie made is a lot more expensive than making a normal shortfilm, there are ways to get your project shown in order to earn some money.
You could try showing your film at festivals such as Sundance or Cannes, but these take place every year and are very competitive. What most people don’t know is that not all films need to be shown during those events to succeed!
There are many different online platforms where you can show your film and hopefully make some income off of it.
Be consistent
As mentioned before, story is what makes a film successful. Consistency is one of the biggest factors in telling your stories. If you tell one story tone and style-wise, then switch up the plot or situation, that will show!
If you notice, many animated films have similar settings, characters, and storylines. This is because the writers write very well, creating rich characters and situations that stay with you for hours after you watch them.
The writers also use direct dialogue and narratively effective scenes to get their points across. These are some of the things that can be translated into yours if you are trying to become an animator!
As writer, it is important to know how to develop your writing skills so that you do not suffer from writer’s block. When you feel like you cannot add anything more to a scene or article due to a lack of material, take time away to work through those thoughts and feelings.
Connect with other filmmakers
An animated film is very different from any other type of movie you have seen before. It is not live action filming, nor are there any still pictures or videos mixed in. All of the scenes are done completely via animation! This means everything is filmed as if it was really happening (no trick photography!).
Filmmakers work together to make sure their shots look realistic and authentic. Because nothing is actually happening, special effects can be used to enhance the scene. For example, when someone runs through a field, they do not need to use expensive green screen technology or fake grass. They will create an empty space and add in some basic physics that help convey the effect of running through vegetation.
Another key part of making an animated feature is writing creative scripts. Even though no one is speaking, each character needs a unique script that advances the story.
After creating your characters, find a way to connect with them. What types of clothes does she/he wear? What are his/her hobbies? What does he/she like about her/himself? A good starting point for conversations is asking how their day went. Or ask if anyone has something they would like to talk about.
Planning a wedding is similar to writing a screenplay. The bride and groom want to spend time with each other so they discuss what time of year, place, and mood they hope to experience. Then, they research local vendors and find ones they feel comfortable using.