How To Make An Animated Movie For Beginners

Making your first movie is a fun way to learn about storytelling, editing, and production. There are many ways to make your movie interactive or feature animation! If you want more creative control, then animated movies may be the best fit.

Making an animated movie comes with its own set of challenges but nothing too difficult unless you do not take things seriously. You will probably have to invest in some expensive software or tools, but these can easily be found online or through YouTube tutorials.

There are many ways to start making your first film, so here are our top tips for how to make an animated movie for beginners.

Fund your movie

One of the first things you will need to do is fund your movie! This can be done in many ways, but most people start off by using YouTube to create their film.

A lot of people begin making movies with very expensive software or complicated equipment, which is great if you have access to those resources, but not everyone does.

That’s all right though, you don’t have to be rich to make a movie! In fact, it’s much easier than some people think. You can create amazing looking films using free and low cost softwares and tools. All you really need to know how to use is Adobe Photoshop and Microsoft PowerPoint.

Adobe photoshop is a pretty well-known graphics editing program that almost anyone can use. It costs around $20 per month depending on what features you want to purchase. While this may seem like a large price tag, you get lifetime access meaning you never have to worry about going beyond its basic functions.

Powerpoint is another tool that almost every person uses at least once a week. The cost of powerpoint varies slightly from one version to the next, however there is a totally free edition available.

Write your script

Writing a screenplay is not like writing any other kind of story. You will have to deal with very different dynamics as you write and how much time each scene has!
With a feature length movie, there are typically six or seven scenes in every act. If this was a TV show, then it would be only two or three per episode.

A feature film has more dramatic weight and takes longer to tell its tale, so there can be a lot of space between each action sequence. A feature movie usually starts off slow and then picks up speed towards the end, building suspense.

There are many ways to organize these stories, but no matter what structure you use, you must always start from the main character and their goal. What do they want? Then think about why they cannot get that thing until they know who they are and what makes them happy and unhappy.

Next, determine if this situation is familiar to you - Is this happening around you, or is this unique to characters’ experiences? If it is something that happens often, maybe it is already written into the storyline!

Once those basics are covered, you can begin writing your first draft. Once again, go through and see whether anything is too wordy or short. Try to cut down on the number of words while still saying the same amount of content.

Get your cast together

Once you have gathered all of the needed pieces, it is time to find your team! This will include people who can take part in helping with the movie and putting their creative touches into it.

There are many ways to get this done! You can use yours as a talent and earn extra money doing things suchas acting or writing a script. Or, you can be more passive about it and just hire professionals.

Some of these professionals may even offer free services like having someone write a script for you or offering voice classes so that you can practice speaking and listening.

Start creating your movie

So now that you have done all of the hard work in designing your characters, establishing settings, and developing storylines, it is time to start filming!

The hardest part about making an animated movie is actually getting started. You will need someone to help you get the process going - this could be you or someone else.

Fortunately, there are many ways to begin animating. Some people create their own videos using free software such as Adobe Flash or YouTube, then edit them together later. This can easily be done with just about any computer device!

Some make use of online animation tools like Animocracy, Mixing Brushes,or Photoshop. These offer lots of features and easy navigation which may inspire you to try out some of those yourself.

There are also very popular websites where anyone can upload their animations and gain followers and praise for theirs.

Invest in good quality filming equipment

A movie studio or production company will almost always require you to have your own camera before they’ll agree to work with you. This is not only because it is expensive, but also because most people do not have access to such technology so it is helpful to know how to use one.

All professional film makers either have their own gear or are gifted enough to borrow from friends or online sources like YouTube.

There are several different types of cameras that can be used for making movies. Some are more budget friendly while others are slightly more expensive. No matter what type of camera you get, make sure it is stable and does not shake too much.

Budget tips: If possible, try to find a second hand camera or buy at a reduced price.

Get familiar with your studio

Having a studio is one of the most important things you need to know as a filmmaker. A lot of people get into filmmaking without having a formal room to do filming and editing work in, which can be tricky at times.

You will have to know how to use your computer software properly, what tools are needed to edit your movie, and where to find them. Most film studios offer access to these resources so it’s not a big deal to join theirs if you want to keep up with the trends in filmmaking.

There are many free softwares that you can use to hone your skills before investing in paid ones. Some of the more popular ones include Photoshop, Final Cut Pro X, and Pinnacle Studio. You should always research any new program before buying it because some may cost quite a bit!

We suggest starting off by trying out some of our beginner level tutorials here on Mubi to see if you like the way they look and feel. Once you are comfortable doing that, then start looking around yours truly to learn more about the best softwares for making movies.

Write your script

Writing is a very common way to begin filmmaking! Written scripts are the backbone of any film, whether it be as simple as a one-minute short or a feature length movie.

Writing a screenplay is not like writing anything else. It’s more complicated than just putting together random scenes with no plot.

That would make for a pretty good book though, wouldn’t it? A lot of writers spend time developing their storytelling skills by writing various styles - fiction, nonfiction, diary entries, you name it.

Screenwriting isn’t quite that easy. That’s because screenplays must tell a story, and stories have clearly defined structures.

Try to get your movie published

After you have spent all of this energy creating your masterpiece, what happens next? You could just keep it private or share it with very few people, but that is not a good way to invest in your creative career!

If you would rather spread your film out and be seen by many more people, then you need to consider publishing it online. This can be done through sites like YouTube, Facebook, and other social media platforms.

These websites offer us ways to create our own profile pages as well as the ability to add videos and applications to contribute content.