11 things I learned animating alone
tips for my future self
Log
Project | SONHOS
Time in production | 61 weeks and 9 days
Status | focusing on backgrounds
Hey everyone! This will be the last post for this year probably, as I have written about all the work I did up until now. What is left is finishing - the hardest part, probably. The completion will have an own issue dedicated to itself, of course, with which we will end the series of this project (the next one is already lined up). So, here is what I learned up until now about animating!
11 lessons (for myself)
Do the most impactful shots first, because in the end you will have little time and rush and it’s better for less important shots to be rushed and sloppy.
I have naturally more steam and energy and motivation (and time) at the beginning of the project, so if I’m working alone again, I will do the coolest/most important shots first again. This rule is what allowed me to spontaneously edit a cool trailer with the work I already had.
In animation, consistent volumes matter more than clean line art.
If the volumes of the shape/character you are animating are solid, the line art can be wobbly and weird, like mine in many parts. That’s what makes stuff like the Ping Pong anime work.
If you work with others, make a super super obvious briefing.
You have the whole project and all it’s parameters in your head, you need to externalize all that when explaining a task to someone. It’s more likely you will under-explain than over-explain.
You always underestimate how long something will take.
Always.
You WILL get bored during production.
You need to know this, otherwise you will become the person who gives up projects half-finished and starts a new one because it’s more exciting. Of course it is. But there is no way it will be fun 100% of the time, so if you want to finish something, find strategies. I listen to podcasts and have snacks only in work-times, for example, to associate something fun with the boring part. It doesn’t always work tbh. The thing that most kept me working through boredom was either deadlines or a boost of motivation after seeing another student’s, better, film. If I could I would hire someone for the parts that bore me, but right now all I can do is podcast myself through the work.
When doing a moving BG that’s “passing by”, do the long strip that you move along instead of creating frames with manually moved images.
I don’t know if this is a best practice in the industry, but I regret doing it the manual moving way. Yeah.
If you turn in the unfinished project, and plan to finish it without a deadline, you will absolutely loose steam and need a break and that is fine.
As I wrote before, I’m at peace with my current slow pace. It’s not ideal, but it happened naturally, and forcing the pressure with no real reason for pressure doesn’t work for me. In an effort to have a little of outside pressure I created an accountability group with my friends. We meet once a week to share updates on our projects - I’m hoping the shame of not having anything to show is enough pressure to get me into the flow again.
Seeing the final composition is INCREDIBLY satisfying.
I keep doing art because the reward is worth the effort. If something like watching a film is 10 effort and 20 reward, art is 100 effort but 300 reward. (those numbers don’t work that well lol)
Don’t animate backgrounds if you can avoid it..
Sure, do the cool anime thing, I chose to do so too. But it’s a lot of work. If you can make your story cool without it, it’s fine. It’s fine!
You need to push movement more.
Animation movement needs a bit more impact to feel as strong as a the equivalent live action movement. I struggle with this a lot, my drawings usually are too subtle, which makes the movements feel too soft or under-stated, in an unintentional way.
If you get lost on how to prioritize, either make all the shots first that would be included in a trailer, or just go chronologically.
Don’t overthink the priority, just use the basic guide line I mentioned before of doing the coolest first. Or don’t - if you need to leave the best for last, and that works for you, do it. This lesson for me was just about not getting lost in trying to be as optimal as possible, and sometimes just sit down and animate any shot at all.
Up next
Hopefully, the finished film! But until then, comment here any questions you have for the final issue to come.
Thank you so much for reading,
have a magical day!
Aw these are actually really helpful! It reminded me to the things my teachers told me when I was studying; specially the "do the most important shots first" one! Because it's so true!