1) Story Arcs
Story arcs are a visual method of forming the main points of a story line. There are two examples of a
story arc to the right of this text. As it can be seen, the line represents the whole plot and the points where it rises and falls are used to show the main turning moments that effect the story significantly. Story arcs are created by the main writer for the game/film. When looking through some animation examples there was only one writer for Batman: Arkham Origins; Paul Dini. When researching a larger film such as Monsters Inc there was only a team of four Pete Docter, Jill Culton, Jeff Pidgeon and Ralph Eggleston. This shows that this isn't a large sector and is highly specialised.
2) Scripts
Scripts are an important part of any animation, especially those with voice actors or subtitles. Scripts not only present the dialogue that needs to be recorded, but they also contain notes that inform the voice actor what is needed from them. Scripts also help to create the feel for the animation and are used in the production of animatics in order for the animators to see if the timing of the voices, movements and overall scenes is right. This then allows the script or the animation to be adapted, saving valuable time and money further down the production pipeline.
3) Mood boards
Mood boards are the first part of planning for the visual aspects. A mood board is a collage and variety of many different thing ranging from pictures and text. The mood board artist draws on inspiration and ideas from their own imagination or from other artists and animators.
4) Concept Art
4) Concept Art
Concept art is a term used to cover all the design work within a project, it covers a range of areas from character and environmental design to level design in games. It is the next step after the mood board. They are required in order to give the production team a base to work from and allow the director of the project to clearly plan out their ideas. Concept art not only creates the blueprint designs, but the level and environment artists are also required to create moods within their pieces to create the feel for the scene. Concept art is also used in the final designs, where they are also sold as merchandise.
5) Storyboards
Storyboards are self explanatory, they are created to tell the story of what needs to be produced. Each frame does not require drawing, although there has to be enough frames and enough detail in order to make sure the information is clearly transferred. Storyboards show placement of characters, when they speak, their emotions, and also the staging elements such as where the camera is situated in a particular scene.
6) Animatics
Animatics are very similar to storyboards. The pictures from a storyboard are inserted into a program to form a small film. It is then played and it then allows the director and the artists to judge timing, whether or not scenes need to be extended and cut and whether or not dialogue would work. This is vitally important, especially when it comes to TV series which have to fit into a particular time slot.
Despicable Me
Family Guy
7) Dope Sheets:
Dope sheets are a tool used by animators in order to write down their ideas into a structured and organised way. Dope sheets are used for the entire length of the production, with each scene broken down into detailed separate frames. Each row represents the frame, while the columns along the top of the page represents different information ranging from where the camera is at certain points, to the dialogue and how it is said.
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