Animation Project Planning

Questions about the Animation Project

How do we get started?
1. Your group needs to first of all decide on the story or message of your animation.
2. Then, you complete the animation planner sheet and present it to me.
3. Create all your backgrounds and pieces.
4. Plan the movie scene by scene using the storyboard sheet.
5. Shoot the photographs.
6. After processing, import the photographs in order into Flash.
7. Complete the movie by adding sounds you have found or recorded.
8. Create the title and end credits.

What is the order of the things I need to do? Is there a checklist? Where can I see it?

TASK ONE- FIRST CONCEPT APPROVAL

• Decide upon your idea.
• Discuss the details of your movie, scene by scene.
• Complete the Animation Planner sheet.
• Get the Planner sheet approved by me.

TASK TWO- CONSTRUCTION

• Get your paper supplies, storage folder.
• Cut out all of your background pieces and character pieces.
• Write/type out your script. Do NOT avoid this step!
• Choose who will be doing the speaking parts from the script. Time each line to see exactly how many seconds each line will take.

TASK THREE- PLANNING: STORYBOARDS

• Complete your storyboards. Pictures are simple sketches only. ALL scenes and shots must appear in the storyboard pictures, with music and sound effects noted also.
• Get your storyboards approved by me.

TASK FOUR- TAKE THE PICTURES

• Book a time for your group to do your shooting. (2 hour time slots)
• Give camera with photo card in it to the teacher for processing

TASK FIVE- RECORD AND FIND SOUND CLIPS

• Record your voice sound clips. Give names to your clips as you save them so you know exactly what they are.
• Research and locate sound effects or record your own sound effects, saving them as .wav files. Use file names that make sense.
• Research, locate and record your music clips, saving them as .wav files and naming them properly.

TASK SIX- SET UP MOVIE FILE

• Create or download your new movie file in Flash MX. Depending on the arrangements, this file will possible contain the images already. If it doesn't, you will need to locate the image files and import them.
• Create an animated title at the beginning of your movie file, if there is not already one contained in your images.
• Add new layers to the movie timeline: one for speech, another for sound effects, another for music. Use the Insert >> New Layer command.

TASK SEVEN- INSERT SOUNDS
To test the movie at any time, hold the Shift key while you press Enter.

Add sounds to your movie in a systematic fashion, as follows:

• Import your sound files into Flash using the File/Import to library command.
• Open the Library using F11 key. Locate your sound file that you need in the library.
• Locate the exact frame in the movie for the beginning sound event, whether it is someone speaking, a music clip or sound effect. Use the red scroll bar at the top of the timeline to move forward or backward. Select the exact frame number in the layer which you are adding sound to. The frame should be darkened. Now, right-click and select "add blank keyframe". This should make a hollow circle appear in the timeline. Now, open the Properties panel at the bottom of the screen. In the Sounds pop-up box, find the sound file you want to insert and select it. Now you should see the waveform appear in the layer on the time line, like small blue waves. The sound is embedded in the movie.
• Some adjusting of the sound lengths and volumes may be necessary. This is done by selecting the exact frame where the sound file was inserted into the movie. Next, look in the Properties panel and select Edit. In this panel you can shorten the clip (remove the end), and you can fade it down.

TASK EIGHT- ADD A STOP COMMAND

• Place a stop movie command in the last frame of the movie. To do this, select the last frame in the movie layer. Open the Actions window >> Movie control >> Stop. Drag the word Stop into the text window. This will insert the "stop" command into the movie action script. ( you should see stop ( ) ; in the script window.)
  
• DONE!
  

My group is running out of time. What should we do?
What I really recommend if you're running out of time is that you talk to your group members and get them on board. With the movie, keep it simple, simple, simple.

What is a scene?
A scene is any section of a movie that takes place in one location and one time.

How can we make a good scene that works well?
People don't often ask me about this, but sometimes I wish they did. In the examples we looked at, and that are still available on the web site, some of the scenes aren't clear because the details were too small and the camera didn't pick them up. Or, there was too much stuff to look at in the scene and the details got lost. Another common problem is that the animated movement is too slow and gets boring to watch. All of these problems can be avoided if your team carefully plans out each scene using a storyboard.

How much time should we spend looking for pictures of our characters on the internet?
In my opinion, this is the wrong direction to be going. Use your drawing skills and create your own characters and cutouts. It will be much more honest and convincing in the long run.

How can we make sure that everything will show up clearly?
Think of using vision as your main communicator. If it's not clear on the camera, then it's not clear in the final movie. Don't make things too small. While your planning each shot, keep asking yourself, is this the clearest way to get this idea across?

What is a shot?
A shot is what one camera view sees at any given time. A scene can be made up of one or more camera shots. For example, if two people are talking, there may be two shots- one camera view on one person when that person talks, and the other camera view on the other person. The scene, when it plays, will have the two people going back and forth in view as they each speak. Your team must decide how each scene will be shot. This is what the storyboard is used for.

What does a storyboard help me do? Why do I need one?
Before you begin shooting pictures, you need to plan your movie with a storyboard. The storyboard is like the ultimate planning step. It forces you to think through the exact images the camera will see, scene by scene, shot by shot. It also forces you to decide on what music and sound will be heard at each moment.

What must be included in my storyboards?
You must write down the script that goes with each shot (or the line numbers from your script). You must write down what music is in the background, as well as any other sound effects that will be in the shot. You must calculate the time required for the shot, and calculate the number of frames you will be shooting, based on a frame rate of 12 fps.

How do you get the timing right so that the sound and voices fit the movie?
The storyboard helps you plan what sounds and numbers of frames are needed. The software, Flash MX, will allow you to insert the sound clips at exactly the right moment by selecting the exact frame in the movie where the sound begins.

What kind of music and sounds should I put into my animation?
Your team will decide what kind of music will set the mood for each part of your animation. You will probably only use small sections of music clips since the movie is so short. You should use sound effects wherever possible. Voice talent is out there! Get your friends and classmates to do voices for you if you want.

How can I record my own music, sound effect or voice clips?
I recommend that you use Windows Sound Recorder or Audacity to record your sounds, using the computer sound card. An inexpensive microphone can be plugged into your computer for recording voices or instruments. Sound Recorder can be used to record any CD or .mp3 music clips into .wav format (which is required for Flash MX).

When and where will we be doing all this work? How will we store our pieces?
Much of the drawing and cutout work may be done at home, or during free time that you can find throughout the day. English Support periods, and some music periods will be provided for this work to be completed. Some English class time may be available for shooting appointments. You can store your materials in the large folder, which will be left in the library.

How will our work be lighted when we are shooting?
There will be enough light in the room for the camera to work.

How does the shooting process work?
I will make sure that everyone sees the setup and how it will work. Basically what happens is the camera is fixed to a tripod, which holds the camera above the work area (stage). You take a series of still (not video) pictures of your scene. Objects that move in the movie are moved slightly from one picture to the next. Objects that do not move are left in exactly the same place from one picture to the next. You will be keeping track of the number of pictures you take.

How can we prepare for our camera shoot?
You will need your storyboard sheets, all of your cutouts, some tape. That's about it.

What happens when we're done shooting?
You will return the camera to me for downloading of the pictures when you're done. The pictures will be processed as a set and saved to a file on the computer network for your group to get them. Processing may take a few days.

What are some terms that we should know?
Zoom in- to use the lens of the camera to get a closer view. Some parts of the scene will fall out of camera range when this happens.
Zoom out- to use the lens of the camera to get a wider view.
Close-up- the lens is focused very closely on an object or part of a face.
Head shot- only the head of the subject is in view.
Head and shoulders- head and shoulders in view.
Head to toe- entire person, head to toe, is in view.
Full scene- the view includes everything in the scene.
Pan- to move the camera across the scene slowly. e.g. pan left, pan right (probably doesn't apply to this project).
Frame- the rectangular area that is the boundary of what the camera sees. The frame is equal to what you see in the camera viewfinder.
Frame(s)- a singular picture taken by the camera. Flash MX runs the pictures at 12 frames per second.

How will our work be evaluated? Where will it show up on our report card?
The animation project will form a major of your part term 3 English mark in the Oral and Visual Communication strand. Your project will also be eligible for a special award after voting by your classmates. The winning movies will be shown at the Animation Awards in June.

Skills that you will need to have to complete this project...
Group skills such as self-control, good listener, willing to be flexible, work independently.
Organizational skills with cut-out materials, computer files, scripts, storyboard sheets.
Organizational skills with each group member working independently or together, depending on the situation.
Word processing for writing script.
Drawing and sketching for storyboards.
Frame by frame animation in Flash- for title sequence.
Familiar with how to insert layers and sounds in Flash.
Know how to record sounds using Windows Sound Recorder.
Know how to edit sound files for length, and for volume, using Sound Recorder, or Audacity.
Searching the internet for sound effects.
Lots of imagination!