5 Animation Myths Debunked

I work in a fascinating industry. That’s not the first myth, by the way!

After over a decade of live-action and broadcast production, I made the jump into the world of animation eight years ago - and I’ve never looked back. The eclectic, ever-growing artform is a joy to produce and every project poses a new creative, budgetary and often technological challenge. 

Over the years, I have been approached by clients, industry professionals and animation enthusiasts alike with presumptions and misconceptions about animation – with a distinct few reoccurring themes. So it feels like time to debunk five key animation myths.

Myth 1 - Animation is for kids.  

It isn’t just cartoons! It’s an understandable belief though, as for many of us, Disney provided our debut intro to animation when we were kids, and the origins of the craft waaaay back in the 20th century were two-dimensional. But it has evolved substantially, and today the craft includes motion graphics, 3D, stop-motion, DOOH, experiential art and even AI. More and more, clients and directors rely on animation not only from a creative standpoint, but as a delicate method of storytelling across complex and sensitive topics. Some of which too challenging to shoot in camera. Animation spans all age groups and can do, show and say more than ever before.

Myth 1 – Busted! 

 

Myth 2 - Animation is easy and quick. 

Design, develop, animate, repeat. It sounds simple enough, but quality animation is a complex process. Animators require an innate skillset to tell stories, design worlds and bring these to life through technical prowess in multiple software. For clients, attending sessions might appear tedious, as animating can be a slow-moving process, taking time to progress visibly. Trust the process, as they say.

Myth 2 – Busted! 

Above: Ancestry’s Piccadilly Lights takeover recreated key advertisements across the ‘40s, ‘60s and ‘80s, channelling the brand’s ‘Bring Your Backstory To Life’ messaging. 

 

Myth 3 - Animation is about drawing. 

Sure, but drawing is just one aspect. There is also character design, storyboarding, animatics, environment building, modelling, rigging, texturing, shading, lighting and compositing, which are all a big part of the process too. For this, we use a variety of software at different stages of the production, including After Effects, Cinema 4D, Toon Boom, TVPaint, etc. Most animation nowadays is created digitally by teams of diverse skillsets, but we’re humbled to still rely on our trusty pencil and paper from time to time. And recently, we even used watercolour paints for a project for Haven. 

Myth 3 – Sort of Busted? 

 

Myth 4 - Animation is a solitary endeavour. 

Animation often involves collaboration among artists, designers, writers, directors, and technical experts to bring a project to life. It is true that some animators prefer to keep their heads down for a few hours (or sometimes days) to progress with specific tasks. However, most of our projects thrive on close collaboration and input from clients, agencies and creatives across teams. We’re big on encouraging our partners to get stuck in with us early and be part of the process. Animation is predominantly a journey, not just a destination. 

Myth 4 – Definitely Busted! 

Above: ‘Pigfinity’, a dizzying animation multiverse featuring offerings from a plethora of artists across Blind Pig and Absolute’s team.

Myth 5 – AI will replace Animation.

AI is much more than a buzzword and there is a good chance it will become a creative or budgetary choice for some of clients. We’ve already been working with AI software for concept development and pitching, though a full execution in AI still brings its challenges. But it’s a bit like the photography/painting analogy. Everyone thought photography would kill painting – but it actually made it cooler. 

AI still has some way to go, and in my opinion, it will not replace traditional or digital animation any time soon. Whilst we try to keep up with all the new developments, it is equally important to us to consider the animation medium as an artform and aesthetic choice, rather than what feels like the quickest or cheapest choice to execute an idea.  

Myth 5 – Probably Busted… 

So, pretty much five for five there. Hopefully I managed to challenge these myths. Or at least highlight the complexity that is the incredibly creative artform of animation.