The Road Less Travelled: Explaining the 7 Steps Involved in Animation Production
Animation is the road less travelled, so let Mummu guide you in using what is an effective resource, that allows for both complex and simple messages to be explained in a truly eye-catching way. This versatile marketing component can be used in a variety of ways from creating short brand animations for your website and social media to more sophisticated options for TV and broadcast.
How does the animation process work? When does the journey reach the summit? Well, here Mummu will guide you on a journey, ascending the seven steps of animation production, reaching the summit of your goal of finished animation. So, really, how does the animation process work? Keep reading to find out more!
Before we start, it’s important to state that every project will have its own nuances, with the described stages varying from client to client. However, the seven steps we include are general enough to apply to them all.
Step #1 – The Kick-off Workshop
We start all projects with a kick-off workshop, as we embark on an intense period of collaboration & idea brainstorming. All that’s required for this initial phase is a client brief, detailing the overall concept, key messaging, and all relevant deadline and budget info.
Step #2 – Style Frames
Here we show the client what our vision for the final film is like, typically showing multiple style frames that illustrate an approximation of the finished product. Feedback is given at this point, with the number of possible reviews depending on budget and schedule. the animation process.
Step #3 – Storyboard & Artwork
The design starts to take real shape at the storyboard stage, as the foundations are laid down in a pencil sketch-like way. This also allows us to show how the script will match up with key scenes and other visual elements that we’ve created and once the storyboard is approved, we design the remaining frames in line with the style frames you have approved.
Step #4 – Animatic
An animatic is the first rough edit of your animation, which allows us to pull together everything that we’ve created so far. This is a rough, low-res, but fully ‘timed-out’ film that shows the pace and flow. And if your animation requires a voiceover (VO), here we will edit in a guide VO to see how it fits the timing.
Step #5 – The Production Stage
May feel like we are not, but we’re near the end now as we enter production, where we breathe life into the story, one frame at a time. Here we see the wisdom of all the checks we’ve made so far, as changing things now is much more difficult. The final VO will be recorded in a remote session that you can attend online and final timings will be locked. We’ll also add any finished music and sound effects at this end-stage.
Step #6 – Client Feedback and Sign off
The client can provide feedback throughout, of course, but this is the final opportunity. This needs to be provided promptly in order to keep the process moving, with the amount of feedback able to be incorporated depending on the project’s schedule and budget.
Step #7 – Final Delivery
Once all of the agreed changes have been made, we create a low- resolution MP4 file for client sign-off. After this point, we complete the rendering process during which a low compressed version is created and sent over to you. Usually, a standard 16×9 ProRes is the go-to choice here, but if your output is for social media you may require vertical or square cuts.
After reaching the summit and their end goal, our customer gets a great, eye-catching animation that allows them to add an extra dimension to their marketing efforts, encouraging brand recognition and awareness.
