So You Want to Do Animation

Our stomachs have churned as we have threaded a narrow canyon, escaping intergalactic spaceships manned by angry aliens, or jumped when a fantastical creature rears his head. We may even have experienced such visceral physical changes such as hot flashes during explosions or vertigo plummeting unknown depths. Our emotional selves have been touched by lovable characters and angered by those who perpetrate.

And now you want to render your hand at this increasingly accessible art form- to get out a story line, to create something yourself and perhaps to cause- if only for a moment- your viewer to suspend disbelief.

Animation is a hot field. With such animation giants such as Pixar and DreamWorks leading the pace, we have all been inspired by recent developments. Whether you desire to compete with the professionals or to use an animation process for your own use, hobby or story line, there have also been recent developments and programs which make doing animation accessible to all.

There are two fundamental components to producing your own animation:

1. Creativity

2. Technical Ability

If you feel you fall short in either of these areas, don't panic, many modern developments have made your concerns easily surmountable.

Whether you consider yourself such or not, computer animators are artists. It all begins with creative vision. The possibilities are infinite- limited only by the animator's imagination. For many, this may be a little intimidating. However, look around you. If you can tell a story verbally to another, then you can create a story line suitable for animation. Perhaps it is a how-to which would clarify a process or idea you have in your mind. Perhaps it is a favorite story that you have read elsewhere or been handed down through generations. Whatever your story line, jot it down. What is the premise? What is the beginning and the end? Who (what) are the primary characters? If you come to this point in your inquiry, continue. If you don't have an idea, select something simple... perhaps a dog scratching at a flea or as simple a movement sequence as a flower opening... and trust that the technical development and mastery will open unlimited possibilities. The important thing is to start.

­The second key element then of course is the technology. Where, you might ask, should you begin? There are a number of software packages out there which address just this field but which is the best and where to begin? Many "free" software packages are available and some have extensive communities for support. Some of the major packages, such as Maya, 3D Max and Poser Pro are fantastic but the costs may be prohibitive to an entry level animator. One package we have been especially excited by is Blender with a low entry fee, in depth tutorials and a 60 day trial offer.

That said, we all learn differently and are more comfortable with different interfaces so try some out. Basically, you will want your selected program to be manageable by you and, depending on your skill set going into this, a user friendly interface. As for output, review the prospective software in terms of your desired output. Do you need 3D modeling for more realistic visions or capable of cartoon animation or game creation? Many packages do all these but perhaps not all equally.

You can find more at So You Want to do Animation provided by Randy Stuart at How To Do Animation.

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