Digital Animation: Types and Techniques

Digital Animation: Types and Techniques ♡

Types of animation:

cgi (2D/3D)

when digital technology and software is used to generate animated images and graphics. CGI refers to static scenes and moving characters while computer animation refers to only moving characters/scenes. 3D animation is used in a lot of blockbusters to make characters seem more rounded (eg toy story).

stopmotion and claymation

achieved by moving the object slowly and photographing it - makes it seem like the object is moving by itself

line drawing

a hand drawn sketch that moves frame by frame so that the shape evolves and moves. Commonly used in contemporary advertising.

cel animation

celluloid animation - celluloid sheet, a transparent sheet onto which characters and scenery are drawn or painted, traditionally done by hand. Eg: the Simpsons. Snow White 1937, first full length animation. Took 3 years to produce. 750 artists completed 2 million sketches - film includes 250,000 drawings

hand drawn

not as common today as its time-consuming. Spirited away fully hand drawn. Miyazaki wrote, directed, drew story boards - all one mans vision. 

rotoscoping

rotoscope stand - used to project sequences of moving images against a surface so that a set of animation frames could be traced over. brings stylistic hand drawn effect. Digital rotoscoping can be done.

live action

non-animated characters interact with animated characters. can be seen in Mary Poppins, Space jam. 

animation in advertising can give comedy, reflect an unrealistic utopia, give nostalgia

rendering

the process of generating an image from a 2D or 3D model via the use of computer programs

tweening

when frames between two key movements are generated in digital animation to give a smooth appearance

chroma key

a special effects technique for layering two images of video streams together. the subject is filmed on green screen. during post production, the background is removed and replaced with CGI

creating gollum: close to realistic impression in terms of skeleton and joints. realistic skin. controlled facial expressions. 

 Personnel and Crew

Foley artists produce sound effects across a range of features, not just animated. They often use real objects to mimic those seen in a film. Bashing watermelons and other forms of vegetable matter is popular in the profession