LO1 P1 Techniques into Animation Report

                Techniques into Animation

In this report, I will be researching the different types of animation that is available. I will show you some examples of these types, where animation is going in the future and I will also write about the animator job roles. Animation has been used in movies/films, video games, advertisements and music videos however there are lots of different types to choose from.

                              Stop motion animation

Stop motion animation is when the team create usually clay models of characters and they design the sets. They take pictures frame by frame of the inanimate models and move them to bring the characters and the environment to life. This is probably one of the most time consuming animation techniques out there but it is very rewarding.  Examples of films that are created using stop motion are The Nightmare Before Christmas, Paranorman, The Boxtrolls and Corpse Bride. 

                    How stop motion animation is created and the job roles

It took 4 years to make the Coraline movie which is a 1 hour 40 minute movie. This is 24 frames per second, so it takes a very long time to plan out and film each frame of the movie. Of course this time would change depending on how detailed you would like your stop motion video to be, but it takes a very long time if you want lots of detail, plus you need to create the models and the set. 

After all the preproduction documents are created, models need to be created. These character models can be created from plasticine (clay) which is a flexible material and mechanical models where they can use allen keys to move the heads and faces, this is the job of the model makers. The set also needs to be created by the production/set designers, the stop motion animation needs to be filmed by the camera operator and then the footage needs to be edited by the video editors. In the stop motion animation industry, they use the software Filmora-pro, Dragonframe, Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe Animate to edit and bring their stop motion animation to life.

                                            What about the pay?

Anyone can do media, animation and film without a degree thanks to technology and the internet, therefore if you want a job in the animation media sector, you will need to have work experience and a very good understanding of how to use the software and technology.

The average pay for stop motion animators is £23,000 - £26,000 depending on experience in the field. To become a stop motion animator, they would Need a bachelor degree in related subject (media, art...) and a portfolio of their work.

The average pay a year for model makers is £19,000 - £31,000 again depending on experience, they don't require a degree but it is more helpful to get into the model making industry. They could do this by going on courses and getting degrees and work experience. A portfolio of the models they have made gives them more chance of getting the job.

Production/set/prop designers have a vary varied pay depending on the set they are designing, but on average they earn around £15,000 - £20,000. They usually need a bachelor degree 

The average pay for a video editor is around £18,000 - £45,000 depending on the job. A bachelor degree or A levels in film production or a related field like media would be helpful, but having a degree isn't necessary, a portfolio their editing would be required.

The average pay for a camera operator is £26,000 with an average range between £20,000 and £41,000. A bachelor degree in TV production and A levels in related fields such as media can get get someone a camera operator job. Work experience would be helpful too.

                    Is stop motion animation still relevant in 2022? 

I don't believe that stop motion animation is relevant, I believe it won't be around for much longer and it is dying out. Stop motion animation is extremely time consuming and you are more likely to get things wrong compared to other animation techniques so companies might decide to save their time and money. Technology is so advanced now compared to 1898 (the first stop motion animation) therefore there isn't much need to use stop motion animation anymore unless you want a to create a unique movie, product or advert.

                                           Coraline- Stop Motion Animation 

Coraline is a children's dark fantasy movie that released on the 6th February 2009. I would say stop motion is more targeted towards children because children's movies and TV shows use it more. Stop motion is used more for kids fantasy movies. I think this is because stop motion gives a creepy unrealistic vibe and this is because of the character models and how they are portrayed.

Here are some YouTube videos that show the behind the scenes stop motion animation of the Coraline movie.

                                       2D/3D animation

2D animation is when the entire video (setting, characters, objects, everything) is drawn frame by frame, usually 24 frames per second in a 2D space. 3D animation is when everything is created in a 3D space making it looks more realistic using 3D models. Examples of 2D animation are The Little Mermaid, the Cupheads video game, the Pokemon TV series.

 

 

 

3D animation is when animators design 3D models on the computer and placing them in a 3D setting,  moving them to create an animated media product. Examples of 3D animation are Wreck It Ralph, Despicable Me and Ron's Gone Wrong. 

 

 

                    How 2D and 3D animation is created and the job roles

2D animation can be created by software like Toon Boom, Moho Pro, Toonz and Adobe Animate. 3D animation can be created in software such as Autodesk Maya, NewTek lightWave 3D, Maxon Cinema 4D Prime and Adobe Animate.

Just like all media products, animation needs lots of preproduction documents made beforehand such as a storyboard to show the sequence of moving images in chronological order of the animation and concept art to design the landscape and character design. A script to show what the characters would say.

3D animation needs the same preproduction documents as other media products and other animation styles. Next they record dialogue, sounds, foley sounds and audio. Originally animators would draw the animation frame by frame, but for 3D animation they have software to make design and make models in 3D software. They can move the model and create the animation. They would then sync the sounds to the animation and it is complete.

First, the preproduction documents need to be created for 2D animation. Next they draw each individual frame of the character and the scene for the animation, this is usually 24 frames per second and then they create the sounds and sync it to the animation. This is extremely time consuming.

3D animation is much faster to create than 2D animation. There isn't a set time it takes to animate, it depends on the animation used and how long the animation is.

2D animators draw the each frame to create the animation. They have an average salary of around £25,000. 3D animators use 3D models are move them to create 3D animation. They also have an average salary of around £25,000. Animators usually have a batchelor in animation or art related subjects and a good portfolio.

                            Is 2D and 3D animation still relevant in 2022?

 I believe 2D animation is relevant in 2022, but 3D animation is relevant to the future of animation. 2D animation is still revelant to this day with 2D animated movies, TV shows, games, YouTube videos.... and it is extremely popular. 3D animation is used for everything and I think it will be the most popular way to animate in the future because of the advancements of technology and new softwares.

To conclude, I think that 3D animation is the most suitable out of the ones I have researched. Although the 3D models migh take a while to make, the actual animation is much faster to do that stop motion and 2D animation. Stop motion animation is a unique way to animate, however it takes forever to make. For lower costs though, 2D animation is the best because not as many resources are needed. The costs of 3D animation will be decreasing as the years go by because it will be more accessible.