Animation Basics From Ideas to Project: Planning and Production
GCC Academy
Hello, this is lecture two for project planning
Let's look at the workflow from ideas to projects
from planning to production
First, developing ideas
First, focus on refining your core idea
One effective method is to analyze market trends
especially by reflecting societal issues
For example, from the late '90s to early '00s
environmental problem has been a great social issue
Princess Mononoke is an example
and Wall-E another
Princes Mononoke explores the coexistence of nature and civilization
while Wall-E delivers a warning about environmental pollution
Another approach is incorporating technological and cultural trends
A digital online world as a background
is something used in
Ralph Breaks the Internet
From Wreck It Ralph
the movie
That's an example
One way to develop ideas is
by reinterpreting existing IPs
For instance, Super Mario Bros
It's reimagined the game’s basic storyline into a family advent
This allowed for
connections to various transmedia spin-offs
demonstrating the benefits
of expanding an existing game’s
original world to something more
Another approach involves preserving the essence
of the original work while adding fresh interpretations
It's Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
The film retained the core essence of the original comic’s multiverse concept
while offering fresh visual interpretations
Despite the complexity
of the multiverse concept
the film succeeded
by delivering
a good understanding
of the storytelling
a clear and engaging narrative
This balance between staying true
to the original and introducing new interpretations
helped the film effectively capture both aspects
Next is the idea verification process
First, marketability must be reviewed by analyzing the success metrics of similar works
This includes examining whether the production budget
aligns with market potential and ensuring that the scale of investment
Assessing the technical feasibility of a project is crucial in determining its viability
This involves evaluating whether the concept can be realized with existing technology
whether production can be completed within the allocated budget
and how long the entire process might take
For instance, the technical problem
was probably the key
to Across the Spider-Verse
where introducing a groundbreaking visual style was a significant challenge
Before fully committing to production, the team conducted technical tests
to ensure that such innovations were achievable
within budget and time constraint
which must've been a very important point
Moving forward, constructing the story and world-building
Let's start with structuring the narrative
often using frameworks
like the three-act structure for contemporary storytelling
For example, Coco
made by Pixar
and released in 2017
In the first act, Miguel’s passion for music and his family’s opposition are established
The second act delves into his adventure in the Land of the Dead
where he uncovers important truths
The third act concludes with reconciliation with his family
and a renewed understanding of tradition
The three-act structure effectively captures the essence of storytelling
by encompassing the introduction, development, climax, and resolution
In cases like Coco, this structure was likely tested
evaluated, and refined to enhance its charm
The relationships between
main and supporting characters also play a vital role
By crafting multi-dimensional conflict dynamics among characters
the story becomes more engaging
For example, Elemental utilizes the prejudices and conflicts between elements
as a metaphor for societal issues
demonstrating how well-thought-out character relationships
can amplify a work’s appeal
It's a great example for that
Next, world-building
involves establishing fundamental rules
and principles that define the universe of the story
This process is central to the creative aspect of storytelling
For instance, in Zootopia
the coexistence of carnivores and herbivores is reimagined
within a modern urban setting
that is also reimagined for the animals
The film skillfully integrates species-based stereotypes
Prejudice is not only based
on existing species stereotypes
but also actively created using these stereotypes
designed to serve as the spark for conflict within the story
Character Settings and Designing a Work
Next, let’s focus on concreting the project
First, we’ll look at character development and design process
For character development
we set the character’s personality and background
For example, Miles Morales from Spider-Verse
has a multicultural background
He is a teenager with African and Hispanic heritage
In the context of American society
he represents the working or middle class
So he represents
the struggles that come with it
To balance this, the character is given an artistic talent
in his case, graffiti
His relationship with his uncle is supportive
and he encourages his talent
Additionally, he is portrayed as scientifically gifted
To effectively utilize this in storytelling
the initial character setup was
probably added with layers to the character
Family dynamics
including the conflict with the police officer father
the influence of the uncle
and the relationships between the characters
were designed to become key drivers in the character’s growth
Moving to design direction
the visual representation of character traits
can be seen in examples like Powder from Arcane
and Jinx’s character
There is a significant transformation in character design that follows their growth
Jinx, for instance, is a core character in League of Legends
and is widely known through
various videos and images
She is typically portrayed as a manic
almost homicidal character, using an automatic weapon to wreak havoc
When her character was adapted into an animated series
Arcane generated much attention
Viewers were quite surprised by
how different Jinx appeared in the show
Rather than her usual manic persona
she was presented
as a pure, timid character
This stark contrast between her previous characterization
and the one shown in Arcane was likely designed
to emphasize her transformation
That must've been highlighted through her evolution
in both visual appearance and character development
as hints
To summarize this case
the character design underwent changes to reflect the character’s growth throughout the story
The character evolves from a pure girl into a more manic character
which is expressed through changes in her hairstyle and clothing
This transformation reflects a mental shift
with dramatic contrasts in her eyes and expressions
makeup is used to express her inner changes
and the design emphasizes
her character traits through her outfit and accessories
Unique weapons and accessories
represent both her madness
and genius simultaneously
Next, the visual style of the project needs to be determined
This involves deciding on the tone and manner of the work
And this is often
referred to as a look debut
in the animation production process
It's a look debut
For example, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
is a good example to discuss
The original game’s visual style
has the typical look of science fiction
which isn’t very new
It’s not much different from
works like Blade Runner
or even the animated version of Blade Runner
Instead of directly using this visual style
the creators reinterpreted it for animation
utilizing neon colors, strong contrasts
and 2D visuals hat resemble a comic book style
as implemented in their cut scenes
These choices contribute to the overall dystopian world
which is emphasized and exaggerated
helping to effectively depict the future
Deciding on the visual style
that matches the work’s character
and direction is crucial
It’s a process that determines
the tone and manner of the piece
Backgrounds and accessories design also matter
In Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
to go back to it again
the world of cyberpunk
which is depicted in the game
is essentially a reflection
of our real-world society
So I don't think there was any selective parts
that were designed with purpose
But the show
differentiates residential areas by class
using these spaces as part of the storytelling
making them a driving factor in the main character
The contrast between the glamorous high-rise buildings of the elite
and the dark alleys of the slums of the poor
The characters’ clothing, accessories
and even the modes of transportation
are shown to emphasize this disparity
This makes the designs a vital part of the storytelling
This is a key element in constructing the narrative of the content
enhancing its depth and impact
Next, we need to determine the production method
The choice of production techniques is crucial
Before the 1990s
2D animation was the only option available
By the late 1990s, 3D animation
and digital techniques started to emerge
These methods became widely adopted
with the rise of computer-based techniques
Historically, 2D animation was considered very low-cost
while 3D animation was associated with high costs
However
in the history of 3D animation
in the span of over 20 years since the late 90s
there has been a shift
or rather a flip
Now, 2D animation costs are
not much different from 3D animation
in terms of production budget
In the past, the primary reason
for choosing a production method
was the commercial viability of the content
It's not so nowadays
Today, it depends on the original content or narrative of the work
and which method best suits it
In some cases
high-quality 2D animation
can be more expensive than 3D animation
For example
in Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
the stylized action scenes
are used to highlight the story
The main character
of this storytelling
comes from a poor background in the slums
and, through circumstances
gains access to advanced weaponry
which seems beyond his reach
To demonstrate the superiority of this weaponry
action scenes were created
in a stylized, unexpected manner
To create such impactful sequences
3D animation was indispensable
However, despite this, the characters
and the tone of the piece are fundamentally presented in 2D animation
In this case, the project employs a base of 2D animation
with 3D elements used for more effective scene composition
For instance, 3D is utilized for backgrounds
transportation movement
and dynamic camera shots
On the other hand, for delicate, emotionally charged
storytelling moments
2D animation’s deformation techniques are used
to effectively convey character emotion
and intricate details
To summarize, for efficient scene transitions
bold 2D cuts are combined with
selective, effective
use of 3D animation
That's what it is
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners' hybrid approach
features a base of 2D animation with some 3D elements incorporated
to match the unique tone
and narrative style of the project
Moving forward, we also see a case where full 3D animation was used effectively
Arcane serves as
an example of this technique
Arcane is basically
a fully 3D animated production
But each scene, when paused
its visual style mimics the look of a painted image
This was achieved
by mapping textures that appear hand-drawn
utilizing 3D’s advantages
while giving a 2D feel of a painting
This method
particularly employed by France’s Fortiche Production studio
isn’t typical for all 3D animation
but represents one of
the most advanced
and well-received approaches
in 3D animation today
This production incorporates the tone and manner of 2D animation
but fundamentally uses
a full 3D animation production method
As a result, it employs highly dynamic camera work
that presents new angles and shots
rarely seen in films or 2D animation
This innovative camera work aligns with the unique characteristics of the project
helping to intensify the tension
and highlight the action scenes
The level of detail in facial expressions
and the subtle movements of muscles
are effectively conveyed, enhancing the emotional impact of the scenes
In 2D animation
there is often a certain economy in detail
favoring simplification for the sake of fluidity
As mentioned earlier
when viewed in a still frame, it may resemble a 2D painting
However, the underlying structure and assets
of the work are based on 3D modeling
Because of this, the characters retain the unique muscularity and movement of 3D
As a result, even as the angles dynamically shift
the detailed facial movements and expressions
are effectively portrayed in this work
If these elements had been portrayed
in a typical photo-realistic
3D animation style
they could have seemed unsettling
triggering what is often called
the uncanny valley effect
However, in a way
because the 3D character incorporates
2D painting mapping
this approach is more effective
and, compared to traditional 3D animation
it connects with the audience more naturally
Now, moving on to the hybrid method
As previously mentioned, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
could technically be considered a hybrid method
However, since all the main character designs
and key design elements were 2D
it would be more accurate to categorize it as 2D
A recent example of this hybrid method would
be The Blue-Eyed Samurai
a Netflix original
his story, viewed from a Western perspective
involves a Western character
living as a Japanese samurai
The world-building
and storytelling are inherently hybrid
and it seems to have worked very well for this particular project
This can be considered a case
that merges traditional and modern technologies
3D-based characters were fused
with Japanese traditional ink wash style backgrounds
For instance, in works like Ghost in the Shell or Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
the characters are 2D, while other elements are presented in 3D
However, in The Blue-Eyed Samurai
the characters are primarily in 3D
while 2D is used in certain parts
they are primarily in 3D
where 2D style is more used in the backgrounds
This style is known in production terms
as toon shading
or cartoon rendering
By adding hand-drawn brushstroke effects
the 3D models are rendered to resemble traditional ink painting
which was well-developed
and gained much attention
Furthermore, the use of space and the placement of negative space
effectively evokes the emotions
typically felt in Eastern paintings
While not all scenes reflect this
full shots, in particular
successfully convey the essence
of Japanese traditional painting in cinematic form
Next, we will look at production scale and scheduling
particularly focusing on the design of the production pipeline
In pre-production, we typically focus
on character design, background design, storyboards, and animatics
That's what's included in pre-production
When working in the animation industry
this concept becomes quite familiar and ingrained
so much so that it becomes second nature
However, for animation
the term animatics might
sound unfamiliar or confusing
to those new to the field
To help explain
let’s equate it to a live-action drama production
Imagine finding a good script
casting the actors, and completing makeup
and test shoots
Then, based
on the characteristics of the actors
the script is adapted
and based on that
we get photos
or a short preview
or storyboard is created
In animation
as I told you already
everything must be finalized
in these initial stages
unlike in film production
Changes are much harder to implement
once the production is underway
It makes the detailed planning
in the pre-production phase crucial
To put it simply
animation projects
can be very costly
and therefore, every scene shot
in the main production
are costly, and thus each scene
must be absolutely necessary
It's unlike films
where reshoots may be possible
if the shot doesn't look nice
It can repeat 10, 20 times
as we see in making films of a movie
In live-action films, the act of filming itself doesn’t incur as much cost
but animation requires creating everything from scratch
which makes the pre-production process particularly important
Unlike live-action productions, after storyboarding
there is a phase called animatics
where the flow of the scenes
whether to add or remove cuts
and the story is further validated
So it's a pre-production step
which is animatics
The animatics process is essentially
a rough animation of the storyboard
This back-and-forth between the storyboard and animatic
makes animatics are included in the pre-production phase
After animatics, the main production begins
where characters are placed
according to the look defined
during the storyboard phase
Props and backgrounds are then added
and the mise-en-scène is carefully considered
This entire arrangement process
is called layout
Once the layout is complete
the next step is the key animation process
During this phase, the characters
that were arranged during the layout stage are refined
such as the camera movements
that were initially sketched out are now finalized
Key animation is
the core process of the main production
similar to the principal photography
in films and dramas
For 2D animation
after the key animation is completed
the next step is the in-between process
In 3D animation
this process is automated
Once the key frames are set
a standing pose of A, and walking
after two seconds
the software fills in the frames between them
In 2D, however
animators manually
draw the in-between frames
which is necessary
These, known as in-between
smooth out the movement
Once the animation is complete
2D animations undergo coloring and effects
while 3D animations proceed to the rendering stage
So finally, 2D animation completes
its colored animation
The rendering for 3D animation
combines all the previously prepared elements
producing the final animation
There are, of course, many more detailed steps in the process
but the main stages of completing an animation
can be described as the main production phase
Post-production, on the other hand
involves adding effects
color correction, and other final touches
Even if individual shots and cuts have been worked on separately
it is only after these are combined
that effective adjustments can be made
All these in a work process
is called post-production
When looking at everything together
it includes the front shots, back shots, or various sources of footage
as well as the rendered results
The overall tone and manner of these elements
are fine-tuned through color correction
to enhance the visual appeal
The concept of running time
emerges after the main production
and when post-production begins
This is when the entire duration of the work is determined
On top of the running time
elements like sound, music
and, if necessary, dubbing are added
to complete the final product
All of these steps require
careful planning and resource management
One example of resource allocation
as in allocating the budget
One example would be like 20% for pre-production
60% for main production
and 20% for post-production
In reality, many animations
tend to fluctuate by about a 10% margin
Nevertheless, depending on the nature of the project
these allocations can change
It’s important to note that resource management
should not be rigidly planned beforehand
but should be adjusted
to align effectively with the characteristics of the work
The key is to allocate resources efficiently and accurately
based on the specific needs of the project
Regarding staffing, for example
if we’re running an animation studio
we could hire permanent staff
or contract workers
or even outsource certain tasks
to freelancers
Some tasks might be better off
being contracted out in bulk
These decisions need to be made based
on the nature of the project, its timeline
and the required technical expertise
Effectively structuring the team according to these factors is essential
For instance, the best control and highest quality
tend to come from
hiring in-house artists
which may be the optimal solution
but from a project perspective
especially concerning the overall project costs
this approach could put significant financial strain on the budget
This could also become a burden
for the company’s operations
We need to assess whether the workforce required
for long-term sustainability is necessary
Then, we should determine the appropriate employment forms
Currently
it is rare to find animation productions
without outsourcing
as the process has become highly specialized
Studios and production teams
often specialize in specific areas
and this scope of outsourcing
varies from project to project
Careful classification
and decision-making are crucial in managing
outsourcing scope effectively
The schedule is
directly tied to costs
Human resource of whatever it is
as the schedule extends
the costs naturally increase
Therefore, it’s crucial to set buffer times
as delays are often unavoidable
Scheduling, in particular
has more uncontrollable aspects than costs
For example, if costs exceed the budget
additional funding can be sought
or previously allocated costs can be reduced
However, time lost cannot be regained
It is common practice to secure at least a 20% margin
to handle unforeseen delays
Setting clear milestones for the project
and managing the margins for each milestone is crucial
The project manager or line producer
plays a key role in keeping the schedule on track
Additionally, during the planning phase
it’s important to ensure that these estimates are realistic
and not overly broad to create
a competitive budget
Business Strategy and Project Realization Process
Next, let’s look at the business design and practical implementation of the project
Establishing a business strategy is essential
It begins with the appeal of the content itself
and extends to the technical capabilities and human resources
necessary to bring it to life
However, even with all of these elements in place, we still need investment
In modern mass entertainment
it’s nearly impossible to create content with your own money
No company today fully owns everything
including channels and products like toys
Disney could
be the closest example to that
But even Disney’s primary income likely comes
from licensing fees
This means the content and business characters
need to be attractive enough to attract investors or partners
Therefore, business strategy plays
a critical role in producing contemporary animation content
almost like the alpha and omega of the process
In many cases, planning begins
with the business strategy itself
First, we need to design a revenue model
I could take many examples
One common example is toy companies in Japan
They first create a toy
and then develop a narrative that can effectively sell the toy
From there, the storytelling is created
and the animation is made based on that narrative
In this case, they first developed the product
and then created the animation
to effectively sell it
Naturally, the revenue model in this case revolves around the toy
This strategy began showing great success in Japan
by the late 1990s
Since then, many animations produced in South Korea
Japan, and Southeast Asia
have followed a similar model
in animation production
The revenue model is crucial
even more so than the appeal of the content or the quality
of the work itself
In fact, it often plays a significant role
in driving the appeal of the content or the work
For example, while the revenue model
that I just described
is mostly a commercial strategy
in terms of content
let’s say you plan to create a fantasy adventure series with 12 episodes
By having preliminary meetings with an OTT platform
and securing part of the production cost through a pre-sale
you could also use this strategy to secure funding
In other words, designing a revenue model
is about ensuring that you can create differentiated revenue streams
While this is important for appealing to investors
even if you don’t secure funding directly through them
you can still reduce the amount of investment needed
by securing part of the production cost
through pre-sales or advance contracts
This means the revenue model is one of
the first elements that need to be considered and planned
After that, targeting comes into play
The target should align with
the nature of the content to ensure the strategy fits well
The revenue structure
in traditional animation
is somewhat predefined
When establishing a business strategy
setting the target is essential
This target refers not only to the audience that will consume the content
but also to those who will consume
the ancillary business generated by it
So, setting this target is a key factor
when creating the business model
and it must be considered very carefully
The revenue structure also varies
depending on the nature
genre, and target of the content
For example, when it comes to broadcast rights
we receive payment from different platforms
There's terrestrial channels
and then cable
IPTV, OTT
and YouTube channels
also VOD and international markets
These markets have prices that are more or less fixed
When we receive investment
or secure funds in advance through pre-sales
we need to fully evaluate the potential revenue
from these known sources
This helps investors assess
the vision and profitability of the content
which becomes a crucial element
in securing funding
This is why it’s important to research and gather information through meetings
or exchanges with experienced producers
to determine these aspects
preferably in advance
When making a series
we can anticipate the revenue
a minimum and maximum revenue range
However, there are often cases where the actual revenue falls
below the minimum expected
Therefore
it is essential to plan for various launch strategies
like considering releasing content
in multiple formats
For example
a series that didn’t succeed initially
might be cut into short clips and given new life
on platforms like YouTube or TikTok
eventually leading
to renewed interest in the series
Ultimately, content is unknown
before it reaches an audience
and as a result, many forms of failure are inevitable
Regarding the failure cases
it’s essential to be proactively aware
of potential failures and verify them
to some extent in advance
Though predicting failure
has its limits
it’s important to be mindful of these possibilities
and prepare accordingly
Next, we move on to regional market strategies
For instance, let’s take a domestic example of an SF animation
Then it might be distributed mainly through IPTV and OTT platforms within the domestic market
with special episodes used for the theatrical version
Additionally, content could be sold
as paid content on platforms like YouTube or Google
In Japan, entering the market through co-production with local studios
can help reduce market entry barriers
On the global level, pre-coordination
with major platforms such as Netflix or Disney+
provided that global contracts
are already in place for regions like South Korea
would allow content to naturally expand globally
In terms of expected revenue
there can be specific expectations for both domestic and overseas earnings
with projections on how much each market
will contribute to the overall revenue
This kind of market research
and realistic planning
will help you assess potential revenue models and the scale of profits
Now, moving to the production implementation plan
When planning the budget
as previously mentioned
it can vary significantly
based on the production method chosen
For example, the project could employ a hybrid approach
2D, or 3D animation
The character of the project will determine
where resources are allocated
Which aspects should receive more focus
or investment and which parts may require budget cuts?
This would apply to both pre-production
and main production phases
And for the post-production phase
if the project is music-intensive, for example
you may need to allocate
a higher budget for that part of the production
So, these factors should be researched
based on what is currently feasible, and budgets should
be set and distributed accordingly
Additionally, in preparation for budget cuts
as I mentioned earlier, keeping a 20% margin
or planning for various scenarios is crucial
In some cases, reducing the production volume may be necessary
This is something that can
be planned ahead of time
For example, if you were to create an Avengers animation
you would have to consider how many of the many characters
appearing in the original series can be included in the animation
Depending on the budget plan
the number of characters might change
As for the location and background
some degree of compromise or adjustment may be possible
However, these decisions should focus
on maximizing the narrative, fun, and appeal of the work
in the pre-production phase
By doing so, when the project is onset
even if the budget is reduced later in the process
with this focus in advance
you will be better prepared
to handle the situation more smoothly
Next, we have the production partnerships
which are another crucial element
It’s important to understand
that the right partners for the project
may not always be available on the desired schedule
So pre-arranging is necessary
In our case, we outsource a lot of tasks
For our production
depending on the nature of the project, we meet and communicate
regularly with potential partners
keeping track of their schedules
Therefore, we prepare Plan A, Plan B
and other alternatives in advance
This preparation is essential
and I wanted to highlight this point
For action-oriented 3D animation production
there may be external companies specializing in this area
or even within the internal production
there could be artists
who can take on a higher level of responsibility
with more authority
The key is effectively distributing resources
to ensure that the main production is well-supported
Internal and external teams
It is crucial to optimize the production process
by effectively distributing tasks between internal and external teams
This approach will also help optimize
the production budget
which therefore requires careful planning and consideration
Additionally, when facing budget constraints, alternatives must be considered
As I mentioned before
action scenes could potentially be produced in collaboration with another party
which could involve sharing the rights, for example
To briefly sum up, for the successful realization of a project
we reviewed both the business
and production aspects
considering how to balance them
Even while maintaining the initial planning goals
it is essential to consider realistic production possibilities
risk management, and ensuring alternatives are in place
With this
let's end today's lecture
In the next lecture, we will explore how to propose
and realize such a project in practice
Thank you
Core Ideas for Animation Planning Market potential review Clear target audience Analysis of similar works Market potential relative to budget
Feasibility Review Technical implementation Budget range Estimated production period
Story Structuring Basic story making: Modern application of the three-act structure Character relationships: Main with support, conflict structure
Character setting and work design process Design direction Character design changes according to growth process Reflecting mental changes in appearance Emphasis on character through clothing and props
Tone & Manner of the Work 〈Cyberpunk: Edgerunners〉 Reinterpretation into 2D animation Unique lines and color work Harmony of violence and artistry
Background and Prop Design 〈Cyberpunk: Edgerunners〉 Differentiation with residential spaces Original worldview in props Vertical structure of a city
Choosing a Production Technique 2D Animation: Advantages and suitable genre examples 〈Cyberpunk: Edgerunners〉
3D Animation: Characteristics and usage examples 〈Arcane〉 Hybrid Method: Usage examples of mixed techniques 〈Blue Eye Samurai〉
Business Strategy and Production Realization Process Designing a Revenue Model Before receiving investment, it is necessary to understand the measurable revenue, which is an important factor in determining the vision and profitability of the content
Set calculable revenue with experienced productions Consider diverse launch methods to prepare for failure
Budget Planning Organizing the budget by production technique Streamline character designs, reuse backgrounds, reduce action scenes
Building Production Partnerships Regularly checking schedules and communicating with external partners
Effectively distributing resources for the main production Optimizing production through effective allocation of external partners