Exploring the world of animation and filmmaking requires not only technical and creative skills, but also patience and commitment to accomplish all the challenging tasks involved throughout the long production process. After completing your initial pre-production requirements including the script, storyboard, and character and background designs, you must clearly know your technical workflow, audio and video settings, and other production requirements before proceeding to the actual animation. Animation Software Choosing your animation software is crucial to the specific workflow and technical
Animation
‘Inside Out’ Film Review: Happy + Sad
“Inside Out” is a powerfully moving animated piece exploring the importance of emotions in people's lives. Daring to explore the existential crises of the human mind and the feelings affecting one’s life, this formidably ingenious film works similar to a thesis or research project. With a material that strikes as a reflection on the power of emotions, it targets the family audience, particularly those with ages ranging from pre-teen to adult. Packaged as a motion picture set inside someone's head and how
Video #2: The Pixnoys and getting hired at Pixar from ‘Inside Out’ co-director Ronnie del Carmen
This is a documentation filmed during the "Inside Out" Press Conference in Manila, Philippines with director Pete Docter and co-director Ronnie del Carmen. Ronnie talks about his Filipino colleagues at Pixar and their advocacy projects, then Pete and Ronnie discuss their successful working relationship starting from the film "Up," then all the way to "Inside Out." These came from the unplanned handheld shots with the GoPro I apparently brought with me during the press conference invitation, and I guess the footage turned
Video #1: How the Story Came About From the ‘Inside Out’ Directors
This is a documentation filmed during the "Inside Out" Press Conference in Manila, Philippines with director Pete Docter and co-director Ronnie del Carmen. This video features the filmmakers' introduction to the "Inside Out" story development and Pete and Ronnie's working relationship at Pixar. These came from the unplanned handheld shots with the GoPro I apparently brought with me during the press conference invitation, and I guess the footage turned out fine and worth watching. Thanks to the awesome responses from these two
Filmmaking Guide: Visualizing your shots for an amateur 2D animation project
The Internet offers a number of accessible tutorials teaching you the technical side of computer animation. But even though online guides discussing the creative component of making an animation is not as plentiful as the technical tutorials available around cyberspace, this doesn't mean that you should overlook this crucial part of the production. Your storytelling should combine both the technical and creative aspects of filmmaking. If you're making a 2D animated movie, it is important to understand both the format's benefits
Filmmaking Guide: How to get an animated movie made
An animated movie requires frames drawn and played in sequence. Unlike a live-action movie, an animated movie uses a specific kind of animation process or a combination of processes to produce moving images. The animation can be fully drawn, painted or photographed frame by frame. Computer technology also paved way to the creation of animated films using computer programs such as Flash, Adobe After Effects, 3D Studio Max, and Maya. Many animation projects combine the use of hand-drawn and computer-based production of
‘Rio 2’ Film Review: Perfectly fine, perfectly forgettable
"Rio 2" is a delightfully bright and breezy bit of computer-generated entertainment. As an acceptable family fare, this sequel maintains that blockbuster flavor that is expected of such an animated flick. It mostly hits the sweet spot when it comes to eye-popping visuals and feisty song-and-dance sequences. However, its predictable narrative plays too safe that it simply crafts nothing more than a fine commercial blend of heart-warming and toe-tapping moments for its target demographic. For this second installment in the "Rio"
Blu-ray Review: ‘Rise of the Guardians’
"Rise of the Guardians" arrives on a two-disc set containing this 2012 animated film's Blu-ray, DVD, and digital copies. This package brings together some of the world's most famous childhood heroes and mythical creatures in an inventive story about the power of belief, faith, and the values of the universe. These legendary characters collectively known as the Guardians have powers that come from the children believing in them. A muscular and tattooed Santa leads the team that also includes the Easter
Blu-ray Review: ‘Rio’
The "Rio" Blu-ray release features a two-disc set consisting of a Blu-ray disc and DVD, along with some digital download materials. Aptly set in Rio de Janeiro, this 96-minute 3D animation is helmed by Brazilian director Carlos Saldanha, also the man behind "Robots" and the "Ice Age" films. The filmmaker shows love for his hometown with this movie project that showcases the fun and festive culture of the Brazilian city. Filled with dazzling imagery and contagiously fun music, "Rio" tells the
Tim Burton Filmography: His early works as a filmmaker (1971 to 1990)
Filmmaker Tim Burton is widely known for his dark, quirky, and expressionist films. Early on, Tim Burton's exposure to classic horror movies reflected the kind of works he would eventually do as a Hollywood filmmaker. His early career was filled with luck and opportunities, but not necessarily inspiring and fulfilling ones for the young, promising artist. He hailed from Burbank, California, an area where many television and movie studios are located. He received a Disney scholarship to attend the California Institute of