Liz Blazer - Animated Storytelling

We live in a magical era for animated storytelling. Film festivals flourish worldwide to celebrate new animation; animated content is being produced and streamed on new platforms for both kids and adults, and advertisers are hungrily seeking fresh talent to connect with audiences in a meaningful way. Skilled storytellers specializing in animation are in high demand, and the opportunities to thrive in the field are ever-expanding. And yet it has been difficult to find a resource aimed at providing the skills necessary to become a successful animated storyteller.

This book is a step-by-step guide on how to make great stories for both animation and motion graphics. Its based on the idea that whether you are creating a character-based narrative or experimental film for festivals, an advertisement for television or the Web, or a motion graphics title sequence, being intentional about storytelling is the key to success.

In ten simple steps beginning with pre-production and storyboarding through color and sound and finally to animation, this book will provide you with the tools you need to create an effective animated story. Youll find concise explanations, useful examples, and short assignments allowing you to set the theory youve learned into action. Youll also find hints on how to take full advantage of animations limitless potential.

Big consideration went into the idea of exploring animation alongside motion graphics in the same book. The two forms are often treated as if they come from different worlds. Certainly, they grew up in different neighborhoods. Animation (for the most part) has been lumped into the filmmaking discipline, with its commitment to experimental and character-driven stories destined for television, movie theaters, and video game consoles. The study of motion graphics, meanwhile, has been part of the graphic design discipline, where its focus on branding and content promotion has made it essential to advertisements, broadcast graphics, and film titles, to name a few. Animation and motion graphics have been kept apart, and yet these two forms have much in common and so very much to learn from one another. They are presented together in this book because they exist hand-in-hand and because their lessons are mutually beneficial.

For you animated filmmakers eager to get your experimental short into the Ottawa International Animation Festival, Annecy, or GLAS, youll find plenty in this book that speaks directly to your goal, but I also urge you to be influenced by the commercial culture of motion graphics which stresses discipline and strict deadlines. It will help you get that short completed and sent off in time. And for you motion graphics artists working on a new commercial spot, I address you directly and often, but pay close attention to the lessons of animations experimentalism and nonlinear story structures. Your motion work will thrive under its influence.