Beginner's Guide to Creating Animated Short Films

Creative chaos as a group of anime characters dive into a whirlwind of technology and artistry

• Concept Development

  Identify the initial elements of your story and the visual style.

  • Story Idea

    Develop a simple yet engaging narrative for the short film.

  • Script

    Write a detailed script, including dialogues and action cues.

  • Storyboard

    Sketch the visual sequence of events in your story via storyboard.

  • Character Designs

    Create initial designs for your film’s characters.

  • Concept Art

    Develop several pieces of concept art to establish the visual tone.

  • Animatic

    Produce a rough animatic from the storyboard to previsualize timing.

• Pre-Production

  Prepare and gather all the resources needed before animation begins.

  • Voice Over

    Record dialogue needing to be lip-synched or used as voiceover.

  • Software Selection

    Choose animation software like Blender, Maya, or After Effects.

  • Hardware Setup

    Ensure your computer and hardware are capable of handling animation software.

  • Animation Tools

    Gather necessary animation tools like a drawing tablet.

  • Music and Sound Effects

    Select or compose music, and gather needed sound effects.

• Production

  This phase involves the actual creation of the animation.

  • Modeling

    Create 3D models of characters and environments if using 3D animation.

  • Texturing

    Apply textures to give color and details to your models.

  • Rigging

    Rig your models with a skeleton for animation if in 3D.

  • Animation

    Animate scenes according to the storyboard and animatic.

  • Lighting

    Setup lighting to enhance the visual atmosphere of your scenes.

  • Rendering

    Render out the final visuals of your animation.

• Post-Production

  Finalize the film with editing, color correction, and effects.

  • Editing

    Edit the animation clips together to form the final sequence.

  • Color Correction

    Adjust the colors to ensure visual consistency.

  • Visual Effects

    Add VFX as needed to enhance or correct visuals.

  • Sound Design

    Finalize the soundtrack and integrate sound effects with visuals.

  • Final Output

    Render the final output of your film in desired format and resolution.

  • Distribution Preparation

    Prepare your film for distribution, including creating promotional materials.