How to start animations

[TeDD]

Hey guy's.

I enjoy animating however the hardest part for me is just to start. Even get an Idea. I sit and try think of ideas get some, try put them into storyboards and then decide that I don't want to do it anymore.... This is a problem.

1) How do you guys start ie. Storyboards? keyframes animatic. Straight ahead all the way?

[Tophatwonder]

i usually just animate whatever when i open up flash. but they tend to not have a story and don't do that great. so i just finished making the storyline and starting to make an animation. i have the same problem with getting kinda bored and stopping. but what you have to to is just try and hang in there, at the end of it all it will look great.

[Lockzor]

I think it depends. If you just start something ti wont really have a story but  at the very least it could be really arty. I try to story board things out but then i usually get distracted and dont finish my ideas.

[chluaid]

If you have trouble coming up with ideas, try animating your favourite joke, a dream or perhaps a story somebody else told you (all my first movies were true stories and silly random ideas). When someone tells you a story, you usually see the scenario play out in your head.. try to capture that in a storyboard, you might find it remarkably easy, especially if it's a quick, simple story. Aside from all that, just using Flash as your sketchbook will not only help you learn the program very quickly, but it's also a good way to stumble on new ideas, creatures, concepts, etc.

[cakeofages]

I usually wouldn't draw (or animate, but I do much less of that) at all unless I'm struck with this idea, which usually just comes to me out of nowhere. If its some sort of art assignment, I'd start brainstorming topics that are generally related with what you have to hand in.

[crumb]

when im seriously stuck i pick out the most interesting bits from other films i have watched & enjoyed, and compile a story i like together.

[Zwickel]

I should get a bit into comedy, I find animating comedy specially hard....... Adam, I loved how precise and fun your daily shorts were!

[chluaid]

Thanks! Been thinking of doing another 30, but it would probably be spread out over a few months, rather than 30 days. I don't have that much time on my hands lately so it's hard to commit to a long-term personal project

Each of those ideas were conceived the day before I animated it. I was surprised at how much easier ideas, inspiration and comedy came after I'd been forcing myself to write one every day for a few weeks. By the end of my 30 days, I had at least 60 good ideas written down (which is why I'm planning another 30). You'd think that the opposite would happen.. that you'd be exhausted of ideas by the end. Strangely though, the project was feeding off itself, providing me with more inspiration as I went along.

[TeDD]

Hehe, yeah it's funny like that for me too. Thanks for the inspiration and knowledge you make and share Adam.

[humbleego]

I enjoy animating however the hardest part for me is just to start. Even get an Idea. I sit and try think of ideas get some, try put them into storyboards and then decide that I don't want to do it anymore.... This is a problem.
1) How do you guys start ie. Storyboards? keyframes animatic. Straight ahead all the way?

Well first I don't sit and wait for ideas. That's like waiting for the end of time. I find my best ideas come when I'm not looking for them. For this reason, it's good to always have something with you to record anything of value. Mini sketchbooks work great because they're small enough to carry around, but allow you to draw things if that's the fast way to communicate the idea. Also, a portable tape recorder is good too.

Also, these "ideas" are usually just the seed or the inspiration. Once you have the seed, it takes nurturing and work to make it grow. But once I have the seed I usually:

• Write a script (if it's long enough or word heavy, otherwise I'll skip this stage).
• Make some thumbnail storyboards of key parts, working out the general flow.
• Make "final boards" of the whole piece.
• Record any dialogue, find placeholder sound FX for key moments.
• Make an animatic, even if it's just static boards timed to the audio.
• Keyframe, tween, color and finish each shot
• Create the final audio track with all the bells and whistles.

Now, at any time during this process, ideas will hit. Sometimes it's just a better gag or a way to improve a shot/scene. If it's important enough, I work it in. Also, sometimes a new scene or plot point will occur to me, this is more work, but may be worth it. The tough decision is always between time and finishing something and making it absolutely perfect. It's a balance.

Hope this helps.

[TeDD]

Thanks Humbleego thats the sort of answer I was hoping for something with a process.
I'm going to start this way of taking notes of what happens in my life. That was a valuable point there, life experience often makes for better animations.

Thanks peeps great help.