Animated Storytelling, 2nd Edition

Animated Storytelling, 2nd Edition

by Liz Blazer
Released June 2019
Publisher(s): Peachpit Press
ISBN: 9780135668023

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Book description

Animation is a limitless medium for telling stories. Artists can create worlds, defy gravity, flip from factual to fantasy, and transport audiences to places they never imagined. The challenge is having the discipline to reel it in and be intentional about your storytelling choices. This book shows you how.

 

In Animated Storytelling, learn how to create memorable stories using animation and motion graphics by following 10 simple guidelines that take you through the stages of concept development, pre-production, storyboarding, and design. Explore traditional linear storytelling and learn different processes for creating successful nonlinear animated stories, and also discover the wonders of experimental filmmaking.

 

Award-winning filmmaker, educator, and motivator Liz Blazer uses clear examples and easy-to-follow exercises to provide you with the instruction, encouragement, and tools you need to get your designs moving.

 

Whether your goal is to create exciting shorts for film festivals, effective messaging for broadcast or online, or simply to gain a deeper understanding of the medium, Animated Storytelling simplifies the process of creating clear and engaging stories for animation and motion graphics so you can get started easily.

 

Animated Storytelling teaches you how to:

• Write a creative brief for your project

• Find and communicate your story's Big Idea

• Create tight stories with linear and nonlinear structures

• Explore experimental filmmaking techniques

• Use storyboards to communicate your visual story

• Use color to clarify and enrich your story

• Define the rules for your animated world

• Ease into the challenging task of animation

• Make the work you want to be hired to do

• Share your work with the world!

 

“Equal parts inspiring and practical, Animated Storytelling is a step-by-step guide that takes aspiring storytellers from raw idea to final render to distribution.

–Justin Cone, Co-founder, Motionographer

“This book is the instruction manual for navigating the complex world of animated storytelling. It's informative, inspirational, and extremely entertaining to read. Anyone working (or hoping to work) in the field of animation needs to read this.

 

–Joey Korenman, CEO & Founder, School of Motion

Table of contents

  1. Cover Page
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright Page
  4. Dedication
  5. Acknowledgments
  6. Art Credits
  7. Table of Contents
  8. Introduction
  9. 1. Pre-Production: The doorway to creating a well-planned animated piece
    1. Concept Development
    2. Previsualization
    3. What does it look like?
    4. Asset Building
    5. Assignment
  10. 2. Storytelling: Tame the limitless medium
    1. Story Structure
    2. Nonlinear Story Structure
    3. Assignment
    4. Story Starters
  11. 3. Unlocking Your Story: Alternative forms for free thinkers
    1. Part 1: The Narrative Form
    2. Part 2: The Experimental Form
    3. Assignment
  12. 4. Storyboarding: Build your visual script
    1. Build the Storyboard
    2. Storyboarding Hints
    3. Transitions and Continuity
    4. Is It Really Working? Timing and Animatics
    5. Assignment
  13. 5. Color Sense: Enhance your story with the right palette
    1. Color Vocab
    2. Create a Color Script
    3. Color Simplified
    4. Assignment
  14. 6. Weird Science: Experiment with animation
    1. Find Your Weird Science
    2. Personal Experimentation Heaven
    3. Your Film’s Experimentation List
    4. Assignment
  15. 7. Sound Ideas: Get your audio and story in sync
    1. Let Sound Lead Story
    2. Narration/Voiceover for Motion Graphics
    3. Ready, Set, Go
    4. A Final Word on Timing
    5. Assignment
  16. 8. Design Wonderland: World building and environmental design
    1. But First (Again): Be Influenced!
    2. Designing the Rules
    3. On Motion Graphics & Branding
    4. Assignment
  17. 9. Technique: Marry style and story
    1. Finding a Perfect Match
    2. Animation/Motion Graphic Techniques + Styles
    3. Conform or Adapt
    4. Assignment
  18. 10. Animate!: Big-picture thinking, frame by frame
    1. Before you Start…
    2. Get Started
    3. Strategic Movement
    4. Sound it Out
    5. Assignment
  19. &. Show and Tell: Create, share, and network
    1. Get it Out There
  20. Index

Product information

  • Title: Animated Storytelling, 2nd Edition
  • Author(s): Liz Blazer
  • Release date: June 2019
  • Publisher(s): Peachpit Press
  • ISBN: 9780135668023