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THE DIGITAL PRODUCTION PROCESS

syed ardi syed yahya kamal

2011

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THE DIGITAL COMPUTER ANIMATION STUDIO

Most computer animation projects require the collaboration of many individuals with different skills, talents, personalities and working habits.

Computer animation projects are team efforts where collaboration is a key ingredient for success.

The production of any computer animation requires a lots of planning and constant supervision because of the number of individuals involved, the short production cycle, limited budgets and the unpredictable and chancing nature of cutting edge technology.

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Digital studio needs to be back up by a business plan that clearly defines the balance between income and expenditure, how to deal with significant equipment and software upgrade costs and the means by which to achive growth.

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The plan involved: Personnel Turnkey Software Propriety Storage Processing power Peripheral Storage Networks Input and Output Equipment

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1. PERSONNEL

The personnel of computer animation studio or production house includes creative, technical, production and administrative positions.

Production studios tend to hire some people as permanent or full-time employees and other as freelancers or contract employees.

The balance between these two types of employees varies greatly between companies and production cycles.

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Small studios have a tendency to hire a fair number of generalists who can perform a variety of tasks as needed, for example animation and compositing.

Large companies tend to have more structured pipelines that require larger numbers of specialists (with exclusive tasks).

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2. TURNKEY SOFTWARE

In addition to the operating system and all the utility programs associated with it, a digital studio is often centered around its application software.

A larger number of computer animation facilities use turnkey software.

This type of software , also called off-the-shelf software, is commercially available from a variety of vendors and is ready to use on virtually all computer platforms.

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Usually, turnkey software comes with some functions: Software upgrades

Offered owners of the upgraded software at a nominal fees.

Upward compatibility Exists when files created with previous versions of the

software are compatible with new software upgrades. Downward compatibility

Exists when files created with a new software upgrade are compatible with earlier version of the software.

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3. PROPRIETARY SOFTWARE

Much of the sophisticated computer animation software is often produced with a combination of commercially available software and custom, or proprietary software.

Proprietary software is developed in-house to provides tools and techniques that are not available in commercial turnkey systems.

Proprietary software is often quite costly because it requires a team of specialized and dedicated programmers to develop, maintain and upgrade it.

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4. PROCESSING POWER

The processing power of a computer animation facility is determined by the power, speed and number of computers dedicated to compute the animation.

The power and speed of a single computer system is dictated by the configuration of the computer’s central processing units clocks bus RAM memory peripheral storage

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5. PERIPHERAL STORAGE

The type of peripheral storage used in a computer animation facility is also based on the volume, quality and complexity of the work done at that facility.

RAID disk arrays (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) are the popular way to store data safely.

A RAID array is a group of drives that act as a single storage system with high levels of redundancy and fault-tolerance.

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6. NETWORKS

The main function of a computer network is to bring information to the processors from storage and the peripheral devices and vice-versa.

Networks usually have one or several computers – called network servers – whose main purpose is to help the other computers on the network fetch and send data.

Internets are networks that connect computers in locations across the globe, whereas intranets connect computers that belong to a single company or might even be located in the same building.

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7. INPUT AND OUTPUT EQUIPMENT

The input capabilities of a computer animation studio used for variety of purposes. Flatbed scanner or digitizing cameras

Used to scanning images Film digitizers

Used to digitizing entire live action sequences that are composited digitally with the computer animation.

The output capabilities of a computer animation facility include a variety of devices to record motion tests and finished animation. Digital disk recorders

Used to output animation onto a variety of video formats.

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CREATIVE, TECHNICAL AND PRODUCTION TEAMS

Most computer animation projects require one or several teams of individuals with a variety of skills and talents.

Computer animation teams are put together in different ways depending on the nature and needs of the project.

The creative team is usually represented by the individuals, design studio, communications company or advertising agency that developed the concept and the visual treatment.

This team is typically responsible for creating a script or screenplay and a storyboard.

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The main responsibility of the production team is to execute the ideas provided by the creative team and to deliver to the finished product.

The production team may be based in one or in several production and postproduction companies or group within the same company.

Some of the multiple responsibilities of the technical team include providing technical support to the production crew, maintaining the computer systems in working order and developing custom software for special production requirements.

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Creative Director Art Director Copywriter Producer Account Executive Animation director

Animation Supervisor Senior / Junior

Animators Technical Director:

Modeling, Rigging, Lighting, Rendering

Roto Artist / Compositor Producer Production Manager Technical Assistant

Creative Team Production Team

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Small Project Depending on their small projects may range

from just a few individuals to thirty or forty people.

Commercials for television, music video and even independent productions.

Large Project The production of long computer animations may

require a relatively small creative team but an extensive production team with specialized group.

Live action feature movie, 3D and 2D computer animation etc.

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OVERVIEW OF COMPUTER ANIMATION PROCESS

For your written assignment: Elaborate each of these process that involved in

computer animation process. Story development, scriptwriting and recording dialog Visual deployment Character design Storyboards Animatics, Revisualization and story reels

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END OF CHAPTER 8syed ardi syed yahya kamal