Animatics

No rest for the weary in this production.

Following up on my DPP storyboard for "Noah" is the animatic. While my example is an extremely primitive version, it still serves its purpose as the intermediary step between storyboards and the animation process. In professional productions, every storyboard shot is compiled using a non-linear editing system (i.e. Final Cut Pro, Avid), meaning that the film editor can rearrange shot lengths and sequences without destroying any content. The result is a kind of flipbook in which each shot is timed out in advance of any actual production; the director can see how long each composition will be seen on screen and how the sequence plays out from shot to shot.

The flipbook effect is lost in my example because I am only working with six storyboards; of course, I plan on having more than six shots. In any event, I successfully completed my first assignment on Final Cut Pro (FCP) with only a slight headache, so that counts for something!