Animation

Discuss, share content and offer advice or tips regarding technique, trends, software, advice, tips and all other pertinent issues related to animation

Alex Olguin
Armstrong-D.U. – Animatic Attempt: Pacing, Emotion, and Rhythm Test

I wrote a screenplay for an animated feature called Armstrong-D.U. After some encouraging feedback and a few pushes from kind people, I decided to start building something to show what this story could feel like on screen.

Here’s the logline:

In a society where a caution AI bans excitement to protect...

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Alex Olguin

Jackie Tarascio Actually, yes. I am planning to add previows scenes to add more important context, with that people should unerstand better the character of Kevin and how and why he interacts that way...

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Alex Olguin

Kevin Jackson Thank you, more than a finished job it's more of a concept test. I'm not a director at all, all I know is from the movies I've watched, despite that I wanted to test emotion, rithm and s...

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Terence Daniels

Looks like a lot of work, are you at all inspired by the Iron Giant? Who is the boy, who would play him if you could cast someone or find a voice for the character? Who would play the robot?

Alex Olguin

Terence Daniels It was actually a lot of work, I haven't thought of acting jet, since the point of this is to just test how the events I wrote on the script actually work. I used music borrowed from o...

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Alex Olguin

Sylvia Melanson Thank you really. I did my best with the drawing. I'm not very good at drawing I had to teach myself to draw propperly to do this. But I'm glad you liked it.

Charmane Wedderburn
Comedy-Adventure Animation Concept: “The Great Casino Turkey Chase”

Hi everyone , I’m Charmane, a writer and screenwriter new to this corner of Stage 32. Most of my work lives in live-action storytelling, but I’ve recently fallen in love with animation’s creative freedom and wanted to join the discussion here.

I originally wrote The Great Casino Turkey Chase as a sho...

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Charmane Wedderburn

Appreciate that, Langley! You’re right — every turkey needs a dragon. Let’s just say this one’s about to find his in the kitchen… and it’s wearing an apron.

Langley Coleman

Charmane Wedderburn Every turkey does need a dragon XD!~ Sounds like you've got it figured out. Can I suggest then that you work on your logline? Opinions vary, but I'm of the firm opinion that a logl...

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Charmane Wedderburn

Appreciate that, Langley — great point about clarity in loglines. I wanted to keep this one tight since it’s a short concept, but I see what you mean about charting that A-to-B journey more clearly. I...

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Marina Albert

G'day, Charmane Wedderburn - your concept sounds like a ton of fun!!! I'm taking my animation through 2D. Since it's drawn that way, I can't imagine it in 3D... but anything's possible with passion at...

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Charmane Wedderburn

“Thanks so much, Marina! I love that — 2D really does have a certain heartbeat, doesn’t it? There’s something about the hand-drawn energy that gives comedy extra charm. I’ll take a look at your projec...

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Ashley Renee Smith
How ‘The Quinta’s Ghost’ Revived Goya’s Black Paintings with VR

What happens when VR tools are used not just for spectacle, but to channel the spirit of one of history’s most haunted painters?

Emmy-winning filmmaker James A. Castillo (Madrid Noir) set out to do exactly that with his animated horror short The Quinta’s Ghost, which reimagines the last years of Fran...

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Inside 'The Quinta's Ghost': Goya's Nightmares Realized With VR
Inside 'The Quinta's Ghost': Goya's Nightmares Realized With VR
Discover how Emmy-winning filmmaker James A. Castillo used VR tools to bring Goya's haunting Black Paintings to life in 'The Quinta's Ghost.'
Maurice Vaughan

That's pretty cool, Ashley Renee Smith! I'm looking forward to seeing The Quinta’s Ghost! I haven't used VR technology, but I've written VR scripts mixed with traditional scripts and 1st-person POV/re...

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Cyrus Sales

Thanks for sharing Ashley Renee Smith. Our goal as a company is to eventually get into the VR space. I did my first VR game and interaction this year and I can definitely see how it's the future. For...

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Langley Coleman

Anything Rebecca Sugar touches turns to gold! It's so cool to see her in working the AR space

Pat Alexander
Michelle Yeoh on joining ‘Ne Zha 2’, Chinese mythology & her iconic animated roles | Interview

Michelle Yeoh chats about lending her voice to the English release of massively successful Chinese animated film, ‘Ne Zha 2' and shares why she wanted to take part in the powerful film. Michelle also speaks about her past animated roles, saying ‘Minions’ was one of her favorites!

(https://www.youtube...

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Maurice Vaughan

I'm looking forward to seeing Ne Zha 2, Pat Alexander! I don't know a lot about the story, but the film looks incredible! I don't think I've seen that kind of animation style, which makes me want to s...

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Cyrus Sales

I started to watch this animation but haven't had a chance to release. I look forward to seeing what insight Michelle has to share. Thanks for sharing Pat Alexander ....

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Bob Harper
Adult Animation

Adult animation used to mean Fritz the Cat and Spike & Mike's Sick & Twisted. Then it became more mainstream when the only shocking thing was The Simpsons saying "hell" on prime time, except for South Park, which was an anomaly for its time.

Now it is a free-for-all ranging from shows that are "witti...

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Bob Harper

Marc Jaytin I'm looking forward to the new Simpsons Movie. What are you working on?

Maurice Vaughan

I'm looking forward to the new Simpsons Movie too, Bob Harper!

Josephine Yar.

I still consider "Allegro non troppo" the best of adult films.

Bob Harper

Josephine Yar. Great choice!

Cyrus Sales

Zee Risek " It's like adult animation means juvenile animation," I couldn't agree more. In small doses it's fine however when every adult show does the same thing then I'm over it. I haven't seen all...

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James Woodland
Is better to follow a strict formula or be more creative when filmmaking in animation?

Only a few producers really want to take risks or have the skill to take them in order to go outside established production formats such as the three-act story structure because it's the safest bet.

Strict is the wrong word here. Formula and structure are interlinked and are constantly played with....

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Maurice Vaughan

I think it's better to be more creative, James Woodland. The animation movies that stand out to me and I really enjoy are the ones that are really creative/take risks....

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Bob Harper

I believe audiences have become tired of formulaic content and are embracing material that surprises and challenges them.

Cyrus Sales
DreamWorks Animation Workers Achieve Union Milestones

Big news in the animation world! Workers at DreamWorks Animation just made history by ratifying their first-ever collective bargaining agreement with The Animation Guild (IATSE Local 839) and the Motion Picture Editors Guild.

The new agreement brings major wins: guaranteed wage minimums, zero-dollar...

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Kevin Jackson

This is a good arrangement. I hope it doesn't impact hiring and number of productions.

Bob Harper

Just to clarify, artists were already unionized. This is for the production workers. Remote workers in all categories are unionizing. Still great news!

Ashley Renee Smith

Cyrus Sales This really is a landmark moment for the industry. The protections and benefits in this agreement don’t just help current DreamWorks employees, they set a precedent that other studios will...

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Cyrus Sales

Maurice Vaughan I look forward to seeing how this impact remote artist across the US. Kevin Jackson I honestly didn't think about that, we will see though. Bob Harper I'm still on the "newer," side of...

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Bob Harper

Cyrus Sales I have experience with The Animation Guild

Maurice Vaughan

That's great, Kevin Jackson! I hope more organizations do this, and I hope it has an impact on AI use in the Animation industry and entertaining industry!...

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Cyrus Sales

Maurice Vaughan I hope so too. Don't get me wrong AI has a time and a place but I 100% stand with the creatives. There has to be a protection for the creative and the art. Shout out to those French fi...

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Pat Alexander
Reimagining An Animated Classic for Live Action w/Dean DeBlois

Seventeen years after launching one of animation’s most beloved franchises, Dean DeBlois returns to How to Train Your Dragon for a bold new chapter: a live-action adaptation that’s bigger, more immersive, and emotionally resonant.

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ylh5pIRKnfA)...

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Cyrus Sales

Pat Alexander thank you for sharing!

Laurie Ashbourne

Dean is such a great person on top of being talented. Fun fact he was also a co-director on the animated LILO AND STITCH which had a live action remake release this year --(which made over a billion dollars at the box office)

Ashley Renee Smith

I loved the live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon! It was breathtakingly beautiful!

Caliann Lum

Thank you!

Laurie Ashbourne
Ashley Renee Smith

Thank you for sharing, Laurie Ashbourne! Are you coming to AFF? Looking forward to seeing you and catching up, if so!

Leonardo Ramirez 2
Free script giveaway on Stage 32!

The 2025 Emmy Awards just wrapped, and now is the perfect time to study the scripts behind the wins. Whether you’re a writer, actor, filmmaker, composer, producer, or post-pro, reading award-winning scripts is one of the most powerful ways to sharpen your craft and understand what’s resonating in th...

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Lucide Safou

Thanks for your post. By the way I a wanna jump to this occasion for congratulate the adolescence scriptwriters and the young Jamie... In fact, the young Jamie is in the center of the success of this...

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Aaaa Dddd

Thank you for your suggestions, my dear.

Kevin Jackson

Started downloading a few to read this weekend.

Cyrus Sales

Thanks for sharing Leonardo Ramirez 2 - you're the best!

Leonardo Ramirez 2

You're very welcome my friend Cyrus Sales - hope you're doing well.

Ashley Renee Smith
Mastering the Animal Walk Cycle

Animating realistic animal movement can be one of the trickiest challenges for animators, but also one of the most rewarding. The key is understanding the rhythm: back left, front left, back right, front right. Once you lock into that heartbeat-like pattern, the whole cycle starts to come alive.

This...

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Maurice Vaughan

Thanks for sharing the video, Ashley Renee Smith. Studying animal movements and keeping them in mind while animating and writing are helpful.

Kevin Jackson

Ah yes, I remember these exercises all too well. I have not done a quadruped walk in a while. I need to get back to practicing.

Mike Boas

I have a series of exercises I teach on this. looking at reference video (such as Muybtidge studies) can help as well. Although you often find animal movements that “break the rules”, like a dog stepping off on the opposite foot, or giraffes, who do two left, then two right.

Cyrus Sales

Thanks for sharing Ashley Renee Smith. I'm going to share this video with our animation team. While I don't personally do the animating, from the conversations I've had with the animators the hardest...

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