NEW AND FRESH, BUT HOW TO MAKE AN ANIME?

[Ryuk]

Hello everyone!
My name is Matthew and I come from Holland (real name is: Matthijs). I'm almost 15 years old and I bought Anime Studio Pro from my money I received on my birthday . I love to draw Manga and Anime, but the Anime is a bit of a problem. My idea was for my "Profile-Presentation" Drawing Arts, creating an Anime. I already have the story and have drawn the main characters, but what am I supposed to do now ? I actually don't have any idea how to work with Anime Studio (well... I already created bones and scanned my drawings).
Well, I just wait for a reply, then I see what to do
Greetings,
Matthew

ps. The story of my Anime is like this (pps. I already created a manga of this, becaus I thought that would be easier and):
"The goddess of the Storms, Tsuwara, drops here Magic Feather (named Jujutsu Hane, just as the Anime itself). It accidently falls in the Human World and a girl, Mimiro, playing Hide and Seek touches the feather (because she collects feathers) and transforms into a Harpy with powers to control the storms. Luckily, because Mimiro is good-natured, she will use her powers to protect the world from demons Tsuwara send (because Tsuwara was furious)."

[Mikdog]

I find running around the garden helps a lot. If that's not for you, perhaps reading the tutorials and actually animating your story might work. If not, try running around the garden some more and see if that helps. Good luck.

[slowtiger]

You have an outline of a story. Now decide how long it should take on screen, and draw a storyboard for it. Try to make it work without dialogue - that's why we do animation here.

[funksmaname]

Welcome Ryuk.

In my opinion, we shouldn't try to run before we can walk.
Before you try such a complicated story you really need to learn how to use AS... that means a LOT of work as there is so much to learn and so many ways to do things.

You should first learn to draw in AS... you must also do every tutorial that comes with it, and you will THEN only know the basics. The truth is that every character and every scene needs to be treated totally uniquely. The principles follow but the execusion is totally different. Experience is your only friend. Do a lot of tests, unrelated to the story, or take one character and develop them. draw them. use them to learn what can and cant be done.

That should take you a couple of years - after which maybe you'll be ready to make a short anime feature

good luck.

[LittleFenris]

I find running around the garden helps a lot. If that's not for you, perhaps reading the tutorials and actually animating your story might work. If not, try running around the garden some more and see if that helps. Good luck.

This is the best suggestion so far. I don't have a garden though, so I just run around my back yard. hehe

The only way you will learn Anime Studio is to use it. Go through every one of the tutorials step by step and learn the tools. Once you feel comfortable w/ the basic tools, come on the forums and search if you have a specific problem you can't overcome. You could draw one of your characters for your story in AS and use that as a learning tool.

You'll want to do tests for walking, lip-sync, etc...to get a feel for how things are done and what works best for you. Once you get all the basics down you can then start to add things like backgrounds and actions other than simple walk cycles. As someone said before, walk before you run.

There is no way you will jump right in and make a feature quality anime w/o knowing the basics like timing, squash and stretch, etc...You might go to a local library or book store and pick up some animation books. There are a lot of good books out, you just have to look.

Maybe you could post those scans of your characters on here also...so we can see the very beginnings of your first anime.

Good luck.

[patrick]

Good story idea, I've known a lot of girls that turned into harpies...

Everything after this point I've added to justify posting the above comment.

Take a look at the sample anime characters you get with the software and chop up your character drawings in a similar way and set up the skeleton for them in the same way.

The beauty of anime is that you can choose a legitimate style to match your current skill level. Start with something like Ninja Scrolls with the minimal animation needed to tell the story, build up the complexity as you get more skill and experience.

[heyvern]

I find running around the garden helps a lot. If that's not for you, perhaps reading the tutorials and actually animating your story might work. If not, try running around the garden some more and see if that helps. Good luck.

Oh good grief that's just too funny. It made the point without being... too harsh.

Does... watching stuff on youtube and reading news blogs count as "running around the garden"? Or is the physical activity part of this idea?

I think from now on we should say:

RATG or RTFM.



The truth can be painful... or itchy. I have poison ivy in my "garden".

-vern

[LittleFenris]

I think from now on we should say:

RATG or RTFM.

I grow so tired of these kids asking "so how do I animate?" or "how EXACTLY do I do my project?"

The internet has tons and tons of information on animation techniques, not to mention this forum has tons of examples and threads discussing various ideas and techniques specific to AS.

The whole fun of animation is the exploration and trial and error of the learning process. Even "professional animators" are constantly learning.

[heyvern]

The story of my Anime is like this (pps. I already created a manga of this, becaus I thought that would be easier and):
"The goddess of the Storms, Tsuwara, drops here Magic Feather (named Jujutsu Hane, just as the Anime itself). It accidently falls in the Human World and a girl, Mimiro, playing Hide and Seek touches the feather (because she collects feathers) and transforms into a Harpy with powers to control the storms. Luckily, because Mimiro is good-natured, she will use her powers to protect the world from demons Tsuwara send (because Tsuwara was furious)."

And this is why I don't care for anime STORY LINES.

One paragraph... and I completely lost track of it, and have no idea what the point is... except a reason to have swooshing sword battles incessantly with huge demons. After a while we forget or don't care why there is a conflict.

They sound like stream of consciousness to me... like they are made up as they go along. They have complex rules and totally rely on "deux ex machina" constantly to save the hero or solve the conflict.

I loved the movie Spirited Away and I think it was a great film but even so... the plot line... what plot line? The plots are so... complicated! The characters change their motivations and personalities like changing clothes.

Isn't there room for a simple story any more?

Some of you new young animators just getting started should throw out the Anime Plot Line Generator Pro® you have in your heads and go for something much more simple to start out with.

Try the classics like Asoep's fables or dramatic versions of public domain fairy tales or children's stories. Or at least READ those types of stories to see WHY they became classics.

Sometimes a story line with a logical and simple beginning middle and end can be just as entertaining and also easier to produce for a first time project.

That story line quoted above could be a cookie cut idea from every anime plot out there. Sorry but it just gets lost in the fog.

Now Ultra Man... when I was a kid that was great stuff. I didn't understand the plot at all but it was cool. What ever happened to Ultra Man anyway?


-vern

[patrick]

That's a bit unfair.

Ryuk's story is too simple, but Spirited Away was to complicated...

I hate the whole huge demons and mega robots stuff, but do love Anime. What above Grave Of the FireFlies, or the Ghost in the Shell films/series? Both are intelligent, well written and beautifully animated work.

[ingie01]

Ok, Ok......Now that we have established that Ryuk has to put some time into learning his ABC's , Let's provide some pointers
Ryuk, try researching the postings here and then try the web. Yes I know it is more fun playing with the app but now is the time to establish GOOD habits in pursuing your goal of animating.
Unfortunately you must pay dues (doing your homework)

I admit to playing with an application in order to get the user interface to be as familiar as brushing my teeth.

[Rhoel]

To be fair to Ryuk, the is confusing two things - learning to animate with AS and story development.

Learning to use AS means sitting down and putting in the time to figure out what all the tools do. It's a love/hate process which often leaves dents in the wall and an operator with a bruised forehead.

Story development is something completely different. It needs character development, world building, plot and dialogue design (how a character sounds - the Queen of england is unlikely to say "Gee, ain't that cute" when seeing the pyramids, the current president of the US might). I wrote at length about this in the Animation Jobs section when someone asked the same question.

Basically, you have to sit down and write a script. You can used free tools like FreeMind for development - I use it all the time and I think its unrivaled when used for keeping track of the different characters. locations and the order of events.

Personally,you should make time for both. I actually prefer writing films to animating, though I do both. Others I know hate the writing part but over the craft of creating images. Each to their own.

Rhoel


PS: I thought you needed to get antibiotics from that special clinic for Harpies?

[Rhoel]

Forgot one thing.

Always carry a notebook with you 24/7 ... you have no idea when and where ideas will hit you. If you don't get it down on paper, you WILL forget it. Same goes for dialogue and jokes.

Two examples from the last year;

• I was walking home from the studio when I had one idea, just the title of a film "Mrs Muswell's Cat". From that simple line, I started to think what was odd or funny/different about this cat: That thought process is now past of a children's book.
• I woke up from a dream laughing (I still have the bruise from my girlfriend's elbow). That idea is currently with BBC for consideration, after it took three of us to collaboratively write the 30 minute pilot. If that is commissioned, I'll tell all - but the concept is unique and totally out there - my ex-producer paled at the thought and passed on it.

As for Anime storylines, they do work but they are difficult to write and plots are complex - they can take several years to develop. Television companies are currently moving away from straight Anime style animation.

Just be original and don't copy. Simpsons, Reg and Stimpy, and South Park are three excellent examples of animation ideas which changed the face of television. Be original. Having been in selection meetings with TV buyers, I am aware of their "Oh God, not another Powerpuff Girls rip-off".

Be original, ... and write it down.

Rhoel

[Ryuk]

Well, those comments also are much of experience
This project is only for school anyway, but I always want to have things made by me perfect, so I want to do this the professional way. And I think all these comments helped me a lot.
Because I want to be a Film or Theatre Director when I finished my school, I also write many scripts (as I did for this story). And I always take a notebook with me (since I was 5...) to draw or write down ideas and things I see. That also works alot
I also try to make a few scans of my "beginners/noob-like works"
It's based on Chibi style, 'caus that's much easier to start with.
I'm currently trying to control the basic things on Anime Sudio Pro, and I now know how to let a face turn to any direction

Ryuk/Matthew