ANIMATION: T1 - Week 1-9

Question 1

List the best settings for an animation.

Answer 1

1920 x 1080
24FPS
Actionscript 3

Question 2

Explain the steps in the creative design process.

Answer 2

1. Understand the brief and identify the purpose
2. Researching solutions and inspiration
3. Using creative thinking techniques
4. Generate and assess different ideas and consult with relevant personnel

Question 3

Define target market/audience/users.

Answer 3

The specific group of people you want to reach with your marketing message.

• Age
• Location (and time zone)
• Language
• Interests
• Stage of life

Question 4

List and describe some of the Animation Softwares available.

Answer 4

• Adobe Animate
• Adobe Character Animator
• Adobe After Effects
• Clip Studio
• Toon Boom Harmony

Question 5

List the types of animation styles.

Answer 5

• Frame by Frame Animation
• Tween Animation
• Rotoscoping

Question 6

Explain frame-by-frame animation.

Answer 6

• Animation style/technique
• Draw every frame
• Difficult/time consuming
• Good for complex animations

Question 7

Explain tween animation.

Answer 7

• Animation style/technique
• Animator draws the keyframe computer generates frames in between
• Quick

Question 8

Explain rotoscoping.

Answer 8

• Animation style/technique
• Trace over footage
• Frame by frame
• Produce realistic action
• Looks great but time-consuming

Question 9

Explain what 2D Animations might be used in /for.

Answer 9

BASIC GAMES
Used for website entertainment and advertisements.

BUTTONS
Interactive elements with animation in multimedia projects.

CHARACTERS
Animated figures connect with audiences, often in storytelling.

LOGOS
Graphic symbols for instant recognition in commercial and personal branding.

Question 10

List the 12 principles of animations.

Answer 10

1. Squash and stretch
2. Anticipation
3. Staging
4. Straight ahead and pose to pose
5. Follow-through and overlapping action
6. Slow/ease in and slow/ease out
7. Arcs
8. Secondary action
9. Timing
10. Exaggeration
11. Solid drawing
12. Appeal

Question 11

Define squash and stretch.

Answer 11

Gives objects in an animation weight and volume.

eg. When a ball hits the ground the squash effect gives a more realistic look as if gravity was pulling it to the ground.

Question 12

Define anticipation.

Answer 12

Gives the audience a clue of what happens next, rather than every scene being a shock.

Question 13

Define staging.

Answer 13

How you position elements in a scene, from the placement of the characters to the background and foreground elements, the character’s mood, and how the camera angle is set up.

Question 14

Define straight ahead and pose to pose.

Answer 14

The pose-to-pose technique involves drawing the key poses first and then filling in the transitional poses second.

The straight-ahead technique is crafting one frame after another.

Straight-ahead is better for creating fluid, realistic, and unpredictable actions eg. fire.

Pose to pose is better for most actions as it gives more control and helps avoid problems ahead eg. jumping over a hole.

Question 15

Define follow-through and overlapping action.

Answer 15

Follow-through = loosely connected parts of a body or object will continue moving after the character has stopped.

Overlapping Action = how different parts of a body or object tend to move at different rates.

When a moving object such as a person comes to a stop, their hair might continue to move in the same direction because of the force of forward momentum after completing the action it will come to a stop in the opposite direction.

Question 16

Define slow/ease in and slow/ease out.

Answer 16

Imitates friction and gravity preventing matter from moving freely.

Slow-In: slowing down the speed of an action when reaching a main pose.

Slow-Out: accelerating again upon leaving a main pose.


E.G. a ball bouncing going up slows down (Ease In), and then goes down increasing its speed (Ease Out), until it hits the ground.

Question 17

Define arcs.

Answer 17

Most people and objects move in a circular path this technique helps to imitate the movement by also following a circular path.

E.G. a ball moving and bouncing would follow an arc rather than a triangular shape because then it would look too mechanical.

Question 18

Define secondary action.

Answer 18

Gestures that support the main action add more dimension to the character’s animation. Staging is very important to emphasise the main action rather than take away from it.

E.G. a character is sad (main action) and a tear falls down adding dimension (secondary action).

Question 19

Define timing.

Answer 19

The personality and nature of an animation is greatly affected by the number of frames inserted between each main action.

more drawings = slow
less drawings = fast

You can draw on ones (one drawing per frame) on twos and so on. Most common to draw on twos to avoid jittery movement. Drawing on ones is used for fast movements.

Question 20

Define exaggeration.

Answer 20

Used to push the movement further and add more appeal to an action, pose or expression.

Remain true to reality, just present it in a wilder, more extreme form.

E.G. in Walt Disney’s opening scene with Mickey Mouse his hands are elongated to emphasise the action of steering the ship.

Question 21

Define solid drawing.

Answer 21

Makes the drawing look three-dimensional and believable with Volume, Weight and Balance.

E.G. when drawing a cube avoid parallel lines instead draw it to the vanishing point or else it will look like a flat symbol.

Question 22

Define appeal.

Answer 22

Engages and interests the audience in the character by following a dynamic design of a variety of shapes, proportions, and avoiding overcomplication/detail.

E.G. to create a small and cute character you can use appeal by making the body smaller and shorter and increasing the size of features people commonly find cute such as the head and the eyes.

Question 23

List the screen principles.

Answer 23

• Editing/transitions
• Cut
• Jump cut
• Fade in/out
• Dissolve
• Wipe
• Framing
• Lighting
• Montage
• Narrative/storytelling
• Style/genre
• Motion pacing/timing
• Point of view

Question 24

Define editing/transitions.

Answer 24

Every animation whether computer-generated or hand-drawn is made up of hundreds of individual shots placed together through editing.

Transitions are techniques used to smoothly switch/join between shots, like cuts, fades, or dissolves.

Question 25

Define a cut.

Answer 25

A cut is the most basic edit to produce. Shot A abruptly ends and Shot B abruptly begins.

Question 26

Define a jump cut.

Answer 26

When a single shot is broken with a cut that makes the subject appear to jump instantly forward in time.

E.G. to emphasise waiting for a long time the camera wont move but the people in the frame will implying that time has past as they try to keep themselves occupied.

Question 27

Define fade in/out.

Answer 27

A fade is when the shot gradually vanishes into a singular colour (most common are black and white) fade ins occur at the start of a shot and fade outs occur at the end of a shot.

Question 28

Define dissolve.

Answer 28

Dissolves are used to link two shots when the visibility of a shot gradually changes until it vanishes into the next shot.

Question 29

Define wipe.

Answer 29

A wipe involves one shot replacing another, travelling from one side of the frame to another.

Question 30

Define framing.

Answer 30

The composition and arrangement of visual elements within the camera frame to create a desired visual impact and convey meaning.

Question 31

Define lighting.

Answer 31

The deliberate use of light to illuminate scenes and subjects in a way that enhances mood, atmosphere, and visibility in a visual production.

Question 32

Define montage.

Answer 32

Montage is a technique in film editing in which a series of short shots are edited into a sequence to condense space, time, and information.

Question 33

Define narrative/storytelling.

Answer 33

A narrative or story is an account of a series of related events, experiences, or the like, whether true or fictitious.

Storytelling is the conveying of events in words, images, and sounds, often by improvisation or embellishment.

Question 34

Define style/genre.

Answer 34

A particular genre will have a similar narrative or structure:
ie Western, Horror, Soap Opera.

A particular style will have similar techniques used to produce it. ie. documentary, sci-fi, arthouse. etc

Question 35

Define motion pacing/timing.

Answer 35

The intentional control of the speed and rhythm of movements in a video to create desired emotional or dramatic effects.

Question 36

Define point of view.

Answer 36

The perspective from which a scene or story is presented is influenced by the position of the camera and the emotions of the characters, shaping the audience’s understanding of events.

Question 37

List the visual design elements.

Answer 37

• colour
• line
• shape
• form
• tone
• texture

Question 38

List the visual design principles.

Answer 38

• balance
• composition
• emphasis
• scale
• proportion
• pattern
• unity
• perspective
• movement
• focal point

Question 39

Define design elements.

Answer 39

Design elements are the basic units of any visual design which form its structure and convey visual messages.

Question 40

Define design principles.

Answer 40

Principles applied to the elements of design that bring them together into one design. How one applies these principles determines how successful a design may be.


Question 41

Define colour.

Answer 41

Colour should be considered in conjunction with other elements. If used well it can add interest, and evoke emotion and excitement to a piece of visual communication. Colour may be used to specify areas, distinguish form, and highlight compositional aspects.

Question 42

Define line.

Answer 42

Essentially line represents a single dimension, length. It can be straight, curved or irregular and combine with other elements. It can create shape, tone, form, and texture. The weight (how thick) and quality of the line may vary depending on its intended use.


Question 43

Define shape.

Answer 43

A two-dimensional enclosed area defined by lines, which can be geometric (e.g., circles, squares) or organic (naturally occurring shapes).

Question 44

Define form.

Answer 44

The three-dimensional aspect of an object, created by the combination of various visual elements such as lines, shapes, colour and shadows.

Question 45

Define tone.

Answer 45

Tone may be used to describe form in its terms of shadow and highlights and to create the effect of volume.

Question 46

Define texture.

Answer 46

The tactile quality or visual appearance of a surface in a design, often simulated through patterns or visual effects to add depth and interest. Texture may be achieved by the combination of elements such as point of line.

Question 47

Define balance.

Answer 47

This may be a symmetrical balance where elements are mirrored on opposite sides of a visual axis to create a stable and formal composition. It may be asymmetrical where balanced elements are not mirrored creating a dynamic informal composition.

Question 48

Define composition.

Answer 48

Composition refers to the interaction and relationship of design elements and principles.

It refers to the way different components are arranged on the page.


Question 49

Define emphasis.

Answer 49

Emphasis can be created by size, weight, position, colour, shape, and style. Emphasis is a strategy that aims to draw the viewer’s attention to a specific design element.

Question 50

Define scale.

Answer 50

This generally refers to the size of the figure on the ground. The relative size of elements in a design in relation to each other or to the overall composition, can create visual interest and hierarchy.

Question 51

Define proportion.

Answer 51

The harmonious relationship between the sizes of different elements in a design contributes to a balanced and visually pleasing composition.

Question 52

Define pattern.

Answer 52

This refers to the repetition of one or more elements to create a unit. Repetition can be used to create a sense of order in a piece.

Question 53

Define unity.

Answer 53

The cohesive and consistent arrangement of visual elements in a design creates a sense of harmony and completeness.

Question 54

Define perspective.

Answer 54

The illusion of depth and three-dimensionality in a two-dimensional design is achieved through techniques like vanishing points and diminishing size.

Question 55

Define movement.

Answer 55

Creating the illusion of motion or direction by arranging visual elements in a way that guides the viewer’s eyes through the design.

Question 56

Define focal point.

Answer 56

The primary point of interest in a design, often achieved through contrast, placement, or size, captures the viewer’s attention and conveys the main message.

Question 57

List the communication principles.

Answer 57

• Communicating the message
• Conveying meaning
• Meeting audience requirement
• Encourages feedback and interaction
• Promotes two-way conversation

Question 58

Define communicating the message.

Answer 58

The message includes any and all information provided from the sender to the recipient and can be delivered via any type of medium. It can also be verbal or nonverbal.

Question 59

Define conveying meaning.

Answer 59

The deeper understanding and feeling connected to the content are often expressed through nonverbal cues.

Question 60

Define meeting audience requirment.

Answer 60

The work uses the language and imagery appropriate for the audience.

Question 61

Define encourages feedback and interaction.

Answer 61

The work enables users to interact and give their feedback for you to use or build on.

Question 62

Define promotes two-way conversation.

Answer 62

Engages your audience in a discussion about your project.

Question 63

List the design specifications.

Answer 63

• Characters and objects
• Keyframes
• References
• Sample
• Script
• Storyboard

Question 64

Explain characters and objects.

Answer 64

You may want to clarify if the client has any particular characters and objects and objects that they want to be used in their animation.

Characters and objects will need time to be developed.

Question 65

Explain keyframes.

Answer 65

A keyframe defines the starting and ending points of any animated sequence.

Question 66

Explain references.

Answer 66

The relevant personnel may have reference images, animations, etc for you to draw from.

Question 67

Explain samples.

Answer 67

The relevant personnel may have sample images, animations, etc for you to draw from.

Question 68

Explain script.

Answer 68

If there is a script, you may want to make sure that the content is correct.

Question 69

Explain storyboard.

Answer 69

Storyboards are graphic organisers in the form of illustrations or images displayed in sequence for the purpose of pre-visualising an animation.

Producing a storyboard for your project and showing it to relevant personnel will help clarify what the project is about.

In animation, the storyboarding stage may be followed by simplified mock-ups called “animatics” to give a better idea of how the scene will look and feel with motion and timing.

This allows the animators and directors to work out any screenplay, camera positioning, shot list and timing issues that may exist with the current storyboard.

Question 70

List the technical specifications.

Answer 70

• Output file format
• Output file size
• Operating system
• Delivery platform
• Output dimension size
• Bandwidth
• Hardware specifications including memory size, ram

Question 71

List the areas of relevant personnel.

Answer 71

• Art director
• Audio asset creator
• Animation director
• Graphic artist/designer

Question 72

List the creative thinking techniques.

Answer 72

• Mindmaps
• Big sky thinking
• Edward De Bono’s six thinking hats

Question 73

Explain mindmaps.

Answer 73

A mind map is a diagram used to visually outline information.

A mind map is often created around a single word or text, placed in the centre, to which associated ideas, words and concepts are added.

Question 74

Explain big sky thinking.

Answer 74

1. Relax
2. Doodle
3. Stretch

b) Take a break – step away from the exercise

Question 75

Explain Edward De Bono’s six thinking hats.

Answer 75

The six hats represent six modes of thinking and are directions to think rather than labels for thinking.

That is, the hats are used proactively rather than reactively.

Question 76

Explain the purpose of copyright in Australia.

Answer 76

• Copyright protection automatic when created.
• Copyright for published work lasts for the authors life plus 70 years.
• Copyright symbols not required for protection but serve as reminders.
• No copyright registration system in Australia.
• Copyright protects computer programs, art, music, films, etc.
• Copyright doesn’t protect ideas, information, styles, or techniques.
• Copyright doesn’t cover names, titles, or slogans.
• Copyright owner permission needed to use work.
• Best practice = obtain written permission.
• Can’t use material until given permission.
• Copyright owners can take legal action for infringement within 6 years.
• Legal remedies = damages based on what the owner could have charged.
• Work made for hire is owned by the employer unless agreed otherwise in writing.
• Slogans or catchphrases protected by trademarks.

Question 77

Explain the purpose of defamation laws in Australia.

Answer 77

• Defamation is the publication to a third party of a statement that damages the reputation of the complainant.
• This involves hurting someone’s reputation by spreading false information about them.
• The relevant act in Victoria, Australia is the Defamation Act 2005.
• Traditionally, defamation took two forms: libel (permanent) and slander (spoken, non-permanent).
• In Victoria, the distinction between libel and slander was abolished; any form of defamatory matter is actionable.
• Repeating or quoting defamatory statements made by others can also lead to defamation claims.
• Claiming that you were only quoting someone else is not a defense.
• Printing or broadcasting defamatory content can lead to legal action against you, your colleagues, and the original speaker.
• Defenses against defamation include truth, a duty to provide information, expressing an opinion, and the defence of triviality (unlikely to cause substantial harm).
• Corporations and government bodies, except non-profit corporations and small, unrelated corporations, cannot sue for defamation.
• Defamation lawsuits must be initiated within twelve months from the date of publication.
• Defamation cases are heard in court and can be lengthy and expensive.
• If the plaintiff wins, the court may award damages in the form of monetary compensation to be paid by the defendant.