Animation begins with Collaboration
Do you want to make animation? Well, you’re in the right place. And maybe you have found a collaborator at the same time. Let me know if you need more support than just this series on what it takes to make a “film” in this digital age.
These are Our Five Pieces to making your Animation a reality:
1) Crafting Your Animation Studio Strategy:
Vision, Goals, and Overcoming Barriers
2) Building Pathways to Success:
Accessing Opportunities and Income Streams
3) Becoming Your Own Coach:
Developing Consistency, Gap Analysis, and Growth Frameworks
4) Collaborating in the Animation Industry:
Building a Peer Network for Growth and Feedback
5) Hands-On Growth:
Testing Your Skills with New Applications & Audiences
Crafting Your Animation Studio Strategy: Vision, Goals, and Overcoming Barriers
• Key Focus: Defining your unique vision as an independent studio and creating actionable steps to achieve your goals.
Outline:
• Strategies for self-assessment: understanding your strengths and areas for improvement.
Tools for staying focused and motivated when facing obstacles.
- The importance of having a clear artistic identity and mission.
- How to set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals for your studio.
- Identifying and addressing common challenges, such as limited resources, lack of industry connections, and imposter syndrome.
- Strategies for self-assessment: understanding your strengths and areas for improvement.
- Tools for staying focused and motivated when facing obstacles.
Why am I writing about animation?
It has been weird finding work as an artist who is working with and competing with Ai. As someone who kinda feels rough around the edges having graduated many years ago from an animation school or two, I have never really stepped back into the industry. This article serves to support others who have not had a chance to have any formal training. And it raises a glass to all of us who have been classically trained and royally screwed by our own industry. I hope we figure out a way through this peacefully.
In short
- I have experience with making short films, but it’s been a while.
- While supporting myself as a website designer and peer specialist, I do want to get inspired again to dive into the animation field. I hope this helps inspire you too.
“How to Draw Your Own Animation in 5 Easy Pieces” – A Scientific and Artistic Guide
Creating an animated short film is an exciting blend of art and logistics. Let’s break down the process of making a 5-minute animated short film and sending it to a film festival within a year, focusing on budget, time, and resources.
1. Script Development
Start with a concise script. For a 5-minute animated short, aim for a script of about 5-7 pages, following the general rule of one page per minute of screen time[1]. This phase should take about 2-3 weeks.
2. Pre-production
Storyboarding and Design: Allow 4-6 weeks for this phase. Create character designs, backgrounds, and a detailed storyboard.
Budget Planning: For a 5-minute animated short, budget between $7,500 to $37,500, based on an average cost of $1,500 to $7,500 per minute[1]. Here’s a basic breakdown:
| Item | Percentage of Budget | Cost Range |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-production | 20% | $1,500 – $7,500 |
| Animation | 50% | $3,750 – $18,750 |
| Post-production | 20% | $1,500 – $7,500 |
| Marketing/Festival Submissions | 10% | $750 – $3,750 |
3. Production
Animation: This is the most time-consuming phase. For a 5-minute short, allocate 10-12 weeks.
Team Size: A small team of 3-5 people is ideal for this project size[2]. Roles to consider:
- Director/Producer
- Animator(s)
- Background Artist
- Sound Designer
4. Post-production
Allow 4-6 weeks for editing, sound design, and final touches.
5. Festival Submission
Research and submit to festivals, which typically takes 2-4 weeks.
Timeline Overview
| Phase | Duration |
|---|---|
| Script Development | 2-3 weeks |
| Pre-production | 4-6 weeks |
| Production | 10-12 weeks |
| Post-production | 4-6 weeks |
| Festival Submission | 2-4 weeks |
| Total | 22-31 weeks |
This timeline allows for completion within a year, leaving room for unexpected delays.
Here’s some extra for those of you interested in the details of hardware, energy & equipment costs
Software Licenses
Adobe Creative Cloud for Teams (All Apps plan): $89.99/month per license48
Assuming a team of 3-5 people, let’s calculate for 4 licenses:
$89.99 x 4 x 12 months = $4,319.52/year
Energy and Communications
Monthly electric bill: $150
Monthly internet/cable: $100
Total utilities: $250/month
$250 x 12 months = $3,000/year
Hardware and Equipment
It’s important to factor in:
- Computers/workstations: $1,500 – $3,000 per station
- Drawing tablets: $200 – $500 each
- Audio recording equipment: $500 – $1,000
Estimated total for a team of 4: $10,000 (one-time cost, amortized over several years)
Total Additional Costs
Software licenses: $4,319.52
Utilities: $3,000
Hardware (amortized): $3,333 (assuming 3-year lifespan) Total additional annual costs: $10,652.52 When we add these costs to the production budget of around $25,000 for a 5-minute animated short, the total project cost increases to approximately $35,652.52. This more comprehensive budget gives a clearer picture of the true cost of producing an animated short film, including often-overlooked expenses like software licenses, utilities, and equipment. Keep in mind that these costs can vary based on location, team size, and specific project requirements
One-Person Animation Production
Creating the same 5-minute animation with just one person would significantly impact the timeline and potentially the quality:
- Timeline: Expect the project to take 1.5 to 2 times longer, potentially 33-62 weeks.
- Quality: The quality may be compromised due to the lack of specialized skills in each area. (Thank Neil Breen for pioneering this field for us.)
- Cost: While the budget would be lower (potentially $5,000 – $15,000), the time investment would be much higher[3].
In conclusion, creating a 5-minute animated short film is a manageable project with the right planning and resources. Whether you choose a small team or go solo, careful budgeting and scheduling are key to bringing your animated vision to life and getting it festival-ready within a year.
Citations:
[1] https://advids.co/pricing/how-much-short-animated-video-creation-cost
[2] https://www.yumyumvideos.com/blog/how-much-does-animation-cost-per-minute-of-video/
[3] https://prolificstudio.co/blog/how-much-does-animation-cost/
[4] https://videoigniter.com/animation-cost/
[5] https://shortmovie.club/average-budget-short-film/
[6] https://www.venturevideos.com/insight/budgeting-for-your-animated-video-production-project
[7] https://images.template.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/12062621/animation-film-budget-template.pdf
[8] https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/the-essential-guide-for-crafting-film-budgets-with-free-film-budget-template/
Read my ramblings with perplexity: pplx.ai/share
5 Easy Pieces for ANIMATION
Did you think I forgot?
Maybe I did.
Craft Your Animation Studio Strategy: Vision, Goals, Overcome Barriers
Pixar began as a hardware company but pivoted to animation creating the first computer animated feature film, Toy Story.
Action Steps:
- Define your studio’s unique vision (e.g., “To create thought-provoking animated shorts that challenge societal norms”)
- Set SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound)
- Identify potential barriers (funding, skills, technology) and plan to overcome them
Historical Example: Pixar Animation Studios
Pixar began as a hardware company but pivoted to animation under Steve Jobs’ leadership. Their vision was to create the first computer-animated feature film.
Animation Action Steps:
- Define your studio’s unique vision (e.g., “To create thought-provoking animated shorts that challenge societal norms”)
- Set SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound)
- Identify potential barriers (funding, skills, technology) and plan to overcome them
2
BUILD PATHWAYS TO SUCCESS:
Accessing Opportunities and Income Streams
Historical Example: Don Bluth
Don Bluth left Disney to start his own studio, creating successful films like “The Secret of NIMH” and “An American Tail”.
Action Steps:
- Consider creating educational content on platforms like Skillshare or YouTube
- Research animation festivals and competitions (e.g., Annecy International Animated Film Festival)
- Explore freelance platforms like Fiverr or Upwork for animation gigs
3
BECOME YOUR OWN COACH:
Develop Consistency, Gap Analysis, & Growth Framework
Historical Example: Hayao Miyazaki
Miyazaki is known for his rigorous work ethic and continuous self-improvement, even coming out of retirement multiple times to perfect his craft.
Action Steps:
- Create a daily practice schedule (e.g., 1 hour of animation practice each day)
- Conduct a personal SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats)
- Set up a progress tracking system (e.g., a journal or digital tool like Trello)
4
COLLABORATE IN THE INDUSTRY:
Build a Peer Network for Growth & Feedback
Historical Example: The CalArts Mafia
Many successful animators from Pixar, Disney, and other studios studied together at California Institute of the Arts, forming a powerful network.
Action Steps:
- Join online animation communities (e.g., Animation World Network, 11 Second Club)
- Attend local animation meetups or conferences
- Collaborate on a short film project with peers
5
HANDS-ON GROWTH:
Test Your Skills with New Applications & Audiences
Historical Example: Walt Disney
Disney constantly pushed the boundaries of animation, from synchronizing sound in “Steamboat Willie” to creating the first feature-length animated film with “Snow White”.
Action Steps:
- Experiment with different animation styles (e.g., 2D, 3D, stop-motion)
- Create a short animation for a local business or non-profit
- Participate in animation challenges like the 100 Day Project
Twin Towers Los Angeles
A real life story …
By Insung Philip Cho (Author)
Red brick. Cold steel. White concrete. These are the building blocks of Twin Towers. It is the largest mental health facility in the world. What happens inside? Who ends up as inmates? Who runs the facility? The book, Twin Towers Los Angeles, follows the life of Peter Jo for a year. Peter used to be a professional with an MBA from U.C.L.A. He has experienced the best in life, wearing custom clothes, eating at posh restaurants and living in upscale neighborhoods.
How does Peter go from living the dream to serving time in Twin Towers? He lives a mundane life in Pasadena. He then meets a woman, Anna. Who is she? Where does she come from? What does she want? Peter falls under Anna’s influence. Peter ends up breaking the law. His punishment is time in Twin Towers.
In Twin Towers, Peter is faced with many challenges. The most important one is survival. Who can he trust? What is life really like inside the walls of Twin Towers? He quickly learns the rules and the politics that govern life inside with the many gangsters of Los Angeles. One wrong move can cost him his life. Besides the obstacles of jail, Peter has to deal with his mental illness. He sees and hears what others don’t. Are they visions? Are they messages from a higher being? Does he see the future?
✓ 150 pages
✓ 6 x 0.38 x 9 inches