← Animation Glossary

Scene

A "Scene" in animation is an individual part of the story that is being told. Often this takes place in a specific location.

Animated stories are a collection of multiple scenes that work together to tell a story. Each scene is carefully crafted by animators, writers, and directors to ensure that it serves a purpose in the larger narrative. Scenes can vary in length, style, and complexity depending on the needs of the story.

When creating a scene, animators must consider several factors such as the setting, characters, props, and sound design. These elements must work together to create a cohesive and believable world for the audience. For example, if a scene takes place in a forest, the background will need to include trees, foliage, and other natural elements. The characters may also need to interact with animals or other creatures that inhabit the forest.

Example Background layout sheet

Example Background layout sheet

Download a Background Layout Template

Download a free background layout template to help you plan your animation.

Download Background Sheet as PDF - Download Background Sheet as Png

In addition to the visual elements of a scene, sound design is also an important consideration. Sound effects and music can help to set the mood or tone of a scene and enhance the emotional impact on the audience. For example, if a scene is meant to be suspenseful or scary, the music may include tense strings or ominous tones.

The pacing of a scene is another important factor that animators must consider. The length of a scene can greatly impact its effectiveness in conveying information or emotions. A fast-paced action sequence may require shorter scenes with quick cuts between shots while a slower emotional moment may benefit from longer scenes with more time dedicated to character development.

Multiple scenes can be combined to form larger sequences or chapters within an animated film or show. These sequences may have their own distinct style or pacing but must still fit into the overall narrative of the story. For example, a montage sequence may feature multiple shorter scenes set to music that showcase character growth or progression over time.

Scenes are an integral part of any animated film or show. They serve as building blocks for the larger narrative and must be carefully crafted to ensure that they effectively convey information and emotions to the audience. Animators, writers, and directors must work together to create scenes that are visually stunning, emotionally impactful, and serve the larger story.

Animation Terms

2

2D Animation

3

3D Animation

A

Alpha Channel

Ambient sound

Animation

Anti-Aliasing

Anticipation

Aspect Ratio

B

Bezier Curve

Bitmap

Blue Screen

Bone Animation

Bounce

Broadcast Standards

C

Camera Angle

Camera Shake

Casting

Cel Animation

Character Animation

Character Design Sheets

Cinematic lighting

Claymation

Clean-up

Close-up

Color Correction

Color Grading

Compositing

Composition

Concept Art

Continuity editing

Cross-cutting

Cut

Cutout nimation

D

Depth of Field

Dialogue

Dissolve

Distributed Rendering

Dolby Atmos

Dope Sheet

Dutch Angle

E

Easing

Emitter

Exaggeration

Eyedropper

F

Foley

Follow through

Forward Kinematics

Frame Rate

Frame

Framing

Freeze Frame

G

Ghosting

GIF File Format

Golden Ratio

Graph Editor

H

High key lighting

Hue and Saturation

I

Inertia

Infographic Animation

Inverse Kinematics

J

Joint

JPEG File Format

Jump cut

K

Keyframe Interpolation

Keyframe

Kinetic typography

L

Layers

Lens distortion

Level of Detail

Lighting

Line of action

Lip syncing

Low key lighting

M

Match cut

Matte painting

Montage

Morphing

Motion blur

Motion capture

Motion graphics

Motion path

Motion trail

Mouth shapes

MP3 File Format

MP4 File Format

N

Network rendering

Non-linear editing

O

Occlusion culling

Onion skinning

Overlapping action

P

Pan

Parallel rendering

Particle system

Persistance of Vision

Phonemes

Playback speed

Plot

PNG File Format

Pose-to-pose animation

Props

Puppet animation

R

Render farm

Rendering

Resolution

Rigging

Rotoscoping

Rule of thirds

Run cycle

S

Safe zone

Scene

Score

Screenplay

Script

Shot

Silhouette

Skeletal animation

Slow Motion

Smears

Sound Design

Sound effects

Soundtrack

Special Effects

Split screen

Squash and Stretch

Staging

Stop Motion Animation

Storyboard

Straight-ahead Animation

T

Time Remapping

Timeline

Timing

Title Card

Title Sequence

Tracking shot

Tweening

V

Vector graphics

Visemes

Voice acting

Voice-over Narration

W

Walk cycle

WebM File Format

Weighting

Wide shot

Z

Z-depth

Zoom

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