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File Formats

File formats in animation are different ways that computer files can be saved so that animations, pictures, or videos can be opened and played on different devices. Each file format has its own rules for how it stores the animation, like a special language computers use to understand and show your work. Some common animation file formats are GIF, MP4, and MOV.

Please note that File Formats is not directly applicable to Brush Ninja.

When working with digital tools like Brush Ninja, files are saved in different formats. Each format is designed for a specific purpose, such as animation, images, or printable documents.

This page gives a simple overview of the main formats used in Brush Ninja and links to more detailed explanations for each one.

What is a file format?

A file format describes how data is stored inside a file. It determines what the file contains, how large it is, and which programs can open it.

File formats are usually identified by their file extension, such as .gif, .png, or .pdf.

Different formats are suited to different tasks.

Common file formats in Brush Ninja

Brush Ninja uses a small number of well-known formats so files are easy to open, share, and submit in school environments.

Animated formats

  • GIF Used for short looping animations. GIFs play automatically in browsers and most learning platforms, making them ideal for classroom animation work.
  • MP4 A video format that supports longer animations with sound. MP4s are widely supported but may require more storage space and may not play automatically in all platforms.
  • WebM A modern video format that offers good quality with smaller file sizes. WebM playback is supported in most browsers but may not be compatible with all platforms or devices.

Audio formats

  • MP3 A common audio format that compresses sound files while maintaining good quality. MP3s are widely supported and can be used for background music or sound effects in animations.

Image formats

  • PNG A high-quality image format that preserves detail and works well for drawings and artwork.
  • JPG / JPEG A compressed image format commonly used for photos. Files are smaller but may lose some detail.

Document formats

  • PDF Used for printable content such as comics and layouts. PDFs look the same on all devices and are easy to share.

Project files

  • .brushninja A project file that stores work in progress. These files can be reopened in the Brush Ninja animation maker to continue editing.

File formats define how digital work is saved and shared. Brush Ninja uses common, widely supported formats so student work is easy to manage in school settings.

By understanding which format to use and when, students can export their work confidently and submit it without problems.

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

BrushNinja File Format

C

Call Sheet

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 Animation

D

Depth of Field

Dialogue

Dissolve

Distributed Rendering

Dolby Atmos

Dope Sheet

Dutch Angle

E

Easing

Emitter

Exaggeration

Eyedropper

F

File Formats

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

Looping

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

PDF File Format

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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