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Script

A script is a story plan for an animated movie or TV show. It tells the characters what to say and do in each scene, and describes the setting and action.

Animation is a form of storytelling that has the ability to bring characters and worlds to life on screen. However, this process does not happen without careful planning and preparation, starting with the script. The script is the foundation upon which the entire animation project is built, and it serves as a roadmap for all involved in the production process.

How do scripts and screenplays differ?

Scripts and screenplays have similar roles. They both describe the story, characters, and setting of an animated project. However, there are some key differences between the two. The biggest difference is that screenplays tends to be simpler than a script - they are often used to sell the project to movie studios. Scripts, on the other hand, are more detailed and are used by the production team to create the final product.

How do you write a script for animation?

The first step in creating an effective animation script is to develop a strong storyline. This involves creating a plot that is engaging, unique, and memorable. The story should be able to capture the audience’s attention from the start and hold their interest throughout the animation. A great way to start developing a storyline is by identifying the theme of the animation and using it as a guide for creating a compelling story.

Once the storyline has been established, the next step is to create well-defined characters. Characters are an essential aspect of any animated project as they are what audiences connect with emotionally. It is important to give each character their own backstory, personality traits, and motivations. This helps make them feel more realistic and relatable to viewers.

In addition to creating well-defined characters, dialogue writing is also an important part of scripting an animation project. Dialogue adds depth to characters and helps move the story forward. It should be written in a way that captures the unique voice of each character while still maintaining coherence with the overall narrative.

Another crucial aspect of scripting an animation project is providing technical instructions for animators and editors. These instructions include camera angles, special effects, sound cues, and any other technical details needed to bring the animation to life on screen. This step helps ensure that everyone involved in the production process has a clear understanding of what needs to be done at each stage of development.

The final step in creating an effective animation script is going through multiple drafts before finalizing it. This process involves reviewing and refining every aspect of the script until it effectively communicates the intended story and vision for the animation project.

A well-written script is the foundation for creating a successful animated project. It provides a clear direction for everyone involved in the production process and ensures that the final product is engaging, unique, and memorable. By taking the time to carefully plan and prepare the script, animators can create animations that connect with audiences on an emotional level and tell compelling stories that will be remembered for years to come.

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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