Key Creative Roles on an Animated Short

 

What are the key creative roles on a short animated film? Or, simply put, what are the jobs that absolutely have to get done in order to finish the project?  Below are the key roles that we believe must be filled in order to achieve a successful outcome.

Key Creative Roles

The key roles on a short animated film are: director, producer, editor, storyboard artist, layout artist, production designer, and pipeline supervisor. These are the jobs that must be done in order to get the film finished. If original assets are required, then modellers and riggers will be needed as well. Of course, we are assuming that everyone in the group will tackle animation.

BNU Film-making Resources
For a variety of information and resources on the making of animated short films, follow the links below:

Development & Pre-Production

• How to make an animated film
• Why Animators Need to Storyboard
• Why Animators Have too Many Cuts
• Audio first, then animation
• How to direct voice actors

"Early Bird" by Dan Fitzgerald

Production

• Why Animators Need to Check Their Hookups
• Why Animators Should Avoid a Flat Horizon
• Camera always follows, never leads
• Avoid jump cuts
• The 180 degree Rule - Don't "Cross The Line"
• Avoiding "motion sickness camera
• Don't "Break the 4th Wall"
• Brad Bird and the "Magic Circle"

Post-Production

• Free music from Moby Gratis
• Why animators need sound design
• How to use Audio files in Maya
• Mastering the Art of the Title

For more on the experience of studying at Bucks New University, come and visit us at one of our Open Days, take a virtual tour of one of our animation studios, check out what our students think of our course, and see why we're ranked in the top 12 creative universities in the UK.