Let's Get Animated...

At Sketch Videos everything starts with a Sketch.
It's how we think, how we explain, how we explore.
But that Sketch can lead us to so many places...
​we also do animation, and in this post, we talk to our fabulous animator Julia and sketch out some details about how she works

Julia, what's sketchy about animation?
​
There is always sketching at the initial stage of any animation.
Character design, thumbnail drawings, and storyboard drafts all require sketching of some kind.
I think drawing is the best (only?!) way to get visual ideas down on the page, to play with ideas and to block out a good story line.

What would you say are the main benefits of animation?
 
Animation can be super handy when you simply can’t make your ‘amazing’ idea into a live action video. Perhaps you wanted to show a giant orange squashing a building and then bouncing into a lake, and then you wanted to make it into an orange island with lots of little orange people dancing all over it… Well, you might want to animate that. It still won’t be easy but it’s possible.
 
The types of characters and the worlds they live in is totally up to your imagination, and you are not restricted by the silly rules of real life when you are making it all up in your own head and turning it into an animation. The possibilities are endless, which can be great, but also a bit daunting at times.
You might need to reign in those crazy ideas if they get too out of hand. It could get expensive as well.
 
For marketing purposes, animation is very useful when making things like Explainer videos and creating Infographics. Using animated text, characters, icons and other visuals, provides a fun viewing experience and can create a lasting impression when delivering what can sometimes be fairly dry information and data. Even if there is no video footage to speak of, we can make it up with drawings, graphics, stills, text and then put it all in the animation pot, stir it a few times, and out comes a smokin’ video. Voila!
 
The other great thing about using animation in Explainer videos is that you can communicate things that are sometimes near impossible to explain. The ability to layer up information in a fun way and make it more digestible is a definite plus.

And finally, how would you describe your animation style?
 
My animation style varies. It depends on the type of illustrations I am provided (by a client) or myself and the medium in which I work. (ie. cell animation (drawn), stop motion (3D), 2D Graphics in After FX…
 
I mostly work in 2D computer land, but have experience in drawn animation and even more in stop motion animation.
 
For me, I like things to be timed out to music & (secretly) choreographed.
Music is so important to the rhythm and pace of each piece. It really does set the tone.
 
There also needs to be an element of humour in it for me.
I mean, with animation you have the chance to be silly, which is important.
So don’t waste that opportunity.
 
I think what I like best is simple character design, economy of movement, with a great sound track.