WRITING FOR

ANIMATION

Compiler :
Abid Farhan Jihandoyo
Ahmad Hilmi
Arieska Noor Pratimi
Class:
Animation 3A

POLITEKNIK NEGERI MEDIA

KREATIF
JAKARTA

WRITING FOR ANIMATION

Independent animators especially often conceive and construct their films
solely through image - writing by drawing. Sketched sequences and
storyboards can take the role of the traditional "script" and dialogue (if
any) may be worked out only after the "story" is completed.
In fact, the screenplay - style script, is a late comer to animation and
began mainly with the advent of mass-produced television animation
around 1960. Now, a script has become a prerequisite, both as a
storytelling tool and as a template for recording dialogue.

WHAT IS THE SCREEN WRITER?

Screen writers are someone who writing script for production. They
develop script derived from their own ideas or other existing ideas or
work. When writing script, they are responsible for describing the stories
in detail, including physical environments and the moods of characters.
The most important thing they need is an imagination and the ability to
translate their visions into words that involve and inspire other artist.

HOW IMPORTANT IS A WRITER FOR ANIMATION?

The animation writer is the first link in the production chain, and the
better you understand what's going to happen to your script after you
write it, the better able you will be to help make the best animation. But a
failure to understand the basic of animation production and the various
types of animation will put you in the center of mystery. You won't know
what's happening around you, and won't be able to communicate with the
production people.
One of the most important concept to understand about the production
side of animation is budget. As a writer, you are responsible for writing a
script that can be produced, both technically and financially.
If you write to many scene changes in your script, which necessitate too
many background drawings, you can go over budget. Similarly, if you put
too many characters into your story, requiring too many actors, you can
also go over budget.
A good animation script that can't be produced is not really a good
animation script. The ultimate goal of all script writers is to get their work
produced. It's fine to sell something and make a little money, but seeing
your work on the tube or the big screen is not only emotionally rewarding,
it's much better calling card to use to get more work.

HOW TO WRITE A SCRIPT FOR AN ANIMATION?

From www.wikihow.com there are 4 steps to write a script for an
animation.
Step 1

Before any script can be formed, the writer must have an idea of
a story. If you dont have an idea yet and need some ways to find some,
try looking at comic books, novels, your favorite cartoon shows, fairy
tales, movies, anime, and so forth. Maybe you want write about
superheroes, or cowboys, or aliens, or detectives. Here is another idea.
Maybe you could animate your favorite joke? Since cartoons should be
simplistic, it wouldnt be a bad idea. Purchase a joke book online or get
one at the library so you can add some good gags and jokes into your
script. Even in serious cartoons like anime, there is usually an element of
humor. Once you have the idea, write it down before it goes away. Make a
series of rough notes to flush out the idea. These notes dont have to be
very detailed just yet, just enough to form a story.

Step 2

Develop a storyboard, which is basically a series of rough

drawings that comprise a story. Some animators choose to do a
storyboard after the script is written, but others find that it helps the
animator figure out the pacing and how it should look on screen. The
storyboard could even be a series of stick figures or even simple shapes
designating people or objects. As long as it works for you, anything goes.

Take your time developing a story, because if the animation is crude but
the story is well written, it is still a good movie. If however the animation
rocks but the story is terrible, than it is a bad movie.

Step 3

Start the script. Here is a good example of a good script layout:

Title
Scene (Whenever your characters are in a new locale or a new set of
characters are introduced in a new spot, a new scene begins.)
Description: (Add the characters in the scene, their interactions, and their
reactions to what is happening)
Dialogue: (Whatever talk is going on and who is talking)
SFX: (Sound fx you plan on adding later)

Step 4

Document your desired camera angles. If you want, you can even add
in camera angles in your script. Here are some choices:

 Closeup:
A closeup shot is when the camera gets really close up on someone or
something, like a persons face or a telephone on a table.

Longshot:
A long shot is a camera angle that takes in all the characters of the
scene and a view of the scenery. Say your characters are standing in a
field or a mountain. This is when you will want to use this shot.
Overhead (or birds eye view):
This is a shot from the point of view of a bird or someone up in the air.
These dramatic shots can add a lot to your movie.
Worms eye:
Also a very dramatic shot. This is a shot from the point of view of a
worm. Think about looking up at a huge building when you are really up
close to it. Use these shots for menacing monsters or villains.
Extreme closeup:
Use this shot when you want to get up front and personal into a shot.
Maybe you want to focus on the eyes of a person who is glaring or in
distress. Maybe you want to focus in on a characters smile or frown.
Maybe you want to focus in on the violence of a tragic scene.
Pan:
This is when the camera moves across the whole scene quickly, from left
to right or right to left.
Silhouette:
This is where your characters are in shadows and can see their side
profiles or shapes of their bodies. If you are doing say an eerie cartoon or
a gritty noir type cartoon, this might be a good type of shot to use.

GLOSSARY
Animator
An artist or technician who produces animated cartoon.

Close up
When the camera gets really close up on someone or something, like a
persons face or a telephone on a table. (A very close camera angle on a
character or object).

Extreme close up
An extreme version of the close up, an extreme close up of a face, for
instance, would show only the mouth or eyes, with no background detail
whatsoever.

Long shot
A camera angle that takes in all the characters of the scene and a view of
the scenery.

Overhead (or bird's eye view)

A shot from the point of view of a bird or someone up in the air and also
called high angle camera.

Pan
The camera moves across the whole scene quickly, from left to right or
right to left.

Scene
Action taking place in one location and in a distinct time that (hopefully)
moves the story to the next element of the story.

Screen writer

Someone who writing script for production. They develop script derived
from their own ideas or other existing ideas or work.

Script/screenplay
A written work by screenwriters for an animation movie, including
descriptions of scenes and some camera direction.

Sequence
A particular image in which related things follow each other.

SFX (sound effect)

Any sound artificially produced, reproduced from a recording, etc, to
create a theatrical effect.

Silhouette
The characters are in shadows and can see their side profiles or shapes of
their bodies.

Storyboard
A sequence of drawings, typically with some directions and dialogue,
representing the shots planned for an animation movie production.

Worm's eye
A shot from the point of view of a worm and also called low angle camera.

REFERENCES
Secret of Digital Animation
Steven Withrow
(RotoVision SA, 2009)

How to Write for Animation

Jeffrey Scott
(Penguin Group, 2003)

http://www.wikihow.com/Writea-Script-for-an-Animated-Cartoon

http://www.google.com