Animation for beginners

Many companies are interested in communication using animation but do not really know where to start. Award winning "The Story of Animation" provides advice and guidance.

How much is it? Who can do it? And how do they do it? There are many questions when companies consider producing animated commercials or informational films. For some of them, this uncertainty means that they don't do it at all, and that is a shame, thinks producer Claus Toksvig:

- Obviously, not everything needs to be animated, but many messages may be visualised better in that way than using actors on a set, so companies may often benefit from knowing more about animation.

Toksvig is the producer of "The Story of Animation", which won "Best commissioned film" and "Funniest film" at the SF-ASIFA Spring Festival. Financed by The Animation Hub and Viborg-based academy The Animation Workshop, the film is conceived as a quick guide for companies heading into the world of animation.

Pixar veteran in the director's chair
The task of realising that vision was given to American director and script writer David Tart whose CV as an animator includes the two first "Toy Story" films, "A Bug's Life", "Finding Nemo" and several others. The task was right up his alley as he was already working with advising companies on the use of animation to communicate their messages.

- Many business professionals don't have a very clear idea what animation costs, or that some types are more expensive than others. So already here you may have problems, explains Tart.

At the same time, companies often find it more difficult to understand the work processes behind animated films than those behind live action films, and that creates a sense of insecurity, thinks the veteran.

Infotainment as per the 1950s
- The process from idea to finished animated film comprises a lot of small and tortuous component processes, and explaining all of them would be quite impossible. But we've tried to create a sort of short case story and focus on those parts of the process where the customer must act – finding an animation company, presenting the idea, evaluating quotes, production schedules, scripts, animatics, et cetera.

Finally, it wouldn't hurt if the film demystified the animation business a bit, thought Tart. He therefore had the animators of Viborg-based company Tumblehead dress up the message in a caricature 1950s style and add little humorous gags. Watch the entire film - visit the website.

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