Starting out in Animation? Workflow!

I can't stress enough how much a good workflow will help you in your animation. It will speed up your work, your scenes will be easier to manage, the animation's going to look better and you'll just have plain more fun during the process.
I found it one of the most difficult things to develop a workflow I can rely on. There's a ton of tips and tricks on the subject out there, it's kind of an overload. When I was starting out I had so much input from the Animation Mentor lectures, I didn't really know which pieces I should adapt in the first place.
In the end, your workflow it going to be your personal workflow. You'll design it after your needs and preferences and you'll be tweaking it depending on the kind of shot you work on. It will be an organic process and you'll keep adding new pieces and drop others on your way to become a animation ninja (or pirate, which ever you prefer). But it's hard to find a place to start.

With that said, let's take a look at what I would suggest for anyone starting out in animation.

It helped me when my mentor in class six, Kenny Roy, pointed out to me that I should be aware of the phrases in my shot. Take a look at the smokers shot:



If you take a look at the second part, the phrases are:
run in - come to stop - look at cigs - grab the box- grab a smoke - put it in mouth - hop on desk - grab the lighter - light the smoke - lean back - smoke..
That looks like quite a lot but in the end, breaking down a complex shot to manageable pieces is key to keep the process fun and smooth.
Once I'm clear about the phrases, I start making a checklist. Each phrase needs certain ingredients, so a typical phrase list would look like this:
(This is taken from another shot I worked on, so don't get confused by the naming of the phrases. It's just an example for the general approach)

I'm using Notebook for all my AM related business by the way, it's a great note taking app for the mac.

Every phrase needs it's own Anticipation, Action, Overshoot, Settle and depending on the shot a Hold. Sometimes and overshoot might blend into the anticipation of your next phrase, but it helps to keep your animation clean if you make separations as clear as possible

So once my planning is finished and I start blocking my scene, I simply have to follow this list and I can concentrate on creating great poses. It's hard enough to keep all the principles of animation in mind and the character under control when you're starting out in animation. With this workflow it might just get a little easier.

I should point out that I wouldn't have got to this point without the help of my former mentor Kenny Roy. He runs a website where he offers more information and lectures on workflow related stuff. Be sure to take a look around and get your workflow fix. Check it out HERE!

Take care
C