Making Characters: First Steps

If you're at the stage of nearly completing an animatic then you're ready to go into PRE-PRODUCTION.

Simply put, pre-production is where we get ready all the things we need to animate.

Like characters, sets, lighting, some tests around how we want the characters to move, maybe some camera tests as well.

Of course, you'll be working to a schedule, so you'll only have a certain amount of time and you need to use it wisely I guess.

First up, lets look at building characters.  We've put up on blackboard a simple guide to building characters using plastercine and pipe cleaners.  Take a look at it.  It's a good guide to a simple step by step approach to making a character that will last.

First though, here's an Aardman Animation Director talking through some of the more important creative points to remember when you are making a character.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/stop-motion-explained-by-an-aardman-animator/10151.html