Animated Film Production: Linetest.

The lines are created. How do we know if they are related?

– What do I care if they are related, – you might say. – They are just lines. They are my art.

But we are not in the art business, we are making a film. Film is a visual sequence organized into a story with the help of  time.  Remember, Timing is Everything.

Add time to your lines and comes out a movie. Adding time is an ordeal of it’s own. All these decisions to make: does this line forming a dog deserve 2 frames or 4 frames? What happens if I hold this drawing for 13 frames? Do I work with 24 frames per second (fps) or 59.99? What software should I use for the linetest? How do I capture images/lines/drawings?

Here’s how we do the linetest for “Rocks In My Pockets”, down to the last details, including exposure sheets.

 

The next week we’ll talk about film financing. The Master of Independent Animation Bill Plympton will share his knowhow. Since you can’t do what Bill is doing (no one in the World except for Don Hertzfeltd can), I’ll tell you my financing secrets.

Stay tooned!