Introduction
Talent has no limits. If one is capable enough to showcase his work, he can do it on his own. Likewise, independent animators have risen to the next level in the last decade. Because independent animation is as important as studio fare. The US began supporting independent animators and then Italy, Germany and the UK followed. Independent initially referred to amateurs and unknowns. However, following the expansion of the entertainment industry and massive unemployment of animators, independent now almost exclusively refers to industry veterans with connections creating content on their own time. In this blog, we will explore details about the rise of independent animators.
History Of The Rise Of Independent Animators
Independent animation encompasses animated shorts, web series, and feature films created outside of a major national animation industry. With the emergence of the Internet in the 1990s and 2000s, the production of independent animation increased exponentially.
Personal computer power grew to the point where just one individual could create a 2D animation on a home computer using software like Adobe Flash and distribute these short films via the worldwide web.
Independently produced Internet cartoons which included 2D animation flourished as the popularity of the Web increased. And a variety of bizarre, often humorous short cartoons were produced for the Web.
In the late 1990s some of the independent animators used flash and animated GIFs, so that the animations could be viewed on multiple browsers.
By the mid-to-late 2000s, YouTube and the Internet and like-minded online video distribution, in addition to the independent broadcasting sites that followed, proved to be a dominant form of independently distributed and broadcasted animations.
Skills Required To Be A Successful Indie Animator
Animation is one of those art forms that combines multiple disciplines to produce a finished result. There are several stages involved in creating a successful animated short film, as well as numerous tools and software.
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Imagining The Idea
In this phase, the independent animators try to figure out what they want to do. When working with a customer, they are attempting to establish a style, loosely explore several ideas, locate color palettes, and create character designs. They also make sure to decide that it will be a 2D animation or a 3D animation. They strive to answer as many questions as possible about what they are trying to do and branch out as much as they can without committing to anything too soon.
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Storyboarding
The storyboarding step is where they try to turn their idea for a story into a series of images and scenes. I’m assuming they already have a screenplay or a plot in mind that they would like to develop into a film. This grade just requires basic drawing skills. However, cinematography is really important. Thinking about how to frame shots, move the camera, generate drama, and place characters in scenes to visually express the tale are all crucial skills to acquire.
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Software Expertise
For an independent animator, it is necessary to know about the diverse tools used during the animation process. In today’s world, digital tools are advancing day by day. So for a successful career one must be familiar with all the unique animation tools. These include the tools for animatics, video editing, video compositing and sound designing. Next step is choosing the right tool that will work wonders for you. And this requires expertise and experience. For 2D animation there are different tools. But when we talk about 3D animation the tools are totally different.
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Animatic
During animation for 2D animation or 3D animation, the animator makes the photos move for the first time. In the animatic step, they arrange the storyboards they have developed on an actual timetable. They decide how long to hold each camera shot. They should have the skills to develop key stances for actions and reactions. The animator might even include the initial audio track and dialog alongside our photos.
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Final Step: The Animation
This is where the magic occurs. At least for an animator, this is one of the most enjoyable stages that an he gets into. Even within the animation stage, there are numerous sub-stages that they typically go through, and those stages can even include multiple iterations. The animator begins with a crude animation and then refine it further to create the final colored animation.
Conclusion
In conclusion, in today’s world if you have expertise in your skill then you can totally work independently. Similarly indie animators are working wonders in their field. It all started in early decades, but with the advent of youtube and internet sources, it expanded to a larger extent. Now indie animators are working world wide to create 2D and 3D animation. But it is necessary that an indie animator must know the whole process step by step. And he must be having expertise of using the right tool for the right purpose.=
