Basics of Animation in Creative Multimedia Technology

Animation History and Techniques

• In the past, companies like Disney, Warner Bros., and Hanna-Barbera were known for handling animation.
• Traditional 2D animation was the dominant form of animation in film and TV series before the development of CGI animation.

Animation Basics

• There are 1440 frames in one minute of animation.
• A keyframe is a frame that defines a specific point in time or a specific action in animation.
• The frame rate for 1 second of animation is 24 frames.
• The minimum number of keyframes required for any digital effect is 2.
• In animation, 'tween' refers to the intermediate frames generated between two keyframes.
• 'Tweening' refers to the process of generating intermediate frames between two images.

Animation Techniques

• Frame-by-frame animation is a technique where each frame is individually created, making it best suited for complex animations.
• The primary purpose of frame-by-frame animation is to allow for precise control over animation.
• The ideal frame rate for animations to appear smooth is 24 frames per second.
• Hand-drawn 2D animation is also known as traditional animation.
• Frame-by-frame animation works the same way as a flip book.
• Stop-motion animation involves using models that are physically manipulated to create the animation.

Digital Animation

• The primary method of creating digital 2D animation frames is through computer software.
• Digital 2D animation finds more usage in TV series and web animation due to its faster production and lower costs.
• The fundamental difference between traditional 2D animation and digital 2D animation is the medium used to create the frames.

Stop-Motion Animation

• Onion skinning is a technique used in stop-motion animation to see the previous and next frames as overlaid images, helping to create smooth motion.
• A key advantage of using the stop-motion animation technique is the ability to create realistic textures and depth.

FPS and Frame Rate

• FPS stands for Frames Per Second in the context of animation.
• Frame rate indicates the number of frames displayed per second in animation.

Factors to Consider

• Factors to consider when deciding a suitable animation technique for a project include budget, target audience, and desired style.
• The factor that is NOT considered when deciding a suitable animation technique for a project is the personal preference of the animator.

Traditional 2D Animation

• In traditional 2D animation, 24 drawings on paper are needed for one second length of film.
• The major drawback of traditional 2D animation that involves drawing on paper before transferring to the cell is the labor-intensive process and high costs.