How to Make an Animated Film:
Step-by-Step Guide
Animation is a combination of art and technology, taking a simple sketch and turning it into a fully fleshed-out moving narrative. Bringing happiness to hundreds of millions of people across the world. Whether it is a hand-drawn short film, a 3D animated feature, or a VFX-laden blockbuster, all animated projects follow a structured production pipeline. This process aims for the final animation to be refined, expressive, and visually engaging. And hopefully, you will learn the same with us!
At Noida International University’s BFA in Animation & VFX, students learn this step-by-step process firsthand, working on real projects from concept art to final rendering. Here, we’ll explore how an animated film comes to life, from the first pencil sketch to the dazzling visuals you must have seen on screen.
The Animation Pipeline: Step-by-Step
Producing an animated movie is a multi-artist, designer, animator, and technical professional collaborative effort. It involves an incredible amount of effort and moving parts. The three-stage animation pipeline is as follows:
- Pre-Production: The Blueprint of Animation
Any animation work is preceded by laying down the foundation of the project in pre-production. This incorporates:
All animation begins with a story—either a new idea or an adaptation.
Directors and writers define the story, characters, and themes, which shape the narrative.
Example: Pixar will take years to work on a script, making sure each character serves a purpose.
Storyboards are translated into animatics—rough animated versions with minimal timing and sound. The most basic animation.
This provides directors with a sense of pacing and scene transitions prior to full animation production, helping the vision flesh out a little.
Various sections of a character’s body or attire should move at different speeds, creating a natural flow. For instance, a character’s hair or cape continues to move even after they have stopped running. These secondary movements provide realism and dynamism to the animation.
This concept is seen in superhero movies, where capes and loose garments flow naturally, adding depth and believability to the characters’ movements.
Physics effects in high-budget video games are often simulated using physics engines. The displacement of armor while running or the splashing of water upon impact results from sophisticated animation principles. Modern computer graphics software, such as Autodesk Maya and Blender, enables finely detailed follow-throughs, enriching the overall realism in movies and games.
- Production: Bringing Drawings to Life
Here lies the actual process of animation with either 2D hand-drawn animation, stop-motion, or 3D computer-generated imagery (CGI)
Artists model 3D digital characters and environments in Maya or Blender, giving life to the sketches.
Rigging experts develop a skeleton setup so characters have life-like movements.
For example, the renowned Toy Story 4 had sophisticated rigging systems, creating a more realistic look of Woody moving.
Like in live-action filming, this process positions camera shots, lighting, and staging, creating an outline for the scene.
Directors and animators decide characters' movement throughout a scene, structuring the flow of the entire film.
Animators use programs like Maya, Blender, and Toon Boom to animate characters.
They apply animation principles such as squash and stretch, anticipation, and timing. [Insert link to The Art of Movement: Understanding Animation Principles for Aspiring Artists blog here]
One of the best animated projects of the last decade, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, used hand-drawn techniques over CGI, creating a distinctive comic-book aesthetic.
A great plot helps, but brilliant animation makes a movie memorable.
- Post-Production: Adding the Final Touches
The last stage refines the animation with visual effects, sound design, and rendering. Ending the pipeline and polishing the movie into a finished product ready to be released to the world.
VFX artists add lighting, explosions, and particle effects to enhance scenes.
Compositing merges backgrounds, characters, and special effects seamlessly.
Rendering is the final process, where all frames are compiled into the movie.
Editing and color correction ensure visual coherence and consistency.
Frozen 2 took 30–60 hours per frame to render due to its intricate lighting and textures.
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Animation Techniques: 2D vs. 3D vs. Stop-Motion
- 2D Animation
✔️ Conventional hand-drawn or computer-generated frame-by-frame animation
✔️ Some examples where this Applies are cartoons such as SpongeBob SquarePants and animes like Attack on Titan.
✔️ Tools: Toon Boom, Adobe Animate, TVPaint
- 3D Animation
✔️ Computer-generated animation (CGI) complete. A widely recognized and known medium.
✔️ Utilized in Pixar movies, DreamWorks films, and video games
✔️ Tools: Maya, Blender, Unreal Engine
- Stop-Motion Animation
✔️ Involves physical models and props manipulated frame by frame.
✔️ Utilized in Coraline, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Shaun the Sheep
✔️ Tools: Dragonframe, DSLR cameras, real-world puppets
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Why Choose NIU?
Expert faculty with academic and industry experience.
Experiential learning through projects, internships, and collaborations.
Tailored curriculum addressing the dynamic needs of the industry.
Access to a diverse and vibrant campus community with state-of-the-art facilities.
Why Study Animation at Noida International University?
At Noida International University’s BFA in Animation & VFX, students gain practical experience in:
Storyboarding & Concept Art: Designing and drawing unique animated environments. The cornerstone to any project.
3D Modeling & Animation: Familiarization with industry-leading tools such as Maya and Blender. So that you seamlessly transition into your career.
VFX & Compositing: Merging CGI effects through After Effects and Nuke.
Game Animation & Real-Time Rendering: Unveiling Unreal Engine and Unity for interactive content.
Film Production Techniques: Getting to know lighting, cinematography, and editing principles for animation, the fundamentals one must learn.
Career Opportunities After Noida International University
Graduates from Noida International University’s animation program can pursue careers as:
✔️ Character Animators (Film, TV, Video Games)
✔️ Storyboard Artists (Pre-Production for Animated Movies)
✔️ VFX Artists (Hollywood & Bollywood Movies)
✔️ Motion Designers (Advertising, Web Animation, UI/UX)
✔️ 3D Modelers (Games, Movies, Architecture)
Churning Ideas into Animated Masterpieces
