P6: Complete and edit the animation content in line with the plan
Importing my footage into the editing suite
Editing the animation
Final animation
M3: Optimise the content for use in the final animation
Below is a screen recording of myself optimising my final animation and exporting it.
Optimising file sizes I edited my animation of Final Cut Pro and so this is where I exported it from, in the format H.264. The reason being as this allows the video to remain good quality, but condenses the file size therefore uploading and distributing the product is a lot quicker and easier. I made sure my pictures where put into the editing software at the highest quality possible as I wanted them to remain bright, colourful and clear throughout. I set the animation at 24 fps which is not particularly good in terms of file size, because more frames take up more space. However I am happy with this final decision because it means that the animation is better quality and flows better overall.
Frame optimisation The reason I chose to make my animation 24 frames per second is because this is something big mainstream animators do. This frame rate makes the animation look a lot smoother, and each individual image flows better making it look more polished and professional. The only down side to this (as I mentioned before) is the fact that the more frames per second, the more file space that is taken up. However this didn't prove too much of an issue as my animation is short.
Colour optimisation I optimised the colour for my animation by exporting the highest quality photographs into the editing software, and touching up any that where sub par. I did this so that each imaged flowed and that the vibrancy of the images flowed throughout.
File compression File compression is something that I really took into consideration when exporting my final animation. This is because I wanted it to be as quick and easy to export and share the product as possible. This is why it was important for me to use the H.264 format, because it compressed the file size, whilst maintaining the video quality.
D2: Justify the choice of animation technique for the frame rate and duration
Analysing audience feedback Question 1: "Would you show this animation to your children?" The reason I asked this question is because the client specifically asked for an animation that would be suitable for broadcast on the BBC channel Cbeebies. The Cbeebies target audience is primarily children aged 0-6 years. Therefore I saw it important to make sure whether the target audience would like the show, and if the parents approve and would show them. This helps me understand its suitability better. The feedback I received was 100% yes. I truly believe this is the case because the visuals, characters, and narrative are very age appropriate.
Question 2: "Do you understand the narrative and moral of the story?" The reason I asked this question is because the client requested a programme containing a moral dilemma that would teach children a life lesson but at their level and understanding. It is often difficult however for the moral and narrative of a story to be clear, which is why I asked the question so that I could learn whether it was decipherable or not. The feedback once again for this question was 100% yes, which is nice to here because I spent a lot of time making sure the topics discussed, and language used were age appropriate.
Question 3: "Is the frame rate of the animation good?" I asked this question because the client asked for a high definition broadcast quality product, and I think it is important to also hear what the animation looks like through others eyes, for example how professional it looks. This is one question I did receive some negative feedback on. Looking back at my animation this does make sense because although it is pretty smooth overall, it is a bit 'clunky' and rigid in certain places.
Question 4: "How professional does it look?" The client was specific in wanting "fun and lively" dialogue alongside "very appealing characters". I personally believe I achieved this but obviously wanted to hear from the audience, and this will determine whether the target audience like the dialogue and characters and whether the animation is professional enough. The results show that some people rated it as semi-professional and some professional. This is not exactly what I was hoping for, but it is not a negative result and so it shows that they still like the animation.
Question 5: "Does the animation have any visible mistakes?" As I mentioned previously the client wants a high quality piece that is fit for broadcast, therefore asking this question allows me to pick up any last minute mistakes that have slipped my own attention. The answers to this question were 100% no, meaning that my show has no mistakes and so it is fit for broadcast.
Question 6: "Does the narration make the animation easier to understand?" I included this question because the client specified that they wanted a fun voiceover. I want the narration to benefit the show and not just be there for the sake of it. The answers were 100% yes, which is great to her because it means the animation is clear as well as fun.
Evaluation
Animation Length: Looking back at the duration of my animation and comparing it to pre-existing kids animations it is quite short. My animation is 2 minutes and 58 seconds long, where a Cbeebies 'Timmy Time' for example is roughly 10 minutes per episode. Thinking about this, I could have lengthened the animation by introducing more characters (friends of Colin) to comfort him or help him out, and I could have had more in depth and detailed narration. I think the animation would have been more engaging for the audience if it was at least 5 minutes long because this would allow for more of a development within the storyline and could have given the potential for more characters to be introduced.
Pre- Production: I think more market research would have been beneficial to the planning of my animation because if I found a gap in the market, my show wouldn't be so similar to other pre-existing ones out there. Not only would this be more engaging for the audience, but it also means that the production would fit the client brief a little bit better, as they specifically requested "a brand new" kids animation.
I think looking back I also would have put more attention and effort into current moral issues amongst young children today. Asking pre-school teachers, teachers, and parents this question, would have meant that the programme was perhaps more engaging but also useful for kids, as it would be discussing how to deal with something current, as opposed to a generic moral dilemma amongst young kids.
If I had more time and a bigger budget I would definitely improve the equipment and software I used for this production. Although I created it to the best of my ability, I can't help but wonder if it would be better quality if more time and money was spent planning it.
Production: In terms of the production, I really do feel that if I had more time I would have been able to make my animation longer by creating more shots, but because animation is such a time consuming process I was limited with what I could produce.
Looking back I also think it would have been beneficial to have a better connection of narrative to visuals. I also would have loved to learn how to animate my characters better, maybe have them speaking with moving limbs etc. but I simply did not have the time to teach myself these things.
Another thing I would change if i could would be my dedication to maintaining the set. What I mean by this is that it is obvious in some shots that the lighting is different e.g. because a light has been knocked in the production process.
Post- Production: During the editing process I should have brightened certain shots after realising the lighting was different/off compared to the other shots. By doing this my animation would look more professional and of a higher quality.
If I was to do this project again If I was to do this project again with a different client brief and a more flexible budget there are quite a few changes I would make next time around.
Change of storyline- As I touched on previously, I like the idea of conducting some primary research, asking teachers, carers, and parents about current moral dilemmas that children at this age face, because it would be more relevant to the target audience and I feel like I would actually be making a difference to society.
Dialogue/ Narration- If I had a more flexible budget I would have made sure to higher a professional story teller, or voice actor to narrate my production. This would mean that the narrative is much more exciting, energetic and entertaining for the target audience, as well as it making the overall show sound more professional.
Different style of animation- I actually found it really difficult to animate my characters because of the hand drawn 2D animation style I was working with. If I was to do it again I would definitely choose to do either a stop-motion animation, or a computer generated animation. I think these are just more visually appealing to the audience, and easier to make look professional.