Where do I begin?

[MysticSlayer]

I've gone through all the tutorials that Anime Studio Pro 8 has given me. I have a story in mind but how do I begin? Do I work with the background scenery first or props? Also trying to figure out how make a master character file my brain is so wrack and not many tutorials for my version out there. Any ideas? I have a story in mind and ready to rock but as where to start I'm lost.

[funksmaname]

If you have a story in mind, the most fun place to start is probably character design - it will give you an overall style to work with. Storyboard the story, maybe on paper. change it around, see what you need from your characters... a master character file is probably a waste of time at this point - build your characters with a specific purpose in mind (i.e. what they need to do in a scene) rather than try building one rig to rule them all, its the quickest way to rigid lifeless animation.

Record a soundtrack for the dialogue - it will drive the pace of the scenes.

Timing is the biggest problem - its too easy to make things smooshy and lifeless due to the slow motion process of actually making animation.

[MysticSlayer]

Thank you I am newb with all this and my brain was overloaded lol. I'm going to jump right in.

[funksmaname]

I think when you first start you need to just get your feet wet... it's great you have a story in mind as it will drive your direction but you also need some practice in the program to make it all happen. Try and design your main character! good luck, and post your progress

[kellz5460]

this is how I start-

Characters first for the angles I need- Front, profile and oblique

then storyboard if I dont have it already

when It comes to making scenes I do each scene completely just a still frame of it

Then I animate each scene add dialogue

Render Edit and Poof

[slowtiger]

You could start at any end - but if you want something good, you should do some design first. Choose one simple scene and create background and characters all together, then animate it. Look at it with open eyes, or post it here and discuss. This first scene will most likely be thrown away, but it's the one where you do all the mistakes: wrong colours, bad rigging, and so on.

[hayasidist]

I do detailed dialogue after character design but before animation. I record a talk-through (me - not the voice actors) and iterate that against storyboard. That shakes out a few "issues" - such as words and actions that don't fit comfortably with the character / scene - and I change something (usually other than basic character design) to fit better. Helps with timing too.. Then I do it again until it feels right. Then the voice actors come up with great interpretations that I hadn't thought of... I watch (sometimes film) their body movement / facial expression to see how they animate themselves when speaking the lines. I keep what they've done and animate against that. ADR is a last resort and, in my book, an admission of bad planning.

[MysticSlayer]

@funksmaname, hey I saw one of your CURVE PROFILE tutorial and it has helped me a great deal with details. Thank you for making it I would have never thought of it other wise.