Pre-production

1. The idea

At this stage of the process, the client presents the main idea and the purpose of the project he wants Pencil Castle to create on his behalf.

2. The production brief

This is an extremely essential document that Pencil Castle Pictures forms during a meeting with the client. In this document the main idea, the purpose of the project and every possible detail known to the client that could serve the project, is written down on paper. This is very important because this document serves as guide and reference for all the working team throughout the process of the project.

3. The Contract of Agreement

This Signed Contract of Agreement will include the project brief, the timetable for the separate tasks of the project, the payment plan and the agreement on the terms and policies in services and privacy of the information discussed. This is the most important document before the official commence of the project and both the Pencil Castle representative and the Client need to be present and mutually agree on this document.
* An Advance Payment of the 25% of the Final Cost is Essential at this stage. – The Deposit is Not Refundable.

4. Thumbnail sketches

Those are the first rough sketches that are made at the beginning of the pre- production process, in order to depict in small size (the size of a thumb) and in a quick way, the ideas, the staging and the flow of the story of the produced 2d animation work.

5. The storyboard

Storyboard Pages consist of more detailed bigger-sized pictures that depict in a more explanatory way the action and the story in images. An image is created for every Shot of every Scene of action within the scenario of the animation movie. The purpose of the storyboard is to depict in images all the action of the characters, the camera movement and the staging of the movie, so that all the work that needs to be done for every shot, will be clear to all the members of the production team and the client. What is more, it is extremely important that all the mistakes, changes and arrangements of the movie, will be done at this stage, in order to avoid mistakes and loss of time for producing work that won’t make it to the final moving picture.

6. The Animatic

The Animatic, is a video that is created at this stage of the production, including all the approved storyboard images of the shots and scenes of the movie, combined with sound effects and the music selected to accompany the action presented by the 2d animation drawings. This video is very important because all the production team and the client can check and correct, at a very early stage, mistakes at the story of the film, the pacing of action, the editing etc. In live action film-making the editing of the video is made at the end of the production process. However, in 2D Animation, the editing is made almost at the beginning of the project, because we need to know exactly how much time and drawings every shot of the moving image need to be produced.
* A Deposit of the 15% of the Final Cost is Essential at this stage.

7. Concept Art & Design

At this stage of the production, sketches and fully rendered images are created in order to present visually the characters and the environment that exist in the imaginary world of every 2d animation work. It is a phase of research and style experimentation that will define the final look and aesthetic of the film.

8. Proof of Concept

The production team, after consulting the client, will create a Test Shot of a Small Fully Rendered 2D animation piece of work, in which the character, a part of the environment and their aesthetic will be presented with the use of an indicative movement. This test will provide the team with information about how the final film will actually look and how the team will need to handle the process and pipeline of the production in order to produce effectively and within the time limit, the final art work.
* A Deposit of the 10% of the Final Cost is Essential at this stage.

Main production

9. Key – Frame Pencil Drawings

After the animatic is created, the animators will estimate the timing, pacing and the action needed to be portrayed in every Shot of the movie and create Key Drawings of the Characters and the props that will be animated. Those drawings after tested, will replace some pre-existing drawings in the Animatic Video, which is going to be updated again, with every new information added and edited with sound.

10. In – Between Pencil Drawings

After the creation of the Key Drawings (drawings that depict the main action Poses of the Character), the In-Between Drawings are created among the Key Drawings. Those drawings will define the timing and pacing of action, how fast and slow it will be (fast action needs less in-between drawings while a slow action needs more drawings between the key poses of the Character). It is important for the client to understand that smooth and more realistic animated action need more in-between drawings, therefore more work and time in order to be created, which will affect the final cost of the project.

11. Animatic – Pencil version

This is the updated animatic video, that includes all the Key-Frame and In-Between Rough Pencil Drawings of the animation work. At this stage we can see clearly all the edited action and story unfolding before our eyes in the form of animated pencil drawings.
* A Deposit of the 25% of the Final Cost is Essential at this stage.

12. Cleaning

At this stage of the production, all the rough Key Pencil Drawings along with the In – Between drawings are cleared from all the lines that are not essential, in order for the final drawing and forms to be clear and easily readable.

13. Inking

At this stage, all the cleaned drawings are getting redrawn again in new papers (or in case of digital 2d Animation, in new layers). The cleaned pencil drawings contours are copied precisely with the use of black ink or different colors of inked lines.

14. Coloring – Shading

After the drawings are cleaned and inked, the fill colors and shadows are applied and the inked sketch takes life.
* A Deposit of the 15% of the Final Cost is Essential at this stage.

15. 2D Effects

2D Animation is an illusion of depth and life created on paper. To make this 2D world believable to the audience, sometimes effects like rain, air, water, light, fire, the effects of speed etc, need to be applied. Some animation films may not need the use of effects. The creation of 2D effects is also a very demanding and time consuming procedure and the client needs to be aware of this matter in order to decide if he wishes to use and pay for this part of the service in the final project.

Post production

16. Color Correction

The animation sequences that include the colored images created for each shot, are being revised and checked as changes in color and light may be essential for some parts of the project, even though everything was designed and executed according to plan. The final corrected result should be precise to the desired look and atmosphere of the film that has been decided in the Proof of Concept at the beginning of the production.

17. Final Editing with Music

The final color corrected animated sequences are being edited again with the final music and sound of the film. The mixing & sound correction are essential at this stage.

18. Letters and Titles

The final task before the submission of the 2D animated artwork, is the creation of typography and titles. Those titles will be embedded to the moving images in the film and describe what the client needs to be said in written form to the audience.
* A Deposit of the 10% of the Final Cost is Essential at this stage.