SUNRISE INTERNATIONAL Information

How does the animation that everyone watches on TV actually get made?

In “The Making of Animation” Take 2, we take you from “Finalizing” to “Video Editing.”

“Color Setting”

Color Setting is the work of adding color to completed drawings. In the past, this was done with paint and brushes, but nowadays color is usually added digitally with computers.

The in-between animation is scanned into a computer and then colored. The process of deciding which colors go in which places on the in-between animation is called color designation. Normally, a person known as a color coordinator decides on the main color scheme to unify the series. But in addition, there is another person called a color designator who is in charge of the color design for individual episodes who makes color adjustments for unique backgrounds or characters and objects which appear only in certain episodes.

“Fine Art”

Meanwhile, as work is being done on art production, fine art work is proceeding on its own track.

This work is separate from the rendering of people and mecha. It is the work of painting the settings of the story, or the backgrounds.

First of all, the art director makes a picture which lets the staff know the background and setting of a particular scene. This is called the art template. Colors are added to the template to indicate certain moods or time of day and these variously colored templates are called art boards. The backgrounds for each cut are created using these art boards as a reference.

“Compositing (Filming) / Cutting (Editting)”

Compositing (or filming) is the process of synching up images and backgrounds, adding visual effects, and adding motion to a work.

In the old days, animation would be shot with a camera one frame at a time, but nowadays this work is done on computers.

Compositing is followed by cutting. First, the numerous cuts are put in order according to broadcast continuity, and then the episode must be cut to match broadcast times (counted in seconds).

When it comes to television broadcasts, there is a set format of: opening, program, commercial, program, ending, and next episode preview. The time frame is also set, but the continuity is normally set to be 1 to 1 and a half minutes longer than that.

In TV broadcasts, even a 1 second lag is unforgivable, so it is necessary to follow the format to the letter.

“Voiceovers”

Once the film is complete, the next job that needs to be done is the adding of voices. A studio is rented, and under the supervision of the sound director, voice actors lend their talents to the program. Recording is normally divided into a first half (A Part) and second half (B Part), and is executed in the order of: test, pre-recording test, recording, and retakes. Voiceovers for one episode generally take between about 2 and 3 hours, counting the inclusion of a short break in the middle.

In addition to the voices of speaking characters, other voices, such as people in the street and background chatter, are also recorded at this stage.

(*For more details about Recording Studio, check out our “Pick Up” section!)

“Dubbing”

Dubbing is the process of adding sounds to images after they have been through editing. The actors recorded during voiceovers, background music (BGM), and sound effects are united here. Often, it is the images that are most emphasized in animation, but with the addition of sound it becomes possible to express things which images alone cannot represent. Sound effects can make things sound more powerful, music can bring life to a scene, and voice give characters personality, making the role of sound vitally important.

“Video Editing”

The job of putting the completed film in a form to be delivered to TV stations is called video editing. Here, the program and trailers and voices are finally synchronized, and gaps are left where commercials are supposed to fall. Opening and ending credits are also added at this stage.

Some visual effects are also added at this stage. Light haloes are added, as is flashback blurring, and other final touches.

And so, the final package is delivered to the TV stations, and the program is broadcast.