Flip festival 2009

Flip festival 2009

By Jonathan Wallace

Animation in the West Midlands: a snapshot. On Thursday evening at millenium point a meeting to kick off the flip festival was held. It was arranged by flip and chair by local business animator experts and a Mr walker from skillset. The talk was a good insight into the animation industry and just a little scary too. Scary because the one thing that I tuck from the talk was the idea that I've maybe gone for the wrong course. Althrough I, myself didn't openly take part in any of the discussions between the panel and guest. It was once again a good insight to hear what people had to say about animation industry within the UK.

If I tuck one good thing from the event, it was how important it was to look at specialising in one or two areas of animation (most of this talk was on c.g.i). Also to see in which area are of animation are the jobs are. To look at which area could get me on the ladder (starting point), like an inker for a comic book before becoming a pencil sketcher for some new inker to ink his/her work. One man at the front was very interesting and a little modest. He did bring up some point as well as selling himself to other guest. Something I have to do more myself. A good and very informative with lots to think of for the future.

Look at sound, hearing animation. Panel talk about the importance's of sound with in animation. Dow sometimes even the most unnoticeable sound, if missing could damage the atmosphere that you are trying to create. We live in a world with sound all around us and know what to listen out for, which helps us get through the day. Even dow we react to what we see in front of us 9/10^th of good visual communication is the sound that is around us. That sound off picture is just as important, even if we don't notices it. It creates a more natural world that we can adapt or relate to. Finding the right sounds, doing your research for an environment for which your animation take place. That was the best thing that came out of the looking at sound panel talk.

Everything on from that point seem trivial like the talk on good comedy timing with sound. Important but something that I leant myself from the 2D drawing for animation from the final project for term one. That I hope will come with time and now with my new found better understanding of the importance's dope sheets/ Xsheets. I don't remember them mentioning anything thing on dope sheets, only make good planning of all sounds that will be included for movement and comedy timing. They even pointed out that animation without sound is lazy and boring. How that will help me in my studies, because being an animation student I always thought that I could get away without using any. How silly of me.

A brief for sound was good to go with the planning. Help the sound producers with what to look for. Location, environment, effects and helping to set the mood/ temperament with sound.