The Job
There’s so much that can be said about this so I’ll try to keep it in a nutshell and as concise as possible.
Series animators are character animators. We’re responsible for all character performance and actions, animating props, and sometimes fx and camera (if working in 3D). In 3D production there’s usually a layout department.
Layout artists will place the camera and animate basic camera moves, but animators almost always need to either re-animate it, or make adjustments to accommodate the action taking place in the scene.
Before we begin animation for a new episode we watch the lieca (or animatic) so we know what the episode is about and get a feel for the pacing of the show. It also gives us a chance to see how our assigned section of the show fits in to the story.
Some studios will have launch meetings before they start a new episode with all animators, lead animators, supervisors, and directors present. This is just an orientation and a chance for the director to make comments on particular sections of the episode and for everyone else to ask questions and express any artistic or technical concerns.
Animating/Workflow
Time to start animating – As mentioned above, we get our scenes from the layout department with characters placed and camera roughed in. From here I start setting the initial poses for all the characters – at the same time paying attention to the staging and framing, making sure that there aren’t any large areas of dead space, also looking at negative spaces to making sure that it has appeal and isn’t cluttered.
We work from a hand drawn storyboard to help us with the staging, framing and composition of the scene, we also use it as a guide for character posing.
The storyboards also give us a ‘feel’ for the acting. A good storyboard artist will convey the acting with loose energetic drawing, strong character poses and telling facial expressions for animators to draw inspiration from.
And, we animate….first setting poses and rough timing, then we adjust timing and employ the fundamental principles of animation to the characters mostly done through the poses we choose.
We work our way through the scene – first blocking out the rough action, then refining our work with software animation editors.
I often play the animation to check it, continually making adjustments and playing it again, often playing just sections that I’m currently refining….. until I’m happy with it.
Posing and timing is the foundation of good character animation – They are the two most important animation principles that help to convey what the character is thinking and feeling – that’s why we usually start with that… make sure it’s working, and then refine from there.
Lipsync is usually done first. Facial animation is done last as we add in blinks, eye direction and expressions to the eyes and eyebrows and mouth.
Equipment – Hardware/Software
Most studios now have dual screen work stations. This allows you more screen space for the various items that an animator will often have open at one time.
These items usually include:
- Software interface where you do your animation
- Digital storyboard, usually in the form of a PDF.
- Internet browser, animators will often get reference from the internet. UTube is fantastic for that.
- Product management tool. All studios have some sort of web system or piece of software that helps keep track of all project elements and tracks the progress of all shots/scenes and episodes in production.
Everyone uses they’re screen space differently. For example, I like to animated with the software interface up on the left screen and have my storyboard and management tool on the right screen. I keep the browser minimized for when I need it.
Occasional Perks!
Many studios owners, and large conglomerate media companies that produce animation like to keep with the tradition of animation studios being a fun place to work. After all, we are making cartoons!
Some studios even bring in beer and pizza on occasion! Gotta love that…many studios have screening rooms (sort of a mini theater) and will sometimes have a movie showing in the afternoon. I’ve been at studios that will allow group video game play on Friday afternoons(along with beverages 
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As great as it is to take part in these activities at work, they’re only permitted as long as quotas are met or on track with the schedule.
Almost all studios will throw a wrap party at the end of a production (or season). All the wrap parties I’ve been to, were either at the studio or in a pub. Usually all production staff are there lamenting of the challenges and lessons the project brought, and of course there’s always food, drinks and good times.
