SSS SCRIPT 2

[TITLE CARD WITH MUSIC] ‘INTRODUCTION’

(DIFFERENT SONG FADES IN)

“Numerous studios and animators in the creative media industry have used impressive animation techniques and
inventions to display our favourite animated films traditionally and digitally. Since the late 1800s, animators
have been mastering these techniques and inventions to bring stationary hand-drawn images to life. Although,
nowadays, animators and studios have leaned towards the use of digital animation, but some remain committed
to traditional techniques. In this documentary, we will find how the inspiring successful animator, James Baxter,
creates fluid 2D animations using these key techniques and I will answer the following question: how has
technological development impacted the techniques used to animate characters in 2D?”

(MUSIC AND VIDEO FADES OUT)

[TITLE CARD WITH MUSIC ] ‘A BRIEF HISTORY OF 2D ANIMATION’

(DIFFERENT SONG FADES IN)

“In the late 1800s, 2D animation was displayed on inventions known as phenakistiscopes and zoescopes which
were used as children’s toys in the Victorian era. The zoetrope, also known as the wheel of life, consists of a
sequence of images each displaying a phase of motion on a paper strip lined along the inner walls of the drum.
The vertical slits across the top half of the open-topped drum enables a view of the fluid animation when the
drum is spun quickly on a spindle base or handle. These slits prevent the animation from appearing blurry. The
phenakistiscope is a disc which displays each phase of motion radially and is attached on to a handle. Just like
the zoetrope, it is spun to create the illusion of movement.

“Traditionally, animation was produced with hand-drawn or painted cels which were then photographed and
viewed at a rapid pace to create the illusion of movement. Producing each frame by hand is a slow but
amazingly detailed process which requires a lot of artistic materials making it expensive. For example, artists
spend months painting water colour backgrounds which operators use to photograph each cel made by the
animation department over.”

“However, the use of the traditional techniques and inventions fell into decline due to the advancement of
modern technology…”

[TITLE CARD WITH MUSIC] ‘HOW TECHNOLOGY HAS IMPROVED IT’

(DIFFERENT SONG FADES IN)

“Because of the advancement of technology, animators are able to work more efficiently and cheaper by using a
diverse variety of hardware and software. Computers and display tablets are expensive but provide a countless
amount of easily accessible resources and efficient work using software such as Adobe Animate, Clip Studio
Paint and OpenToonz which was used to create Studio Ghibli’s Princess Mononoke movie.”

“It’s possible to use digitalised versions of traditional animation techniques using modern technology, meaning
animators can apply their knowledge of traditional style animation into their work more efficiently and easily
with easy to learn software. For example, Studio Ghibli’s Princess Mononoke utilises hand drawn animation but
includes scenes created using CGI which is skilfully blended into 10% of the movie.”

(MUSIC AND VIDEO FADES OUT)

[TITLE CARD WITH MUSIC] ‘KEY PEOPLE IN THE INDUSTRY’

(DIFFERENT SONG FADES IN WITH SPED UP MONTAGE OF JAMES BAXTER’S

ANIMATIONS)

“In the animation industry is an inspirational animator who you might recognise through his work in
several Disney and Dreamworks movies as well as many popular cartoons on Cartoon Network.”

“James Baxter, an animator active in the industry from 1987-present, specialises is fluid 2D animation both
digital and traditional. He has worked with famous studios such as Disney and Dreamworks to produce
many famous movies such as Who Framed Rodger Rabbit, The Lion King and Kung Fu Panda.

In 2005, he left Dreamworks to set up his own studio: ‘James Baxter Animation’ in Pasadena California
where he directed the animation in enchanted and the Kung Fu Panda 2D opening sequence which he won
an Annie award for.”

“Additionally, his works have made an appearance in many popular cartoons featured on Cartoon Network
and Disney channel like Gravity Falls, Adventure Time and Steven Universe.”

“James Baxter’s animations consist of smooth, fluid movement that show his flexibility between different
art styles and understanding of each character designs he animates.”

[TITLE CARD WITH MUSIC] ‘KEY TECHNIQUES ASSOCIATED WITH 2D

ANIMATION’

“One animation technique used to animate in 2D is stop-motion where each phase of

motion is hand-drawn one frame at a time.

‘Another technique known as ‘rigging’ involves using a virtual skeleton which is

placed into the 2D model. Each adjustment on the bones are recorded by keyframing
them across the timeline. Furthermore, this can be achieved through the ‘Puppet tool’
in Adobe After Effects and the ‘Bone tool’ in Adobe Animate.

This technique is used by content creators known as V-Tubers who use a digital
avatars to represent themselves on streaming platforms. ”

“Finally, ‘Tweening’ is a techniques that uses software-calculated movements like

multiplanar sequences. A number of symbols where the animator sets the start and
end position of the symbol and the software animates the in-betweens.”

(MUSIC AND VIDEO FADES OUT)

[TITLE CARD WITH MUSIC] ‘MY ATTEMPT AT MASTERING A TECHNIQUE’.

(DIFFERENT SONG FADES IN)

(SHOTS OF FOLDING AND GLUEING TEMPLATE TOGETHER )

“By using these techniques, I created my own digital 2D animation and used each frame of it in my zoetrope.”

“The YouTube tutorial I followed to make my zoetrope provided me with a template which I printed out with
my frames on.”

(SHOTS OF CUTTING OUT THE SLITS AND TAPING THE FRAMES TOGETHER)

“After cutting out the slits, I made sure I taped my zoetrope together with my frames in chronological order.
Then with my open-topped drum, I viewed my animation through the zoetrope by rotating it. The character’s
movement here isn’t as noticeable as it is in the end result.”

(SHOTS OF TRACING AND CUTTING OUT OF CARDBOARD BASE)

“Next, I cut out a circular cardboard base for the open-topped drum. Fortunately, I correctly estimated the
circumference of the base without measurements by tracing around the tape roll. Taping the base to the bottom
paper drum will hold its structure while providing me with a place to attach the handle.”

(SHOT OF PIRERCING PENCIL THROUGH CARDBOARD BASE)

“Lastly, I pierced a pencil through the base which I used as the handle to spin my zoetrope with.”

(QUEUE MONTAGE OF ZOETROPE SPINNING)

“Here is my digital animation versus my zoetrope animation… without looking through the slits, the motion
appears blurry. However, the zoetrope animation is barely noticeable even when viewing through the slits so I
tried using more dynamic movements like a bouncing ball or bird flying.”

“Later on, I created a paper slip with hand-drawn frames which display a bouncing ball when spun in my
zoetrope. The movement was more noticeable as intended and I was fascinated watching this animation”.

“So when making a zoetrope, make sure your animation uses dynamic movements in order to be visible.”

(MUSIC AND VIDEO FADES OUT)

[TITLE CARD WITH MUSIC] ‘INTERVIEW WITH PEOPLE DISCUSSING THE

SKILLS’

(DIFFERENT SONG FADES IN)

“I spoke with animation lecturer, Trevor who is well-acquainted with this subject to ask about
whether 2D animation is still relevant and what he considers important when working with the
illusion of movement.”

[[ ROLL INTERVIEW SEGEMENT (1 MIN 30 SECONDS) ]]

(MUSIC AND VIDEO FADES OUT)

[TITLE CARD WITH MUSIC] ‘CONCLUSION’

(DIFFERENT SONG FADES IN)

“So, how has technology impacted the techniques used to animate characters in 2D?”

“In conclusion, cel animations, phenakistiscopes and zoescopes, invented in the late 1800s- early 1900s, were a
more difficult form of 2D animation to produce compared to the inventions we have nowadays in the digital age
therefore leading to its decline over the decades.

Modern technology, such as software, computers and drawing tablets, created digitalised versions of traditional
animation techniques which made animating and gathering a wide range of resources more efficient, accessible,
cheaper and easier to learn therefore leading to the improvement of the process of animating in 2D.”

(MUSIC AND VIDEO FADES OUT)