2D is popular, too. “Transitions between the
shots, simple characters and colour – but
with lots of expression that can be through
facial adjustments or just in the way the
character moves in relation to its environment
or other characters.”
Arguably, clients often feel less control
over 3D and can find it difficult to talk
about or identify areas for feedback. This is
changing though, and some forward-thinking
companies are beginning to consider how
it could fit alongside their brand as well as
learning how to talk about the medium,
explains Milo.
WHAT TO EXPECT IN 2020
Li predicts more handcrafted cell animation
and character-focused work with a bit more
of an emotive touch. “The world is getting
much more passionate about issues we all face
as humans, and brands/content makers are
waking up to that and voicing their opinion
through animation along with other artistic
mediums.” It’s an opinion shared by Anna,
who encourages animators to make work
with a real message. “I get slightly bored of
creatives hiding behind things being ‘really
random’. I want to see more personal work in
which people are saying something tangible; it
doesn’t need to be political or serious. It just
needs to feel honest.”
“It’s already happening, but I’d love to see
animation to be treated more as a medium,
rather than a genre,” says Ingi, who suggests
that we may see a rise in animation aimed at
adults, with shows like Bojack Horseman, Rick
and Morty and Tuca & Bertie paving the way.
“We, in the west at least, tend to see animation
as content for kids, but as any anime fan
knows, there’s so much more to it than that.”
Collaboration between animators and
other creatives could also increase this year,
and there’s much to be gained from working
with people who have different skills to you.
“There’s a good community of animators in
London who I talk to about work and projects
regularly, but it would be cool to create
more conversation between industries like
developers, fine artists and musicians,” says
Milo. “Sophie Koko Gate runs an animation
night called Easy Ease, which is great for
meeting people and learning from each other.”
“Animation is getting way more accessible,
which means more self-taught animators
figuring out wacky mechanics on their own.
This makes me excited for the future,” says
Shane. He believes that 2020 is a year where
huge opportunities exist for the youth,
the working class and even the ‘artist class’
community to come together and push for
change. “If the stories we animate reflect all
those beautiful ways humanity looks out for
each other, that’s something that genuinely
does inspire people in all sorts of ways
and brings people together to make that
change,” he concludes. “We need all the
positivity we can get.”PRACTICAL TIPS
THE EXPERTS REVEAL THEIR SECRETS
TO CRAFTING ENGAGING ANIMATIONS“It’s very important to entertain, make
people laugh and inspire joy! Art for art’s
sake will always have the powerful to
uplift people and make people feel less
alone.” Anna Ginsburg, filmmaker“Weird-looking, self-taught animation
is part of most people’s visual
language. I think seeing more play, more
experimentation and more trying out new
artists’ ideas even if they seem odd. Try
out a little bad animation, as a treat.”
Shane Beam, filmmaker“We would love to see more inventive
design and animation. There’s increasing
space for experimentation, and that’s
exciting. Creating content with more
centrally framed action to make various
aspect ratio deliveries more achievable is
good to be mindful of, too.” Kitty Turley,
Strange Beast“Mixing traditional and digital animation
techniques to make a moving image can
create a hybrid of something you’ve never
seen before.” Anna Ginsburg, filmmaker“There is an interesting trend toward paid
and sponsored content. I think that the
personality and online presence of the
creator is becoming even more important,
and something animators need to
consider.” Milo Targett, animator“We’re already seeing examples of
animation for the adult market in
advertising from fast food and alcohol
brands, who aren’t allowed to market to
children. We need styles that align with
an older demographic.” Ingi Erlingsson,
Golden Wolf“With events and activations temporarily
on the decline, we anticipate more clients
taking the leap to other realities. We love
playing with alternate realities and now
is the time to get to it, particularly with
those experiencing brands on a more one-
to-one basis through mobile.” Li Llang
Johnson, Flutter Films“Text and kinetic typography are a great
way of expressing powerful meaning
often with a big impact.” Sue Loughlin,
executive producer, Jelly LondonANIMATION NOW