CLEAN-UP

Each scene okayed by the director is redone by the assistants and inbetweeners. They put details on the characters and make minor adjustments in each scene. During clean-up, the frames are each being prepared for final production.

ANIMATION CHECK, XEROX, AND XEROX CHECK

Animation check is a stage in which each animation drawing of the scene is reviewed against the exposure sheet and is approved as "Okay for Xerox." Once a cleaned up scene has gotten an okay for Xeroxing, it is sent to the Xerox Camera where it is transferred, in perfect registration, onto cels. Cels are clear plastic sheets that carry each movement of the animated character. Each Xeroxed cel is then checked against the appropriate drawing to make sure all lines were transferred properly.

COLOR MODEL

In this stage, the exact colors needed for each character and its surrounding objects are established. The character and object colors are decided based upon whether or not the color relates to the styling of each background.

CEL PAINTING

After Xeroxing, all those animation drawings are sent to the Paint Department. They are painted on the reverse side of the inked or Xeroxed line in the colors that were earlier chosen by Color Models. (Traditionally, the animation was inked onto the cels and hand-painted. Today, the companies scan and color the artwork all on computer. This advancement has undoubtedly accelerated the process.) Each individual picture, in a finished film or cartoon, is made up of several layers of characters and moving elements that are photographed in front of a chosen background. Cels make it possible for the animator and the viewers (us) to see every aspect of any particular scene; therefore, all final drawings or paintings must be done on cels.

FINAL CHECK

The final product, up to now, is reviewed during this stage in the precise way it will appear for the camera. Taking it step by step, it is reviewed against the exposure sheet to make sure that everything is in near perfect order before sending it off to be produced for the last time.

CAMERA AND FINAL PRODUCTION

During this stage, the painted cels and their corresponding backgrounds are photographed in color, frame by frame, onto motion picture film.

When the entire picture has been shot, processed, and color balanced, the music score together with the dialogue and sound effect tracks are combined with each other and the photographic image. Once again, computers are capable of this and they help to save time and money.

Once the final film is complete, there are the finishing touches: package design, promotional materials and marketing strategies. The animator may, at this stage, give the finished film to a distribution company, or to a client. He or she then is able to move on to the next idea...