How to Make Anime Shows
Anime is a Japanese school of animation with its own style, story traditions and codes for portraying emotions. The genre has gone beyond its homeland to enjoy a dedicated fan base stateside. Even U.S.-produced shows such as Teen Titans and the Boondocks have emulated anime conventions in their own series. Otaku---the fans of anime---are among some of the most dedicated pop culture fans, so it is important to carefully study and reproduce the soul of anime shows.
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Things You'll Need
- Word processing software
- Sketchpad
- Audio recording/editing program
- Microphone
- Video camera
- Animation program
- Non-linear video editing program
Instructions
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1
Select a genre and structure for your show. In the broadest sense, the genres are the same as you would find in the U.S.: action, comedy, drama, horror, romance, science fiction and variants or amalgams thereof. Apply anime conventions to the genres, such as anthropomorphic animals or frantic emoting in comedy, idealized teenage innocence in romance and the honor-bound warrior in action. Consider whether you want a frequently produced "assembly line" serial or a single-season storyline with the resolution planned from the beginning. The latter is more common in anime than it is in the U.S., where the continued production of an advertising revenue generator may be more desirable than a well-structured story.
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2
Develop the art style for the show. Exaggerate certain key features---large eyes, extra-long or spiked hair, long legs, pointed noses and chins. These are the standards, but one or more can be negotiated if you want a distinctive look for a certain character.
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3
Gather a team of writers and start developing scripts for the show. Ask each writer to develop a brief treatment for an episode. Have them justify the episode within the context of the overarching plot of the series, especially if the show will be limited to one or two seasons from the start. Assign one or two writers to work on a single episode's script and then bring it back to the group for revision.
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Draw the events of the episodes as storyboards. Take great care with the depiction of action scenes, almost as if you were choreographing live actors. Make notes underneath each frame, tracking where it takes place in the script, including action directions and lines from the script.
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Bring in your voice actors for the dialogue recording session. Meet with them before recording to go over the storyboards and develop a voice that matches the character. Give them notes over multiple takes until they hit on the perfect characterization for the voice. Video tape the session as reference material for animation.
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Animate the key frames---notable shifts in character, object or scene movement---in separate sequences that will add up to a full episode. Create more frequent key frames for action sequences to guarantee total control over the look of the final product. Highlight a dramatic action that doesn't include a lot of action---such as a flying kick---by animating a colorful background of moving lines. Use the between-frame option of the animation program to complete the sequences and double-check the resulting product to make sure the animation is up to spec.
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Import the animation sequences and dialogue tracks into a video editing program to cut the episode together on the time line. Add music and sound effects into separate tracks. Export the episode as a video file compatible with your local broadcasting standards (PAL or NTSC).
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Tips & Warnings
Pay special attention to the visual realism of landscapes and animals, including small factors such as wind and distant birds.
References
- Photo Credit first snow image by Elena Nikulina from Fotolia.com
