Within our animation process, we often come on board films and series when directors and editors are looking for ways to help tell their story – and are looking for a visually coherent means of doing so that will sit effortlessly within the film. Archival might not be available, shot footage might not be the most appropriate for the story – or animation might be better suited to the moment tonally. 

In these early stages, we work closely with the team to explore how animation might help tell that story, developing a style that feels right for the film or series. We tend to explore a few different styles in these early stages, so we can use these as a robust talking point.

Once we have landed in a direction, our next step will be making it move – now it’s getting fun! These early movement tests are wonderful to be able to slot into the edit, so we can really start to feel how this approach will aid the narrative. 

Thereafter we move into storyboards – rough sketches for sequences which allow directors and editors to help shape the specifics of the action. Once these are locked,  we hit the animation button! We’ll usually feed through these WIP sequences through to the edit team as we work, so we can keep shaping alongside the evolving edit.