* Take your project from concept to creation - then take it to market!

* Learn story development, character design, audio recording, editing, ink and paint, compositing, and the software available to enhance your animated films!

* Complete with project organization guidelines, production forms, as well as work samples, trial software, and eight animations on CD-ROM.

Producing Independent 2D Character Animation is a concept-to-pitch resource guide for creating and producing independent 2D character animation. However, most of the chapters pertain to all styles of animation.

It takes an in-depth look at the artistry and production process of cel animation in a friendly, how-to manner that makes the sometimes tedious process of animation enjoyable and easy to understand. This book guides animators through every step of planning and production; includes examples of actual production forms, organization tips, screen shots, and sketches from the pre- to post-production processes; and contains detailed information on the hardware and software used to complete each step.

By mapping out the course of how his studio brainstormed, created, then produced its award-winning animation, Timmy's Lessons In Nature, Mark Simon explains to animators what it takes - both creatively and resource-wise - to get their animated films to market.

Includes exclusive interviews with Craig McCracken, creator of Powerpuff Girls, Craig 'Spike' Decker for Spike & Mike's Sick and Twisted Festival of Animation, Cartoon Network's Senior Vice President of Original Animation, Linda Simensky, and Tom Sito, Co-Director of Osmosis Jones...as well as others.

Contains over 600 color images.

Contains custom version of Timmy's Lessons In Nature, Lesson 3, found only on the CD in this book.

Featured animation won the Grand Prize in Nickelodeon's first-ever Nicktoons Film Festival.

The animated shorts, Timmy's Lessons In Nature in this book won the Grand Prize in Nickelodeon's first-ever film festival.

Preface
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Before We Get Started
Frame Rate
Frames vs. Footage
DPI vs Pixels
Scenes
Hardware and Software
Pre-Production
The Pitch
Character Design
Story and Storyboards
Crewing Up
Revised Storyboards
Layouts
Production
Audio Recording/Editing
Audio Breakdowns
Assigning Work
Key Animation
Effects Animation
Pencil Tests
Enhanced Animatics
Backgrounds
In-Betweens
Clean-Ups
Scanning
Digital Ink & Paint
Composite of Individual Layers
Camera Moves and Special Effects
Final Image Composite
Post-Production
Title Cards
Editing
Credits
Music & Sound Design
Final Composite With Audio and Output to Tape or Film
What Next?
Copyright
Festivals
Online
Pitches
Portfolio Piece
Interviews
Successful Animators (Like Craig McCracken of Powerpuff Girls)
Distributor
Festival Promoter Craig ‘Spike’ Decker of Spike & Mike
Studio Acquisition Person
Studio Hiring Person
Online Acquisitions Person
CD Contents
Appendices
Resources
Books
Periodicals
Online
Animation Schools
Glossary
Index

Click HERE to order this book from AMAZON.com.

Sample frame from Timmy's Lessons In Nature short showcased in the book.

“Timmy has all the classic elements of a great cartoon. It has great gags and if you freeze-framed the animation at any point, you would still have great animation, with great artistry and great humor.”
Rita Street, Publisher, Animation Magazine

Sample page from Character Design chapter.

“You really can’t afford to miss Mark Simon’s brilliant new title Producing Independent 2D Character Animation. Simon’s tome should be a constant on any aspiring animator’s workstation.”
Ramin Zahed, Editor, Animation Magazine.