Refining the animatic.

An essential part of this production stage was to import as much animation into the timeline of the animatic as possible within the given timescale. Sometimes my estimation of timing a movement/ shot can be vastly incorrect. This part of the production process was to improve on what I had previously produced concerning the narrative and structure. Therefore, the animation gave more accuracy concerning the project's duration, tension and pace. However, as time passed, it became apparent that this rough animatic needed extensive refinement. For example, scenarios I estimated to be shorter interestingly required to be held longer and vice versa.

I found it easier when editing to differentiate scenes and shots by colour coding them, thus being able to identify them quicker when editing. Although I am not an editor, I have background experience editing footage together, ensuring the project flows naturally.

As I re-watched the animatic throughout its entire duration, I began writing additional notes which would help improve the overall project quality concerning the direction and give more clarity. It also made me reflect on the animation I had produced and whether I could revisit it and push my current skills and boundaries to enhance the overall quality. These notes also included adding extra shots to break up a sequence, adding/removing shots to assist with the pace, or giving better clarity.

Once I had completed the additional shots and finalised images for the project, I imported them into the animatic and placed them within the timeline accordingly. Although they were not vital to the project's narrative, they gave it a better structure.

Overall, I was pleased with the outcome of the animatic from a visual perspective thus far. There is a significant difference between the rough version and the current version, with an emphasis on duration, pace, and pace and clarity. As with any project, there is always room for improvement. However, progression comes with time, effort and exploration, which I intend to continue throughout this course. This was the process of bringing the style and animation together with the project's narrative and structure, ensuring they both unilaterally strengthened and complimented each other.