Key Animation Concepts

Frames & Shots

Composition

Camera Angles

Storyboarding

Blocking

Principles of Animation

Editing - Shot Transitions

Frames

A Frame is a single image still

Shots

A Shot is a series of frames from a particular camera angle

Frame Rate

The number of frames displayed per second. Standard frame rates are 24. But animations can be done at 12, 15, 30 fps depending on the style and medium. making animations at a lower frame rate can give a choppier, more stylised look. It also means that you will only have to draw 1/2 of the frames that you would at 24 fps, speeding up production time. This is called drawing on 2's. You can also draw every 3rd or 4th frame, called drawing on 3's or drawing on 4's.

Single Shot

A Single Shot is a shot with only one Character

Two Shot

A Two Shot is a shot with two Characters

Three Shot

A Three Shot is a shot with three Characters. The shot number is equal to the number of characters in a shot. Obviously the more characters in a shot, the more complex the composition becomes.

Vertical - Low Angle

A Low Angle is when the camera is positioned below the subject, looking up. This angle can make characters appear more powerful, dominant, or intimidating.

Vertical - Straight Angle

A Straight Angle or mid angle is when the camera is positioned at the same level as the subject, looking straight on. This angle provides a neutral perspective and is often used for dialogue scenes.

Vertical - High Angle

A High Angle is when the camera is positioned above the subject, looking down. This angle can make characters appear smaller, weaker, or more vulnerable.

But the high angle can also show a broader view of the scene, providing context and emphasizing the environment around the characters.

Used in combination

A bully and his victim can be shown using a combination of high and low angles to emphasize their power dynamics.

A group of friends can be depicted using high, straight and low angles to highlight their interactions and relationships, ie. Leader shown with low angle, neutral straight, and shy character with high angle.

The Rule of Thirds

This is the most popular rule in composition. Imagine dividing your screen into nine equal rectangles using two vertical lines and two horizontal lines. The most important elements of your scene (like a character's eyes or a key prop) should be placed along these lines or at the points where they intersect.

Why use it?

Avoiding Boredom: Placing subjects dead-center can often feel static or "mugshot-like." Moving them to the side creates a more dynamic and professional look.

Looking Room

In animation, if a character is on the left "third" line looking right, it creates empty space for them to look into. This helps the audience subconsciously understand that the character is interacting with the world, not just the camera.

Extreme Wide Shot (EWS)

The "Establishing" shot. It captures the vast scale of the environment (like a city or desert), making the character appear very small to provide context for where the scene takes place.

Wide Shot (WS)

The "Full Body" shot. It frames the character from head to toe. This is best for showing physical action and how the character fits into their immediate surroundings.

Medium Shot (MS)

The "Conversation" shot. It frames the character from the waist up. This is the standard shot for dialogue scenes because it captures both facial expressions and hand gestures/body language.

Close-Up (CU)

The "Emotion" shot. It frames the character’s head and shoulders. This isolates the character from the background to force the audience to focus entirely on their facial expression and feelings.

Extreme Close-Up (ECU)

The "Intensity" shot. It zooms in tight on a specific facial feature, like just the eyes or mouth. It creates a feeling of intense intimacy, discomfort, or dramatic realization. 6. Detail Shot The "Information" shot. It focuses tightly on an inanimate object (like a ticking clock, a text message, or a weapon) rather than a person. It tells the audience that this specific item is critical to the plot.

Horizontal Angles

The further the camera is from the subject, the more neutral and objective the perspective becomes. So the more you move away from the straight angle, the less connected the audience feels to the character.

Frontal View

A Frontal View is a shot from the front.
The straight view is good for emotional scenes,and gives the view the clearest angle to see a characters emotions

Side View

A Side View is a shot from the side A side view can soften a scene's impact by offering a less direct perspective. When a character behaves poorly, this angle can distance the viewer from the action, making the behavior appear less severe. This angle is often used to show conflict or to highlight movement within a scene. It is often used to show interactions both aggressive or romantic.

Rear View

A Rear View is a shot from the back The logic of horizontal angles suggests that if a frontal shot gives the most personal view of a character, that the rear view conversely gives the most impersonal view.

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