[Figure 4] Tied down key poses of the fox. Animation by R.B.

The chart in Figure 5 shows that the key drawing is 52 and the next key drawing is 56. Drawing 54 will be the inbetween. Drawing 54, then, should be one-third of the way between the keys. This is an example of ‘easing out’ from a keyframe. The closer the drawings are, the slower they seem to move. The farther apart drawings are, the faster they seem to move. ‘Easing out’ means that the motion starts more slowly and picks up speed as it eases out of a keyframe. ’Easing in‘ means that a move slows down as it eases into a keyframe.

[Figure 5] The animators will chart how close the inbetweens need to be to the keys.

The remaining chapter describes the animator’s notes and dope sheet. To learn about other topics, check out Producing Independent 2D Character Animation, published by Focal Press. It can be purchased at any bookstore or online. Producing Independent 2D Character Animation: Making and Selling a Short Film by Mark Simon. Burlington, Massachusetts: Focal Press, 2003. 432 pages. ISBN: 0-240-80513-5.

Mark Simon founded and owns A&S Animation, Inc., an award-winning cel animation house in Florida, which develops and produces character animation for commercials, TV, training videos and the Web. He also owns Animatics & Storyboards, Inc., the largest storyboard house in the southern United States, which has provided work on more than 1,200 productions. Mark’s accomplishments include owning an award-winning advertising firm, being a syndicated cartoonist, production designer for film and TV, writing entertainment industry books and lecturing on both animation and storyboards. Winning more than 30 animation awards for his efforts, Mark has directed Timmy’s Lessons In Nature (which he sold as a TV series), My Wife Is Pregnant, numerous commercials, training videos and television series special effects.