Jean Ann Wright.

What Is An Animation Outline?
Story editors often ease a new writer from the premise into the outline, giving notes for several rewrites, and gradually expanding the story each time. This helps to ensure that the writer can handle the assignment before the editor commits to an outline payment. Sometimes a short cartoon goes directly from premise into script or storyboard. Approvals are, not only from the story editor but also, from producers, programming executives, standards and practices people, and sometimes from toy executives. Remember that each cartoon is different. So the following information is general information. In the outline the premise is expanded so that the structure will be complete. This is a blueprint, a plan, a narrative description of the action. Indicate scenes. Pace your story. You reveal through action, character, a little dialogue. Write in the present tense. You may suggest camera angles, minimally, working them into the sentence structure...we push in, dissolve to, see inside, etc. You may sprinkle in a little good dialogue...not too much. Emphasize action rather than description. You'll be paid for writing the outline.

The Meeting With The Story Editor
When your story editor notifies you that your idea has been approved for outline, you'll want to set up another meeting. Today most writers are freelancers, writing at home, occasionally continents away. So face-to-face meetings may be impossible. In that case business must be conducted by e-mail or snail mail or phone. Ask for a sample outline. Not all outlines look the same, so you need to know what kind of outline the story editor expects. Is this an outline with (1) numbered beats, with (2) master scenes (each beginning with a slug line as in a script), or is the outline (3) narrative prose? Ask about length. Do you understand all the notes that the story editor has given you? You'll need to follow them exactly. Ask questions. Know when your finished outline is due. Typically, you might have a week to finish. NEVER miss a deadline!

Structure Planning
Look at your premise. What are the main points needed to tell your story? The specific personality traits of your star/hero put your story in motion. What does that star want? Who opposes him? What are their motivations? What's your hero's plan? Your star's goals should be in direct conflict with the villain's goals. The villain tries to foil the star's plans. Each turning point requires a decision by the star, who solves the story problem. There are no unseen forces, no easy solutions or clues. The star leads the action throughout the story. What's the worst thing that can happen to the star to keep him from attaining his goals? That's the crisis. The crisis is the opposite of what the star wants. What's the climax of your story, the big conflict near the end, the point that the entire story is building toward? Did your hero learn something? If so, that's the theme. Not all cartoons have a theme. You want to develop the main story points, the skeleton, first. Then you fill in the blanks. What scenes are absolutely necessary to tell your story? Are there two acts or three in your sample script? You'll want your acts to be roughly equal in length, leaving your hero in trouble before each act break. Every scene should be visual and have some action.