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AIDAN BLACKETT

Pitch Proposal: The Evolution of

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AIDAN BLACKETT

TREATMENT
Outline
The Evolution of Animation is a two-dimensional animation which takes you on a journey
through time, from the roots of how animation was formed all the way to the modern postdigital age of computerised animation.

Synopsis
The animation will begin by showing items such as the pottery bowl found in Iran (as seen in
my research into the history of animation) and Leonardo Da Vincis Vitruvian Man in
movement. It will then progress through a timeline of various animation examples and
historical relics which helped to advance methods and techniques used by professionals. Once
it reaches the 20th century milestone, characters created by iconic figures such as Walt
Disney will appear, as well as events which were caused by him such as the Disney
Animators Strike in 1941. The video will briefly cover Japanese animation such as anime,
however it will be mainly focused towards western animators and cartoons.
As the video moves into the 1950s, it will show characters from large-scale productions like
Alice in Wonderland and Cinderella and classics such as Peter Pan and Sleeping Beauty. The
animation will be entirely frame-by frame and will contain clever transitions between
characters such as making them turn into different items or merging them together to form
the background for the next shot.
As the timeline continues moving forward, notable modern items such as the Pixar lamp and
beachball will bounce into the shot. Their primary characters (such as Buzz Lightyear and
Sully) will be seen walking and waving at the camera. As the animation draws to a close, it will
end with a complete overview of the timeline shown throughout the entire video.

Skills Required
Knowledge of Adobe Animate CC and Adobe Audition CC
I have used both of these programs previously and have a fairly solid understanding of
both. This will certainly come in useful once I (inevitably) run into problems whilst creating
this project.
Knowledge of animation techniques and methods
I have found out a lot of new techniques which I was not previously aware of via my
secondary research.
Research into the history of animation

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I will need to create a timeline so that I know when films were released and notable events
happened before I create my animation to ensure that I am making things in the right
order.
Patience
Although this is not a skill that you can teach, it is essential as I will have to sit through
long sessions of animating which will feel tedious at times therefore patience is key to this
project being a success.

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AIDAN BLACKETT

DEMOGRAPHICS
After studying various websites used by people interested in animations and production
houses, I have come to the conclusion that my videos target audience is males aged between
25-35. I feel that my video will also be beneficial to younger people such as school pupils
wanting to learn about the history of animation.
This means that I will tailor my product to the specific consumers and ensure that it suits their
expectations.

INFLUENCES
Walt Disney
Alongside his brother, Mr Disney created one of the most profitable and well-known
companies in the world. His characters can be found and recognised in every country, and
have changed the standards of the animation industry time and time again. He is an
extremely influential figure and achieved many great things in his lifetime.

Preston Blair
Mr Blair was a notable animator who worked at Universal, Walt Disney Productions and MetroGoldwyn-Mayer (MGM) Cartoon Studio. His book, Animation 1, helped to teach me the basic
principles of animating such as walk cycles, character structures and lines of action.

Richard Williams
Mr Williams is an award-winning animator / director whose most famous works include Who
Framed Roger Rabbit and the Pink Panther franchise. In 2001 he wrote The Animators
Survival Kit, a large collection of modern methods and techniques. The book is now seen as
an essential purchase for any animator and has been a global success.

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AIDAN BLACKETT

RESOURCES
Physical Items
I will be using my Macbook Pro to create the majority of my Final Major Project. As well as
having the software necessary to fulfil my needs, it is portable which means that I can work
on the project whilst on the go.
My Wacom Intuos Pro graphics tablet will be my primary animation tool. The Wacom brand
dominates the graphics tablet market and they are known for creating high-quality, longlasting products. I have been using my tablet for around 2 years and feel that my previous
experiences will definitely help whilst creating this project.
I may require access to a Tascam audio recording kit, however I have not fully decided
whether I would like to feature a narrative voiceover during my animation.

Software
After extensive research into animation software used by students and professionals alike, I
have decided to use Adobe Animate CC to create my project. This is because it is similar to
programs which I have used in the past which means that there will be less of a learning curve
when using this software.
I will be using Adobe Audition CC to edit and mix the audio for my animation. I was given a
basic induction on how to use the program by a professional audio technician, and feel that
making this project will expand my audio-based skills.

SCHEDULE
I am planning to make my animation span around 50 seconds total. It will be created at 12fps
(frames per second), and I will begin working on it from the 1st of May. In order to reach my
intended finishing target of the 5th of June, I will have to draw 17 frames every day. This
would give me a total of 12 days before reaching the official deadline, which would be enough
time to smooth out any errors and change anything I felt wasnt as I wanted it to be.