If you’ve ever watched an animated short or commercial and wondered how it came together from nothing but a sketch, I’m right there with you. Even after working on countless projects, from indie films to client spots like Disney and Sun Bum, the process of animation still feels a bit like magic. But unlike magic, it’s not an illusion—it’s a series of real, practical steps.
In this post, I’ll walk you through the process of animation as I experience it in my own work. This isn’t a studio textbook version with fifty team members—this is grounded, realistic, and totally doable, even if you’re working solo or in a small team. I’ll also include some of the harder lessons I’ve learned along the way—especially things I wish someone had told me when I was first starting out.
Whether you’re animating your first short or planning your tenth campaign, understanding the steps in the animation pipeline will help you avoid burnout, stay on schedule, and bring your creative vision to life with a lot less stress.
Key Points
- Start rough, stay flexible. Don’t overcommit early. Early stages are for playing, not polishing.
- Sound matters more than people think. Get your voiceover or music track early to pace the visuals.
- Keep your pipeline tidy. File management and version control can make or break your sanity.
The Process of Animation: From Idea to Final Cut
Animation is a layered process, and understanding each phase helps you stay focused without getting overwhelmed. Whether you’re animating in 2D, working in stop motion, or experimenting with motion graphics, these steps remain largely the same. Each phase builds on the one before it, and skipping a step (especially early on) almost always leads to headaches later.
Step 1: Concept and Pre-Production
Every animation starts with a spark. It could be a visual you can’t shake, a piece of dialogue, or even a sound that sparks your imagination. For client work, it usually begins with a brief. For personal projects, it might be something more abstract. Either way, this stage is about getting clear on what you’re making and why it matters.
In pre-production, I focus on three things:
- Scriptwriting – The backbone of everything. A clear, tight script saves time later. For short animations, this might be a voiceover. For others, it’s a visual outline.
- Storyboarding – I keep it rough. The point here is to establish flow, scene changes, and pacing. Think of it as your visual rough draft.
- Style Frames – These are polished images that show what the final look will be like. They’re incredibly helpful for getting buy-in from clients and clarifying the visual tone for yourself.
I often dig through references while developing these ideas. Sometimes I look at cartoons from the 1980s for a nostalgic vibe or revisit surrealists like Maria Primachenko to shake things up.
Step 2: Audio and Timing
I used to leave audio until the end. Big mistake.
The truth is, animation should be built around the soundtrack—not the other way around. Dialogue, music, and sound effects define your pacing. So now, once I have the script locked, I record or source all the necessary audio before doing any animation.
At this stage, I:
- Record or hire voice actors.
- Choose or compose music that matches the tone.
- Edit the audio together into a single track.
This audio timeline becomes the foundation of my project. I use it to determine how long each shot will be and when to place transitions. If I’m teaching others, I always point them to how to teach animation as a resource for explaining why sound-first is the smarter path.
Step 3: Animatics and Layout
Once I have the storyboard and audio, I create an animatic. This is a rough edit using still frames, timed to the final soundtrack. It’s not flashy, but it shows you what’s working and what’s dragging.
Why this step matters:
- You can test pacing before you spend hours animating.
- It helps catch scenes that feel too fast or too slow.
- Clients love it because they get a clear preview of the whole animation.
From there, I do layout passes. This means setting up the basic scene: characters, camera angles, and general movement. It’s like setting up a stage before actors arrive.
Step 4: Animation
This is where things get fun—and time-consuming.
I approach animation in passes:
- Rough Pass: Block out the major movements. This is where I get timing right.
- Clean Pass: Refine the drawings, add linework or final shapes.
- In-Betweens: Add frames that smooth transitions and add polish.
- Secondary Motion: Animate things like hair, fabric, and environmental movement.
If I’m working in stop motion or combining practical effects, I shoot those elements separately and composite them later. For commercial work like the Sun Bum campaign, I often mix traditional and digital tools to keep things efficient but visually interesting.
A huge lesson here: Don’t aim for perfection on the first go. Iteration is part of the process. Animation is revision.
Step 5: Effects and Polish
Once I’m happy with the animation, I move into compositing and effects. Here I’ll:
- Add lighting and shadows.
- Introduce effects like particles, glow, blur, or overlays.
- Use subtle texture to break up the “digital look.”
I also finalize the audio: sound design, music levels, voice syncing. This is when the project starts to feel professional. Even simple projects benefit hugely from a few ambient sounds and thoughtful transitions.
I often draw inspiration from animation film techniques and cross-reference genres to help reinforce the emotional tone. It’s worth looking at how animated films that deserve an Oscar handle their sound and polish. There’s always something to learn.
Step 6: Export and Delivery
By now you’re tired, but this step is just as critical.
I prepare multiple formats:
- High-res masters for archiving and portfolio use
- Compressed web formats for client delivery
- Versions for Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, etc.
Each platform has its own requirements, so I double-check aspect ratios, resolutions, and file sizes. For client work, I usually deliver a visual breakdown PDF with stills and notes. It helps clients understand all the thought behind each choice, like I did with Microsoft.
The Importance of Style, Psychology, and Story
The technical steps are only half the battle. What separates good animation from great animation is the emotional core. That often comes from style choices, character psychology, and storytelling.
Depending on the project, I might:
- Pull from different types of cartoons to find a tone.
- Revisit the psychology of cartoons to shape character motivation.
- Use specific animation genres to determine structure and pacing.
These elements help animations resonate and stick in viewers’ minds. I try to make space in every project to play, experiment, and make intentional creative choices.
Wrapping Up
If you’re diving into your own animation project, my advice is simple: start small, stay consistent, and don’t skip steps. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by fancy tools or industry trends, but the process of animation remains grounded in creativity, planning, and execution.
Don’t be afraid to make messy animatics, record temp audio, or use placeholder art. Every animation you finish teaches you something new. If you’re feeling stuck, check out the evolution of cartoons or explore visual elements of cartoons to refresh your perspective.
And if you want to understand how animation has changed over time, the ACMI education center is a great place to explore animation fundamentals with depth.
