Algumas Sugestões e conselhos úteis para quem pretende fazer animação

• 3 regras de Bill Plympton
• 6 Leis para criar uma curta
• 25 tips for selling shorts
• Uma estratégia rápida em 6 passos
• Ouvir os mestres

Bill Plympton, animador norte-americano.
(Fotografia de Luigi Novi)

Bill Plympton recomenda a todos aqueles que pretendam viver da animação que produzam os seus filmes de acordo com 3 regras simples. Na sua opinião, os filmes devem ser...

Short

Anything longer than 5 minutes is difficult to sell.

Cheap

Keep a limit of $1,000 per minute. This way it's easy to make your money back.

Funny

Funnier films are much more fun and easier to sell than serious ones.

Lei #1 A produção deve servir a história

Os elementos da história (i.e. personagens, enredo, cenários, ritmo, etc.) são mais importante do que os elementos da produção (i.e. modelação, animação, efeitos sonoros, composição, etc.). Por outras palavras, é a produção que deve servir a história. O ideal são as animações que conseguem aliar a qualidade da história à qualidade da produção. No entanto, não faltam exemplos de animações de qualidade, curtas memoráveis, com uma produção bastante simples ou rudimentar. As animações com excelência na produção e uma história de baixa qualidade podem ter sucesso comercial mas não são animações com qualidade.

Lei #2 Planeie o projecto & seja realista

Não tenha “mais olhos que barriga” e planeie com avanço. Complexidade não é sinónimo de qualidade mas significa mais trabalho e dificuldade. Seja realista e avalie os meios que tem à sua disposição: criatividade, simplicidade e conomia são palavras-chave. Questione as suas opções artísticas, procure simplificar, tornar mais fácil. Planeie o projecto nas suas diferentes etapas, procure antever os problemas e dificuldades.

Lei #3 Seja original & pesquise bastante

Seja original. Procure criar algo que seja diferente do que já foi feito. É claro que isto significa conhecer o que é criado pelos outros animadores, muita pesquisa. Por outro lado, é uma boa desculpa para passar muitas horas a ver animações. O cenário actual da animação é muito vasto e diversificado: a disseminação dos computadores e a Internet democratizaram os meios de produção e divulgação, existem cada vez mais festivais, portais, etc. Isto não significa que haja hoje mais animação com qualidade mas significa que há mais oportunidades e, simultaneamente, concorrência. A originalidade da sua animação é um elemento-chave para a sua animação não ficar perdida no meio desta paisagem global e massificada.

Lei #4 Apaixone-se pelo seu filme

Apaixone-se pelo seu filme ou ninguém vais gostar da sua obra. Animar é uma tarefa árdua e exigente. No início é sempre excitante e motivador mas levar o projecto até ao fim implica sempre muito esforço e sacrifício. Criar uma curta de animação implica um nível de envolvimento que só pode existir com arrebatamento e dedicação incondicional. Ou seja, é uma obra de paixão. A sua satisfação pessoal, a sua dedicação à sua obra, é o primeiro passo para conseguir a satisfação do seu público.

Lei #5 Grave muitas vezes e faça backups

Grave muitas vezes e faça backups. Quem já trabalhou com computadores durante algum tempo conhece bem a utilidade deste conselho e a dificuldade em criar a disciplina de trabalho suficiente para implementá-lo. Imagine a frustação de perder um precioso trabalho desenvolvido com muito esforço por causa de um qualquer problema do sistema informático ou eléctrico…

Lei #6 Animação não é uma ciência exacta

Não há regras que garantam sucesso ou qualidade. Animar não é uma ciência exacta e não existem fórmulas infalíveis. O seu instinto e dedicação são aspectos centrais para conseguir levar o seu projecto ou visão a bom termo. Claro está que isto não significa que deve esquecer as sugestões ou recomendações de outros (como estas!).

A revista 3D World (#106, Agosto de 2008) publicou 25 dicas para “help you catch some viewers in a crowded sea of content”. Utilizámos essa lista como um organizador e adicionámos alguns comentários e mais ideias.

“keep your eyes on the prize”

Promoting a movie for artistic recognition is different than trying to make money or clients. You want a prize, money, critics, viewers? Get your priorities straight, define your goals.

“create a successful development website”

The website is like a poster published worldwide.It should be well designed and updated. The URL is also important to look good and professional, use somethink like www.mymovie.com

“make your site easy to use”

Aim for a clear and easy access to movie and other content. People will visit your website mainly because of the movie.

“wait before you post your film”

“Many festivals refuse to accept films that have been on the web”. So, be careful before sharing the full movie online, give it some thought.

“generate some press interest in your film”

Sending a press release to some magazines and websites or a well written letter/email to the editors is also a good idea. Present your movie and explain why they should care. But keep it simple and short. This tip is aimed for non-web press but you can do both.

“join the youtube army”

You want viewers? Go online, upload your movie to YouTube or Vimeo and submit it to channels. For animated shorts, you can also submit it to animation video websites like AWNtv or AniBoom.

“stay on message – keep it sharp”

When promoting your movie, keep it clear and simple, stay on the subject – the movie. Keep your childhood story or familiar problems for later, for the TV station or the big magazine interview.

“start an email list”

I don’t think this tip is very useful. I would go for a blog or a frequently updated website and set up a web feed. If the visitors want to follow your work, they probably prefer a RSS feed that they can syndicate. The web feed is also a great way to get your news published by other blogs and websites.

“promote yourself to websites”

You have the forums but this is pretty much the same tip as #5 in a different place.

“get active in your community”

You should get active but not just for promotional purposes. Get active in your community and people will be interested in your work, don't get active just to get attention.

“know your blogs and bloggers”

Blogosphere is a very dynamic world and blogs can be very influential. Know the main opinion makers and it’s tip #5 one more time. Although, for bloggers, the email should be more informal than formal ;)

“go viral and start spiral”

Send marketing stuff to your friends and ask them to send the material to their friends. Get them to send your promotional material and you can easily set up a huge chain of communication.

“advertise or set up a banner exchange”

If you have a budget for this… Hollywood movies do this all time and it seems to work ;) If you have the money or you are willing to go this road, advertisement is a way to get your movie out there.

“enter your short into film festivals”

Look for festivals, there are a lot of festivals going on. Look for “traditional” and online festivals, look for professional and amateur, local and international, specific (animation or computer only) and general (video or movies).

“trumpet your movie’s successes”

After winning some awards or recognition don’t forget to mention this in your website and press releases.

“start early – but not too early”

Don’t wait for the movie to be finished, promotion takes time. Getting a teaser or trailer out there to draw some attention before the movie is finished can be useful.

“to or not to be – the power of imdb”

The Internet Movie Database is probably the most important database of information related to movies. If your movie is eligible for inclusion in the database, submit it.

“stagger your efforts”

Don’t do this list all at once, take some time. Your promotional strategy should be implemented during some days or weeks.

“create successful forum threads”

When promoting your movie in forums, choose the words carefully. Avoid to post topics like “check this awesome movie!”.

“arrange a private screening”

3D World says that many theaters offer this service and that prices can vary (sometimes isn’t that expensive….). On the other hand, you can also look for film clubs, municipal cultural services, local events (many of them have a cultural agenda), retail stores with cultural events (some have cultural agendas and screenings are common) and try to screen your movie there. You can spread your search efforts beyond your town or nearby area.

“nurture your fanbase”

Your fans and friends can be your most powerful way of promotion. Create some promotional media (i.e. banners, buttons, wallpapers, etc.) to ease their job in spreading the word.

“give it away – people love free stuff”

It’s true that people love “free beer” stuff but it’s our personal belief that if you let the viewers remix it, your work will live longer and get more attention.

“get into a compilation”

Try submitting your movie to compilations like Stash or onedotzero, these DVDs will get you a lot of exposure. Can also try some computer or art-related magazines DVDs.

“put your short on your own dvd”

Make your own DVD and keep some copies in hand…

“make something excellent”

Even if you have an excellent movie, there’s no tip or strategy that can assure you success. However, the first step to recognition and success is doing a great work. Be your first fan but also your first critic and work a lot!

1. Crie um bom website e material de promoção ou divulgação (i.e. wallpapers, banners, web buttons);
2. Mostre o filme online (i.e. youtube, vimeo, awntv, aniboom, etc.);
3. Escolha alguns festivais (ou projecções privadas) para exibir o seu filme;
4. Espalhe a palavra nos fóruns e blogs (e redes sociais);
5. Peça ajuda aos seus amigos e aos amigos deles, utilize as redes sociais;
6. Partilhe o seu trabalho, use uma licença Creative Commons.

Norman McLaren

The good moral work of art should have all the qualities that a good amoral work of art should have, such as formal unity, balance, contrast, and a sensitivity to the material out of which it is made.

Animation is not the art of drawings that move but the art of movements that are drawn.

In any art movement, the art has to move into a new phase - a filmmaker has a desire to make a film that is not like a previous film.

Hayao Miyazaki

I think 2-D animation disappeared from Disney because they made so many uninteresting films. They became very conservative in the way they created them. It's too bad. I thought 2-D and 3-D could coexist happily.

Do everything by hand, even when using the computer.

I've told the people on my CGI staff not to be accurate, not to be true. We're making a mystery here, so make it mysterious.

Brad Bird

There is a contingent of the digital-effects community to whom that is the holy grail - to create photographically real humans. To me that is the dumbest goal that you could possibly have. What`s wonderful about the medium of animation isn`t recreating reality. It`s distilling it.

I reject that whole point of view - that animation is a children`s medium.

Animation is about creating the illusion of life. And you can't create it if you don't have one.

John Lasseter

Sure, they were simple desk lamps with only a minimal amount of movement, but you could immediately tell that Luxo Jr. was a baby, and that the big one was his mother. In that short little film, computer animation went from a novelty to a serious tool for filmmaking.

Animation is the only thing I ever wanted to do in my whole life. I have no desire for live-action or anything else.

You cannot base a whole movie on just the imagery alone. It has to be the story and the characters.

Ralph Bakshi

Animation is closer to jazz than some kind of classical stage structure.

What's most important in animation is the emotions and the ideas being portrayed. I'm a great believer of energy and emotion.

Don Bluth

I prefer that animation reach into places where live action doesn't go, and it seems like all of animation nowadays is trying to go where live action is.

When business executives are making the artistic decisions and don't understand animation, things can go awry.

Winsor McCay

Animation should be an art. That is how I conceived it. But as I see what you fellows have done with it, is making it into a trade. Not an art but a trade. Bad Luck!