Making an anime: the beginning
What better opportunity than Animé 100 and the celebration of the 100th anniversary of Japanese animation to learn a bit more about making an anime? Let’s start with the first stages.
Launching the project
It all begins with defining the framework of the anime: the concept, the aim, the direction of the story; and with choosing the staff. When an anime is adapted from another work, a manga for instance, that’s when the various adaptations are decided too. From these elements, a proposal is drawn up, the kikakusho (you can see an example of kikakusho above made by Nobuyoshi HABARA, with the translation of the document on the last page). Some more elements are added, such as the broadcast slots and the budget, or the chara-design and first drafts.
Once the launch proposal is finished, it will be used to negotiate with sponsors and to start the script and design.
Script
When the project is launched, it’s time to start writing the script. The scriptwriter creates the plot and writes the main directions of the story to let the director and producer check them and make whatever changes are needed. Then the script writing can start. It will also be checked by the director and producer. After several drafts and checks, the script can be used to make the story-board.
The script is composed of the dialogues and of the to-gaki, the description of the scenes, written in the third person and neutrally. The movements expressing feelings are described, rather than the feelings themselves. For instance: "Chibi Dino jumps and smiles", rather than "Chibi Dino is happy". It aims at giving a precise description to the team in charge of production, including the story-board artist.
Model sheets
After the script, it’s time to work on the model sheets, or settei, which define the various elements composing the world of the anime. Those rules give the team a common impression of that world. There are several types of model sheets: artistic, for characters, for mechas and props, for colors, etc.
Even some details that we hardly notice on the screen are defined: a smartphone wallpaper, the titles of books on a bookshelf… Though they can seem irrelevant to the story, they may influence the characters and deepen the story.
See you soon with more!
We’ll tackle the different model sheets and next stages of making an anime.
Japanese animation is 100 years old: come celebrate with us!
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