The Art of Animation: From Idea to Screen
Animation design from “Weird But True” for National Geographic Kids
Animation today may appear deceptively simple—type in a prompt and let AI handle the rest. But as with most creative endeavors, the journey from idea to final product is far more nuanced. To truly control the storytelling process, every element—from scripting subtle humor to crafting a cohesive illustration style and developing an animatic for precise timing—must come together seamlessly to create a compelling and connected narrative.
The Animation Process: A Collaborative Journey
At StorySquad, working alongside our partners at Baker & Hill, the animation process is an organic and interconnected journey. As writers, cartoonists, and animators, we approach storytelling holistically:
When we write, we also sketch.
When we sketch, we think about pacing and editing.
When we edit, we rewrite.
At every step, our focus is on telling the story as effectively as possible.
Drawing on paper still holds its value.
From Script to Animatic
Typically, the process begins with a script or a brainstorming session. However, for us, the steps are often intertwined. While storyboards are a common way to pitch ideas, we often move quickly to the animatic stage.
An animatic is like a moving storyboard, combining rough sketches with audio or music to create a very preliminary video. This stage allows clients to see the story in action—hearing the pacing, visualizing the scenes, and assessing how well everything fits together. It’s also an opportunity to refine the script and visuals:
Are there too many visuals for the amount of dialogue?
Is the exposition too dense or overly technical?
Is there a simpler, more effective way to convey the message?
The editing of the animatic.
The animatic becomes a critical tool to rewrite, re-visualize, and plan. It helps define the necessary assets: how many illustrations, backgrounds, and props are needed, and how complex the animations should be. This early exploration ensures the final product is both effective and efficient.
Writing & Animatics in Action
Here are two examples from our projects that highlight the role of animatics in shaping the final product.
Example 1: Weird But True for National Geographic Kids – “Pop Parrots”
In this project, the animatic served as a guide for the animators and illustrators, ensuring everything needed was clearly defined. The design and illustrations were refined from the animatic to the final version, but the concept, timing, and structure remained consistent throughout.
Example 2: Sodexo – Safety Week
For this project, the initial animatic helped explore a humorous and engaging concept. However, feedback revealed that the client preferred a more straightforward approach. The animatic enabled us to pivot, simplifying the style and messaging to better align with the client’s vision.
“Our Safety Hero video series was a home run! StorySquad’s range shined through from animated comics, to music videos, to testimonials. Thanks so much for your vision, creativity and partnership. And most importantly our employees ‘got it’. ”
Why Animatics Matter in Animation
The give-and-take process of creating animatics is crucial in developing a final video. Unlike live-action filmmaking, where the physical world dictates much of the outcome (the look of a person, what they say, how they say it), animation begins with a blank page. Every element—character design, motion, voice, timing—must be imagined and created from scratch.
This iterative process ensures that the final animation not only meets but exceeds expectations, telling a story that resonates visually, emotionally, and narratively.
Ready to explore what animation can do for your story? Let’s create something amazing together.
For some more samples of animation work take a look here: Animation Samples
Be sure to check our friends over at Baker and Hill.