When creating animation sequences, artists usually use storyboards followed by animatics. A storyboard generally consists of a rough sketch of the story and the images that will be used, while animatics are more detailed mock-ups that take motion and timing, as well as story and image, into consideration. Typically, an animatic includes images displayed in the sequence in which they will appear in the final product. Animatics also usually include dialogue guesstimates and a proposed sound track.

While it's possible to skip right over the animatics stage, it is not recommended. An animatic can save an entire project since it allows directors and artists to develop shot lists, screenplay ideas, camera positions and other ideas. Animatics is much less expensive than animation, so working out ideas in full at this stage can save you a lot of money. If you want to hire an animatics provider for your next project, consider:

1. Finding a traditional animatics firm to create a solid product on a budget.

2. Searching for service providers with experience in 3D animatic production for more complex projects and bigger-budget animations.

3. Looking for a photomatics provider for projects that involve actors as well as animation.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Look for traditional animatics designers for simpler projects

Traditional animatics are crafted with pen and ink on paper, but still provide plenty of detail for most applications. If you're creating animations for a simple, small project, you can often get the results you need from a budget-friendly traditional animatics designer.

I recommend: Animatic Media offers traditional animatics. The company is partnered with test production vendors to make full service--idea to final product--simple for clients. Storyboards & Animatics provides traditional animatic services. They have over thirty years of experience as well as contacts with a full service production company that can handle your final project.

Choose 3D animatics professionals for commercials, games, movies and other larger projects

Sometimes, traditional animatics designs are just not enough to give you a sense of how a final project will look. If you're organizing a large-budget project such as a commercial, film, video game, that will require high resolution and lots of detail, 3D animatics gives you a more realistic preview of how the final project will appear.

I recommend: BrainForest Digital is a digital animation studio specializing in 3D animatics. The company's exclusive HyperReal 3D-style animatic is highly regarded in the industry. Way Art represents a number of 3D animatic professionals. One phone call allows your company to hire the professional who best fits your needs.

Find animatics professionals experienced in photomatics for real action and animation projects

Not all animation projects are pure cartoon. Some animation involves real action and real actors. If yours is such a project, photo animatics--also called photomatics--allow you to see exactly how the real actors and the animation will look together.

I recommend: Aptinet offers photomatics that make use of digital or film images for a very realistic effect. The company has produced realistic animatics for many well-known clients, including Bloomingdales and Jello. Neal Adams‘ Studios specializes character-focused animatics. They're also experienced with photomatics, which they have produced for a number of companies.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When glancing through an animatics list of professionals and mulling over animatics information, it's a good idea to look ahead to the final product. You may want to hire a full service production company to design your animatics and put your project together. That way, you can often get a package price and can be sure that the production company will fully adhere to the animatics you have agreed on.