If you have a strong desire to see your own stories on display in animated form, the end result can be well worth the effort.If you want to make your own cartoon, here's how to do it.
Step 1: Consider what you have.
Your budget is high, but your imagination and talent are not.When coming up with a new idea for a cartoon, keep in mind how much you can afford to invest in the process and what your artistic skill is capable of producing.If you are a beginner, you might want to stay away from stories and themes that involve large battles or intricate machinery.Before you can tackle a project of that size, you need to refine your skills and practice more.If you want your cartoon to be complex, you will need more equipment.A claymation cartoon with two dozen characters and four sets will require more supplies than a cel animation with one scene.If budget is an issue, keep it simple.
Step 2: Think about the length.
Depending on the market you are trying to distribute your cartoon in, the length will vary.Knowing the length from the beginning will help you come up with a story that can fit in that time frame.If you want your cartoon to develop into a long-term show, you need to create it in between 11 and 25 minutes.There are cartoons that can go from 60 minutes to 120 minutes.If a one-time cartoon made for the internet is all you want to do, you can make a short run from 1 to 5 minutes.It is possible that creating anything longer will turn people away from viewing it.
Step 3: Know what your intended audience is.
There are many cartoons made for older adolescents and adults.The demographic of the audience should affect the ideas you come up with.A cartoon about the death of a loved one would be better for an older audience.If you want to reach a young audience, you should choose a topic that is simpler to understand and more concrete.
Step 4: You can work from your experiences.
Many storytellers write stories based on events, feelings, or relationships they experienced in their own lives.The underlying idea behind a cartoon could be if you made a list of possible life events you have been through.If you want to create a cartoon with a serious tone, think about life experiences that mold and shape you: an unrequited love, the loss of a friend, working hard toward a goal that seemed impossible, etc.If you want to create something funnier, take an everyday situation like waiting in traffic or waiting on an email and make it funnier.You can use something funny to make a funny cartoon.
Step 5: Don't use your imagination.
There are many plots that don't involve life experience.You can use your interests and imagination to create a new premise if you include enough relevant details to help people connect to the characters or the story.There are underlying themes that are universally appealing.Most people can relate to a coming-of-age story even if it takes place in the contemporary real world or in a sword-and-sorcery fantasy setting.
Step 6: An appealing hero.
Make a list of characteristics you would like to see in a character.To avoid making a character too perfect, write positive features and faults.No matter how simple or complex your cartoon will be, this is an important step.A short, funny cartoon needs a main character with a clear goal and clear character traits that allow him or her to react to the conflict in any way he or she chooses.
Step 7: If there is a dialogue, write a script.
If any of the characters in your cartoon have spoken lines, your voice actor will need a written script so that he or she knows what needs to be said.Before you can make a cartoon, you need to know the script.The mouth moves in different ways for different phonemes, and you will need to make them believable in a believable way so that any voice overs you add later will match them.
Step 8: A basic narrative of events is needed.
You can skip a formal script if there is no dialog in the cartoon.To keep track of the story and its different pieces, you should still write down a basic narrative of events.Before the production phase begins, write multiple drafts of any script.Write your first draft, set it aside and come back to it in a day or two to see how you can improve upon it and make it flow more effectively.
Step 9: The main parts of your story should be divided.
If your cartoon is more than a single scene, you may need to divide it into multiple scenes or acts for easier management.
Step 10: Take a peek at each major change in action.
Each major change in action should be shown in one of the storyboard squares.Minor changes may not need to be drawn out.Basic shapes, stick figures, and simple background are used.A storyboard should be easy to understand.You can rearrange your storyboard frames by drawing them on index cards.It will be easier to remember later on if you include notes about what is happening in each frame.
Step 11: You should be familiar with the different types of animation.
Most forms of animation fall under the categories of stop motion and 2D computer animation.
Step 12: Do you know how to do a cel animation?
The traditional method of making a cartoon is cel animation.You will need to take pictures of the animation with a special camera.The way a flipbook works is similar to the way cel animation works.Each drawing varies slightly from the next.The differences create an illusion of movement.Each image is drawn and colored on a transparent sheet.Use your camera to take pictures of the drawings and then use animation editing software to make them look better.
Step 13: Stop motion techniques can be used.
The form of animation known as stop motion is less used than the other forms.Claymation is the most common form of stop motion animation, but there are other puppets you can use as well.Shadow puppets, sand art, paper puppets and anything else can be moved into a range of positions.The movement must be small.After making a movement, take a photograph of it.The photographs should be edited together so that they are displayed quickly.The eye will see movement when viewed this way.
Step 14: Consider computer animation.
You will need a special computer program for this type of animation, and the product will likely look like a smooth version of a cartoon.If you want to learn how to do 2D computer animation, you'll need to find a specific program's instructions.A common example of 2D animation is a cartoon.
Step 15: 3D depiction using computers.
You will need special software to make 3D animated cartoons.3D computer animation is similar in style to stop-motion animation, but the graphics can range from very blocky and pixelated to being very life-like.Each animation software works differently than the others.Maya and 3D Studio Max are examples.
Step 16: Get the correct equipment.
You need a good microphone and a way to prevent background noise from bleeding into the sound you want to make.If you want to seriously market and distribute your cartoon, you will eventually need to invest in more professional equipment, but a high-quality computer microphone is enough for a beginning cartoon.When working with a small microphone, use a tube speaker box lined with foam to cut out echo and excess background noise.
Step 17: Record your own sound effects.
Look for simple, everyday ways to make noises that are similar to the noises you need for your cartoon.List the sound effects you need.Everything from the obvious to the less obvious should be considered.You have more options to use if you record different versions of the sound.A few examples of sounds you can make include: Fire, manipulate a piece of stiff cellophane Slap, Clap your hands together, Shake, and blow air into a glass of water.
Step 18: Pre- recorded sound effects are free to look for.
There are websites that offer royalty-free pre-record sounds that you can use if you don't have access to the equipment.You should always review the usage permission for any pre- recorded sound effects.Even if it's free to download, it might not be a good idea to use it for commercial purposes.Before you use a sound for your cartoon, you need to know what you are allowed to do.
Step 19: Real voices should be recorded if necessary.
You or someone you know will need to be the voice of your characters in a cartoon.As you record your lines, read from the script and make sure that you match your lips to the cartoon.Consider using computer software to change the voices.If you have fewer voice actors than characters, you can change the voice of one character by adjusting the attributes of the sample you already gathered.Depending on which audio editing software you use, you can change the pitch and add metallic garbles to the voice recording.
Step 20: Use your own resources to distribute the cartoon.
If you have a short, one-time cartoon, or if you are trying to gain a name for yourself on your own, you can add it to your digital portfolio by uploading a copy to a personal website.
Step 21: Take a look at a distribution company, animation company or TV station.
You can spread the word if you created a pilot episode for a cartoon at home.You will need to figure out a new production schedule for future cartoons if you are accepted.The pilot episode will be reviewed by a distribution company.They will give you a distribution plan and revenue projection if they represent your cartoon.If you want potential investors to know that a distributor will represent your cartoon, you need a formal letter of interest.If you go directly to an animation company or TV station with your pilot episode, they might be willing to distribute it directly, even if they have empty time slots.