Cartoon Network’s Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi may just
reinvent the way animators think about 2D. Many animated TV shows are
still based on pencil-and-paper drawings, which are scanned into
conventional animation programs, but Puffy AmiYumi,
produced by Renegade Animation ( Glendale, CA), saves time and money by
using Macromedia Flash as a key animation tool. The result, Renegade
claims, is that Puffy AmiYumi is the only animated
program created entirely in the U.S.
reinvent the way animators think about 2D. Many animated TV shows are
still based on pencil-and-paper drawings, which are scanned into
conventional animation programs, but Puffy AmiYumi,
produced by Renegade Animation ( Glendale, CA), saves time and money by
using Macromedia Flash as a key animation tool. The result, Renegade
claims, is that Puffy AmiYumi is the only animated
program created entirely in the U.S.
The all-digital Flash workflow has allowed the production to save
approximately $650,000 on each half-hour episode, estimate the show’s
producers. "We get more and more of the process digital so we are
saving the time of drawing and scanning, as well as inking and
painting," says Renegade’s executive producer and co-founder Ashley
Postlewaite, referring to an asset database that includes characters,
props and effects. "Now, if the artists simply take drawings from the
[Flash] archive and alter them, we have cut out all those steps."
approximately $650,000 on each half-hour episode, estimate the show’s
producers. "We get more and more of the process digital so we are
saving the time of drawing and scanning, as well as inking and
painting," says Renegade’s executive producer and co-founder Ashley
Postlewaite, referring to an asset database that includes characters,
props and effects. "Now, if the artists simply take drawings from the
[Flash] archive and alter them, we have cut out all those steps."
It’s easy, for example, to slightly change the mouths of characters Ami
and Yumi to match their emotions from shot to shot by making minor
adjustments to images already created and stored in the asset database.
Working in Flash has offered other efficiencies, as well. "We are
animating in color as opposed to doing rough animation, clean-up, and
then color," Postlewaite explains. Minimizing these steps has allowed
the show to work with a 40-crew base, compared to double that amount
for most 2D animated shows.
and Yumi to match their emotions from shot to shot by making minor
adjustments to images already created and stored in the asset database.
Working in Flash has offered other efficiencies, as well. "We are
animating in color as opposed to doing rough animation, clean-up, and
then color," Postlewaite explains. Minimizing these steps has allowed
the show to work with a 40-crew base, compared to double that amount
for most 2D animated shows.
Through such methods, the artists generate an episode (each comprising
three seven-minute shorts) for $250,000 to $350,000, excluding
above-the-line costs such as voice talent. "We are able to meet the
overseas price, which used to not be possible," says Postlewaite. "Now
we can say to our clients,‘You get increased quality, increased
participation in the process, and you can call retakes, often while you
are sitting here.’"
three seven-minute shorts) for $250,000 to $350,000, excluding
above-the-line costs such as voice talent. "We are able to meet the
overseas price, which used to not be possible," says Postlewaite. "Now
we can say to our clients,‘You get increased quality, increased
participation in the process, and you can call retakes, often while you
are sitting here.’"
With the goal to keep production completely in the U.S., Flash provides
a level of automation that has led Renegade to become a bunch of
loyalists. After experimental development with popular animation
programs such as Toon Boom’s US Animation and Adobe After Effects,
Darrell Van Citters, Renegade’s supervising director and co-founder,
decided Flash would be the best and only tool for the job. "It was the
most cost-effective solution for what it had to offer, providing for
quality control and [prevention from] going off model."
a level of automation that has led Renegade to become a bunch of
loyalists. After experimental development with popular animation
programs such as Toon Boom’s US Animation and Adobe After Effects,
Darrell Van Citters, Renegade’s supervising director and co-founder,
decided Flash would be the best and only tool for the job. "It was the
most cost-effective solution for what it had to offer, providing for
quality control and [prevention from] going off model."
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