A Comprehensive Look at the Industry

The artwork that comprises the job of an animator can be broadly divided into two principal categories: original drawings and interface design. The original drawing highlights the key points of movement, while the interface design seamlessly connects the movements drawn in the original drawing to create smooth, flowing animations. This process is known to many who have dipped their toes into the world of animation. However, it is only half of the equation—interface design plays a critical role that often goes unnoticed.

The Technical Aspects of Interface Design

The technical book titled “Animater Skill Certification: Tress Tap Dispatch Level 6 and Level 5” by the Japan Animation Film Cultural Federation, was released last year. This book, which serves as an important educational text, provides detailed insights. The book describes “interface design” as “the process of adjusting the lines of the original art and purifying them.” By refining the original art through interface design, animators can ease the coloring process and enhance the final appearance of the animation.

If you’re interested in how to make animation, you may be familiar with this so far. However, I had not realized for quite some time that this only explained half of the video work.

Japan Animation Film Cultural Federation

The Industrial Perspective of Animation

Most anime fans may not realize that the original artwork is often enhanced by interface design staff. The book insists, “Drawing the key images at the highest level is useless if the images between frames lack quality and cause the animation to become choppy.” As brief it may get, it is something that may take still cause fans to question the quality of the final product.

The Evolution of Interface Design

Growing because of the low unit price for videos, many animators – especially new employees – have shifted their focus away from interface design, even though it’s a critical component of the production. This pivot impacts the final quality, leading to potential criticism from viewers.

Case Study: Studio Ghibli’s Commitment to Interface Design

Contrasting the general industry trend, Studio Ghibli has emerged as a beacon of excellence in interface design. Director Hayao Miyazaki and producer Toshio Suzuki have placed a strong emphasis on this integral aspect, ensuring that the lines and transitions are impeccable. The impact seems evident in the company’s della, whose work, such as “The Cat Returns” and “My Neighbor Totoro”, consistently impress audiences with their fluidity and detail.

The book “Enpitsu Senki: Studio Ghibli Nobody Knows” underscored this perspective, noting that Ghibli’s approach has helped elevate the wages of animators across the industry. Post the production of “My Neighbor Totoro,” the studio adopted practices such as making the interface design one of the processes to ensure the close involvement of their animators in both in-house and external projects such as Animation industry.

“Even though it’s a job that new employees are entrusted with, it’s not an amateur job,”

The Cat Returns

Toshio Suzuki went on to state, “Properly paying a premium for challenging cuts can help create a lasting impact on pay, quality, and morale.”

The Post-Process Stage

Additionally, recognizing the importance of interface design means considering the post-processing phase more deeply. When animators hone their skills in the original artwork and then oversee the interface design, they better understand each step of the animation process.

Most promoter-grade animators are freelancers, making it difficult to ensure they follow protocol. Sometimes, due to tight deadlines and cost-cutting pressures, animators are forced to skip certain steps, leading to subpar work. Education and ongoing industry training are more critical than ever, bridging gaps in knowledge and improving efficiency and quality.

It is costly to constantly hand-draw every frame of an animation, often pushing the work overseas. Even today, many productions utilize overseas services, often resulting in issues that vary in output and quality and consistency.

The Future and Potential of Interface Design

In conclusion, interface design is a vital aspect of animation that often receives little recognition. Yet, it plays an indispensable role in ensuring an exquisite finish to any sequence. Increasing transparency and awareness can promote more sustainable and quality-focused animation production.