A Guidebook for

TED-Ed Club Animations

(TED-Ed Club Facilitator)

(Your Name)

(Return here if found)

(Note: The contents enclosed in this initial guidebook are distributed by TED-Ed, an initiative of TED
Conferences. All content belongs to TED Conferences and should only be distributed for the purposes of
participating in a TED-Ed Club.)
Last updated 05-2014
Dear TED-Ed Club,
Were excited that youre interested in including animation in your presentation!

Before you begin, we want to encourage you to think carefully about how animation will best
serve your idea. Animation can be a time-consuming process, but can also be very adaptable
based on your needs. Creating an animation might be for club members who have completed
one or a few TED-like presentations and want to learn a new set of skills, or for club members
who want to work short animated visuals into their presentations.

Animation production is typically divided into three stages: pre-production, production, and
post-production. As an introduction, we are providing you with animation principles through a
variety of do-it-yourself techniques. Some techniques take far longer than others, which is why
we encourage you to consider both the information being presented and how much time is
available before deciding which style of animation is best for you. No matter the style, all of
these techniques do not require a lot of computer software knowledge or access, so anyone
can do it!

For example, if you only have 3 club sessions to devote to animation, you may consider
highlighting specific moments in your presentation with animated effects. If you have 6
sessions, you may want to try stop motion animation to create a short presentation or to add to
your final filmed presentation. With 9 sessions, you may consider more ambitious projects that
include drawn animation, or a mix of techniques. You may even want to work together with
other club members on an animated projected. The thing to remember is that ultimately what
you create depends on how much time you can devote to animating your idea.

The suggested meeting schedules in this guidebook are flexible, and will be largely determined
by the method of animation and type of presentation you have chosen to do. In the process,
you'll learn skills like storytelling, best practices for capturing animation, communicating an
idea in a time-based medium, and some tricks and shortcuts for making animation on a tight
schedule. Animation is a highly collaborative process, so be sure to maximize on the strengths
of all members of your team!

Were thrilled that youre interested in exploring the wonderful world of animation! If you have
any questions, please dont hesitate to contact us aTEDEdClubs@ted.com.

Have fun!
The TED-Ed Team
 TED-Ed Clubs Animation Guidebook:
Table of Contents

Before You Begin.....................................................................................page 4

Animation Pre-Production.....................................................................page 5

Animation Production.............................................................................page 6

Animation Post-Production...................................................................page 7

Glossary.....................................................................................................page 8
Before You Begin
Animation is a medium that can tell stories both simple and elaborate, and that can happen
anywhere with even the most limited of resources. The possibilities are infinite! Weve come up with
a few guiding questions to help you determine which animation technique is right for you. This is an
important first step, whether working as a group or as individuals. We suggest thinking through the
process with these questions and the examples available in Extra Resources, so that way you can
plan a project that helps you share your great idea.

Suggested meeting time: This time should be used to plan and research
animation techniques and to determine what materials you will need. It can be done
as a group or individually, depending on the project.

Guiding Questions:
Do you have a pre-existing presentation that youd like to add animation to?
How can you visualize the material you are presenting?
Will you need to create audio for this presentation?
How much time is available to you or your group to work on an animation?
What types of materials and equipment are available to you?

Materials
Even if you do not have a budget for animation, chances are you have a lot of the
tools needed to make animation. Below is a list of the materials you may need
based on cost.

$ There are a number of free or affordable Stop Motion Apps out there
that will help you shoot animation on your smart phone or tablet.

$$ Use any digital camera to take photos, and then use a video editing
software to assemble the photos in sequence, to make animation.

$$$ With access to a computer, you can look into purchasing animation
capture software, and using a compatible camera to capture your
animation.

For all options, you will need a tripod, or another clever way to stabilize your camera;
if you are using a smart phone or tablet, you will likely need a tripod attachment.
Refer to Extra Resources for specific software and equipment suggestions, and
some basic how-tos.

After considering the above:

Does this seem like too much to take on right now? Feel free to begin by
trying an animated exercise or two, so you can test out your equipment and
some different techniques, in order to better determine how to plan an
animated project. You can find some ideas for quick animated explorations in
Extra Resources.
Be sure to check out our Animation Tips & Tricks in Extra Resources for
some detailed explanations on the principles of animation and ways to make
your animation more effective!

4
Animation Pre-Production
During pre-production, you will conceptualize your idea, choose an animation technique, and test
rough versions of the idea in order to trim it before beginning production. Most editing in animation
happens in the storyboarding process, where each shot is first sketched out on paper. Because
each shot is created from scratch, its important to reuse elements (such as drawn backgrounds,
props, materials, etc) whenever possible, and make key editing decisions before starting animation.
Suggested meeting time: Ideally two 60-90 minute sessions. If you are just
creating animated effects to enhance a live TED-like presentation, one session spent
planning your animations should be just fine.

Before you begin: Watch some examples of animation techniques, provided in

the Extra Resources packet. There are also some animation exercises listed that
you should try before taking on an entire project. Come to this session prepared
with your idea for an animation presentation.

Materials
Index cards and/or the Storyboard Worksheet (in Animation Extra Resources)
Paper, Pencils, Colored Pencils
Image capture device (a camera, smart phone, tablet, whatever you have!)
Stop Motion App or video editing software (suggestions in Extra Resources)
Microphone, if you plan to record a voiceover

Meeting activities
Will your animation be narrated? If so, record your voiceover as soon as
possible, in order to properly time out the animation you will need!
Conceptualize your idea. Make decisions on story, design, style choices
such as color palettes, etc. See Extra Resources for reference material.
Use index cards to roughly sketch each scene, and arrange them so you are
happy with the order. You can also use the provided Storyboard Worksheet.
(Ideally in session 2) Assemble an animatic. An animatic is a storyboard set
to time. Test the storyboard alongside the recorded voiceover, by taking
photos of each storyboard panel and assembling them in video-editing
software to make sure nothing is moving too quickly or too slowly throughout
the video. Examples of animatics can be found in the Extra Resources
packet.

What will you have created by the end of your meeting(s)?

A storyboard and/or animatic that will guide your production process going forward, a
list of materials/props that you will need, and a potential division of production roles.

After making your storyboards/animatic:

Show your storyboards/animatic to people outside of the TED-Ed Club who
are not already familiar with the idea. Dont explain whats on screen as its
happening, but instead let the audience tell you whats unclear. Be on the
lookout for recurrent feedback (good or bad) and adjust accordingly.
Time to finely tune your project! What doesnt help the story? Remove it! Any
extra distractions will only keep the idea from being transmitted.
Facilitator: Feel free to send a photo of the storyboards or a copy of the
animatic to TED-Ed at TEDEdClubs@ted.com!
5
Animation Production
While production is definitely a fun part of making animation, it involves a LOT of patience! Weve
listed some basic expectations you should have for shooting the different types of animation, but
we suggest that you check out the Animation Extra Resources packet for some tips and tricks.
Dont forget to go through the Animation Production Checklist in the Animation Extra Resources
before beginning to shoot to make sure that your animation is the best quality it can be!

Suggested meeting time: Depending on the type of animation you are shooting,
this could potentially be multiple 60-90 minute sessions. Do whatever works best for
your club!

Before you begin: You should begin production with a clear idea of how you will
divide tasks if working as a group, a basic production schedule, and a list of the
materials, equipment, and locations you will need to shoot your animation or video.

Materials
Your storyboards and/or animatic; these will serve as a checklist for
everything you shoot
Image capture device (a camera, smart phone, tablet, whatever you have!)
Tripod and tripod attachment if necessary
Stop-motion app (optional)
Any props, materials, equipment that youve determined you will
If you will be adding animation to a presentation, you should come prepared
with the edited video footage you will be enhancing
Animation Production Checklist (see Animation Extra Resources)
Meeting activities
What you do during this session depends on what type of animation you are doing.
Adding animation to a presentation: You should expect to spend time
drawing the animation that will be superimposed on top of the video. You
can take screen shots of single frames of your video and print them out as
reference.
Drawn flip-book: You should expect to spend most of your time making this
animation! Shooting it will simply be a matter of photographing each frame
that youve created. If you want to film the flipping of the flip-book, you may
need to adjust timing in the editing process.
Stop-motion animation: You should expect to spend time frame by frame
animating under or in front of the camera. Make sure to reference your
storyboards!
Video time lapse of whiteboard style animation: You will need to set up a
camera, and carefully plan what you will be drawing on the board.
Pixilation (or any mix of techniques that involves people on screen):
You will need to coordinate with all the people involved, and you should
expect to have a lot of patience as you become stop motion puppets!

What will you have created at the end of your meeting(s)?

All of the elements (animated or video) that will be assembled in post-production!

After youve shot all of your footage:

Review the footage you have captured and compare it to your storyboard.
Do you need to re-shoot anything or schedule more days to shoot?
Consult the Production Flow Chart worksheet and make a list of next steps.
6
Animation Post Production
In Post Production, you will compile the footage that you have created so far. Once the animation
is assembled, you will add all of the elements including titles, text, transitions, sound effects, and
maybe even music to complete your video. These steps vary based on your final project; you may
need to do all or some of them. Be sure to refer to the Flow Chart worksheet in Animation Extra
Resources, to see which steps apply. Keep in mind that it may be wise to delegate tasks when
possible.
Suggested meeting time: Ideally two 60-90 minutes sessions. Once session
should be adequate if you are just adding animated effects to a completed, filmed
presentation.

Before the meeting: You should come into Post Production with all of your
animation movie files available on the computer youll be using to edit, your voiceover
recorded (if applicable), and any other elements for your animation presentation
(video, stills, sounds) ready for assembly. You should also have the Flow Chart
worksheet to make sure you dont miss any steps!

Materials
Video Editing Software
Access to sound library (see Sound Design Tips in Extra Resources)
Microphone, if you plan to record your own sound effects

Meeting activities
Refine the timings on your animations. Be sure to add pauses where needed,
and repeat any cycles that you may have shot. Allow for breathing room for
editing and transitions. See Refining Timing in Extra Resources.
Edit your animated scenes together. See Editing Tips in Extra Resources.
Apply any visual effects. Do you need color correction, to remove green
screen, or to superimpose animation atop video footage? See Visual Effects
tips in Extra Resources.
Add titles, credits and any text that you need throughout your video. See
Titles and Credits Tips in Extra Resources for more ideas and best practices.
Add sound effects and/or music. You can search sound libraries for pre-
existing sound effects in your timeline, or consider recording your own. For
links to free online libraries, tips on recording your own sound, and some best
practices, check out Sound Design Tips in Extra Resources.

What will you have created at the end of your meeting(s)?

The final animated video, ready to share with TED-Ed!

After you complete your video:

Watch your cut for glitches, and test on different screens and speakers to
make sure that picture and sound quality are up to par.
Export your final video! See Export Settings in Extra Resources for
suggestions and requirements.
If youd like to make more animation, take another look at the Exploration
Exercises in Extra Resources to discover another style that youd like to try!
Facilitator: Upload your completed videos to TED-Ed. See Share with TED-
Ed in Extra Resources for instructions.
7
 Glossary
Here are definitions of the animation specific terms used in the Animation Guidebook.

Animatic: a series of still images edited together and displayed in sequence with a rough
dialogue and/or rough sound track added to the sequence of still images (usually taken from a
storyboard) to test whether the sound and images are working effectively together.
Aspect Ratio: Refers to the proportional relationship between the width and the height of
an image or media file. The most commonly used aspect ratio is 16:9, which is a widescreen
aspect ratio.
Color Correction: the process of altering and enhancing the color of a motion picture or of
a still image. This process is usually done in Post-Production with video-editing software.

Cycles: Cycles of repeating action is one trick that animators use to cut down on the amount
of work to be done. Examples of cycles can be found in the Animation Extra Resources.
Export: Transfer data in a format that can be used by other programs; in this case, exporting
refers to making a self-contained movie file from your video-editing or animation software that
can be opened by anyone.
Field Guide: A guide used when setting up shots in animation to ensure that all actions
occur on screen, and that no important motions or text get cut off during the shoot.
Frame Rate: (also known as frame frequency and frames per second (FPS)), The frequency
at which frames in a television picture, film, or video sequence are displayed.

Green Screen: (Also known as Chroma Key), A special effects / post-production

technique for compositing (layering) two images or videos together based on color hues. The
technique has been used heavily in many fields to remove a background from the subject of a
photo or video.

Storyboards: Illustrations or images displayed in sequence for the purpose of pre-visualizing

a motion picture, animation or other media sequence.

Superimpose: To place of an image or video on top of an already-existing image or video,

usually to add a special effect or to conceal an error in the visuals.
Time Lapse: A technique whereby the frequency at which film frames are captured (the
frame rate) is much lower than that used to view the sequence. When played at normal speed,
time appears to be moving faster and thus lapsing. Processes that would normally appear
subtle to the human eye, e.g. the motion of the sun and stars in the sky, become very
pronounced.
Tripod: A three-legged stand for supporting a camera.
Voiceover: A pre-recorded audio track that is placed over the top of a film or video;
commonly used in documentaries or as a narration to explain information.