Keeping Your Money On The Screen & Off The Floor

Saturday, 19 December | 10:45 AM - 2:30 PM | Room 502

The global animation industry is as competitive as ever, with merciless markets, unforgiving audiences and miniscule profit margins.  Yet independent and major productions alike seem content to burn through money (and people) as though they have resources to spare.  Amazingly, this waste is not only pervasive, it is accepted.  Not only is this irresponsible, it is unsustainable.  It is also easily addressed through clear-minded assessment and informed action.

This course squarely addresses common production motivations and pitfalls.  It examines the human factors and organizational considerations that are the foundation of all production (dys)function.  It proceeds to cover workflow considerations and strategies, the establishment (and erosion) of balance, common heuristic assumptions and errors, and the importance of clarity and adaptation within the studio environment.  A series of “Golden Rules” for production segues into the characteristics of a balanced pipeline and an overview of a flexible and robust nonlinear production pipeline.  Finally, asset management is reviewed with an eye towards organization, flexibility, and transparency.

The presentation concludes with a micro/macro view on the production paradigm and synergistic orchestration of these parts into a practical yet transcendent whole.

Level

Intermediate

Presentation Language

Presented in English

Prerequisites

A working knowledge of common animation and effects production practices for feature films, games, and other large-scale projects. No previous production experience is necessary.

Instructor(s)

Kevin Geiger
Animation Options

Instructor Bio(s)

Kevin Geiger
Kevin Geiger has nearly 15 years of technical, artistic, and organizational experience in the animation and special effects industry and academia, including 12 years with Walt Disney Feature Animation and California Institute of the Arts.  As president and CEO of Animation Options, an award-winning independent animation producer, former director of the non-profit Animation Co-op, and a frequent international speaker, he is a well-connected source of information and support within the global animation community.