An “animatic” can be thought of as the skeleton for the final animation. It is the first stage of combining the music, lyrics and visuals so we can make sure the gags and cuts are working before we start the heavy lifting (and expensive) process of producing artwork.
The animatics are the end product of the work Evan and Gregg do together in the dumpy motel room. It’s not until you see music, lyrics and gags together that you can make the ultimate judgment about what makes it in and what gets the boot.
Animatics typically don’t leave the studio because, as you can see, they are VERY rough! Only about half of the ideas made the cut from this pass on May 15th…
After the early animatic, we can identify scenes we KNOW will make it into the final animation and we can pass those scenes along for art production. With those scenes in motion, we keep chipping away at the holes. Here’s another pass from June 3. You can see some of the gags and timing start to take shape but it’s still not there yet…
By June 11th the animatic was more or less 100% locked down…
The JibJab Blog 
21 responses to “Animatics”
I’ll push for honorary membership at the website. You may also want to talk to the stop-animation specialist we have in our membership who does professional work ( handle: Loopy )…
You guys do good work, on the par with Matt Stone and Trey Parker ( the creators of South Park ).
Keep it up! This creation is the bright spot in the whole campaign….
Brilliant. Thank you for the blog. I read and watched it all. That is a LOT of hard work. I hope you guys are rewarded for it.
As an old animation writer and friend of Meskimen when we both worked on Thundercats and more for Rankin Bass back in the 80’s,
I completely applaude “Campaignin” — freaking love the Barack-Unicorn-change segment. And Jim’s voices … excellent. Best Jib Jab ever!
WHEN CAN ORDER MORE DVDS AS I HAVE EARLY YEARS OR TELL ME HOW TO DOWNLOAD TO DVD. THANKS
FUCKING GENIOUS, INCREDIBLY CREATIVE, AND ACURATE, EVEN THE MUSICAL TIMING WAS BRILLIANT… I SERIOUSELY DOUBT YOU WILL EVER TOP THE ELECTION VIDEO YOU MADE, BUT I’LL BE WATCHING FROM NOW ON…
Congratulations on a well executed job. I found your blog very informative and entertaining. I used to describe myself as “self taught”, I’m not certain I can claim that anymore thanks to you guys… oh how I’d love to help 🙂
Absolutely inspirational.
mo
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There is no right or wrong, just good and better
Wow, you all went through so much work on the animation to get the final product. The final is simply amazing, the backgrounds, the details, the character movements, the transitions. It’s awesome, the time you spent to put all the little funny twists and gags in, like Hillary’s box of tricks, and other materials such as that. You all really deserve a lot of praise for the hard work, it was amazing. The timing, the music, ALL of it. Great job!!!
Your fan =)
Candace
I saw this video over at the BBC News website commenting on a Viral Video which had hit the web and just had to hunt out the producers of this amazing little animation..
Excellent job, very entertaining, amusing and gobsmackingly amazing!!
I look forward to the feature very much..
Count me a fan… From the UK..
What software are you using, I’m especially intersted in the software you use for the final animation, AfterFX?
I’m not animator, but I’ve always been amazed at the process
(see: early Disney cell work). Obviously, computers and the available software have taken the process light years ahead of what it use to be. I still love the Old Cartoons (the new stuff just doesn’t do it for me)……I’ll take Bugs Bunny, Popeye, and all the rest any day compared to the crap they put on Saturday mornings anymore. However, what you guys do and have is totally above the rest of the heap. Your animation is incredible,
and putting all of it together to get the final product (and I know it’s difficult) is simply amazing. I hope you’ll be working on the next one soon (what about Con-gress???). Their approval ratings are so low, even a snail is above them. (Vote for the Snail folks!). Seriously, Great Job as Always Guys!
this was hilliarious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
thanks for the truth in your funny funny animation, i have been passing on. hope someday through your excelent work somebody in politics starts to get it
thanks again, you made my day.
Really enjoyed this one but can’t get it to send to friends
You guys are incredible!! Very funny, maybe should put an warning label against viewing your videos and consuming food or drink. Could cause joking.
Also, your talents are a cross breed between MAD magazine and Weird Al.
Hard to fathom how you guys pulled this all together — nothing short of amazing.
It was only three months ago when I found your “Sendables”. I sent them to all my relatives just a few weeks ago (after collecting pictures). I’m sure they’ll be the talk of the party during the upcoming family reunion. I love working on the sendables so much, I should apply for a job at JibJab… heck… why not get paid for the work I do?
Anyway… the work all of you put into this election video is absolutely brilliant.
Bravo!
Eric
PS — Thanks for the free lifetime pass!
Love it. Have been trying for days to send it to friends, though, and nothing happens.
Brilliant work! You really thought of everything! I really enjoyed reading/viewing how your creative team comes up with such great work as well. That is true team work!
Shelley
This is incredibly inspiring.
Well done, and thanks very much for sharing!
Please bring back the option of downloading “originals” to standard computers for a fee. Campaignin’, Year end reviews, What we call the News, etc. are outstanding. My favorite of all is “Big Box Mart” because it has a serious message. However, while I would gladly pay to download many “originals” I don’t have the time or inclination to insert photos or enter jokes.
Fascinating – Thankyou so much. It’s opened an entirely new world to me.
My 13yr old son & I came up with an idea. Have you seen the Jack in the box commercial where the two grown men r in a baby stroller? Well we thought it funny if McCain and Obama were those men and Mcain would be holding a piggy bank w/ red lipstick of course and Obama holding a plastic “baby toy” hammer trying to break into it and grabbing it from McCains hands. While McCain slapping Obama’s hand and holding piggy Obama could be trying to pull the plug from under piggy! Thanks for the laughs!!! Hope you like our idea! Have fun. If we can’t laugh at the distruction and seriously pray, then life is walls of depression!
Always enjoy your hard work!
Recently I registered for your email updates, however …..
the text is soooo small it becomes illegible.
Can it be corrected?
Thanks and have fun!