ABSTRACT

This chapter features a number of best practices and things to consider when building a schedule, with the ultimate goal being to deliver the best animation quality within the finite time of the development schedule. Prioritizing work is essential to ensure the animation team is working on what is required the most at any point in time, so an animator prepare to be flexible on this throughout the project. De-risking unknowns is the fastest way to get a real handle on animator schedule by eliminating or succeeding in tasks or aspects of the design that are the furthest from the team’s prior experience. The animation schedule should take into account major dependencies they have with other disciplines and, importantly, communicate as quickly as possible when they become aware of impending issues with teams that are depending on them. Mentoring mostly occurs informally by the osmosis.