Animated Graphic Novels: the Incentive and. Appeal of incorporating Animation into Sequential. Art as an Interactive Medium.

Transcription

1 Animated Graphic Novels: the Incentive and Appeal of incorporating Animation into Sequential Art as an Interactive Medium. A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of the Animation Department in partial fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Fine Arts in Animation at The Savannah College of Art and Design Collin Gregory Byrd Savannah, Georgia October 2015 Debra Moorshead, Committee Chair John Webber, Committee Member Ashwin Inamdar, Committee Member

2 Dedication Dedicated to the memory of Douglas Brassil Horak, a skilled, talented, and larger than life young man, and my good friend. I still miss you, man, even if we were only roommates for a year. It was a great year, and I will forever dream of what might have been. I hope that, wherever you are, you have found your peace.

3 Acknowledgements First and foremost, I would like to acknowledge my thesis committee for putting up with my constant badgering, delays, and broken promises that my thesis was almost done. I would also like to acknowledge Mr. Michael Jantze, as the primary inspiration for this project; if I hadn t stumbled upon his The Norm YouTube comics during one of his classes, I might never have undertaken this venture as a possible thesis. I would like to thank my parents for never doubting that I would succeed (even when I did), and for constantly and consistently supporting me in all my endeavors, regardless of whether or not they bore fruit. And last, but not least, I would like to thank all my support network: my friends and family in Maryland and beyond (who provided non-industry focus testing), my friends and professors at the Art Institute of Washington (where the seeds of this idea were born), my SCAD undergraduate friends (who maintained a level of enthusiasm for the project that I couldn t believe and carried me through moments of doubt), and my SCAD graduate friends (Who commiserated with me on our mutual theses and helped me find answers when I could not). Thank you all. This project would simply not be without you.

4 Contents List of Figures... 1 Abstract... 5 Introduction... 7 Term Definition... 9 Definition of the Precursors... 9 The Definition of Animated Comics The format of Animated Comics Differences from Other Mediums Advantages and Disadvantages to Animated Comics Advantages Guided View Expanded Dimensions (the Infinite Canvas, and Panel Stacking) Sound Disadvantages Interface... 18

5 Methodology doctrines Distribution and Format Sample Analysis The Norm Bottom of the Ninth Niko and the Sword of Light Conclusion Methodology Synopsis and Steps Storyboards and Thumbnails Definition of Terminology Intent of Process Dialogue Planning Interior Panel Animation vs. Exterior Panel Animation Process of Implementation Divergence in process... 52

6 Storyboard Application Animatics and Interactivity Programming Definition of Terminology An Examination of Timing Intent of Process Process of Implementation Conclusion Conclusion Methodology Future Iterations Distribution Conclusion Works Cited... 69

7 List of Figures Figure 1. The definition of comics according to Scott McCloud as outlined in his book, Understanding comics. (McCloud, Understanding Comics, 1993) Figure 2. An example of the guided view method within page 3 of the visual component of this thesis. Guided view allows the dialogue box in the left composition to take on more prominence where it might otherwise be obscured (as demonstrated in the right composition) Figure 3. A sample page from the visual component of this thesis. Notice the buttons at the bottom of the composition, which indicate to the reader what action is supposed to take place when the reader clicks on them. Actions that are impossible disappear when not in use. An example of this, is the skip button (which skips the timeline forward to the next interactivity point), which is useless at the end of a page and thus disappears Figure 4. A screen capture of the progress chart for the visual component of this thesis. The project is broken down into each of the three major methodology doctrines: sequential art, animation, and interactivity programming Figure 5. A sample comic strip of The Norm, involving the main characters, Norm and Reine. Strips can be found online at gocomics.com (Jantze, The Norm Classics by Michael Jantze, March 11, 2014, 2014) P a g e

8 Figure 6. A sample comic video of the Norm. Unlike the static comics, the video comics do not display the full composition of all the panels together, instead opting to focus on one panel at a time instead, and transitioning after a few seconds. (Jantze, The Norm Comics No. 42, 2014) Figure 7. A sample page from Bottom of the Ninth as it is displayed on the ipad. The fifth panel of the umpire is in the process of playing out its animation (in this case, the umpire declaring a strike. (III, 2012) Figure 8. A screen capture from a promotional video for Bottom of the Ninth, displaying how the animated graphic novel is intended to be enjoyed. (Woodward, Bottom of the Ninth - What is it?, 2012) Figure 9. An initial test animated strip for the visual component of this thesis. Unlike the final versions, this strip did not use the guided view method, instead opting to display all the panels at once. Also, the interactive buttons were integrated into the panel forcing the illustrations to be designed around the interface, rather than existing separately Figure 10. A promotional image for Niko and the Sword of Light, that also serves as the application s cover page. (Studios, Niko and the Sword of Light, 2013) Figure 11. A screen capture from a sample video of Niko and the Sword of Light, depicting how the guided view format would function in the finished product. (NX, 2013) Figure 12. The story outline for "The Crimson Fly: Into the Sewers." Colored boxes represent story beats, while white segmented boxes represent page breakdowns P a g e

9 Figure 13. A compilation of the Pre-visualization "beat boards." They not only display the progression of the narrative, but the change in tone, as color subtly shifts from blue (calm) to yellow (unease), to red (danger), to blue (calm, again) Figure 14. A compilation of thumbnails and storyboards for page one of "The Crimson Fly: Into the Sewers." As storyboards and thumbnails share a similar time and purpose in the pipeline, it was decided to merge the two processes Figure 15. A screen capture of a page in the process of being programmed for interactivity. In this particular image, this panel is being instructed, through ActionScript in Adobe Flash, to first stop, then to play in its entirety when interacted with, then return to the beginning frame and start over (where it will "stop" again when it encounters that instruction Figure 16. A sequential art page from the finished comic. Interestingly enough, during the process of timing animatics and programming interactivity, it may be discovered that certain panels are unnecessary (in sequential art format) to the finished application. Still, these unused panels serve a purpose as pre-visualization for the animated sequence Figure 17. The initial storyboard template for the visual component of this thesis. While storyboards were no longer illustrated in Photoshop later in pre-production, this template was still used as the basis for flash storyboards P a g e

10 Figure 18. The storyboards for Page 3 of the visual component. The layout of the boards, in conjunction with the panels they are supposed to represent is confusing and non-conducive to future processes Figure 19. A screen capture of the storyboards for Page 14 of the visual component, under the new format. While visually similar, attention must be drawn to the timeline, where multiple storyboards are sequenced for analysis Figure 20. A screen capture from an animated comic strip created after the completion of this thesis, to be the first in a series of animated comic strips. It is also a recreation of the sample comic created in Figure 9, almost a full year later P a g e

11 Abstract Animated Graphic Novels: the Incentive and Appeal of incorporating Animation into Sequential Art as an Interactive Medium. Collin Byrd October 2015 This thesis will explore the unique narrative capabilities provided by animation and sequential art as mediums and explore the possibilities provided by merging the two as an interactive medium. The thesis also aims to define the individual components and how they relate to each other in order to create a more entertaining experience. In order to do so, animation and sequential art will be defined as terms, and how they are separate from each other in regards to strengths and weaknesses. The term interactivity will also be defined in order to see how it applies to animation and sequential art. It will also explore how interactivity affects narrative and audiences. Finally, this thesis will also detail the process of creating an animated graphic novel, as well as define unique aspects of the medium. Keywords: Animation, Sequential Art, Interactive Media, Comics, Adobe Flash, Webcomics, Bottom of the Ninth, Niko and Sword of Light, The Norm 5 P a g e

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13 Introduction As a student of both animation and sequential art, it had always occurred to me that the two mediums of visual storytelling were very similar, at least in process. In a proper production, both required a cycle of preparation, or "pre-production," in which scripts, concept illustrations, and narrative pre-visualization (page thumbnails for sequential art, storyboards and animatics for animation) were conceived. Both required a cycle of production where the visual storytelling was refined. Whereas, for sequential art, this took the form of pencil illustration, inking and lettering, for animation, this took the form of rough animation and clean-up. And finally, both required a postproduction stage, wherein the individual components were adjusted and compiled together for a finished package to be enjoyed by a reader or viewer. Production cycles were not the only thing these two mediums shared in common. Means of conveying story, such as camera and perspective, pose expression and silhouette, and lighting and color were also shared as visual mediums. In fact, many terms and concepts (both visual and narrative), such as types of perspective and camera position, work interchangeably between the two mediums. As I began to research more and more, I came to realize the main difference between the two mediums (aside from the physical means of consumption) was their handling of the passage of time. Because time flowed regardless of the will of the consumer in animation, audiences were rendered passive observers of the events of the animation, thus making it a passive medium, much like film and television. Because readers dictated how they read comics, and thus the speed of the passage of time was up to the reader, sequential art was rendered an active medium. 7 P a g e

14 Both came with their advantages and disadvantages. The spectacle of motion in animation draws the eye in a way not possible in sequential art. Also, by using the passage of time to allow for the usage of sound, animation could immerse viewers in the world of the narrative, through the use of sound effects or use music to strike an emotional resonance. By the same token, as an audience-active medium, sequential art forces the reader to directly pay attention to the narrative present on the page. Also because the pacing is under the reader's direct control, pieces of exposition, such as narration and internal monologue, can be delivered through sequential art without breaking the flow of the story's pace. During this time, I came to learn about digital comics, which took advantage of the interactive and infinite possibilities of the digital space to create such things as "guided movement," (the ability to focus on, and move to/from panel to panel, rather than simply page to page), the "infinite canvas" (the nature of the digital space means that a given comic is not restricted to a set page size or panel count within a single composition), or multiple panel overlays (the ability to stack comic panel on "top" of each other in sequence, thus saving space, and altering the nature of the storytelling). Many of the properties and techniques I found were unique to digital comics, and posed the question: could these digital comics be taken further? And if so, how would I do so with the skills available to me? Using my skills in animation, sequential art, and flash ActionScript coding, I was determined to find out. I wanted to integrate both my animation and sequential abilities within a single medium. The end result is this thesis. Despite being a fusion of two mediums, it is neither, nor is it inherently neither superior nor inferior to either of its predecessors. What follows is an exploration of the medium defined as "animated comics:" a definition of the term, its relationship with its predecessors, as 8 P a g e

15 well as an analysis of the digital, animated, and interactive comics that influenced the visual component of this thesis. In addition, this paper shall also include a detailed description of the processes involved in the creation of an animated digital comic. It is my hope that others will read both the written and visual components, and be inspired to perfect this new medium. Term Definition Definition of the Precursors What are animated comics? To define the term, one must examine its component parts, animation (and/or film, as animation is a subset medium of film) and sequential art, or comics. In his book, Understanding Comics, writer and comic artist Scott McCloud defined comics as "juxtaposed pictorial and other images in deliberate sequence, intended to convey information and/or to produce an aesthetic response in the viewer." (Understanding Comics, 1993, p. 9) Similarly, the Merriam Webster dictionary defines motion picture (a synonym for film) as a series of pictures projected on a screen in rapid succession with objects shown in successive positions slightly changed so as to produce the optical effect of a continuous picture in which the objects move." (Motion Picture, 2014)What sets animation apart as a subset of film, is that in animation, the images broadcast in sequence are either illustrated (2D animation), computer generated (3D animation) or built (stop-motion animation) whereas in film, the broadcast images are a recording of a sequence acted out by the cast and crew of the film. However, the main difference between sequential art and animation, as McCloud notes, is that animation is sequenced in time, with each image replacing the previous one, whereas sequential art 9 P a g e

16 is juxtaposed in space. Figure 1. The definition of comics according to Scott McCloud as outlined in his book, Understanding comics. (McCloud, Understanding Comics, 1993) The Definition of Animated Comics For Animated comics, the definition is similar McCloud's own; animated comics are "juxtaposed animation, film, pictorial and other images in deliberate sequence, intended to convey information 10 P a g e

17 and/or to produce an aesthetic response in the viewer." The difference is the injection of animation and film as possible frames to be juxtaposed with images. The end result is a comic that has been enhanced by animation. Every panel of an animated comic has the potential to be animated, both in regards to the interior content of the panel, and in relation to its composition juxtaposed with other panels. This interplay of static and animated images changes the definitions of timing and interaction for animated comics in comparison to its predecessor mediums. The format of Animated Comics As it is currently impossible to broadcast film through paper, animated comics are currently a purely digital medium. The broadcast of this medium can take multiple forms. Animated comics can be broadcast through computer screens, tablet devices, and smart phones capable of downloading them. Animated comics could theoretically be broadcast through television, provided there is an interface for the audience to interact with. Speaking of which, as a medium that relies on audience interaction, but eschews the physical act of page turning, an interface must be established for the reader to connect with the narrative. This can take many forms, from either a series of buttons external from the page, to interactivity programmed directly into the panels and forcing the reader to interact with them directly in order to move the content forward. There is a danger to these interfaces; they must be abundantly clear to the reader, or risk hiding either a portion or even the entirety of the comic from the reader. Similarly, both the interface and the comic itself must be calibrated for the device on which it is being shown; a comic built for an eight-inch screen, such as that a tablet, must be reconfigured for easier viewing and interaction on the considerably smaller screen of a smart phone, lest the readers own 11 P a g e

18 fingers get the in the way of pressing buttons. Another example would be an animated comic that uses a keyboard interface being displayed on a device that uses a touch screen and/or vice versa. Differences from Other Mediums Animated comics are not the only digital medium to tell a story, nor the first; there are many different kinds of interactive digital applications that can be used to tell a narrative. Digital comics that are interactive but contain no animation, video games, and visual novels are all kinds of digital media that are used to convey a story. While these media are vastly similar to animated comics, there are fundamental differences that keep animated comics from simply being classified as a sub media. That is not to say that there isn't room for overlap, as animated comics can be mixed with other digital media by meeting certain conditions described below. There are digital comics that are interactive, but contain no animation. Readers can interact with elements of the page and panel that reveal hidden information, but without actual animation in the comic, either of the characters or backgrounds within the panels, or the panels themselves, these digital comics are not animated comics. It should be noted that while there are certain kinds of digital comics that are not animated comics, all animated comics are digital comics, as they are purely digital in nature, and it is currently impossible to create an animated comic that is not digital in nature. Another visual medium of narrative digital entertainment that animated comics are similar to is video games. Similar to animated comics, most video games are animated, and require a consumer (in this case, a "player") in order to proceed. However, unlike animated comics, video games offer players control over the ending of the narrative, whereas animated comics do not. This control takes the form of a "win" condition, where the player fulfills the requirements established by the rules of the 12 P a g e

19 video game, and obtains a particular ending to the narrative of the game, usually a desirable one. Alternately, by either failing to fulfill the requirements for a "win" condition or fulfilling a different set of requirements detrimental to the fulfillment of the win condition, players may fulfill the requirements for a "loss" condition, which generally contains a narrative ending less desirable for the player. There is no limit to the amount of "ending" conditions in video games, and whether or not the ending obtained is a win or loss is dependent on the player. However, in animated comics, there are no ending conditions, as there are no rules of play to establish requirements to fulfill an ending condition. In animated comics, there is only one ending, determined by the creator of the work. This is not to say that there isn't any room for overlap; comics where it is possible to obtain multiple endings based on choices allowed to the reader could be considered a form of game. Visual novels, text based adventure games, and Point-and-Click adventure games take this format. It is possible to make an animated comic that is also a video game; the key is choice. If the comic contains the ability to for players to fulfill the requirements for an ending condition, with at least two possible ending conditions (a "win" condition, or a "loss" condition), then it could be considered a video game. If it does not, and thus the comic has only one possible ending, with no ability to deviate in/from the narrative at any point, then the comic is solely an animated comic. 13 P a g e

20 Advantages and Disadvantages to Animated Comics Advantages There are several advantages to animated comics, which stem from its fusion of animation and sequential art. Animation not only allows certain panels to expand on the narrative, but also guide the reader through the comic by controlling the number of panels in a composition at a time. Sound allows the reader to immerse themselves in the world of the comic in a way not possible in traditional sequential art. Similarly, the static nature of sequential art and the usage of visual text allow the reader to navigate exposition and character exploration in a fluid and cohesive way not possible in animation. The digital and temporal nature of animated comics means that not all information pertaining to the narrative needs to be shared immediately, as in traditional comics. However, the tools available in animated comics are just that, and can easily be misused to create a work far inferior to either animation or sequential art separately. Guided View The first and foremost advantage of animated comics is the usage of multiple frames (the panel) within a singular composition (the page). But, whereas sequential art presents these multiple compositions at the same time, thanks to animation and interactivity, animated comics can present each panel in sequence, with each new panel adding to the finished composition. These new panels can be static or fluid in shape and size as long as they do not intrude on what came before or after, and can be re-arranged and/or resized to fit new compositions as further panels are added to the composition. This guided view not only clarifies the order of panels for pre-existing readers of sequential art, but can 14 P a g e

21 also educate new readers on the order in which panels are supposed to be read, as the "rules" for reading comics differ depending on the comic's origin. An example of this is Japanese comic art, or "manga," where the panel reading order is right-to-left, in opposition of the west's left-to-right. This makes "manga" confusing to read to western audiences, and western comics confusing to read to eastern comics. A guided panel animation can easily clarify the direction in which the comic is meant to be read. This can also apply to dialogue (rendered as speech bubbles) as well; allowing readers to easily understand "who" is speaking "when." Figure 2. An example of the guided view method within page 3 of the visual component of this thesis. Guided view allows the dialogue box in the left composition to take on more prominence where it might otherwise be obscured (as demonstrated in the right composition) Expanded Dimensions (the Infinite Canvas, and Panel Stacking) The digital nature of animated comics provides another advantage over its physical counterparts. Specifically, because they are not restricted to a physical media, they are not limited by 15 P a g e

22 the size restrictions of a single page. They can be spread out infinitely, and should the reader reach the end of the screen, the reader can simply scroll up (or down, or left, or right) to reach the next section. The author Scott McCloud refers to this concept as the "infinite canvas." (McCloud, The "Infinite Canvas", 2009) Because the infinite canvas allows creators to expand without worry for page or size constraints, the flow of reading and pace of exposition can be altered drastically. Rather than setting up the flow of the story for the interruption of a page break, the narrative can flow more naturally, halted only by the reader's will to continue scrolling. This can allow the creator to explore concepts, such as the use of space as an equivalent for time, in new ways. It also allows digital comics to stand apart from their physical counterparts, as this concept of storytelling is not easily reproduced in print, nor should it be. In conjunction with the advantage of a guided view for digital comics, animated comics can expand infinitely not just in the x and y axis, as demonstrated by the infinite canvas, but also infinitely in the z axis as well, through the use of panel stacking. Panel stacking refers to the ability to place new panels in the guided sequence in front of its predecessor on the z axis as opposed to juxtaposed beside it on the x and y axes. This stacking can allow for a greater focus on newer elements without having to worry about either obscuring forever earlier panels (as the reader should be able to simply revisit old panels simply by navigating backwards), or worrying about how to constrain the panel to a page grid. 16 P a g e

23 Sound Another advantage of animated comics is the usage of sound. Sound can be applied in three ways to animated sequential art: in the form of music to set an emotional mood for the reader, in the form of sound effects that enhance and exaggerate the animation, and in the form of spoken dialogue that gives the reader insight into the personality and motivations of the characters speaking them. Music, as stated before, sets an emotional tone, directing the reader as. Spoken dialogue allows the reader to get into the head of the characters speaking. Things that are not easily conveyed simply through written word, such as accent and tone, can be conveyed through sound. When used properly, spoken dialogue can be used as shorthand for the reader, allowing them to receive the same information they would have received by reading, but with lesser effort. Should the creator allow spoken dialogue and sound effects to replace written, visual sound, the creator may be able to focus more on allowing the artwork to take up more space within panels; the space that speech balloons and sound effects would have affected. There are, however, disadvantages to sound. Written dialogue can make the spoken dialogue redundant. Depending on the speed of the reader, the sound can either be heard and processed first, or the dialogue can be read and processed first. Either way, the reader is receiving the same information twice. This can be mitigated in several ways either by the creator or the audience. For the audience's part, they can choose to simply mute the sound, but this can backfire in sections of the narrative dependent on the sound; for example, if the written text is replaced or expanded on with a spoken monologue that the audience now cannot hear. For the creator's part, they can choose to omit one or the other, but this is at the risk of discarding a potential tool of storytelling. 17 P a g e

24 The use or disuse of sound isn't inherently bad however; it is simply a tool to convey an idea in a story. How well it functions or doesn't is up to the creator of the work. Disadvantages Interface Despite advantages listed above, the medium of animated comics is not without its drawbacks. As part of its nature as a digital interactive medium, the animated comic must have dedicated interface with which its audience interacts if it is to be read by said audience. In this, animated comics are at a distinct disadvantage compared to its parent mediums, as animation and sequential art have comparatively simpler "interfaces," if they could be called that. While the necessity of an interface is not inherently bad, the possible complexity of said interface could be considered cause for concern. The interface of an animated comic must allow the reader to navigate between pages and panels, activate and deactivate panel animation, and be intuitive enough to use without prior instruction, should the reader choose to forgo said instruction even if it is included with the narrative. Sequential art and animation, by comparison, are much simpler in their interface, as they simply require the ability to read, turn the page, (exclusive to literature) and process information. Even the more complex forms of consumption of film do not require much interaction from the viewer once the narrative has been set in 18 P a g e

25 motion. This being said, a good interface for animated comics is intuitive to the reader, and does not interfere with consumption of narrative. Figure 3. A sample page from the visual component of this thesis. Notice the buttons at the bottom of the composition, which indicate to the reader what action is supposed to take place when the reader clicks on them. Actions that are impossible disappear when not in use. An example of this, is the skip button (which skips the timeline forward to the next interactivity point), which is useless at the end of a page and thus disappears. Methodology doctrines While the term "animated sequential art" implies the meeting of only two methods of storytelling, its nature as a digital interactive medium means that creators must not only be animators and sequential artists, but also interactive media designers and programmers as well. This also means that the creators must combine a multitude of skill sets, some of which may not be native to the original 19 P a g e

26 creators of the work. Figure 4. A screen capture of the progress chart for the visual component of this thesis. The project is broken down into each of the three major methodology doctrines: sequential art, animation, and interactivity programming. Though there is a great deal of overlap in the skill sets of sequential artists and animators, as sequential could be said to serve the same functions as animation, there isn't much as much overlap with the skill sets of interactive designers. All three professions design narratives to be interfaced by a reader/audience, but Interactive Designers do so with the intent of having the consumer move their experience forward in a way unlike animation or sequential art. Animators and sequential artists design their experiences for comprehension and entertainment but not for the level of interactivity that interactive designers do, as their narrative mediums do not rely as heavily on interaction for progress. While books (and by extension, sequential art) are interactive experiences, in that they rely on the reader to read and turn the page, the creators of books do not need to account for as many of the 20 P a g e

27 reader's potential actions as interactive designers do, as the reader's options are more limited, and thus they can focus on the content of the book rather than the reader's ability to read the book. As mentioned earlier, animated sequential artists must not only focus on narrative concerns, but also the ability to program their ideas into their digital comics. Animated sequential art relies on the ability to program for all of the interactivity. If the artist does not know how to program (or associate with anyone who does) what they want, then the feature they want simply cannot be implemented. What all of the above means is that animated sequential artists must have all of the aforementioned skill sets. They must be able to craft a narrative that fits the aesthetic of animated comics, they must be able to design an interface that feels intuitive and unobtrusive for readers, and be able to program all of it into on cohesive package. Unfortunately, each skill set is very intensive, and most professional artists are usually skilled in one or two professions at most. This means that an animated comic can suffer from the creators not being able to implement the most that they want to due to simply not being familiar with the skills needed. This weakness can be circumvented by working with a team of professionals who all have different skill sets, but for a single artist, creating a motion comic that does not suffer in any particular area due to the artist's inexperience is incredibly difficult. Distribution and Format The mediums of film and literature are fixed in that they are defined physical media and the methods of obtaining them have remained relatively unchanged. With animated sequential art, being a digital format in the age of the internet, the methods of distribution are more complicated. First there 21 P a g e

28 are multiple sources from which one can both distribute and obtain media. Secondly, there are a wide variety of physical formats with which to consume said media, and not all may be ideal to do so. There are multiple avenues to obtain and distribute content, such as (as of this writing) the itunes store (via Apple), the Android Marketplace (via Google), or simply independent publishing via the purchase of a website. This can present a problem. If a creator chooses to simply distribute to one avenue, they lock out all the consumers who do not use said avenue. While one could remedy this by distributing to as many venues as possible, there is no guarantee that a potential consumer will pick it up, no matter where they can find it. Also, trying to market to as many distributors as possible can stretch a creator thin, and take away time and resources that may be better devoted to either enhancing or better the media being distributed. The above problem can be even more exacerbated by the specifications of physical media that are unique to a specific distributor. For example (as of this writing), if a consumer want to store and consume media on an Apple IPad legally, they must do so through ITunes and the Apple store. In contrast, if the consumer purchases media exclusive to Apple through ITunes and the Apple store, it can only be consumed on and an apple device. Should they not own an apple device, they cannot consume the media. This is made worse by the fact that the different means of consuming media can, and often do, have different physical specifications and interfaces. A mobile device, such as a smart phone, has different dimensions than a tablet device. A home computer relies on a mouse and keyboard, whereas a tablet relies on a touch screen. Adapting a single media file from one physical device to another can range from relatively simple to extremely frustrating. And if the translated 22 P a g e

29 physical media does not share the same interface as the original, then the media cannot be consumed as it was intended. There is, unfortunately, no simple solution to this myriad of problems. Any simple solution, introduces another set of problems. What creators of animated comics can do is research the end results of the physical media on which they want their audience to consume their comics and plan accordingly. If they dedicate themselves to a single medium, they can focus on adapting and enhancing their comics for that medium, as well as focus marketing and advertising to the type of consumer who purchases content for that medium. If they want their media to be consumed on multiple physical formats for the best amount of outreach, they can choose to edit their comics for each medium, or adapt them as they are, and hope for the best. 23 P a g e

30 Sample Analysis It may go without saying, but it should still be said: this project is not the first product of its kind. While its initial conception was rooted in the question, how can animation be more applied and combined with sequential art, its inspiration was drawn from other products that posed the same question. The following projects all provided different answers to this question, and none in quite the same way. What they all have in common is a means to explore the mediums of animation and sequential art beyond traditional exploration and definition. What follows is an analysis of the works of art that inspired this project. Each analysis will consist of: a short biography on the project, the basic medium and format of the work, how it implemented animation, sequential art and interactivity and how these tenets interact with each other, and how that project influenced the project that is the focus of this dissertation. It was hoped that by analyzing what came before, the project both could avoid mistakes in the implementation of animation, interactivity and sequential art, as well as improve on its predecessors for a more enjoyable narrative experience. The Norm "The Norm" is a western comic strip by cartoonist Michael Jantze. The strip is about the observations of an average twenty-to-thirty year old named Theodore Norman "Norm" Miller about himself, his life in general, and his relationships with his friends and family. It was published in newspaper format from 1996 until The strip was later converted to video comic format and 24 P a g e

31 published on the YouTube video website in 2012, where it continues to run to this day (at the time of this writing). The strips take the form of approximately 30 second videos. Each comic strip in these videos is about four-to-five panels in length, depending on the amount of dialogue and/or set up necessary for the gag. There is no interior panel animation, but there is both ambient sound and sound effects. Each strip progresses by lingering on a single panel for two-to-three seconds before moving on to the next panel. Upon completion of the comic, a guitar twang sound effect plays over the credits and the video ends. Figure 5. A sample comic strip of The Norm, involving the main characters, Norm and Reine. Strips can be found online at gocomics.com (Jantze, The Norm Classics by Michael Jantze, March 11, 2014, 2014) As stated previously, there is no interior panel animation. This may be due to the nature of the strip; there is very little action, and thus little animation is needed to interpret the images of the sequential art. Instead, the main form of transition is in the change in focus from one panel to another. These transitions last two-to-three seconds to allow for reading of the dialogue and/or character narration. There is no audible dialogue, presumably to avoid either conflict with the written dialogue, 25 P a g e

32 allow readers to fill in their own interpretations of the characters' voices in their heads, or avoid having to hire voice actors. However, each strip does have ambient sound, as well as sound effects when the imagery calls for it. Figure 6. A sample comic video of the Norm. Unlike the static comics, the video comics do not display the full composition of all the panels together, instead opting to focus on one panel at a time instead, and transitioning after a few seconds. (Jantze, The Norm Comics No. 42, 2014) It should be noted that, despite being cited as an influence for the visual component of this thesis, there is no audience interactivity beyond the standard video toolbar (play, pause, reset, timeline toolbar, etc.) It can be argued that the toolbar serves as a form interactivity in that viewers may pause on the video to re-read/appreciate held panels, but it can also be argued that the videos were not intended to be paused either, and thus there is no interactivity. This work serves as an inspiration for the visual component in that it uses an alternate medium to display sequential other than the traditional pen paper or more recent image viewing software. The 26 P a g e

33 visual component also takes the use of ambient noise to immerse the audience from this work, as well as the shift in panel focus to guide audience focus. Another element borrowed from the norm is the use of controlled timing for reading of dialogue and text. Bottom of the Ninth "Bottom of the Ninth" is a western animated comic interactive application for the Apple ipad mobile device. It was created by an independent animation crew headed by animator Ryan Woodward, who provided the sequential art and character animation. The comic is about the struggles of a female pitcher of a future fantasy baseball league. Candy Cunningham is the first female to take part in the sport of "New Baseball." New Baseball is, as the name implies, a futuristic variant on the standard sport. The distribution of media pertaining to New Baseball is controlled by "the Corporation," a media conglomerate that holds the rights to anything pertaining to the players. The Corporation comes into conflict with Candy, when they realize that they have no contract with her. Candy must both fight the Corporation and assumptions and biases made against her because of her gender. The comic was published as an interactive application on the Apple application store in The comic could be downloaded and viewed on Apple mobile devices compatible with the application store, though it was most optimally viewed and interacted with on the ipad, being designed for a 7.75in by 5.82 in screen (the dimensions of the ipad screen). For those without an Apple mobile device, the comic is available for viewing on its website. The application is billed as the first issue and prologue of a series, though no further details or content have been released since its initial release (at the time of this writing). 27 P a g e

34 Figure 7. A sample page from Bottom of the Ninth as it is displayed on the ipad. The fifth panel of the umpire is in the process of playing out its animation (in this case, the umpire declaring a strike. (III, 2012) The comic takes the form of an interactive narrative application, albeit styled in the form of a sequential art graphic novel. The application starts out with a tutorial page reminiscent of baseball promotions and memorabilia. This page contains instructions for the different buttons (and samples to their use) as well as interactive links to each of the story pages. Of note is an animated loop of the protagonist, Candy Cunningham, whose hair flutters in the wind, and whose eyes occasionally blink to demonstrate that this is no regular comic. Also, a soft wind sound effect plays in the background. Each page contains a fully exposed composition of illustrated panels, with interactive buttons inset in panels, to demonstrate that there is animation available should the reader choose to press the button. Should the reader choose to activate the animation in each panel, a short vignette of animation 28 P a g e

35 will play out within the panel. Sometimes, these vignettes will play out across multiple panels, giving the perception of the same sequence played out in multiple angles simultaneously. Each page also contains ambient sound and music, sound effects for actions happening in animation, as well as dialogue than can be accessed by touching the respective speech balloon. "Bottom of the Ninth" is written primarily from the perspective of a sequential art project, with animation and interactivity serving in a secondary role. The use of animation serves a limited function as any animation that is not ambient to the panel it occupies must be manually activated. While this does increase the amount of interactivity, it does impair the telling of the narrative, as readers must interrupt their reading in order to activate any ambient animation. Similarly, while it enhances the narrative to have the dialogue available at the press of a button, its use is secondary to the text which it enhances. Figure 8. A screen capture from a promotional video for Bottom of the Ninth, displaying how the animated graphic novel is intended to be enjoyed. (Woodward, Bottom of the Ninth - What is it?, 2012) 29 P a g e

36 The interface of any digital application is integral to the experience of using it, and "Bottom of the Ninth" is no exception. All the actions of a given page may be accessed by either touching or swiping the ipad screen. However, the interface does have problems. None of the on page interactivity is readily apparent at first glance. This is partially because space is not allocated to separating the interface from the narrative itself, as buttons are inset within panels, taking up less than a tenth of the space available within the panel. While this allows the panel illustration to do what it was meant to do without being obstructed by the button, this also means that the buttons are not easily distinguishable from the panels themselves. This also means that there is also very little visible area for the finger/hand of the reader to interact with the button. While this is remedied inside the application while making the entire panel an interaction point rather than just the surface area of the button, it does not solve the problem that this isn't readily apparent at a first glance. This also applies to the sound; without reading the instructions provided on the first page (which aren't readily visible, and must be directly accessed to be seen), there is no visible indication that there is audible dialogue. While this goes a fair ways towards tailoring the experience of reading towards the audience, it also calls into question the necessity of the audible dialogue. As the dialogue is repeating for the reader what is already written in the panel, it is highly likely the reader has already processed the information being re-relayed to them. It can be argued that the use of dialogue adds new insight in the character through their voice (implying age, background, body type and personality), but the fact remains that audible dialogue is optional, and thus, not entirely necessary. Complicating this 30 P a g e

37 is the ability to mute the device in question. Whether this changes the reading experience drastically is a personal opinion best left to readers. Despite the problems stated in regards to sound and audience interface, "Bottom of the Ninth" is a massive influence on the creation of "The Crimson Fly: Into the Sewers." The graphic novel format, and the decision to use ambient noise and sound effects were primarily derived from "Bottom of the Ninth's" inspiration. Similarly, it was initially decided to use "Bottom of the Ninth"'s fixed panel layout rather the dynamic panel layout used in the final version. This was changed because it called into question the necessity of animation when the sum of the narrative exposition was already provided in the sequential art. On a related note, it was initially decided to attach the visible interaction points (buttons) to the panels based on the format found in "Bottom of the Ninth." However, this stance was changed upon discovery of the problems listed above, namely confusion regarding the separation of the interface and the narrative display. Despite these setbacks, the "Bottom of the Ninth" animated graphic novel provided an initial template on which "The Crimson Fly: Into the Sewers could stand, and, through practice and experimentation, could improve upon. 31 P a g e

38 Figure 9. An initial test animated strip for the visual component of this thesis. Unlike the final versions, this strip did not use the guided view method, instead opting to display all the panels at once. Also, the interactive buttons were integrated into the panel forcing the illustrations to be designed around the interface, rather than existing separately. Niko and the Sword of Light Like "Bottom of the Ninth," "Niko and the Sword of Light" is a western animated comic interactive application for the Apple ipad mobile device. It was conceived, illustrated and animated in a joint effort between Imaginism Studios (a Canadian studio focusing on pre-production work for film, television, games and publishing) and Studio NX (a British studio that does work for feature film, television, games and applications); particularly by a team of four: Key Acedera, art director and coowner of Imaginism Studios, Bobby Chiu, founder of Imaginism Studios, Jim Bryson, director and coowner of Studio NX, and Adam Jeffcoat, director and co-owner of Studio NX. The story is that of a magic kingdom of talking animals and monsters, inhabited by a young boy named Niko, heir apparent to a lost tribe of warriors. Niko has inherited a magic sword, the titular "Sword of Light," from his people, which he must use to vanquish the darkness that has overtaken the world and corrupted much of its populace. It was released on the Apple application store in October, 2013 as a six chapter 32 P a g e

39 graphic novel. The first three chapters are available for free, though the rest must be purchased from the application store. Figure 10. A promotional image for Niko and the Sword of Light, that also serves as the application s cover page. (Studios, Niko and the Sword of Light, 2013) The format of "Niko and the Sword of Light" is similar to that of "Bottom of the Ninth." The application opens with a title page, which quickly leads to table of contents. From there, audiences can choose from story's six chapters, though there is no option to choose and skip to individual pages. By swiping down from the top of the screen, readers can bring down the options menu. This includes a "mute" function, an "auto-play" function, which allows the reader to play through the comic without rest or interruption, the ability to return to the home menu, and most importantly, the ability to skip to the next and previous pages adjacent to the current page. 33 P a g e

40 Each individual page starts with a single panel. This panel contains a miniature animated sequence, and once it has played through, the comic halts and a button appears and flashes continuously until pressed. When pressed, the button disappears, and another panel with another miniature animated sequence replaces it. Once this panel appears, the process of animation, then interaction, then animation again repeats itself until the end of the page is reached, at which point, a "crease" in the page appears, allowing the reader to swipe and turn the page. Should readers want to replay a given panel, they can touch it to do so, though no instruction is provided within the application which implies this. It should be noted that the only deviations from this process are the chapter title pages, which provide an animated text paragraph, and a series of overlays designed to mimic stereoscopic vision when the mobile devices is rotated. There is sound for the comic, which takes the form of ambient noise, sound effects, spoken dialogue and a soundtrack for each individual page. Either a narrator, or a given character will speak the dialogue as it is written across each panel, which either disappears to make room for the next line of dialogue, or stays if it is the last thing to be written before the end of the panel. The soundtrack shifts depending on the nature of the page, which works to raise or lower tension, depending on the narrative. While the use of sound helps to immerse the reader in the narrative, as well as provide narrative clarity, it is arguable whether or not spoken dialogue is necessary. Depending on the reading speed of the audience, either the text or the spoken dialogue becomes redundant. Either, if they are a fast reader, the reader is hearing the text after they have already read it, or, if they are a slow reader, they are reading the text after they have already heard it. Either way, as stated above, one or the other becomes redundant. This is made worse by the disappearance of text in order to make way for the 34 P a g e

41 next line of dialogue. Readers who want to re-read a line of dialogue must replay a given panel in order to listen to/re-read lost dialogue. Also complicating matters is the ability to mute the narrative. While most of the text and dialogue is still animated, there is still spoken text that does have corresponding visual text. This can be seen in the characters' lip movements, and may be confusing for readers without the corresponding sound. Despite the format as a narrative application, it is arguable whether "Niko and the Sword of Light" needed to be an animated comic, or could have been produced as an animated feature instead. The interactivity acts more as a pause function, stopping the action and restarting it when the reader chooses to. This is because, unlike "Bottom of the Ninth," there is no separation of interior panel art from that of the animation. "Bottom of the Ninth" would fade from its static panel into the first frame of its animated panel, which would then play out, implying that the animation was an expansion of the panel art. Because "Niko and the Sword of Light" does not do this, it implies that the interactivity is merely a pause in the action, rather than a true interactivity point. This is made worse by the auto-play function, which streamlines the reading process, but also implies that there is no need to stop, process previously read panels in conjunction with the current panel, or re-watch previously seen animation. From the above, it can be inferred that whereas "Bottom of the Ninth" was created primarily from a sequential art standpoint, with animation as an enhancement to its sequential art, "Niko and the Sword of Light" was created primarily from an animation standpoint, with the sequential art format used for clarification and appreciation of the imagery of the animation. 35 P a g e

42 Figure 11. A screen capture from a sample video of Niko and the Sword of Light, depicting how the guided view format would function in the finished product. (NX, 2013) Despite the work-flow pipeline being set for the most part, "Niko and the Sword of Light" is another great influence on the "The Crimson Fly: Into the Sewers." "Niko and the Sword of Light" averts the problem that "Bottom of the Ninth" had (of interrupting the reader's enjoyment of the sequential art in order to activate any ambient animation) by incorporating the animation directly into the narrative, rather than as an enhancement to the sequential art. This was incorporated into "The Crimson Fly: Into the Sewers" in a modified format; animated panels would activate and play through (similar to "Niko and the Sword of Light") and then transition to a sequential format (similar to "Bottom of the Ninth"). "Niko and the Sword of Light" also takes advantage of the ability of animated comics to play with the composition and layout of their panels during the narrative. Unlike "Bottom 36 P a g e

43 of the Ninth," whose page is laid out in its entirety upon entrance to the page, panels appear in sequence and as necessary in "Niko and the Sword of Light." This ensures the reader's focus is entirely on the intended panel, averting a problem that not only "Bottom of the Ninth" had, but sequential art as a medium has had, for new readers unfamiliar with sequential art reading practices. This was incorporated and modified again in "The Crimson Fly: Into the Sewers." While panels appear one at a time, similar to "Niko and the Sword of Light," these panels are animated according to their content, and the overall layout of the page changes and varies depending on the amount of panels currently within the page composition. Conclusion It must be stated, that each influence was used to build upon ideas taken from the previous influence. Whereas "The Norm" introduced the possibility of a sequential art project produced in a video format, rather than using an image format (or an application to compile image formats), Bottom of the Ninth" introduced animation as an enhancement to its sequential art, as well as the use of sound to immerse the reader, and the use of spoken dialogue to define the personality traits of the characters. "Niko and the Sword of Light" then expounded on the ideas of "Bottom of the Ninth," by making the animation the primary focus, and manipulating the panel layout throughout the page, rather than keeping it static as "Bottom of the Ninth" did. Because there are no formal guidelines to the creation of animated sequential art, each work must build upon its predecessors, as future projects must build upon this one, in order to perfect the method of creating animated comics. 37 P a g e

44 Methodology Synopsis and Steps When creating a narrative for a work of commercial art, it is important to establish a pipeline of steps that must be taken in order to create a finished work. Without this pipeline, the goals, methods, and obstacles surrounding the creation of a work of art cannot be accounted for, and valuable time, money, and resources are lost when something does not go as planned. Therefore, before beginning the process of creating an animated comic, a proper work-flow pipeline must be set up. Because animated comics are primarily derivative of animation and sequential art, it was felt that the pipeline for this project should heavily borrow tenets from both animation and sequential art. Up until a certain process, both mediums follow similar pipelines. That is not to say that their pipelines are identical; the similarities in their processes must take into account both narrative and the medium in which the narrative must be told. Likewise, the process for creating animated sequential art must be close to that of its progenitors, but not the same as either. Taking the above into account, the process for creating animated sequential art is as follows, with the original medium each step derives from in parentheses: 38 P a g e

45 Figure 12. The story outline for "The Crimson Fly: Into the Sewers." Colored boxes represent story beats, while white segmented boxes represent page breakdowns. The Idea (animation, sequential art, interactive application programming): While it seems an obvious step, before any steps can be taken to produce anything, the idea must be conceptualized, with considerations taken towards motivation towards a certain project, and the 39 P a g e

46 medium needed to produce said project. When creating the idea, the narrative premise and general story must be considered, though not essentially fleshed out. Synopsis (animation, sequential art): Expanding further on the Idea phase, the synopsis maps out every event in the idea as a story plot point, or beat. The synopsis does not flesh out the story entirely, but establishes the general sequence of events, characters and their motivations, and themes explored in the main narrative. 40 P a g e

47 Script (animation, sequential art): Continuing on from the synopsis, the script breaks down every story beat into every element associated with that particular story beat in a text format. This includes camera and layout, location and time of day, character dialogue and action. Through the script, in text format, the rest of the production has detailed instructions on what must be done to finish the process of creation Figure 13. A compilation of the Pre-visualization "beat boards." They not only display the progression of the narrative, but the change in tone, as color subtly shifts from blue (calm) to yellow (unease), to red (danger), to blue (calm, again). Conceptual Design (animation, sequential art): The process of creating the visual aesthetic of the comic. This includes designing what the characters will look like from all angles, how they will move, and how to construct them should the original artist not be on hand to 41 P a g e

48 provide instruction. This also includes the design of the world at different times of day and lighting and pre-visualization storyboards that provide a kind of visual synopsis Figure 14. A compilation of thumbnails and storyboards for page one of "The Crimson Fly: Into the Sewers." As storyboards and thumbnails share a similar time and purpose in the pipeline, it was decided to merge the two processes. Page layout thumbnails (sequential art): A kind of visual script, page layout thumbnails are miniature representations of the page, detailing the arrangement of panels, environments, characters within those environments, and the visual position of dialogue those characters must speak. This must be carefully planned to avoid audience confusion and disinterest. 42 P a g e

49 Storyboards (animation): Serving the same purpose as thumbnails (visual script) but for animation, storyboards are exactly that: Illustrated boards that translate the narrative from the script into a visual format that can be expanded on in production into an actual film. Like with the thumbnails, care must be given to camera, character posing and action, lest the audience be driven to confusion and disinterest. Timing Animatics (animation): As animation plays out in time, this timing must be established prior to production of actual animation. To this end, the storyboards are composited in sequence, and then adjusted for how much time they must take up on screen. Care must be given to establish that the sequence of events is clear at a first glance. Figure 15. A screen capture of a page in the process of being programmed for interactivity. In this particular image, this panel is being instructed, through ActionScript in Adobe Flash, to first stop, then to play in its entirety when interacted with, then return to the beginning frame and start over (where it will "stop" again when it encounters that instruction. 43 P a g e

50 Interactivity Programming (interactive application programming): As animated sequential art is an interactive medium, the comic must be instructed through coding to allow the reader to take control of the narrative. Similar to the animatic, the timing of the narrative must be carefully measured, as well as the amount of control the audience has, as too much control interrupts the flow of the narrative. Figure 16. A sequential art page from the finished comic. Interestingly enough, during the process of timing animatics and programming interactivity, it may be discovered that certain panels are unnecessary (in sequential art format) to the finished application. Still, these unused panels serve a purpose as pre-visualization for the animated sequence. 44 P a g e

51 Sequential Art Illustration (sequential art): The proper illustration of the thumbnails into finished sequential art. This includes adding detail, refining the artwork with ink, adding lettering to make sure that the dialogue can be properly read, and adding color to convey mood and narrative flow. Interior and Exterior Panel Animation (animation): The process of adding frames in between the key poses as established by the animatic and the storyboards. This also includes creating any necessary background illustration to demonstrate location, adding visual effects (such as water and fire)to better establish the world, and cleaning up all animation so it can be clearly seen and interpreted at a first glance. Sound Compositing (animation): the process of adding sound to the production. Sound allows the audience to immerse themselves in the world, and providing proper sound consistently can allow the reader to identify with the action happening on screen, as it is consistent with their understanding of the world. Music can also influence mood, creating and relieving tension, even if it is not visible onscreen. Volume Compositing (animation, sequential art): The process of putting all the pages together in a single digital volume. Care must be given that navigation is simple and easy to understand at a glance, and that all interactivity is functioning as intended. While all the steps mentioned above are necessary to the creation of an animated comic, only the last few steps of pre-production (thumbnails, storyboards, animatics, and programming) are truly unique to animated sequential art. This is not to say that the other steps are any less important; rather, 45 P a g e

52 they can be accomplished in the same manner as they would for animation or sequential art with no real need to deviate from established methods in consideration of the medium. As the purpose of this paper is to explore in detail the process of creation, the focus shall be on those steps (thumbnails, storyboards, animatics, interactivity programming, animation, and sound) that must truly deviate from established conventions in order to create a truly unique work of animated sequential art. Storyboards and Thumbnails Definition of Terminology What are storyboards? Storyboards are what they (its component words of story and board ) sound like: Illustrated boards that translate the narrative from the script into a visual format that can be expanded on in production into an actual film. Storyboards are a kind of visual script. Comic thumbnails can be thought of as a kind of visual script as well. They are also a translation of the script. And like storyboards, they are also responsible for establishing background layout, lighting, camera perspective, character posing and emotion, and general mood. That's where the similarities end. This difference is mostly to do with how storyboards and thumbnails convey the passage of time for their respective mediums. Sequential art uses the sequential transfer of reader focus from one panel to another to simulate the passage of time. As such, the size, layout, and number of panels is extremely important when deciding how to transcribe the script into page or comic strip thumbnails. Because animation actually uses the passage of time rather than simulating it like comics do, storyboards face fewer restrictions when it comes to space. In storyboards, the focus is not only on 46 P a g e

53 conveying key narrative moments, but also in how they relate to each other in time, rather than their proximity in space. As there are an infinite number of possible pose possibilities in how one character object or camera gets from one pose or setup to another, it s up to the storyboard artist to decide which sequence of poses to take. This is an issue that (without the actual passage of time) thumbnail artists do not have to worry about. Still, as stated above, there are similarities, and these two steps of pre-production serve the same role for their respective mediums. It is in using these similarities to their fullest extent that planning for an animated comic can begin. Intent of Process For this project, the process of creating storyboards and thumbnails was merged into a single process. Still, it was decided to create the thumbnails before handling the storyboards. This was because the thumbnails not only represented a finished layout that the storyboards would lead into, but also provide key story moments that would serve as pre-visualization illustrations for the storyboards to both emulate and expand upon through the use of motion. Once the thumbnails for an individual page were done, each panel on that page would be examined to see whether or not whether to implement animation for that panel, which was now a camera frame. This terminology is important, as it marks the transition from static comic panel to dynamic animated panel. The key factors in this decision were the amount of character movement implied in the thumbnail, the importance of the motion in that thumbnail as well as the amount of dialogue implied to be spoken. Frames with minimal implied character movement (anything less 47 P a g e

54 visually strenuous than either a walk, or a single motion) were forgone in favor of those with more. Panels with dialogue more than two sentences or between two or more parties were limited in terms of character animation. For action, panels that implied more action than a single character pose or a transition between multiple poses were converted into camera frames that contained action sequences. Dialogue Planning It must be stated that just because that a lack of character animation in a dialogue panel, does not mean that there is no animation in the panel. For panels that have two or more characters interacting through dialogue, that dialogue is animated in a way that simulates the emotion and tone of voice associated with the dialogue. For dialogue that is spoken in a normal, quick or emotionally elevated tone of voice, such as excitement or anger, the text bubble appears in an excited way. This is done by having the bubble rapidly expand in two frames, overshoot it's normal size (as dictated by the thumbnail drawing), and the settle back down into its normal size, giving the appearance that the text bubble was in a rush and was not carefully planned, similar to how most people engage in conversation. For dialogue that is spoken in an either slower, or abnormally paced tone, such as when the speaker is afflicted with an injury or sickness, the animation is a slower fade in from complete invisibility. It was felt that this was a better way to not only convey that the speaker was not completely functioning but whatever they had to say was worth paying attention to. In the storyboards, dialogue isn't animated. However, its time and place in the scheme of the narrative is determined here. The visual placement of dialogue is determined by the thumbnails, and 48 P a g e

55 then the order in which dialogue appears is determined in the storyboards. This is important because it determines the flow of the narrative within panels. With animation integrated within the sequential art panel structure, it is more important than ever to be conscious of which direction to lead the audience's attention. As such, the majority of panel dialogue leads from left to right, from top to bottom, in accordance with screen direction and western reading conventions. Interior Panel Animation vs. Exterior Panel Animation When planning storyboards for animation, it was also important to not only plan for animation and dialogue happening within the individual panels as their own compositions, but also to plan for how each panel would interact with the others in regards to the grand layout of the page. This was done to give more attention to the current focal panel of the page and drive the reader's eyes and ears to the current and new moment of the panel, rather than being distracted by multiple images within the same composition. Because of the use of time and movement, it was not necessary to have all the panels in a given page present and visible at the same time. Put another way, because of time and motion, the page and panel layouts were not fixed or locked into a specific size throughout the duration of the interaction as they were in either animation (through the aspect ratio) or sequential art (through page/paper size). Through time, motion and interactivity, panels could appear in sequence, allowing readers to focus on a particular panel, rather than being forced to decipher how to proceed through a given layout. To facilitate this, care had to be given when making compositional choices. The first frame of each page started out with the first panel in as large and central a space as possible, to better draw the eye. From there, each new panel would take up a space greater or equal to its predecessor, while the 49 P a g e

56 older panels would recede and shrink so as not detract from the current focal panel. Also, newer panels were positioned as close to the center of the page, without overlapping or disrupting the general panel layout. This was again done to focus the reader on a particular moment on the page, rather than distract them with multiple images and/or animations in the same compositions. Process of Implementation Initially the choice was made to illustrate the thumbnails and storyboards in the digital illustration program Adobe Photoshop. This was done for the ease of use of its brush tool in comparison to that of Adobe Flash, the program in which the bulk of production would be handled. As a raster program, Photoshop possessed a more free form brush which made correction and improvisation come more naturally than Flash, whose vector-based brush, corrected every stroke, leading to lines that deviated from the intended design. This was also done so that the thumbnails and the entirety of the storyboards could be seen in a single composition and exported in an image file that could be viewed without having to open the work file in the work program (a lengthy process). 50 P a g e

57 To consolidate both the thumbnails and the storyboards, a three-page template was created. On the left most image was the sequential art thumbnail. This thumbnail contained the page layouts and composition, the panel image composition (including character posing, composition, and mood, and background camera angle, lighting and mood), and dialogue composition. The second, middle template page contained storyboards for the exterior panel animation, including panel appearance order, and specific panel entrances. The third template page on the right contained storyboards for the interior panel animation. This included character acting, dialogue and audio effect storyboards, and camera movements as necessary. Figure 17. The initial storyboard template for the visual component of this thesis. While storyboards were no longer illustrated in Photoshop later in pre-production, this template was still used as the basis for flash storyboards. 51 P a g e

58 Divergence in process However, as the number of storyboards, both for interior and exterior panel animation, extended beyond the intended constraints (a maximum of 4 pages, with one extra page for interior panel animation)of the thumbnail template, it was decided to take advantage of the Flash timeline for rendering the storyboards for viewer consumption. Storyboard frames would be illustrated in direct sequence on the Flash timeline, and would be viewed in sequence by switching between the previous, current and next frames in sequence. This was done for multiple reasons. As previously stated, certain comic pages demanded more template pages than were accommodated for in the storyboard template. This made the template not only more bulky and unwieldy to preview, but also compressed the storyboards into miniature compositions that would be hard to translate to Flash when it came time for animation. Another reason to switch to using Adobe Flash for the storyboards was to consolidate the thumbnails and storyboards with future steps in the process such as animatics, interactivity programming and animation cleanup. It was intended for comic cleanup, inking and lettering to be done in Flash, as well as animation cleanup; illustrating the thumbnails in Flash simply avoided the step of having to import the thumbnails and having to clean up on top of them. 52 P a g e

59 Figure 18. The storyboards for Page 3 of the visual component. The layout of the boards, in conjunction with the panels they are supposed to represent is confusing and non-conducive to future processes. As a result of this change, thumbnails became more detailed and clear, making for an easy translation when cleaning them up later. This unfortunately, also necessitated re-illustrating thumbnails that had already been finished, as well as re-drawing storyboards, too. However, it is believed that this change smoothed out the production pipeline in the long run, as well as hastened the preparation process for further steps. It should be noted that this process of revisiting previous steps in order to improve production when more efficient and user-friendly methods emerged would continue throughout the production. 53 P a g e

60 Figure 19. A screen capture of the storyboards for Page 14 of the visual component, under the new format. While visually similar, attention must be drawn to the timeline, where multiple storyboards are sequenced for analysis. Storyboard Application After illustrating all the storyboards, it was decided to compile and program the boards into an interactive storyboard application. The purpose behind this was twofold: first, to provide consumer intended means to evaluate and enjoy the storyboards as well as gauge project interest, and second, to gain insight on the process of using ActionScript to implement reader interactivity. As stated before, while consolidating the storyboards and thumbnails into a Flash file eased production for future processes down the line, it made evaluating the storyboards in their current form difficult. Also, implementing ActionScript, the default programming language of Adobe Flash, would be a necessary step further down the line when animatics where in the process of creation. Doing so at an early step 54 P a g e

61 would ensure ease and familiarity with the language when the time came to engage in and implement more complicated functions in the comic. In order to create the storyboard application, all the storyboards for animation, which included interior panels (character animation, dialogue animation, onomatopoeia and effects animation, camera movement) and exterior panel animation (focus panel size adjustment, layout adjustment) were first laid out across the flash timeline in sequential order. Then, at the beginning of the timeline, a command was written in ActionScript to immediately stop the exported flash file from playing, as flash files are otherwise set to do. Next, two buttons, a Next and Previous button, were created and labeled (so that the ActionScript would have something to reference when called upon) underneath the page. After this, script was written that told the flash file to move forward one frame when clicking on the next button and one frame backwards when clicking on the previous button. These implementations allowed casual observers to peruse the storyboards without the need to either own the program needed to open the work files, or open the work files in an unfamiliar format. Next, all the exported storyboard applications for each individual page were gathered into a compilation application. The same process of adding buttons and script to navigate the Flash timeline was implemented in this compilation application to allow navigation between pages, while the script inside the pages would, as detailed above, allow for navigation throughout the page. Once this was done, both the completed storyboard application and the process of creating thumbnails and storyboards for this production was complete. The process of creating storyboards and thumbnails is an important step in the pre-production of narrative media. This process is even more so important for animated comics. In addition to 55 P a g e

62 visualizing the narrative as written in the script, consolidating the thumbnails and storyboards in a single file (per page) also established procedures for future processes, such as animatics, interactivity programming, post-production composition and more. While storyboards and comic thumbnails are separated in practice by the usage of time, they serve a similar and vital role in the pre-production of animated comics. Animatics and Interactivity Programming Definition of Terminology Animatics are preliminary videos of films that are comprised of the film's storyboards. The storyboards are composed in such a way as to imitate the animation (or action, if the film is live in nature) and camera movements that will follow later. This is done to establish the time between storyboards for any given action, and plan out the amount of frames necessary for a given shot. This is also done to establish whether the compositions and camera movements established in the storyboards work in real time as part of a composition in time. If animatic performs as intended, production moves on to the next step. If the animatic is not to the liking of the production, then one or more of several corrective steps are taken. Timing can be adjusted for the duration of individual storyboard and until they fit a working aesthetic. If an entire sequence of shots and/or storyboards isn't working, then they can either be removed, or replaced by drawing new storyboards until they fit a desired aesthetic. This process is done and redone until the animatic reaches a state that resembles the finished production. At that point, production moves on to the next step. 56 P a g e

63 For this particular production of an animated comic, it is at this point that interactivity, as it is intended for audience consumption in the final product, is implemented. This step was termed Interactivity Programming. This is different from the interactivity implemented for the storyboard application: for the storyboards, the application was programmed so that project team members could go between frames to analyze the compositions as they related to the conveyance of the narrative. With Interactivity Programming, the animatic application was programmed with the reader and final viewer in mind, as a way to analyze how the final product would be experienced by readers. Put another way, the storyboard interactivity was designed for work, facilitating an easier transition between work processes, whereas the animatic interactivity was designed for play, to analyze how a reader would consume the finished product, and make corrections for a more enjoyable experience accordingly. Similar to the idea behind combining the processes of creating animation storyboards and sequential art thumbnails in the same production step, it was decided to combine the processes of creating animatics and programming interactivity into the preliminary animatic comic. This was done in the interest of gauging the animatic based on how the final comic would be viewed by a consumer rather as simply a step in a process. Also, by implementing interactivity at this stage, it was one more step that would not have to be corrected for later in the pipeline. An Examination of Timing The difference between animation and sequential art is the passage of time. In animation, the persistence of vision creates the illusion of movement and creates a sequence that moves forward with the passage of time. This also allows for the use of sound, both in terms of vocal acting and sound 57 P a g e

64 effects, to further immerse the viewer in the world of the animation. In sequential art, time is an illusion, approximated and perceived only by the viewer. While the creator can imitate the flow of time using gutter spacing between panels (or by using more panels), it is up to the viewer to determine for themselves how much time passes between any given moment in a comic. In a truly interactive animated comic, creators can give viewers both the illusion of time (using spacing) as well as the actual passage of time. This can be done through interactivity. Allowing the viewer to interact with the comic, by slowing it down or stopping it, gives them the choice to decide when to proceed in an animated comic. If an action proceeds too fast for them to process, they may rewind it and watch it as many times as necessary without breaking the flow of storytelling, as per the sequential art portion. Or they can stop on a particular moment they deem interesting, or confusing, and hold on that moment until they feel they are ready to move on. On the other hand, by removing interactivity and relying on the flow of time provided by animation, the viewer is allowed to proceed at a leisurely pace, and simply allow the animation to immerse them in the story without having to process how and when the story should proceed. The problem is deciding how to juggle the use of active interactivity against the use of passive immersion. When a creator pushes passive immersion onto a viewer without a break of some kind, the viewer has no opportunity to slow down the action or process the information given. It also takes the control of the pacing away from the viewer. However, forcing every action to come to a halt to force the viewer to make a decision using active interactivity may also interrupt the current pacing of a story, disrupting their immersive experience. It also makes the more experience of enjoying a story more 58 P a g e

65 complicated than it needs to be, by constraining to the viewer to constantly decide what the pacing should be rather than picking and choosing how each moment should proceed. The best way to determine which one to use is to ask which one better serves the needs of the story. Interactivity works best in slower moments, while immersion works best in faster moments. During faster moments, slowing down the action by imposing a choice onto the viewer interrupts the apparent pacing. It also confuses the viewer as to what the actual pacing of the story is supposed to be. Presenting visuals and sound that indicate one particular timing, but suggesting an entirely different timing, by stopping the action to present them with the choice of whether or not to move forward, interrupts the flow of story. As such, it is better to let the viewer immerse themselves in the timing suggested by the creator and only stop to process the fast action when the story has slowed down enough for them to do so. Interactivity works best in slower moments of the story, such as emotional cool down periods between moments of high action or emotional tension. It also works during moments of exposition when new information (such as plot twists, new characters or developments) presented to the viewer must be carefully digested in order to proceed with the plot. During these moments, simply immersing the viewer may result in confusion because they have not had enough time to process the information they are being fed. Another reason to need interactivity is that viewers process information and moods at different rates/times. Rather than trying to gauge an average amount of time for process, it is better simply stop the action, and allow the viewer to both process information and proceed at their own pace. Again, this allows them a greater level of immersion than if the action simply proceeded at the pace set by the creator. 59 P a g e

66 Animation and sequential art, as mediums, use different methods to express the flow of time. However, using the medium of animated interactive comics, creators have the choice to pull from both individual mediums for a greater entertainment experience. Intent of Process There were multiple intents behind the step of Animatics and Interactivity Programming. First and foremost, the purpose of the animatics was to adjust and correct the timing of not only the interior panel animation with each shot-panel, but also the exterior panel animation of the various panels as they changed the layout throughout the page experience. Secondly, the main purpose this process was to implement interactivity in a function that not only facilitated a pleasant experience during a first, straight playthrough, but allowed for a pleasant experience no matter what decisions the consumer took in reading through the narrative. With Interactivity Programming, the intent was not just to allow the reader to play through the narrative whenever they were allowed, but also to jump through and replay key moments in time that they enjoyed or need clarification on, without having to reload the page every time. To this end, there were multiple key functions that every page had. There was a play and next function, which allowed the reader to move the narrative forward every time they hit an interactivity juncture, such as a panel with lots of dialogue, or high emotional content. There were rewind and skip functions, which allowed readers to jump between interactivity points without having to sit through the intended narrative. This was designed for readers who had no interest in watching the narrative unfold naturally, or who were re-reading and/or wanted to jump to a particular section. Finally, for panels that had large amounts of animation, a replay function was added, wherein viewers could replay animated 60 P a g e

67 sequences regardless of any activity on the rest of the page. Additionally, a reset function was included, in case the reader or viewer wanted to experience the comic as it was intended again, after having read through it a first time. Process of Implementation In order to create animatics, the finished storyboards were necessary. As stated before, storyboards and thumbnails were done in the interactive digital application program Adobe Flash., mostly to consolidate files between processes. This was a great help when creating animatic files to be edited and reviewed later. The original storyboard work files were duplicated (in case they need to be revisited) and the duplications were re-titled animatic files. From there, each panel that had animation was compressed into its own composition; these compositions are termed symbols in flash. As an aside, In Flash, there are three kinds of symbol compositions; movie symbols, which are symbols designed to be affected by ActionScript to implement interactivity, graphic symbols which are meant to either be viewed a certain amount of times or as static image, but are unaffected by ActionScript, and finally buttons which are meant to be graphic interfaces for audiences to interact with. It must be said that these terminology aren't necessary towards the definition of animated sequential art; however, they are necessary when discussing Adobe Flash, the program in which this particular project was made. In future discussions regarding animated graphic novels, other programs and technology may replace Flash, in which case these terms will be irrelevant. What is important is to take away is how they facilitate the general steps of producing an animated comic, and not their importance as terms in and of themselves. 61 P a g e

68 Inside a symbol, each shot receives its own timeline of near infinite length. From here, the storyboards were lengthened and shortened based on the amount of time approximately needed for each action depicted in the storyboards. Once this was done, the master timeline in which all symbols were stored was adjusted accordingly to allow for a full playthrough by each of the individual panels. After this, the exterior panels were animated for their appropriate transitions, and the timeline adjusted accordingly. Once this was done, it was time to program. Once all the animation was laid out in the timeline, Interactivity points where implemented. This was initiated by programming stop commands in ActionScript at certain points in the narrative timeline dictated by the script. These stop points were implemented for multiple reasons; to allow readers to catch their breath and process a previous scene, to read a particularly large block of text, or to replay a favorite sequence without having to miss a current narrative beat, or to skip forward or rewind to another point in the timeline. At these interactivity points, button symbols were created to allow readers to control their narrative reading experience. These buttons to the form of play, (to move forward linearly in the timeline) rewind, (to backtrack to a previous interaction point) and skip (to move forward directly to the next interaction point) functions. Additionally, there were next, (the play function for any point after the first interactivity point at the beginning of the page) and reset functions (to reset the composition back to its initial interactivity point) that appeared and played in specific contexts. After this, the animatics were compiled into a compilation application exactly like the storyboard application, for the same reasons. These being: the consolidation of processes into a single work file eased production for future processes down the line, but made evaluating the animatics in 62 P a g e

69 their current form difficult, and the implementation of ActionScript in a singular composition. In hindsight, this was not the proper next step. Instead, sound, such as ambient noise and effects, should have been implemented, as well as a replay function for each individual panel should have been implemented. Sadly, both the possibility and feasibility of implementing these steps did not occur until later in the production cycle, but they were implemented as soon as it was possible to do so. As the replay function ties closely into the interactivity programming, it shall be discussed here. As sound ties closer to animation, it will be discussed in the following process of the methodology. The replay function was implemented based on the realization that viewers might want a method to replay animated panels out of sequence, without having to reset the page composition back to a previous interactivity point, or back to the beginning. To this, each shot panel was duplicated as a movie symbol (as its previous configuration as a graphic symbol could not implement ActionScript), and placed immediately after its predecessor in the timeline. Inside this replay duplicate symbol, a button is placed on top of the panel animation (for audiences to click on), and ActionScript is coded to first stop the animation from playing at all, and then only to playthrough if the button is clicked. Once the animation plays through, the symbol resets itself back to the first frame where it stops, as per the ActionScript command. In this way, replay functionality is implemented for that panel, as it must for all other animated panels. It is in this way that animatics and interactivity programming are done for this phase of preproduction. It is also the end of pre-production; this is the final step before the panels are animated. Animatics are as important to this production as any other process, perhaps even more so. Because of the consolidation of files in flash, animation can be done right on top of the animatic files, without 63 P a g e

70 having to convert them or import them into another program. Also, because the main images in the storyboards (that have been converted to animatics) can also serve as key drawings for animation, it could be said that process of animation has already begun. Each step in the process of producing an animated comic builds on the last, and with the timing and interactivity programmed into the comic, production can begin smoothly. Conclusion It seems strange that, despite the uniqueness of the final product, the uniqueness in methodology as it pertains to animated comics lies solely in the pre-production of the work. Once the storyboards, thumbnails, animatics, and interactivity programming is established animation and sequential art illustration can commence as though the product in question were one of its base components. The process of animating and illustrating doesn't change because it is being done for animated comics; rather, it changes because it is being done for the format of animated comics. That being said, it can be argued that pre-production is the most important part of production, and establishing a template upon which to animate and illustrate is crucial. Given how different the final product is from its predecessor mediums, it is absolutely vital to establish that the preliminary version of the product works so that the finished product is an enjoyable and comprehensible experience for its audience. 64 P a g e

71 Conclusion Methodology During the course of this thesis, there were many lessons learned regarding the methodology of creating animated graphic novels. First and foremost, as animated graphic novels are the fusion of multiple disparate mediums, the roles associated with each individual medium become closely intertwined. However, for the current scale of the thesis, it was felt that the amount of roles necessary to complete the project vastly outweighed the amount of artists (namely one) working on the project. Because of this, the visual component extended a year past the expected completion point. Similarly, certain aspects of the production, such as sound and interactivity programming could not fulfill their full potential, as the lone artist working on the project was not knowledgeable enough in either artistic field to take full advantage. Future endeavors must either scale back the scope of the project, either in the amount of content (the removal of sound, or certain aspects of interactivity), or in the format of the content (from full comic pages to comic strips, or even single panel comics), or (more positively) increase the amount of artists involved in the project with different specialties, so as to both evenly distribute the workload, as well as pool knowledge of their specialty that other team members do not have. Similarly, the realization that animated graphic novels are a fusion of multiple disciplines and not simply just animation and sequential art was reached during this project. As such, so was the realization that the methodology to creating an animated graphic novel, or more specifically the mindset needed to create an effective tool for distributing narrative was also reached during this project. To create an experience that utilized the full sum of its parts, certain individual aspects had to 65 P a g e

72 be toned down in order to emphasize other strengths. For the animation portion, it was the realization that not all panels needed to be animated, but rather would function a lot stronger and clearer if allowed to remain static. For the Sequential Art portion, certain static panels that were illustrated would remain in their animated form, even after movement had ceased, meaning that the static panels would never be visible during consumption. This did not mean that those panels became unimportant, as they served as concept illustration for the animated counterparts that took their place. And for interactive portions, certain panels flowed directly into the next one, without allowing for viewer interaction, so that the narrative might flow better than if the viewer were interrupted by the interactive display. Also, to create this story, a different mindset was needed. For animation and sequential art, it isn t necessary to predict how the audience will interact with a film or comic because there are no alternative means of interacting with the medium in ways that will still allow for the distribution of content. With animated graphic novels, whether the viewer chooses to interact with the application determines whether or not they see everything there is to offer, including hidden animation, and thus animated comics must be designed with the viewer (specifically, how they will interact with the project) in mind. Future Iterations The visual component of this thesis was not designed solely to prove the existence and viability of the written component. Rather, it was a proof-of-concept and first attempt at creating an introductory issue for a series of animated comics. Simply by existing, it has proven that animated comics are feasible. However, the issues in methodology make it rather difficult for a single artist to viably create more full issues that can reach a full audience with the same effectiveness as the 66 P a g e

73 individual components that make up animated sequential art. To that end, future endeavors will scale back the scope of the project to comic strips, rather than full pages. This will allow for greater focus on a smaller number of elements (such as a fewer number of panels), as well as eliminate the y-axis as a design obstacle for panel transitions. This can result in a faster output time regarding the creation of animated comics, until such time that a proper team can both be assembled and compensated for their time and creative output, which would allow future endeavors to become full pages (or more) again. Figure 20. A screen capture from an animated comic strip created after the completion of this thesis, to be the first in a series of animated comic strips. It is also a recreation of the sample comic created in Figure 9, almost a full year later. Distribution While distribution was not a major concern of this thesis (that being the creation and viability of animated comics), it is a major concern for the medium as a whole, at least in regards to the distribution of the visual component of this thesis. As detailed under the methodology section of this thesis, the visual component was created in Adobe Flash, to be distributed under the.swf file format. Unfortunately, at the time of this writing,.swf files are not as widely supported anymore on the internet 67 P a g e