LESSON 15
FRAMEBURST ACADEMY
Totally Likeable; Don’t Regret (TL;DR)
You do not start a story-time animation by animating. You start by planning simply. A clear plan saves time, removes confusion, and keeps beginners from quitting halfway. In this lesson, you will learn how to turn one simple idea into a full story-time animation plan, step-by-step.
Planning Your First Story-Time Animation
(Without Stress)
Why Most Beginners Never Finish Videos:
They do not fail because they are bad.
They fail because they:
- Get overwhelmed halfway.
- Start animating without a plan.
- Do not know what comes next
Planning is not boring – it is protection.
A Story-Time Video Is Not One Big Thing:
A beginner mistake is thinking:
“I have to animate a whole video.”
You do not.
A video is made of small parts.
When you break it down, fear disappears.
Step 1
Choose ONE Simple Story:
Your first story should be:
- Clear
- Short
- Personal or relatable
Examples:
- Something funny
- A small life moment
- Something you learned
- Something embarrassing
Do not choose a big life story yet.
Simple stories are stronger for beginners.
Step 2
Say the Story Out Loud:
Before writing or animating:
- Tell the story out loud
- Casually
- Like talking to a friend
This helps you:
- Find natural pauses
- Hear emotional moments
- Remove unnecessary parts
Your voice will guide the animation later.
Step 3
Break the Story Into Moments:
Now imagine the story as moments.
Each moment is:
- One idea
- One reaction
- One feeling
Example:
- Arriving somewhere
- Realizing something
- Reacting
- Ending the story
Moments are easier than scenes.
Step 4
Decide Where Movement Matters:
For each moment, ask:
“Does this need movement?”
Some moments need:
- Reactions
- Head turns
- Hand gestures
Some moments need:
- Pauses
- Stillness
You are choosing movement – not guessing.
Step 5
Reuse as Much as Possible:
You do NOT need:
- Constant change
- New drawings for every moment
Reusing:
- Positions
- Reactions
- Characters
Saves time and keeps things clean.
This is how story-time animators work.
Step 6
Accept “Good Enough”:
Your first video does not need to be:
- Perfect
- Beautiful
- Impressive
It needs to be:
- Finished
Finished beats perfection.
Always.
Why This Planning Method Works?
Because it:
- Supports storytelling
- Removes overwhelm
- Keeps animation simple
- Helps beginners succeed
You are not guessing anymore.
You are building intentionally.
You Are Officially Making Real Animation:
This lesson marks a shift.
You are no longer learning pieces.
You are assembling them.
That’s huge.
Your Next Step
In the next lesson, we will talk about actually finishing – knowing when to stop and why uploading imperfect work is part of becoming an animator. See you until the next summon.