Animation is not new. The first full-length animated film was released in 1937, a couple of years before World War II. Can you guess what animated film it is? It is Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs from Walt Disney. From this, you can see how different each animation company in Singapore has grown and evolved.
But one thing has never changed. The cost of animation remained high. Sometimes, tremendously high. But what are the reasons for this?
1. ANIMATION STYLE
There are different types of animation styles. The most popular is motion graphics which is used in typical cartoons. Meanwhile, stop motion graphics are also known in the industry. The most popular example would be the Corpse Bride.
Did you know that your favourite animated movie could have used 3D animation? Toy Story and Zootopia are among the most popular 3D animated films.
Among all the animation styles, 3D animation is the most expensive. No wonder why 3D animated movies from top production houses in Singapore are typically big-budgeted.
2. ARTWORK CREATION
Artwork creation is perhaps the most gruelling part of animation. It is also where a large chunk of the budget goes. A video production company in Singapore can be meticulous when it comes to animation details.
For example, in the film Monsters, Inc, it took half a day to finish just one frame of the main character of the film, Sully. The reason? Animators made sure each fur on Sully’s body moved realistically.
3. VIDEO LENGTH
Imagine if one frame takes half a day to finish; what more if the entire movie length is two hours? It took three years to make the animated movie Finding Dory, which is just 1 hour and 37 minutes long!
The longer the video, the more expensive it is. It is better to discuss the budget with film companies in Singapore before properly launching the animation project.
4. STUDIO
The tools, equipment, and software used in animated movies are no joke. They are super expensive, especially the high-end ones. So no wonder why big animation studio names like Pixar and DreamWorks have high production rates.
According to the studio that made the film Brave, Pixar even created an entirely new software programme to engineer the motion of the character’s hair to move realistically.
A small animation company in Singapore with average-end tools and equipment tends to be cheaper than high-tech and well-equipped studios.
5. VOICE ACTORS
Another reason why animation films are expensive is because of the voice actors. Usually, star-studded animation films are big-budgeted. Perhaps, the most star-studded animation movie was Sing in 2016. Among its cast are Reese Witherspoon, Scarlett Johansson, Tori Kelly, and Jeniffer Hudson.
One way to cut the budget on your animated film is to hire professional voice actors rather than celebrities and famous people.
You will never see an animated movie the same again once you discover the amount of work and money people pour into making it.
If you are looking for an animation company in Singapore, visit Zeetrope. Zeetrope is one of the most trusted film production companies.
