An old saying that rings truer each day for me. I happened across this paper while unearthing my work desk in an attempt to get my art tablet up and running. While on the picture above it says it’s an “Ideal process for creative.” I would now revise it to saying a “Work in Process for Creative”. Below is a cleaned up version of my chicken-scratch.

Kickoff

• Communicate with the Client, assess their needs.
• Conceptualize, perhaps even with the client in a quick meeting if they prefer.
• Generate visual ideas for the project. Mood boards, storyboards, rough compositions.

Decision

• Finalize concept, direction and application of idea.
• Create polished boards and designs to client, highlighting needs established earlier.
• Present concept to client and with approval, commit to design idea.

Execution – Scripting

• Script preparation.
• Run script through internally, repeat until approved. Submit to client.
• Work with client on script until both parties are satisfied with it.
• Limit further revisions to being minor if possible. Major changes would a scope change.

Execution – Graphics

• Once script is approved, begin creating graphics. If script has indications of possibly changing, include time in budget for making graphics modular.
• Still panels are generated, animatics are started once rough audio is established.
• Highlight key graphics to animate, showing style and proposed treatments.
• Use animatic to create production, use for timing adjustments.
• If high chance of timing adjustments, try to make graphics modifiable in the edit timeline so that edit can continue without needing to be revised.
• One audio and edit is locked, finalize any relevant graphics and prepare for output.

I’m sure this will be revised as the days progress but it feels good to get this down digitally instead of on a college ruled spiral notebook page.

-Robert