Amanda Russell

Know your audience and do research ahead of time to ensure you understand why they are watching in the first place. Are they in need of urgent answers? Or do they just want to be delighted and surprised? Understand the types of challenges they have and accommodate those obstacles when appropriate. For example, if you're working on a script that targets people over 65, it might be best to keep the script direct while also including embedded text or captions for the hearing impaired. For a lot of that specific audience, they'll never get to hear the script, they'll have to read it. It's important to not only know your audience, but understand them and their needs. A little bit of research goes a long way to writing a successful script.

Use a reference chart whenever possible. Typically there are a few mouth shapes that seem similar enough to be used in multiple consonants, but be careful and don't over do it. Too many lazy mistakes will be obvious to the viewer and will look amateur. Be expressive whenever possible and be as precise with the mouth shapes as possible.

It's critical to give your team fun animation projects when working with creative teams. Paying projects can often be soul sucking, but personal/internal projects can provide the growth opportunities for one's individual strengths and style. I recommend that after a hefty busy season, or during a depressing slow season, give your team something fun for them to focus their efforts on. Not only will they have something beautiful to add to the reel, but chances are they'll be rejuvenated and ready to face those less exciting projects that pay the bills. It's all about balance. And as they say, "one for the meal, one for the reel!"

I agree with what everyone else has said about the technical side of mouth sync, but it's not JUST about the mouth. One's expression changes depending on the message they're delivering. So if possible, when the voice over artist is recording their takes, try to get a video of them as well. This will really help the animator have the best possible reference to match the expressions of the artist to animated character.

Audiences love to discover an "Easter egg" that rewards their cleverness and attention to detail. So often in TV and film we hear obvious jokes, cliche concepts, and dumbed down scripts to appeal to the masses. But the magic actually happens when the viewer feels as if they understood a highly sophisticated joke, recognized an abstract pop culture reference, or found a hidden visual clue that a less savvy viewer wouldn't. Animated titles and credits that offer interactive participation with clever Easter eggs acts as an inside joke between the audience and the film makers. It's not only fun, but makes a uniquely intimate bond, and can turn an entire audience into enthusiastic fans.

Research and empathy are key in creating meaningful content for a specific audience. Understanding their habits, challenges, goals, trends and terminology will set you up for success. Find out as much as you can before you mentally commit to a concept. What we want to create does not always align with what the target audience wants to watch.