OUTLINE
The Outline in animation production is the breakdown of the major scenes in the film. What’s going to happen, why and to who. It usually points out the characters arcs of the story and sets up the protagonist and the antagonist as well as secondary characters and their roles in the story.
Here’s an example of a simple outline for animation:
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FOR THE BIRDS
by Mike Milo
Fade in on a bird school built into a tree nestled high up in it’s limbs in Central Park Tiny windows cascade along the tree’s branches and limbs act as walkways for the bird children. Kids pile out of the doors for recess as the bell rings.
(Note: All action takes place up in the trees.)
RED; a short squat bird with expressive eyes stands atop a Jungle Gym carved from a branch trying to woo girls as he speaks in a thick NYC accent.
Red: Yo! I got a killer idea! Who’s got the crumbs to go to the dance with me this Saturday?
A flurry of books careen into scene knocking him off screen. Cut to the ground as his face is flattened on the floor. He sits up with wood grain divots in his face.
Red: Guess not.
He watches them walk off.
Red: (to cam) There’s got to be an easier way.
Red walks up to a skinny green bird wearing a Star Trek-esque shirt. This is THE ADMIRAL
Red: Yo Admiral, who you thinking of asking to the dance? Me I got uh…buckets of offers but I’m playin’ the field ya know?
The Admiral is talking on what looks like a piece of wood with controls drawn on it and a coat hanger taped to the back. He pulls it away for a moment.
The Admiral: I have no time for earthly games Red… The Xathroxes will be attacking any day now! (thrusts his fist skyward) Blast their five armpits!
Red: (to cam pointing to The Admiral) Can we say therapy?…
Red: Alien attack huh? Hey waitaminute. Five armpits?
The Admiral shows him a crude drawing of a five armed Xathrox in a Sci Fi Mag.
Red: Yeesh…what’s his deodorant bill every month?
He scans the schoolyard.
Red: Ooh look Admiral, there’s Jeannie. She is one tall drink of water, ya know what I mean? Huh Huh?
Admiral: Oh Red, we’re all mostly water except for the Bladnorfs who are made of wood and gelatin. The Xathroxes must have secretly melted your brain! (Shakes his fist towards the sky) Blast their active nasal hole!
Red: Someone melted my brain huh? Hmm… there’s my excuse for that “F” in History yesterday. Think you could forge a note from him to give to my teacher?
Admiral: From the Tyrant of Quadrant Nine? Not likely.
Red: Hmm, well then I guess I’ll go ask Jeannie to the dance. Watch this!
He starts to run off screen but trips on his own feet falling flat on his face.
Red: Ow!
He gets back up and walks away a bit more carefully pointing to his face.
Red: “Now dat’s a bruise!”
Cut back to The Admiral as a bug lands on his lapel.
The Admiral: Hello there little one, You have nothing to fear from me. I come in peace!
He tries to pat the bug but it bites him. In defense he squishes it and is suddenly attacked by a swarm.
Admiral: Great Heron’s Antennae! Red Alert! Red Alert!
He runs OS in a flurry of bugs.
Cut to Red running up to Jeannie… He trips twice running up to her finally knocking her down. Jeannie kicks him off of her. In the bg we see the Admiral come in and out of frame chased by a swarm of bugs.
Jeannie: Beat it freako.
She pulls out pepper spray.
Red: Love is worth the pain sweetheart!
She shrugs and sprays him in the eyes. He runs around screaming like a little girl
Red: Burning! Burning!
Jeannie walks away. Red stops right in front of the Admiral who is now all lumpy from the bites. Red’s eyes are so swollen so they stick out the side of his head making him look like a fish.
.
Red: (to cam) There’s got to be an easier way.
He looks at the Admiral.
Red: Whoa there Cappo! You look like a Lego!
The Admiral looks at him.
The Admiral: You resemble a female Skint during mating season.
Red: Female? Oooh! Low blow from the Admiral!
X-Diss to later on the swings. Red is watching the Admiral as he writes on his PDA.
Red: Anything in that PDA that can get Jeannie to go out with me?
Admiral: It’s a communication transponder, Red. Didn’t you read The Galactic Alliance manual I gave you?
Red: It’s in a very important place.
Quick cut to the manual which is propping up a TV at Red’s house.
Red: Beides, it’s gotta be like I dunno, elevendy hundred pages or something!
The Admiral: 5 thousand years of history is not a light read Red.
The Admiral thinks for a second.
Admiral: Hmmm. Why not do what the Blathorps from K Quadrant do and tear one of your hearts out as a gesture of your love?
Red: Tough love huh?… Hold the phone! That gives me a doozer of a lightbulb. Cappo, you still have that creepy Halloween outfit you wore last year?
The Admiral: The Two Headed Doodon? Of course. That was a three thousand dollar item I had shipped to me from the eBay galaxy.
Red: Sweet, I got an idea! Let’s make like a leaf and uh… go.
The Admiral: Can I make like a Zord instead?
Red: As long as it goes fast. C’mon!
The Admiral hops offscreen on one leg screeching. Red rolls his eyes and runs after him..
Wipe to:
The Admiral and Red are hiding behind a brushy limb outside Jeannie’s house. The Admiral is in a big Doodon suit
(a two-headed beetle with a tufts of long hair.}
Red: Okay now when Jeannie walks past this branch you jump out and scare the ring out of her nose and I’ll swoop down and sweep her to Red-land! Who can resist Red land?
Admiral: I have not heard of Red-Land.
The Admiral speaks into his PDA:
The Admiral: Research Red-land in this sector. Admiral over and out.
Red: Oooh look here she comes! Sweeet! Get ready!
The Admiral: She’ll never fall for it. Doodons hibernate this time of year. Your plan is flawed.
Jeannie walks by the bush and Red kicks The Admiral out into the open.
Admiral/Doodon: uh…Sqeee-awk! Sqee-awk!
Jeannie turns and whacks him in the head then kicks him in the crotch causing him to stumble and he gets one of his “heads” stuck in the mailbox. Red jumps out from behind the branch and starts to feign punching the Admiral in the suit in the ribs.
Red: Take that and uh that! Yeah! Lookit me Jeannie, I’m yer knight in shining freakin’ armor! Huh? Huh?!?
She stares.
Jeannie: He-Looo! I know that’s The Admiral in the suit, Red. You’re not fooling anyone…
She whacks them both with her hazelnut purse and walks into her house leaving them on the ground.
The Admiral: Mayday, I say again Mayday. Admiral down. I repeat Admiral down.
Red: (woosily)Ask them to beam me down a new skullcap…
X-Diss to later:
Red and The Admiral are sitting on the swings at school and Red is reading How To Pick Up Chicks The Cool Way.
Red: Whoo, (to cam) Complicated!
The Admiral: Red, a tall life form approaches.
It’s Jeannie. Red looks up and then runs toward her falling twice in the process.
Red: Jeannie!
Jeannie: Go away Red, you’re breathing my air.
Red: (to cam) Whoah! Fiesty!
Jeannie reaches for the pepper spray but Red puts the book up to cover his face. She sees the book’s title and is surprised. She decides to listen.
Jeannie: What do you want Red?
Red: C’mon Jeannie! What say you an me go to the dance? Ya know Boogie it up huh?
Jeannie: You want to pick boogers? Guh-ross.
Red: No uh not boogie as in nose goblins, no uh yeah uh like ya know dance boogie yeah like mojo dancing man! Whooo. (he spins). C’mon whaddya say? I’ll have my people call your people huh?
Jeannie: You don’t have any people Red and neither do I.
Red: C’mon Jeannie. Dance. Me. You. So much fun, if you had a tail you’d be waggin it!
She looks at him again.
Jeannie: So now I’m a dog to you? Cuh-ruel!
Red: NO! Uh not like you’re a dog or nuthin, no uh… No sir! I mean Mam! I mean MISS! I mean I… I just… I just…
Jeannie starts to walk away.
Red slumps on the ground.
Red: <quietly> Oh forget it.
The Admiral runs in.
Admiral: AHHHHHHH! It’s the Xathroxes! They’ve attacked! Red never gives up! They’re shutting him down! Mayday! Mayday! Help! Help!
He tries to lift Red up. Red pushes him away.
Red: NO! Admiral! No! It’s not the stupid Xeroxes attacking. Enough with that already! I’m depressed okay? I just, I just… I dunno. I just wanted to ask Jeannie to the dance ya know? Have some fun… a pretty lady on my arm for once.
On ‘Pretty ‘Jeannie perks up and stops walking away. She turns.
Red: <teary-eyed> But no, I gotta mess it all up with my stupid lingo… bla bla bla… Why can’t I just have the crumbs to say: Jeannie, I really like you and I want to put you up on a pedestal and worship you like the grammar school goddess you are. Will ya go to the dance with me? We’ll dance ’til the crows come home! But noooooo! I’m a chicken. A dodo. A turkey. Put me onna plate. I am done.
Jeannie stares at Red who has slumped onto the ground dejected. Suddenly she kneels next to him.
Jeannie: Awwww. You are sooooo cuh-ute! I didn’t know you had so much compassion. I like that in a duh-ude. Let’s go to the dance. You and me? Ohkay?
Red looks up… His mouth hangs open agape. He’s speechless. Jeannie shuts it and walks away smiling.
Jeannie: Pick me up Saturday at 7!
Red jumps into the air!
Red: I KNEW there was an easier way!
He chases after Jeannie like a puppy as she walks into the distance.
Red: I’m cute huh? Yeah? Ya think? Really? What part of me was cutest? I always liked my ears, although my mom says I have a killer smile…
Jeannie: You’re cuter when your mouth is closed.
the Admiral leans in front of the camera.
The Admiral: Like THAT’S ever gonna happen.
The Admiral turns to follow and as he does a real live Xathrox sticks it’s head up from the bushes behind him.
Xathrox: (to camera whispering) Boy you got that right!
THE END
