A System for Planning and Timing Animation

System for Planning and timing animation is a concise digital PDF guide by Glen Keane. It presents a structured approach to preparing, thumbnailing, timing, and developing animated scenes.

This digital format is available as an instant download after purchase. The PDF version was edited by Jon Hooper and contains 22 pages.

The guide focuses on practical planning, expressive movement, character development, and the relationship between action, dialogue, timing, and design.

Book Overview

A System for Planning and Timing Animation follows several phases of an animation workflow. The opening sections address studying the storyboard, listening to the soundtrack, numbering an exposure sheet, breaking dialogue into phrases, and timing actions through repeated observation.

It then explains how to thumbnail attitudes and action, transfer poses to animation paper, conduct a rough pose test, and use timing charts to place drawings between extremes. The guide also presents seven animation essentials and a series of questions for developing a character’s personality, history, environment, music, and design.

The final material considers contrast, conflict, anticipation, movement, line, form, angles, tilts, and the way one attitude prepares the next.

What You’ll Discover Inside

• Preparation methods for studying storyboards, soundtracks, and exposure sheets.
• Approaches to phrasing dialogue and timing action without dialogue or music.
• Thumbnailing techniques for exploring poses, attitudes, and changes in line of action.
• Pose tests and timing charts for evaluating movement and drawing placement.
• Seven animation essentials, including positive statements, feeling, expression, forces, dialogue, and simplicity.
• Character development questions covering personality, history, environment, music, and design.
• The use of contrast, anticipation, angles, tilts, line, and form in animated action.

Why This Book Matters

This guide records a focused animation-planning process built around clear poses, purposeful timing, and expressive character action. It connects technical decisions with the feelings, intentions, and personality that make a scene readable.

Its sections on thumbnails, exposure sheets, pose tests, and timing charts make it a useful archival reference for readers studying traditional animation methods and scene construction.

Book Details

Device Compatibility

This is a digital download with no physical shipping. Access is available after purchase.

The PDF works with appropriate Kindle apps, tablets, desktop computers, mobile devices, and compatible reading apps. Printing is not promised or included.

FAQ

When can I access the file?
Access is available after purchase as an instant digital download.

Will I receive a physical copy?
No. This product is a digital PDF, and no physical item is shipped.

Which devices can open the PDF?
You can use appropriate Kindle apps, tablets, desktop or mobile devices, and compatible PDF reading apps.

Download this digital reference to study Glen Keane’s structured approach to animation planning, timing, and character development.