Some of our frequently used terms and definitions

2D animation

A way of creating animated video which uses only two dimensions. The illusion of life is created by animating static assets like illustrations or i.e. snippets of photographs. At Zologie we mostly use different styles of flat 2D and we animate in the Adobe After Effects CC environment.

Storyboard

A storyboard is used to conceptualise an (animated) video and make the intentions of the creators clear to the client. On the different pages of a storyboard, the narrative is laid out. For every shot or major change in the video that’s being made, there is a board. Each board tells all about what is visualised, what’s happening, what we hear and how the shot transitions into the next. These visualisations are (rough) sketches. They can indicate style, but only roughly.

Styleframe

A styleframe is the first step in defining the final visual style of an animated video. It’s a fully illustrated snapshot of one scene that was sketched out earlier in the storyboard phase. Based on the approved styleframe, the final illustration assets for the animated video are made.

Illustrations

The illustrations for the animated videos are based on the approved styleframe(s). They include all assets that will be used in the video. At this stage they are being created to match the storyboard created earlier. These illustrations are usually created in Adobe Illustrator CC and are composed out of vector shapes. This means that they can be used in print or social media campaigns too. Have a look at our complementary services.

Voice-over

A voice-over is the recorded performance of a native, professional voice-over artist. They usually record from their own (home) studio. We work together with a local studio if we want to record an artist ourselves. Always fun to do!