Layout
Layout Artist
The area of pre-production I chose to research is layout art.
A layout artist is animations equivalent of a cinematographer. They are
responsible for making decisions that highly affect the finished look of a film
such as composition, colour, lighting and camera angles and moves. They are
basically in control of capturing the animation with a virtual camera. Layout
artists work in collaboration with storyboard artists to work from storyboards
and animatics to create polished shots. They manipulate camera moves and angles
to dictate the story most effectively to the audience. Layout artists will also
place characters within a scene in accordance with the script to give character
animators a starting point. Layout artists are primarily employed to work on
feature films and animated series but they can also be used in game development
studios to work on cut scenes and cinematics within the game.
Armand Serrano is a layout artist and visual development artist. Serrano has
been active in the animation industry for nearly twenty years.
Armand Serrano started his animation career as an inbetweener at FilCartoons, Inc.
but soon moved to the layout department. At Filcartoons he worked mostly on TV
series such as Johnny Quest, Tom & Jerry Kids and Yogi Bear. In 1994 he
moved to Philippine Animation Studios, which was an independent studio working
for Marvel productions, during this time he was in charge of layout for overseas
production on shows like X-Men and Biker Mice From Mars. Following a Layout
Visualistion and Background Design course, Serrano moved to Walt Disney
Animation Studios in 1997 to work on his first feature film Mulan. He also
worked on Tarzan and Lilo & Stitch before moving to Sony Pictures Animation
in 2004 where he still holds the position of Art Director.
Below is an example of Serrano's work as a progression from pencil drawing to finished layout.
A layout artist is animations equivalent of a cinematographer. They are
responsible for making decisions that highly affect the finished look of a film
such as composition, colour, lighting and camera angles and moves. They are
basically in control of capturing the animation with a virtual camera. Layout
artists work in collaboration with storyboard artists to work from storyboards
and animatics to create polished shots. They manipulate camera moves and angles
to dictate the story most effectively to the audience. Layout artists will also
place characters within a scene in accordance with the script to give character
animators a starting point. Layout artists are primarily employed to work on
feature films and animated series but they can also be used in game development
studios to work on cut scenes and cinematics within the game.
Armand Serrano is a layout artist and visual development artist. Serrano has
been active in the animation industry for nearly twenty years.
Armand Serrano started his animation career as an inbetweener at FilCartoons, Inc.
but soon moved to the layout department. At Filcartoons he worked mostly on TV
series such as Johnny Quest, Tom & Jerry Kids and Yogi Bear. In 1994 he
moved to Philippine Animation Studios, which was an independent studio working
for Marvel productions, during this time he was in charge of layout for overseas
production on shows like X-Men and Biker Mice From Mars. Following a Layout
Visualistion and Background Design course, Serrano moved to Walt Disney
Animation Studios in 1997 to work on his first feature film Mulan. He also
worked on Tarzan and Lilo & Stitch before moving to Sony Pictures Animation
in 2004 where he still holds the position of Art Director.
Below is an example of Serrano's work as a progression from pencil drawing to finished layout.