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I will start this text by asking a question that indicates the paths we will follow in this matter. When performing a certain action or even thinking about something, in the face of the ordinary, normal state of your life, consciously or unconsciously, do you prefer to do good or do something that will harm someone?

The first answer that comes instantly and without much rationalization is the thought and practice of good, indisputably.

Ready. Faced with this answer, it is a fact that the human being is inherently and originally a practitioner of good. No one by nature has the will to harm another person. It is evident and objective that positive messages contained in an audiovisual product are important to feed that original thought that is already contained in the core of all of us. Now that we’ve introduced the theme, let’s dig a little deeper and better understand the importance of messages.

It is interesting to observe and point out that the current media likes to value negative messages, with violent, ironic, extremely materialistic and almost always frightening content, defending them as being the contemporary reality and that it must be transmitted, because the human being needs these facts and truths . 

What exists there is a system in which the media really use fear as a weapon to tie and feed the system itself, in which human beings, in order to protect themselves, take precautions, need to know what is going wrong and bad and try to Get away from that negativity. 

What happens is that at the same time that we want to escape, we need to be there to know and we never leaves that circle. Fear frightens and captures the attention of beings who unwittingly 

imprison themselves and end up systematically feeding an endless wheel of frightening news. There is also in this system another thought in which only the new is better and the old is obsolete without awareness that this new must be durable and have a long life. A consumerist strategy that also causes an emotional cycle of dependence in which if I don’t have the new I feel bad and only with the new do I confer happiness and comfort. This wheel is only broken when, in fact, we propose to return to the original thought of good. We do this by not blocking negative or consumerist news. I see the main solution to this as replacing such news with positive or sustainable ones.

​Instead of villains being arrested and excluded, we could have villains being understood and trying to be welcomed, instead of free and poisonous competition, healthy competition or even better, cooperation and collaboration.

The cartoon has an essential value for the propagation of messages, as it conveys ideas in a synthetic and playful way, whether visually or rhetorically. It is a timeless product and in fact manages to convey emotions and concepts, regardless of the language spoken.

4Transmits a universal language. We observe in the history of audiovisual and we see that the role of animation for the propagation of messages and education of populations is very important. Animation in several countries has already been used to start new trends in the way of dressing up, fueling wars, sexually educating generations and propagating cultural changes.

The great example is the United States which, even today, through its audiovisual product, and I include animation there, manages to penetrate and culturally change an entire planet. Animation has already been used by the United States Army for military enlistment and to spread war news, due to the great power of synthesis that exists in animation. 

It was also used very effectively in youth sex education in the 1970s and 1980s. The former Soviet Union used animation to propagate its culture as well. It is very clear that currently animation, whether in stories or games, has more and more space on big screens and small screens due to the evolution of the internet and the responsibility of this audiovisual format is increasing.

What are you going to feed your child’s eyes?

The main target audience for cartoons is children. It may seem a little redundant and even superficial, but it is necessary to give importance to this fact, because when we talk about a product that is 

consumed by children, we are talking about the future that humanity will go through. It is interesting to think that if we sell positive thoughts and projections to these beings, we are formatting more loving, empathetic human beings, people who care about and understand other people.

Violent animations sell what they expose. Do you want to sell violence?

I am not defending the banning or extinction of this type of message here, I would like to make it clear that the intention here is to give immense importance to an exchange of habits. As a person who can choose very well to feed a child a hamburger in a cafeteria but knows that a dish that contains greens, vegetables, roots, is much healthier and provides quality of life to those who consume it.

Humanitarian Leaders talking about Positive Thoughts

Finally, when we talk about positive issues, we cannot leave aside the words of great masters and humanitarian leaders who passed to leave real light on the planet. These beings are great examples of a straight and sensible life and certainly inspire the masses, they must always be followed, as they are sacred instruments in the service of good. So let’s go:

“I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant.”

Martin Luther King

“Making others happy, through kindness of speech and sincerity of right advice, is a sign of true greatness. To hurt another soul by sarcastic words, looks, or suggestions, is despicable.”

Paramahansa Yogananda

“Power is of two kinds. One is obtained by the fear of punishment and the other by acts of love. Power based on love is a thousand times more effective and permanent then the one derived from fear of punishment.”

Mahatma Gandhi

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To make an animation project you need a minimum budget for it to pay for itself. When the budget is basic there are many challenging factors such as high expectations of the client even with little investment, always great desire to make a project above the quality that fits the budget, number of artists involved in the project, as well as the value of their service and the individual experience for the project among others, but perhaps the main factor for this project to be carried out successfully is the pre-production. 

A well-planned and performed pre-production will be crucial for the project to be produced in a sustainable and healthy way. I participated in some pre-productions. In my view, whenever the planning and execution of these steps were well done, the rest flowed very well. I put 5 tips below for this pre-production to be well planned and carried out, regardless of the size of the project, remembering, of course, that we are talking about low budget.

1. Team choice:

In most of the low investment projects that I participated in, the managers always defined the strategy of having a very small team with the highest possible quality. In my opinion, it is not the best strategy, for two reasons: first, the project needs a lot of work in a short time and second, generally the best think only about quality and take longer to meet deadlines in view of this view that quality is what matters most. In my opinion, the team must have the fastest artists with a super talented leader in each area to have a lot of production at this stage, maintaining a quality consistent with the budget. These super efficient teams with very fast artists will play in bulk, producing recycle banks, and the leaders will determine what will be played and oversee the entire production. 

The idea is that this supervision is not extremely judicious. The objective here is not to have products from banks with very low quality. Artists with a little less experience are usually super engaged and are my favorite for pre-production teams. They are fast, maintain good quality and are very willing to learn and work. The areas of this stage should be, a boarder, a technical director or a rigging director, an animator director and a BG and prop director; they, together with the creative director, will define the project’s concept.

2. Visual development:

The visual development must be coherent with the budget and must be the root of the project, it must be simple but very aesthetically powerful and must be defined by the creative director together with the leaders of each area. This may be the most important factor, perhaps even more important than the story, but at best it will be right next to the project story in importance. As I said, it should be simple, simple to reproduce, simple to recognize, simple in depth, simple in layout, simple in the number of characters, objects in the scenery and props. 

Simple shapes and colors are the visual basis for the success of this type of project and generally gain strength when mixed with this simplicity, we use some complex aesthetic artificials, such as textures, but without exaggeration.

3. Script and Storyboard:

Scripts with simple and semantically didactic stories are my favorite. Peter Jackson is the teacher of this type of script and storyboard. He is the biggest reference. The greatest example, even though all of his films are mega productions, he makes scripts and boarding very simple and powerful. Simple story, that’s the big tip. Choices of number of characters, others and settings must be defined here. It is very important that they do not exceed a ceiling and it will depend once again on the amount that will be invested in the project. 

Here you will also define the level of complexity of the layouts. Once again SIMPLICITY is the word that guides the layouts. The choice for a majority of American and closed plans is positive, even for projects for early childhood children.

4. Reuse bank:

After the visual development, this part is the most crucial and must be worked on well so as not to waste too much waste or waste energy. Backgrounds, props, poses and animations must be designed to be reused. The professional artists who will make these benches must be very motivated and focused and goals must be set. Generally, in pre-productions, the artists do not have a very high level of concentration, and in this moment of making benches, the goals raise this level of involvement.

5. Pre-production schedule:

To carry out the pre-production of a low-budget project, the schedule must provide for more time than projects with less lean budgets. It seems counterintuitive, but the truth is that pre-productions in projects with little investment need this stage more than others. It’s crucial to the rest of the production and when it’s done, the rest flows very well. 

The schedule should be well followed without too much flexibility, unless there is something very out of the curve going on. If that happens, what must be done to contain the fire is to take time out of production, that is to compress production. Pre production, in this case, should be looked at with more importance than production.

I think that’s what a successful low-budget pre-production looks like. I make it clear that for the team that will lead this stage, engagement is very important. They will determine the emotional value of the rest of the team and the rest of the project. If they are united and in a pleasant climate, everything will be fine.

I also make it clear once again that this is a general point of view that in my humble opinion fits most, if not all, low-budget animation projects.

Leadership is a crucial aspect of any project, and in the field of animation, it is no different. However, many people believe that leadership is a gift that only a select few possess. But, in my opinion, leadership is something that can be developed and nurtured over time through hard work and dedication. While some may be more naturally inclined to lead, anyone can develop the skills and qualities needed to be a successful leader.

Being a leader in animation is a great challenge and responsibility. There are many different goals that need to be met, such as speed and quality, and the relationships between leaders and their subordinates, as well as between leaders and the technologies, sectors, and customers they work with. These relationships can be complex and challenging, and it takes a lot of skill and effort to manage them effectively.

It’s important to note that there is no such thing as perfect leadership or bad leadership. The goal is to strive for balanced leadership, where everyone involved in the project is able to maintain their mental health and well-being, and this is reflected in the final quality of the project. In animation, this balanced leadership comes from a positive and evolutionary view of everyone involved in the project. Animation is a collective and collaborative activity, and as such, the leadership required in this field is different from other more traditional areas.

Animation is a field that requires a lot of creativity, and as a leader, it’s important to foster a culture of creativity and innovation. This means encouraging your team to think outside of the box and to take risks. It’s also important to be open to feedback and to be willing to adapt your leadership style to the needs of your team.

Another important aspect of leadership in animation is communication. As a leader, it’s important to clearly communicate your vision and goals to your team, and to make sure that everyone is on the same page. This means being open and transparent in your communication and being willing to listen to the concerns and ideas of your team members.

I bring here 8 tips that can make leadership in animation more sustainable and balanced:

1. Empathy:

Look at each other with understanding and care. Empathy doesn’t mean trying to be nice to everyone all the time. I believe that being empathetic is something that can be practiced to be increasingly developed internally. Having a speech with transparency, truth and affection, and especially an extremely active listening, in which you listen more than you speak, putting yourself in the shoes of those in the relationship, understanding that when that relationship is clearly friendly, it brings comfort to everyone and peace is being empathetic. In animation this becomes stronger as we are talking about artists, people with a lot of sensitivity and a very unique look at life. Being empathetic in animation makes the project more willing to take part and give your best.

2. Flexibility

Adapting to the director’s point of view but also, and in my opinion, mainly, adapting to the animator’s point of view for the development of the scene and knowing how to accept the point of view of the animator in the scene is to be positively flexible. This is a very important factor for good leadership to bring about a differentiated rapport and an appreciation of trust in the leader-led relationship. This flexibility has a lot to do with not being carried away by personal tastes, not being personal when supervising a scene or distributing a block of scenes and not passing on the creativity of the team being led. It is very important to let the creative freedom flow in the initial stages of the production of a scene by the animator, he is the closest original to the scene, he has the energy of the scene more outcropped, so the leader must give confidence and this confidence is related much with creative freedom and flexibility.

3. Collective commitment

Commitment to the team means being available to the supervised team whenever possible. It does not mean overloading and not having any time for yourself or other tasks, but being willing to give yourself to the team confidently in individual and collective work. It means being truthfully open to the team in good times, but also sharing the challenges with truth and a collaborative spirit, knowing that everyone in that team is a great professional ready to understand challenges. In addition, it is important within this commitment to always be attentive to the needs of each individual on the team, getting to know each member as best as possible and recognizing each one of them as unique beings.

4. Types of leadership and social tools:

The best possible understanding of types of leadership and social tools that can be used in the implementation of the project is a beautiful attribute to understand actions and decision-making with more awareness. There are several types of positive leadership. I would like to highlight 2 very interesting types that are starting to be used more in the corporate environment, in addition to fitting well into a project that involves artists. They are decentralized leadership and collaborative leadership. The names out there just say their meaning. The decentralization of leadership brings more autonomy and divides responsibility among all those involved. Collaborative leadership, on the other hand, brings collective confidence and self-esteem within the group. Social tools are techniques used to facilitate collective communication, bringing simplicity and clarity. In terms of social tools, I highlight Dragon Dreaming, CNV and the talking stick as positive. I want to make it clear here that these tools are technical. Many professional leaders think they know non-violent communication because they have read about it or are simply friendly with their subordinates. One more personal opinion. These techniques require study and dedication, not just being nice to each other. I highlight these 3 that have depth and grandeur and it would be very difficult to speak synthetically about them. I leave here a suggestion to delve into these 3 tools.

5. Technical-artistic integration:

Good artistic and technical integration with the project that is leading the animation is essential, I would say that all these elements are important, but in fact this factor is the only one that cannot be missing. A synonym for this integration is coherence. That is to say, not to be carried away once again by personal tastes. The leader who integrates well into the project technically and artistically must be very open to adapting to each project without imposing or having any rigidity, in addition to studying the varied artistic nuances a lot and having a good understanding of various animation techniques. This makes it much simpler to embark on a show, adapt to it and it is much easier to explain to your team members about the paths of that project.

6. Decision power:

Deciding is not very easy. The leader who is well confident and technically and artistically prepared is able to make faster and more effective decisions. Decision-making should always be done calmly, without haste and without anxiety. I say that and I am convinced that even if there is a lot of pressure for a decision to be taken, it should not be taken before the leader has a moment to reflect. Now if any decision must be taken immediately, always think at that moment, what is better for the team either productively or artistically! Think of the team first of all. Remember that they are close to you and any attitude or decision that will make them overload is not a positive path at all. Another reminder: exertion is different from overload. Effort is a virtue in my opinion.

7. Power of motivation:

Motivate. Powerful tool that leaves the team always fresh and mentally invigorated. Like everyone else, I am completely confident that anyone can develop this motivational ability. It is very important and must always be present in the heart of the animation leader. As we are talking about artists, motivation comes a lot from the artistic ability of the leader. We are able to motivate an artist in many ways, running courses, workshops, scheduled or even daily feedback sessions, and film screenings, as well as promoting deserving ones to higher positions. Now what I like most about all these forms of motivation is sincere and transparent praise. Many say that I praise too much and this is a technique that is used for the team to work, but I say emphatically that it is mine. I do not force or apply any praise techniques. It is always sincere and transparent. There are many ways and what remains here is a suggestion that the leader should maintain positivity as much as possible as this is the most 

efficient factor for leadership to reach their team of artists positively.

8. Develop the spiritual part:

For me, practical spirituality is the most important factor. I will not talk about theoretical spirituality here, but about how to apply it in everyday life. To do this, I will present three fundamental pieces for a good spiritual practice: meditation, introspection, and personal reform. Start by meditating for at least 5 minutes before work or a meeting and notice the difference it makes. Try to listen more than speak and stay quiet in meetings, avoiding unnecessary talking. I say this based on my own experience. Lastly, always be aware of your attitudes and behaviors, striving to be a better person every day.

Ready. It’s all there.

In addition, a good leader in animation should be able to manage the different aspects of a project, such as budget and timelines, while also being able to make difficult decisions when necessary. They should also be able to work well under pressure and to be able to lead by example.

In conclusion, leadership in animation is a great challenge and responsibility. It requires a lot of hard work, dedication, and skill to be able to lead a team effectively. While some may be more naturally inclined to lead, anyone can develop the skills and qualities needed to be a successful leader in animation. The goal is to strive for balanced leadership, where everyone involved in the project is able to maintain their mental health and well-being, and this is reflected in the final quality of the project.

As a leader in animation projects, I have had the opportunity to supervise and direct animation teams and complete projects. Although I have made many mistakes and faced many challenges, I also had a lot of willingness to learn and grow as a leader. As with any activity, the more we practice, the more we improve and I can say that I still have a lot to learn, but with each project I led, I became a better leader, more empathetic, more flexible, more collectively committed, more motivated and more experienced. Leadership is an opportunity that God has given us to test our ego. I would like to thank all those who I have led, as they were essential for my evolutionary journey. As a leader, it is important to always be open to criticism and opinions of others, as this allows us to learn and grow.

In summary, leadership is a constant journey of learning and growth. As a leader, it is important to always be open to criticism and opinions of others, be flexible, empathetic, collectively committed, motivated and experienced. I would like to thank all those who I have led, as they were essential for my evolutionary journey and I hope to continue learning and growing as a leader.