Recruiter's Glossary

Examples: Rotoscoping • Red Giant • Logo Animation

Animatic

Term from Motion Graphics industry explained for recruiters

An animatic is a preliminary version of a video, commercial, or animation that helps visualize how the final product will look. Think of it as a moving storyboard - it's like a rough draft that combines still images or simple animations with basic sound to show timing and flow. Production teams use animatics to test ideas and get client approval before investing in full animation, which saves both time and money. You might also hear it called a "story reel" or "leica reel." When you see this term in a resume, it means the person has experience in pre-production planning and can create these important planning tools.

Examples in Resumes

Created Animatic presentations for major advertising campaigns that secured client approval

Developed detailed Animatics and Story Reels for animated series pilots

Led team in producing Animatic sequences for video game cutscenes

Typical job title: "Animatic Artists"

Also try searching for:

Storyboard Artist Previsualization Artist Motion Graphics Artist Animation Designer Story Reel Artist Previs Artist Multimedia Artist

Where to Find Animatic Artists

Online Communities

Job Boards

Professional Networks

Example Interview Questions

Senior Level Questions

Q: How do you manage an animatic project with tight deadlines and multiple stakeholder revisions?

Expected Answer: A senior candidate should discuss project management skills, explaining how they prioritize feedback, manage client expectations, and maintain quality while meeting deadlines. They should mention experience leading teams and handling multiple revisions efficiently.

Q: Tell me about a challenging animatic project and how you solved potential issues before full production.

Expected Answer: Look for answers that show how they identified potential problems early in the production process, saving time and money. They should demonstrate leadership and problem-solving abilities in pre-production planning.

Mid Level Questions

Q: What software do you use for creating animatics, and how do you choose which one to use?

Expected Answer: Candidate should be able to discuss various animation and editing software options, explaining when they would use each one based on project needs and client requirements.

Q: How do you ensure your animatic effectively communicates the final vision to clients?

Expected Answer: They should explain their process for creating clear, understandable previews that help non-technical clients visualize the final product, including timing, movement, and basic sound design.

Junior Level Questions

Q: What's the difference between a storyboard and an animatic?

Expected Answer: They should explain that storyboards are still images while animatics add motion, timing, and basic sound to better show how the final animation will flow.

Q: What elements do you include in a basic animatic?

Expected Answer: Look for understanding of basic animatic components: rough artwork, timing, basic movement, simple sound effects, and temporary dialogue or music tracks.