Date:         Wed, 5 Jan 2005 00:46:42 -0500
Reply-To:     Hayao Miyazaki Discussion Group <NAUSICAA@LISTSERV.BROWN.EDU>
Sender:       Hayao Miyazaki Discussion Group <NAUSICAA@LISTSERV.BROWN.EDU>
From:         wndrkn <wndrkn@RCN.COM>
Subject:      Re: Is 2004 the Year of Kiki?
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Andrew Simmons wrote:

>I thought I would add a little bit to Chris' comments.  From my
>experience, the letter label on a cel is used to designate the level
>from the other ones in a scene.  However, the letter itself is of little
>importance in relation to each other.  "A" does not mean it is layered
>above "B".  For example, on "The Legend of Mulan", we used "M" a lot for
>Mulan's level, even if she was the only level of animation in a scene.
>I don't know about Ghibli but that is how it was done at Disney.


I don't know much about American animation, and it was really interesting to
hear what those studios do. Thanks for sharing that information! However, it
doesn't apply to Ghibli nor to other Japanese studios. From all the Ghibli
cels I own and have seen (not to mention other from Japanese animation
studios), the explanation that Chris gave is completely accurate. The
letters are for layers and the numbers are the sequence number. For example,
I have a sketch sequence from Laputa (Dola stripping off her skirt). You can
see it here on the following page where I animated the sketches (click on
the link for the gif -- please forgive the pop-ups; it's a free website).

http://members.fortunecity.com/wndrkn/laputa.html


You will see the numbers go from 1-9 (with 1 and 3 being circled, meaning
they are drawn by key animators -- hence "key" cels). Dola, herself, is on
layer "E" which makes sense if you remember the scene that there is a lot
going on behind her ("A" layer is the first and everything else is piled on
top. The highest letter I've ever seen was an "H" layer!). I also have a
sequence from Nausicaa which shows the same thing (although I didn't scan in
all the pics nor animate them). Computer done series and movies still use
these sketches and keep this letter/number system intact, even if there are
(sadly) no true "cels" produced.

Best,

Wendy Goldberg
wndrkn@rcn.com

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