Making-of: How are Tikino animated stories born?
Posted by Equipe Tikino on
We watch them come alive on the bedroom wall, we listen to them carefully before falling asleep, but do you know how Tikino content is really created? Behind every minute of projection lies a true work of art, crafted by a team of enthusiasts.
Today, we take you behind the screen (and the projector!) to reveal the 5 steps of creating our content, The Bremen Town Musicians.
1. Writing: where it all begins
It all starts with a blank page and a lot of imagination. Our content isn't just simple videos: they are designed for children, with an adapted rhythm and benevolent messages. Some Tikino content is 100% original creations like Mademoiselle Etoile. Others are based on well-known texts and are re-adapted, which is the case for The Bremen Town Musicians, an adaptation of the famous Brothers Grimm fairy tale.
Writing is a phase of intense exchanges where the team's creativity is dedicated to educational quality. Every word is carefully chosen.
The text is then divided into scenes for the creation of a storyboard that will serve as a guide for illustrations, animations, and voice recording. The number of scenes and movements on screen is adjusted to allow the child time to immerse themselves in the world and focus on the details of the image and narration.
2. Illustration: giving heroes a face
Once the story is written, it's time for drawing. This is where our illustrators come in to shape the characters line by line. Every expression, every color, and every detail of the setting is meticulously chosen to create that soft and poetic visual universe unique to Tikino. It's at this stage that our heroes acquire their visual personality. Several techniques are possible; here, Swedish illustrator Maja Lindberg works on her characters using a tablet.
3. Recording: the voice of emotion
A beautiful image is nothing without a beautiful voice. To bring the characters to life, we choose the finest voice actors. In the studio, emotion is conveyed through the microphone: the tone must be just right, soothing, and captivating to accompany children in their discoveries.
4. Motion Design: the magic of movement
This is the most impressive technical step. Our motion designer takes the illustrations and sounds and sets them in motion. With a few clicks (and a lot of know-how), she brings the characters to life and creates the fluidity that transforms a series of drawings into a true animated story.
Capucine Bertin, our motion designer on this project, shares a short excerpt of her work in the video below:
5. And the magic happens…
Finally, the content is added to your Tikino catalog. All that's left is to turn on the projector, dim the lights, and let the children marvel at the result of all this teamwork.
Seeing the eyes of our little viewers light up is, for us, the greatest reward.
To add The Bremen Town Musicians to your library, click here:
