1 quick questions.
do people still think 2D animation cost more than 3D?
It can do. It normally does.
3D animation is slightly more ‘idiot proof’, in that the software should stop things like animation errors, off model occurrences, coloring issues and the like from happening, and it’s almost always faster (which means cheaper by default). 3D artists are also more common than 2D artists, so they’re easier to hire. This all means it’s cheaper on a budget.
Middle of the road animation… this is where it gets slightly more complicated. At this level, 3D animation can still look very cheap, and animation is often stiff and lifeless. The ‘idiot proof’ nature of the software becomes an issue, because many principles of animation designed to give the animation life and weight (and to ‘cheat’ by abusing the properties of human vision) become more difficult to implement. 3D animation can still be cheaper, but you really get what you pay for. Check out the animation quality of say… Sophia the First, compared to Tangled the Series.
At the high end… that gets a bit more complex, and it really has to do with talent at that level. America has the best 3D animators in the world, Japan likely has the best 2D animators. Princess and the Frog for instance took a lot longer than expected (and cost more) because many of the animators lacked experience with the medium.
