3   Levels and Blanks

Levels

Frames are read from top to bottom of the dopesheet. The columns across the sheet represent layers (same as "levels") of the animation.

In this example, there is only one layer or level of artwork and that is a background.

The lowest level is normally indicated on the extreme right.

A line has been drawn down from the background's name; this is for clarity. It helps emphasise that the BG11 is held (that is, it stays on screen). The arrow head at the end of the line indicates that the held artwork will continue beyond the end of the current page.

The first rule is: when artwork is added to a column, it is assumed to stay there until it is specifically indicated that it is to be removed. The correct way to indicate that it is to be removed is shown in the next example:

Blanks

The above example shows how blanks (drawn with a cross) are used to indicate where no artwork is present. (Some animators prefer to write "BLNK" or similar instead).
The background is static. The "LC" drawings or cels on top of the background are of a character called Lucy who is animated running across screen between frames 3 and 18. On frames 1 and 2 she is not visible. The first visible drawing is LC1 on frame 3 and each drawing is held for two frames. (The vertical lines under each number are optional). If there were no blank placed after LC15, the character would remain frozen in the last pose, as that drawing would be left as a hold.

The cardinal rule is to make your intentions as clear as possible - to that end, note that the columns have a description of their contents at their head.

Remember the corny old adage, if anything can go wrong, it will. It's far better to "over-explain" than think to yourself "it must be obvious...."

Before we examine some more complex examples of doping, let us make a detour to discuss the design of rostrum cameras. This should help in visualising what we are trying to achieve when we write camera moves in dopesheets.

> 4- the animation rostrum