Animation - a Double-Edged Sword in Business Development

As any survey of YouTube will show you, animation is a double-edged sword.  It can be used to make the most impossible things appear to work.  This is because animation does not obey any of the laws that govern the real world (other than the obvious ones related to the engine such as ray-tracing, shadowing, etc).  It can easily fool viewers with unsuspecting eyes.  This can lead to a backlash if reality bites and the disparity between the vision and "what really happens" is too high.  Also, to the suspecting and trained eyes (such as those of a vetting engineer), animations that are too simply conceived will receive nothing but scorn.  Poor communication, whether in terms of physics, visual continuity, narration, etc, suspends belief and loses the customer.  Thus, it is the responsibility of the visualization team to understand and operate as best they can in the laws that govern reality when they produce visions for customers.  Remember, visualization is foremost about communicating and here the emphasis should always rest.  A close relationship between any engineers, physicists, or other knowledgeable individuals on the project is crucial to communicating clearly and correctly to prevent any "suspension of belief."  

Unfortunately, many animation studios lack basic physical knowledge behind "how things work."  Animators and visual artists seeking to work in technical fields should, as a necessity, seek science and engineering experience to better communicate technical ideas in ways that do not diminish their realism, ingenuity, or value.  This will help ensure that their work will be as well received as possible and work almost entirely as a "single-edged sword" pointed in the right direction.