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Also, it seems to me that it would be very hard to become good at animation without knowing the basics of "rigging" a character.  Yet, in order to optimally rig a character, the mesh show have certain optimum flows....(ie topology in facial areas....joints, poly counts, etc.)  Are you saying that you want to animate, but only something that someone else has modelled and rigged?  That's kinda another sort of "make art" button, isn't it?  

I want to create the script and direct the characters in the animation.   I would like them to look as good as they can.   Hence I am forced to learn a bit about 3d.   Yes thats right forced.  I do not want to learn the technical stuff.  I would much prefer that all the characters were premade and perfect and a hundred times easier to use.   I don't care whether you consider what I would like to do "art" or not.  Nor do l care what you think of writers and directors generally.