Directing in animation is typically conducted through three different ways expressing the visual narrative. Thumbnails: which are rough storyboards showing shot composition and staging. Storyboards: which are more detailed drawings of every shot and the acting and action within the shot. Animatics: which are storyboards timed out to the actors voice records and give clear sense of pacing, action, and camera movement.
Storyboards: This is a fun action scene I storyboarded for the Major Lazer animated series.
Animatics: Here is a scene I created the animatic for from the the "Suckers" pilot.
Thumbnails: Here are some samples of thumbnails I created for a scene from the animated Zoolander Movie. I created thumbnails for the entire feature. (Yes, that is the real Kardashians doing the voices for their animated characters.)