diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/media/animation/Animation.java b/src/java/com/threerings/media/animation/Animation.java
index 5aea759f3..1275e57c6 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/media/animation/Animation.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/media/animation/Animation.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //
-// $Id: Animation.java,v 1.7 2002/09/17 20:06:58 mdb Exp $
+// $Id: Animation.java,v 1.8 2002/09/20 21:28:20 mdb Exp $
 
 package com.threerings.media.animation;
 
@@ -40,8 +40,16 @@ public abstract class Animation
     /**
      * Sets the render order associated with this animation.  Animations
      * can be rendered in two layers; those with negative render order and
-     * those with positive render order.  Someday animations will be
-     * rendered in each layer according to render order.
+     * those with positive render order. In the same layer, animations
+     * will be rendered according to their render order's cardinal value
+     * (least to greatest). Those with the same render order value will be
+     * rendered in arbitrary order.
+     *
+     * <p> This must be set <em>before</em> the animation is handed to the
+     * {@link AnimationManager} and must not change while the {@link
+     * AnimationManager} is managing the animation. If you wish to change
+     * the render order, remove the animation from the manager, change the
+     * order and add it back again.
      */
     public void setRenderOrder (int value)
     {
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/media/animation/AnimationManager.java b/src/java/com/threerings/media/animation/AnimationManager.java
index a05ab6662..9bc5b84d0 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/media/animation/AnimationManager.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/media/animation/AnimationManager.java
@@ -1,12 +1,14 @@
 //
-// $Id: AnimationManager.java,v 1.12 2002/08/15 20:56:08 shaper Exp $
+// $Id: AnimationManager.java,v 1.13 2002/09/20 21:28:20 mdb Exp $
 
 package com.threerings.media.animation;
 
 import java.awt.Graphics2D;
 import java.awt.Shape;
 
-import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.Comparator;
+
+import com.samskivert.util.SortableArrayList;
 
 import com.threerings.media.Log;
 import com.threerings.media.MediaConstants;
@@ -42,7 +44,7 @@ public class AnimationManager
         }
 
         anim.setAnimationManager(this);
-        _anims.add(anim);
+        _anims.insertSorted(anim, RENDER_ORDER);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -129,6 +131,7 @@ public class AnimationManager
      */
     public void renderAnimations (Graphics2D gfx, int layer, Shape clip)
     {
+        // now paint them
         int size = _anims.size();
         for (int ii = 0; ii < size; ii++) {
             Animation anim = (Animation)_anims.get(ii);
@@ -153,5 +156,16 @@ public class AnimationManager
     protected RegionManager _remgr;
 
     /** The list of animations. */
-    protected ArrayList _anims = new ArrayList();
+    protected SortableArrayList _anims = new SortableArrayList();
+
+    /** Used to sort animations prior to painting. */
+    protected static final Comparator RENDER_ORDER = new Comparator() {
+        public int compare (Object o1, Object o2) {
+            return (((Animation)o1)._renderOrder -
+                    ((Animation)o2)._renderOrder);
+        }
+        public boolean equals (Object obj) {
+            return this == obj;
+        }
+    };
 }