diff --git a/manimlib/animation/animation.py b/manimlib/animation/animation.py
index 2ad04d6b..fb37a5a1 100644
--- a/manimlib/animation/animation.py
+++ b/manimlib/animation/animation.py
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import numpy as np
 from manimlib.constants import *
 from manimlib.mobject.mobject import Mobject
 from manimlib.utils.config_ops import digest_config
-from manimlib.utils.config_ops import instantiate
 from manimlib.utils.rate_functions import smooth
 
 
@@ -26,7 +25,6 @@ class Animation(object):
     }
 
     def __init__(self, mobject, **kwargs):
-        mobject = instantiate(mobject)
         assert(isinstance(mobject, Mobject))
         digest_config(self, kwargs, locals())
         # Make sure it's all up to date
@@ -38,6 +36,12 @@ class Animation(object):
         self.all_families_zipped = self.get_all_families_zipped()
         self.update(0)
 
+    def begin_animation(self):
+        pass
+
+    def end_animation(self):
+        pass
+
     def __str__(self):
         return self.name
 
diff --git a/manimlib/animation/composition.py b/manimlib/animation/composition.py
index ed466827..d456d731 100644
--- a/manimlib/animation/composition.py
+++ b/manimlib/animation/composition.py
@@ -3,9 +3,7 @@ import warnings
 import numpy as np
 
 from manimlib.animation.animation import Animation
-from manimlib.constants import *
 from manimlib.mobject.mobject import Group
-from manimlib.mobject.mobject import Mobject
 from manimlib.utils.bezier import inverse_interpolate
 from manimlib.utils.config_ops import digest_config
 from manimlib.utils.rate_functions import linear
@@ -192,7 +190,7 @@ class AnimationGroup(Animation):
             self.run_time = 0
         else:
             self.run_time = max([a.run_time for a in sub_anims])
-        everything = Mobject(*[a.mobject for a in sub_anims])
+        everything = Group(*[a.mobject for a in sub_anims])
         Animation.__init__(self, everything, **kwargs)
 
     def update(self, alpha):
@@ -262,13 +260,13 @@ class ApplyToCenters(Animation):
     def __init__(self, AnimationClass, mobjects, **kwargs):
         full_kwargs = AnimationClass.CONFIG
         full_kwargs.update(kwargs)
-        full_kwargs["mobject"] = Mobject(*[
+        full_kwargs["mobject"] = Group(*[
             mob.get_point_mobject()
             for mob in mobjects
         ])
         self.centers_container = AnimationClass(**full_kwargs)
         full_kwargs.pop("mobject")
-        Animation.__init__(self, Mobject(*mobjects), **full_kwargs)
+        Animation.__init__(self, Group(*mobjects), **full_kwargs)
         self.name = str(self) + AnimationClass.__name__
 
     def update_mobject(self, alpha):
diff --git a/manimlib/animation/transform.py b/manimlib/animation/transform.py
index 1dcfeec2..ad99184e 100644
--- a/manimlib/animation/transform.py
+++ b/manimlib/animation/transform.py
@@ -210,8 +210,10 @@ class ComplexFunction(ApplyPointwiseFunction):
             )
         ApplyPointwiseFunction.__init__(
             self,
-            lambda x_y_z: complex_to_R3(function(complex(x_y_z[0], x_y_z[1]))),
-            instantiate(mobject),
+            lambda p: complex_to_R3(function(
+                complex(p[0], p[1])
+            )),
+            mobject,
             **kwargs
         )
 
diff --git a/manimlib/continual_animation/continual_animation.py b/manimlib/continual_animation/continual_animation.py
index 88f632a5..9717c0a7 100644
--- a/manimlib/continual_animation/continual_animation.py
+++ b/manimlib/continual_animation/continual_animation.py
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ from manimlib.constants import *
 from manimlib.mobject.mobject import Group
 from manimlib.mobject.mobject import Mobject
 from manimlib.utils.config_ops import digest_config
-from manimlib.utils.config_ops import instantiate
 
 
 class ContinualAnimation(object):
@@ -15,7 +14,6 @@ class ContinualAnimation(object):
     }
 
     def __init__(self, mobject, **kwargs):
-        mobject = instantiate(mobject)
         assert(isinstance(mobject, Mobject))
         digest_config(self, kwargs, locals())
         self.internal_time = 0
diff --git a/manimlib/utils/config_ops.py b/manimlib/utils/config_ops.py
index 3c18740a..2363cc97 100644
--- a/manimlib/utils/config_ops.py
+++ b/manimlib/utils/config_ops.py
@@ -2,15 +2,6 @@ import inspect
 import itertools as it
 
 
-def instantiate(obj):
-    """
-    Useful so that classes or instance of those classes can be
-    included in configuration, which can prevent defaults from
-    getting created during compilation/importing
-    """
-    return obj() if isinstance(obj, type) else obj
-
-
 def get_all_descendent_classes(Class):
     awaiting_review = [Class]
     result = []