How does this relate to this statement?
Perhaps it is more accurate to say the writers’ direction to the animators.
With the transmutation into Dinobots, all the writers have to say is magically make them change form after glowing for a couple of seconds.
With with the awakening of the Decepticons and Autobots, you have to make it more realistic by sending out the Sky Spy to scan vehicles, weapons, and mechanical/electronic devices, then show them being rebuilt with robotics. There are more in-between steps that need to be added to show the transition, to make it more believable as an advanced technological process, as opposed to matter and energy manipulation by a Marvel nigh-omnipotent god being.