1. Storyboarding

2. Storyboarding

3. Assignment:
• Design a dynamic, moving
image representing the
problem inherent in a business
whereby a client is allowing
money to flow through „his
fingers‟ without being able to
“capture” it -

4. Criteria:
• The client wants it in the morning.
• He doesn‟t know what it will look
like, but wants to see the idea
before you begin.
• This is an added image falling
outside of a fixed budget.

5. Complications:
• The client is in Washington, DC
• You are in Denver with your
video people.
• Your animators are in San
Francisco

6. 1• Quickly sketch a series of
images which capture the
essence of “cash slipping
through your fingers”
• Fax to the client.
• Gain approval

8. 2• Show the approved sketch to the
videographer. Shoot a hand
grabbing in the air against a blue
screen. Convert to Digital Video
and ftp to San Francisco along
with a copy of the storyboard
frame.

9. 3• Because the drawing indicates
bills are in the flow, scan money
and email to the animator.

10. 4• Using the Storyboard as a guide,
the animator captures the hand
video, composites a flow, adds
the bills and creates a mask for
the thumb.

12. 4• The animation is conceptualized,
communicated to client,
approved, parts are built, and
created within a few hours.
• That evening, an .avi file is
uploaded, input in the
presentation with a day to spare.

13. Why Storyboard?
• It is a Key Organizational Tool
• It is for Planning, Proposing &
Presenting Concepts
• It is used by Clients, Investors,
Production Team Members ...
• It realizes the Director‟s Goal

14. Why Storyboard?
• In Film, Predetermines the
“Look”
• Controls the Shots, Camera
Moves, Action, Staging, Style,
Pace, Framing, Character and
Scene Elements . . .

15. Why Storyboard?
• In industry, Controls the
“Outcome”
• Controls the vision of the team,
each team member can follow
a tangible plan to successful
completion

16. Why Storyboard?
• Translates the Script (Words
are Abstract Concepts) to a
Visual Tool (Pictures are
Tangible Concepts)

17. Words v Pictures
• Words are completely abstract.
The word “man” has nothing to do
with how a human being appears
• Image of a “man”, with added
dress, expression, features . . .
Transcends language - cements
the meaning

18. Words and Pictures
• A Storyboard uses both -
pictures to convey meaning, and
words to simplify message . . .
In combination, complete control
over the production
• Uses Specific Language
• Determines Camera View

19. Why Storyboard?
• Creates a new, very important
character in the production -
The Camera
Point-of-View

20. Storyboard - Storytelling
• Storyboarding reminds you to
tell a story - create continuity,
define your beginning
(establishing shots), middle
and an appropriate ending -
and make certain that they
work together.

21. Why Storyboard?
• A special effect can be represented
only one line in script;
“The car burst into fire
when hit by the train”
What?
If bidding Special Effects (SF/X), you must have a
storyboard to define effects desired for accurate
price quote and adherence to budget

22. Pre-Editing
• Storyboarding is low-tech
prototyping - allows the camera
crew to shoot footage which
edits more easily, has continuity.

23. Discipline
• When reaching for a deadline,
staying within the parameters of
the agreed-upon vision by the
Director or Client requires visual
control to remain on-time and on-
budget.

24. Artistic Expression
• Better (Cheaper) to try the exotic
and interesting experimentation
in the low-tech “analog pencil”
stage than after hours of 3D
modeling and rendering.

25. Storyboard Formats
• Pictures pinned to a wall
• Sketches on a script
• Pencil Drawings
• Flow Diagrams for Non-Linear
• Finished Renderings
• Photomatics
• Computer “Animatics”

26. Classical Storyboarding
Fred Zinnemann - The Wave - 1935
Fred’s storyboards appeared
in his script margins.

27. • Alfred Hitchcock made his own
storyboards for all of his films.
• He decided on and sketched
camera angles, action, framing,
camera movements, timing … and
his crew and his actors knew
exactly what was expected of them
Artistic Expression or Control?

28. Alfred Hitchcock - Family Plot
Direction for
a single take

29. Alfred Hitchcock - Family Plot

30. Classical Storyboarding
Alfred Hitchcock - Saboteur - 1941
Storyboards
determine
intricate action
for fights,
thrilling
scenes, and
guide the
actors

31. Classical Storyboarding
Alfred Hitchcock - Saboteur - 1941
Models and dolls can
be used in intermediate
steps for working out
and demonstrating
complicated action

32. Classical Storyboarding
Alfred Hitchcock - Saboteur - 1941

33. Storyboard for Animation
• Without Live Actors
• Camera View wants movement to
dramatize static shots
• Cinematic concepts
• Watch out for the wild fly-by

34. Storyboard for Animation
• Drafting sequential versions while editing text and
images allows the Director and Client to agree on the
message prior to engaging expensive 3D animation

35. Mixing Live and Animation
• Storyboarding is critical when
shooting live video upon which
animation will be added. The film
crew needs to see the animated
sequences so they can frame for
the “invisible” components, the
animators need to have input into
scenery, movement, framing . . .

36. For Animation
Storyboard by Pen Volkmann

38. Script to Storyboard
The Written Direction: “Opening shot
from a high angle, looking down on
the crow’s nest of the drilling rig.
Boom down following cables to rig
platform and dolly around to the
driller’s console, ending in another
high angle. As the camera descends,
pull back a little and tilt down
slightly.”

39. Script to Storyboard
Using industry ‘Specific Language’ and illustrations with

40. A rough storyboard:
The finished clip:

41. Mapping
• A valuable component of
storyboarding - not the Camera
POV, but the location of props,
cameras, characters, and the
corresponding interaction during
a scene
• Helps the artist visualize the
Camera View

42. Alfred Hitchcock - Family Plot
Actor’s movements from a high
camera angle with a follow pan

43. Non-Linear Storyboarding
• Business Plans, CD-ROM
Production, Web Authoring
including animation, video,
sound, QTVR, text, buttons . . .
• Use of Storyboarding (Flow
Diagramming) more critical.

44. Non-Linear Storyboarding
• Tracking the various screens,
pathways, links, movies, sound
effects, relationships, responses,
escapes, clue relationships
which affect future actions, detail
level . . .
Without a flow diagram, important elements
can be misdirected, misinterpreted or missed
altogether.