# storyboarding essentials ## how to translate your story to the screen for film, TV, and other media **by David Harland Rousseau and Benjamin Reid Phillips** **SCAD Creative Essentials | 2013** Written as a class textbook at [Savannah College of Art and Design](https://www.scad.edu). [Purchase the book here.](https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/220555/storyboarding-essentials-by-david-harland-rousseau-and-benjamin-reid-phillips/) Originally I made this outline to review the book for inclusion in the Storyboards & Animatics class I'll be teaching. This is a breakdown of topics and concepts from the book with notes on important vocab. The book includes tons of images and examples, as well as comparative storyboard examples and interviews with established storyboard artists. The book itself is definitely worth sharing with the students. Sharing my outline on the site as well since I can use it to link to relevant content as I build out the resources for the class. --- from preface… > There is no "right way" to draw for storyboards—and they don't have to be beautifully rendered. The one important requirement is that the panels must clearly indicate framing height, camera angle, and movement. All else is fair game. --- ## what is storyboarding? - the types of storyboards - **editorial or shooting (live action)** are a guide for cinematographers to plan camera position, angle, movement - **animation boards** are for planning camera position, angle, movement but also timing and layout for story and performance. tend to have many more panels. - **comp or presentation (advertisting)** are for selling a concept by highlighting key moments of an ad spot demonstrating products and services. tend to be more colorful and illustrative and includes graphics, logos, and text. - **previsualisation (CGI)** is for planning more complex CGI imagery. includes techniques from both live action and animated storyboard processes. focuses on camera setup but also performance, motion, timing, lighting. can be a combination of photos and illustration. - a visual roadmap - storyboards are a tool to connect the written word to a final cut. they are a tool for various disciplines to envision the direction and needs of a project. - they use industry jargon and formats and focus on things like camera setups and narrative action. - storyboards are not refined art or finished presentation products. they are a tool in the process. ## interpreting the written word - script basics - storyboards are built from written scripts that include important visual information: - **slugline** tells the camera location, physical location of scene, relative time of day - **action** describes what can be seen or represented on screen - **character** tells who is speaking/acting - **dialogue** is what is being said - **wryly (paranthetical)** describes character actions - script breakdowns - adding notes to the script breaking down important elements and needs. - assistant director would look for things like cast, props, transportation, set dressing, special effects, hair, makeup, wardrobe. - storyboard artist would look for additional things as camera shots, character notes, body language and expressions, etc. - spec scripts vs. shooting scripts - **speculative script** is vague and open with lots of room for interpretation and development. meant for developing possible projects. - **shooting scripts** are detailed and refined plans for the day to day process of filming a project. they break down a scene shot by shot. ## rendering - rough or polished finish - drawing quality varies based on what needs to be visualised - essential - understand composition - know perspective - describe form with line - communicate action with simple gestures - animation - master anatomy and life drawing - principles of motion and exaggeration - understand how timing affects performance - advertising - color theory and rendering - graphic design, text and image relationship - visual effects - light, shadow, value - composite shots (combine live action and effects) - motion and timing - little drawings, big ideas - start with small thumbnails in correct aspect ratio - explore variety of composition options - iterative and bound to change - enlarge and refine if needed - the right tool for the job - create clearly and cleanly, with an awareness of reproductive quality - focus on speed and efficiency - storyboarding is collaborative - mobile and portable setup, create anywhere - affordable and convenient - digital vs traditional, both are acceptable - advantages of pencils, sharpies, markers - compositing - more efficient to break elements into separate layers - reuse elements as needed - easier to alter composition ## principles, elements, and conventions - aspect ratios - standard image dimensions based on recording medium or final output - reflects what the camera sees and affects what is shown - verify aspect ratio before starting drawing - four default aspect ratios - 1.33:1 (4x3) - historical television ratio - 1.78:1 (16x9) - hi-def tv and computer screens - 1.85:1 - widescreen for theaters - 2.39:1 - anamorphic widescreen for blockbuster movies - getting started - script breakdown and make quick visual notes - block out composition and then refine - staying organized - stay organized: number the shots following a set system. usually starts big with sequence and narrows down to to panel. - sequence: a series of scenes that follow a narrative set of actions or events - scene: in live action it is a series of shots. in animation it is a change in location or time (whenever background changes) - shot: a portion of a scene that is visible to the camera as framed by the lens. - panel (or frame): single illustration of a shot - how to insert shots - **inserts** are additional shots that need to be added into the scene after it has been numbered - add an alphabetic sequence instead of renumbering everything - for example: scene 4, shot 1 then scene 4, shot 1A before moving to scene 4 shot 2. ## continuity - what is continuity? - uninterrupted sequence without significant change - creating an unbroken narrative flow - terminology - **180-degree rule**: characters should have the same right/left relationship. never cross the axis. - **30-degree rule**: point of view must shift at least 30 degrees to avoid jump cuts - **axis:** 180 degree line between two characters that establishes camera angles - **jump cut**: sudden shift from one scene or shot to another without fades, dissolves, or wipes - **sides**: reduced sections of scripts focusing on one character - axis and allies - axis is the line between characters that establishes camera position so that each character is always left or right. - blocking of characters and cameras establishes the shot - **rack focus**: shot where focus shifts from character to character - **breaking the action**: when the point of view breaks the axis and violates the 180-degree rule - 30 degrees of separation - when the point of view shifts less than 30-degrees it creates a jump cut. - usually want to avoid jump cuts like this - **cutaway shot**: a buffer between shots that adds interest or additional information. usually taken from a drastically different angle - **neutralizing shot**: a shot that continues the action from a reverse angle to reset the axis. often a wide shot to reestablish position in environment - **b-roll**: secondary footage used to cut into sequence - **key frame**: captures the main actions of a movement. often the start, middle, end of an action - **pick up** or **reaction shot**: extra shots recorded later to be cut into main action - **reshoot**: when an entire sequence needs to be reshot - **reverse shot**: a shot that flips the main axis line (right becomes left, left becomes right) - **stock**: previously recorded content to be used as filler, often common events to add information - **tweneer**: in-betweener that draws filler frames between key frames - screen direction and visual logic - there's an implied continuation of movement - entering from the left means the exit is to the right and vice-versa - helps avoid confusion - there are tricks to turn the corner when needed to reverse the shot - building a tension and creating a surprise - can use screen direction to build a narrative flow and then break the rule to create surprise ## what the camera sees - the camera - storyboarding is all about the camera's position relative to the framing of the action - key components: framing height or shot length, camera angle, movement - there's a list of ten common framing heights - **close**: direction for camera to close in on an object or action - **establishing shot (EST)**, **extreme wide shot (EWS)**, **extreme long shot (ELS)** shows environment and setting - **wide shot (WS)**: captures as much of setting as possible, used as establishing shot - **full** or **long shot (LS)** shows full height of character - **medium**: shows half the character - **american** (**cowboy**, **hollywood**, **knee shot**): medium full shot showing all characters. often from the knees up - **medium close up (Med CU)**: in-between medium and close up, usually chest and head - **close up (CU)**: frame face to show expression - **extreme close up (ECU)**: extreme close up, often showing only eyes or mouth - **over the shoulder (OTS)**: shooting over the shoulder and from behind - deep and wide - long distance shots to establish setting and environment - **long shot**: subject in environment. often used to set up a scene in a location that is already known - **wide shot**: can be used to establish a scene location or help to move action to a new location - **extreme long shot**: shows as much of location as possible to establish setting. characters blend into the environment. - shooting on location - be aware of how existing environment affects how the scene is captured and what is shown. - build a list of shots and content that needs to be drawn - framing heights and angles - short list of common camera angles - **aerial** or **helicopter shot**: taken from the air, looking down, broad range of movement - **bird's eye view** or **extreme down shot (EDS)**: looking straight down from a high position - **crane**: looking down but not from quite as high - **eye level**: most natural height, often the default - **high hat**: low angle from just about the ground - **worm's eye view** or **extreme up shot (XUS)**: extreme shot looking up from ground - **canted, dutch, oblique**: tilted horizon to show instability or unease ## move me! - movements - every movement should have a purpose to advance the story - list of comment camera movements - **cut**: immediate transition from shot to shot - **tracking shot, follow shot**: camera follows the action - **dolly, truck, track**: a camera on wheels or steadicam to move camera forward, back, side to side, etc. - **pan**: steady horizontal movement across scene, camera rotates on pivot - **tilt**: steady vertical movement across a scene, camera rotates on pivot - **crane**: vertical movement from above, vertical dolly - **zoom**: stationary camera that zooms in or out of a scene - **push, pull**: camera physically moves forward or back - **zolly**: zoom combined with dolly - **steadicam**: a camera that is worn to smooth out hand-held shots - photomatics and digimatics - a series of still photographs or drawings shown sequentially with voice-over and sound effects. - includes notes for camera movement and action ## the martini shot - putting it all together - storyboarding is a profession with established practices and procedures - it can be learned and developed with patience and diligence - some tips to improve: - carry a sketchbook and draw everything - use a viewfinder to understand aspect ratios - surrender the straightedge, learn to draw freehand - set goals to build a habit - set a time limit for each panel, keep it quick - actively analyze existing storyboards - reverse-engineer films to break down how they are told - tell a story yourself - practice!! ## appendix - storyboarding checklist - worksheet for script breakdown - templates for aspect ratios - worksheets for thumbnails - viewfinder templates --- tags: #animation #resources home: [[! animation]]