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Animation storyboarding is essentially a visual representation of the cinematography for a movie. Keep in mind that you don’t need to be a brilliant artist to make one! Artists should visualize a storyboard from the perspective of the director or cinematographer.
What is animation storyboarding in storytelling?
It’s time to create a storyboard when you have a brilliant idea, construct a tale, and turn it into a script. A storyboard, which serves as a visual guide for the rest of the animation production process, is essentially a collection of illustrations based on the narrative.
Generally speaking, a storyboard has three key areas of information:
- The order in which scenes in a tale are presented
- Regardless of what the spectator hears or sees on the screen
- The technical data offered for every scene
A storyboard typically includes early concepts for camera placement, transitions, potential visual effects to enhance each shot, audio notes, and certain major character poses or scene events. The entire team needs this tool to get a feel for how the finished animation will look and feel.
A fully created final storyboard is required for larger productions, like feature films or animation studios with many artists on staff, in order to move onto the production stage. All of the upcoming production steps will be connected by a completely developed storyboard.
>>>Read more: 10 storyboarding tips for creating animation film learnt from Pixar film Coco
What is the purpose of animation storyboarding?
The main objective of storyboarding is to effectively communicate the story/script visually while coming as near as possible to the final 3D animation’s desired look so that upon viewing it, one can comprehend the plot immediately.
Sometimes using storyboards as the initial inspiration for and drafting a story is another option. The storyboard is used as the script by animators who skip the scriptwriting stage of the animation pipeline. They consider it to be the quickest and most efficient method for them to process a tale.
A storyboard can be used as a diagnostic tool to identify plot holes, look for areas for improvement, and consider other methods of illustrating concepts. Storyboarding makes it simple to identify any gaps in the plot or script, no matter how big or small, early on.
More significantly, compared to a finished render, changing things in storyboards is a lot simpler. A 3D animation company should plan out appropriate actions during the storyboarding stage rather than during production. All future developments will be based on the confirmed storyboards.
>>>Read more: What is storyboard? Read this to learn the importance and how to draw a storyboard
What are the key elements of storyboarding?
An effective storyboard captures the topic, background, camera shot, and movement of the camera in each shot. The subject, the main person or thing in the frame, and the foreground and backdrop of the photograph are all included in a shot. The following are a few crucial storyboard terms:
Shot – Titled with the scene number and shot number, e.g. Shot 1.4. Establishing close-up, POVs, dolly shots, wide shots, full shots, etc. are examples of shot types. Here, you may read additional information about various shots.
Panel – Displays the aspect ratio of a shot. Aspect ratios like 16:9, 2.39:1, and IMAX are popular.
Sequence – A sequence is made up of several shots. A series of images represent a film scene. Each sequence has a unique Title.
Description – Storyboard creators or directors can provide additional information about a scene as well as instructions for the camera operator on how to take shots.
Arrows – Arrows show which way the camera is moving (pan, in, out, etc.)
More information or directions regarding the scene can be added by the artists. The following storyboard demonstrates how arrows are also used to indicate camera movement.
>>>Read more: Why creative teams need Storyboard and often revise them a number of times before production
How to make a storyboard in 4 steps
Make your first storyboard by using the instructions shown below.
Make a shot list
Make a shot list for a scene from your script. How may certain camera perspectives enhance the impact of a scene or tell the story? What can different camera perspectives tell us about your characters and your story? Your shot list should be sketched up quickly.
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Sketch it out
Pick one of the trickier sequences, whether you’re making a short cartoon or a full film, and sketch down your idea for the shot. Make a raw material list of all the shots you expect to require, and then draw them out in the storyboard’s squares like a comic strip. Use simple shapes and stick figures on a piece of paper if you’re not much of an artist.
However, you can collaborate with a storyboard artist to make alterations or plot out a suggested sequence if you’re not obtaining the desired impact. Consider starting your search on Jorgen’s List, Upwork, or the open Facebook group “Frame Dump” if you need assistance finding an experienced and talented artist.
Fill in details
The most crucial components of each scene must be included in your storyboard. But even though it’s a still image, the finished product will be a moving animation or film that follows the entire plot. In light of this, be sure to include a motion indicator in your storyboard.
Arrows, for instance, can be used to show a person’s direction of travel. Include the camera positions and framing for each shot, as well as any objects that will appear in the finished product. A good rule of thumb is to give a broad overview of all the important features of each shot without getting bogged down in unnecessary specifics.
Add words
After you’ve finished creating the photos, it could be helpful to add some text at the bottom of the images to provide more context for what is occurring. Any information that cannot be conveyed through your straightforward graphics, such as any voice-over you want to use, can be included here.
Free Programs for Storyboarding
Consider these solutions if you’d prefer to work with a free storyboard template tool that only includes the most basic formatting features.
- Photoshop: You can make your storyboard in Photoshop if you are familiar with it. Even better, you can import a number of free storyboard designs directly into Photoshop, making it inexpensive and simple to make your own.
- StudioBinder: For production managers, StudioBinder offers configurable tools including screenplay breakdowns, shot lists, storyboards, shooting schedules, contact lists, task management, calendars, and more. The website also offers a useful blog with pointers for preproduction that is accessible at various subscription levels and is available for a free trial.
A strong storyboard is an essential component of the creative process, one that will assist you in effectively transforming your vision into a piece of art as you begin your own motion picture career.
What to do and not to do in animation storyboarding?
What you should do?
Only move the camera with a purpose
It’s in your nature to move the camera about as much as you can, but you can easily go overboard. Whether you’re changing perspectives or panning to the next scene, every camera movement you do needs to have a purpose. Take a step back and consider whether changing to a particular angle improves a scene or adds insight to the story.
By altering your shots to convey movement and action, you can avoid having too many still periods in quick succession.
In order for the spectator to constantly be able to follow the scene structure, move the camera to assert location and character position. The last thing you want to accomplish is to leave the viewer confused and ultimately disengaged from the movie.
Use lines to create depth and dimension
Due to the fact that you are creating 2-dimensional representations of a 3-dimensional scene, pay close attention to all drawn and fictitious lines. One of your main objectives should be to convey depth. Mix up the different kinds of shots, such as a foreground shot and a background shot.
Axis lines are fictitious lines that aid painters in creating focal points within a scene. To prevent compositional conflicts, pay attention to how or where the axis lines converge. The axis line should never be crossed, according to the general consensus. To prevent misleading the viewers, the camera should always be pointed in the direction of one of the axis lines in each scene.
What you should avoid doing?
Odd camera angles
Consider potential camera perspectives before you draw a scene to minimize uncomfortable angles. Drawing shots that frame the scene naturally rather than solely from a human perspective is what you want to do. It’s suggested to go for a glamorous, cinematic look, but don’t go overboard by selecting avant-garde pictures that don’t further the story you’re attempting to tell.
Avoid using angles that are directly up or down, or that are diagonal.
Messy composition
No matter how you portray it, a shoddy composition never looks good. This one should go without saying, but paying attention to the smallest details may easily sabotage an otherwise excellent composition. Each sketch should have an appealing aesthetic on its own. There ought to be the harmony that works well on screen.
Poor scene transitions
The same structure should be used when switching to a different scene, even though untidy compositions are all about keeping the pieces contained within a frame. Smooth transitions are always preferable to abrupt or jarring cuts. Before moving on to the next scene, a scene must have a start, middle, and end.
Conclusion
Animation storyboarding offers artists the chance to explore various, unrestricted interpretations of a movie; it’s a true test of visual storytelling because there are so many possible places the plot could go.
Not all concepts will move successfully from panel to screen, but the flexibility of a storyboard adds to its appeal. You can polish your storytelling and aesthetic-refinement skills by creating storyboards of professional quality, which will help you bring your imagination much closer to reality.
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Animost – Vietnam 3D Animation Studio
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