The Art of The Art of StoryboardingStoryboarding

Planning a Shoot.Planning a Shoot. Decide what you want to end up Decide what you want to end up

with:with:1.1. What story do you want to tell?What story do you want to tell?2.2. Who is your audience?Who is your audience?

How do you want them to react?How do you want them to react?

3.3. What are your resources?What are your resources?4.4. How can you shoot your film to achieve How can you shoot your film to achieve

the result you want . . . with the the result you want . . . with the resources you have? resources you have?

All things are possible! All things are possible! . . . Some just take more time and more . . . Some just take more time and more

money than others. money than others.

Pulling it together.Pulling it together.You’ve got story, You’ve got story,

equipment, crew, equipment, crew, locations, cast, and you locations, cast, and you know your audience, so know your audience, so now . . . now . . .

Plan Plan each shoteach shot of your film.of your film. More time used inMore time used in preparation, preparation, but but saves you (saves you (and your and your cast/crew/editorscast/crew/editors) time) time, , energy, and energy, and moneymoney

It may not feel like it during the preparation, It may not feel like it during the preparation, but it does!but it does!

(no reshoots!)(no reshoots!)

Planning each shot . Planning each shot . . .. .

Indicates you respect the Indicates you respect the time of otherstime of others on your on your project.project.

Gives you freedom!Gives you freedom! to IMPROV to IMPROV Once all your required shots are done, you can Once all your required shots are done, you can

try some fun angles, or let your actors play in try some fun angles, or let your actors play in character!character!

Best stuff often happens here!Best stuff often happens here!

““I would prefer to write all I would prefer to write all this down, however tiny the this down, however tiny the film [is]. They should be film [is]. They should be written down in just the same written down in just the same way a composer writes down way a composer writes down those little black dots from those little black dots from which we get beautiful sound.”which we get beautiful sound.”

--Alfred Hitchcock--Alfred Hitchcock

StoryboardingStoryboarding Storyboard:Storyboard: A sketch of, and A sketch of, and

brief description of each brief description of each shot. shot. It includes:It includes: Shot number.Shot number. Description of shot. Description of shot.

(Long/Medium/Close-up)(Long/Medium/Close-up) Camera AngleCamera Angle

Brief Description of Action/DialogueBrief Description of Action/Dialogue Duration of shot.Duration of shot.

--NxNW Storyboard handout

North by NorthwestNorth by Northwest

The premise:The premise: Roger Thornhill (Cary Roger Thornhill (Cary Grant) is a fugitive from the law. Grant) is a fugitive from the law. Against all odds, he must find a Against all odds, he must find a way to prove his own innocence. In way to prove his own innocence. In this scene, he has been told he’ll this scene, he has been told he’ll get some information from a get some information from a mysterious man named Kaplan at a mysterious man named Kaplan at a remote intersection. remote intersection.

Storyboarding:Storyboarding:

To get to a point where To get to a point where you’re ready to shoot, you you’re ready to shoot, you

need to storyboard, soneed to storyboard, so

How should it look?How should it look?

•Shot number. (1)Shot number. (1)

•Description of shot. (Extreme Long Description of shot. (Extreme Long Shot)Shot)

•Camera Angle (Aerial)Camera Angle (Aerial)

•Brief Description of Action/Dialogue Brief Description of Action/Dialogue (empty fields, bus arriving, door (empty fields, bus arriving, door opening, opening,

•Duration of shot. (split with next Duration of shot. (split with next frame at 52 seconds)frame at 52 seconds)

-Why start with this shot?

-Why shift to an eye-level shot?

Now we’re near/with the character . . .

Turn to POV

Turn to POV

Turn to POV

Turn to POV . . . WHY?

Introduce character/information

Watch scene.

Storyboard Storyboard AssignmentAssignment Create a series of Storyboards for Create a series of Storyboards for

your movie project: your movie project: Must includeMust include Sketches of the scene with shot numbers. Sketches of the scene with shot numbers. Description of each shot. (Close-up, Long Description of each shot. (Close-up, Long

shot . . .)shot . . .) Camera Angle (Aerial, eye level, etc.)Camera Angle (Aerial, eye level, etc.)

Write the descriptions in the smaller box Write the descriptions in the smaller box within the frame. Draw the shot in larger box.within the frame. Draw the shot in larger box.

Brief Description of Action/Dialogue Brief Description of Action/Dialogue Duration of shot. (seconds)Duration of shot. (seconds) Every shot of your film must be storyboaded. Every shot of your film must be storyboaded. I’ll randomly select 10 frames to evaluate. I’ll randomly select 10 frames to evaluate.

Each frame/description will be worth 10 pts.Each frame/description will be worth 10 pts. 100pts total.100pts total.

Our storyboard Our storyboard templatetemplate

The following slides contain a sample storyboard using a slightly different template but you should understand just what a storyboard is by viewing it.

11stst Day for New Teacher Day for New Teacher, pg 1, pg 1

11stst Day for New Teacher Day for New Teacher, pg 2, pg 2

Complete storyboards Complete storyboards for full film project are for full film project are

due on Wednesday, due on Wednesday, March 5March 5thth. .

Movies are due March Movies are due March 1010thth. .