Film Storyboarding

Finley Shillabeer
LAA

Intro to storyboarding

Storyboards arе a organizer in the form of graphic illustrations or images shown in

sequence to visualize a film or animation sequence while they are doing things like
writing the script. Storyboarding, in the form it is known today, was developed during the
early 1930s at Walt Disney Productions​ It has helped filmmakers turn their ideas from
their head into a sketch that can help communicate the idea to other people and help
them visualize it. In animation, storyboarding is effective as it allows the artists to use
animatics and get a feel of how the film is going to look towards the end of production
and allows them to work out camera positioning and timing issues.

Storyboarding in animation
In animation storyboarding is almost essential. it allows the animators to work out any
screenplay, camera positioning, shot list and timing issues that may exist with the
current storyboard. They can create small animatics through storyboards until they are
satisfied with any issues they have. The storyboard and soundtrack are amended if
necessary, and a new animatic may be created and reviewed with the director until the
storyboard is perfected.​ Storyboarding in animation is very useful as you can draw a
small animatic that allows you to visualize what the imagery of the animation will look
like towards the end. Which is crucial for animation. And is also very easy for showing
camera movement as they can create a small animatic showing how the camera will
move. This is also the case for transitioning and editing. It also saves money as people
don’t have to animate over and over they can only do it once they have planned them.

Storyboarding in films
In films there are no rules about storyboarding. Some directors don't storyboard or do it
very late in development of their films. This allows a creative freedom that makes
storyboarding an extremely useful technique for directors to use in their films. And helps
craft interesting stories with amazing cinematography. It allows them to look about how
they will craft their shot and what the end product will look like. Saving them time and
money on set and making them create way more impressive images that they couldn’t
have planned without storyboarding beforehand.
Storyboarding is also useful when working on camera movement. It is extremely useful
as it allows the director and the director of cinematography to plan out how the camera
will move and how that works within the story and the space they are filming in. it also
shows framing because the storyboards are physically in boxes it allows them to see
the frame of the camera much easier. This is also apparent with angles as the frame
shows the type of angles and the effect of them.
Storyboarding in films is also effective as it allows directors to see how they will
transition from scene to scene. Two separate frames could show the edit between two
scenes. Allowing them to tie together the movie as a whole and plan it out effectively. It
also lets directors create a sense of continuity. They can plan out where objects in a
scene are placed that have an effect later in the movie or could plan what people are
wearing.
Storyboarding in television
In television storyboarding is extremely effective as it allows directors to plan their
continuity. They can plan objects that appear in an earlier scene can return later in the
season to have an effect on a character, in television continuity is essential, if it isn't
planned effectively and there isn’t correct continuity then the audience will not get
immersed in the show. this can be planned in storyboarding.
Storyboarding in television is very similar to storyboarding in film because it is effective
as it allows the directors visualize what the shot will look like and what kind of image
that will be. It also effectively shows the different camera movements and editing but not
everything will be storyboarded because television has way more filming then films so
there would have to be a considerable amounts of storyboards that would end up
wasting time instead of saving it.
Storyboarding in game design
Storyboarding in game design is effective as it allows developers to visualize how the
player will actually play their game. With storyboarding they create a visual map of their
game with a couple of drawings, allowing them to see where they place things like
obstacles, enemies, powerups, etc. They could plan branching paths that the player
could take with different risks and rewards, one path could have more obstacles and
enemies with a greater reward while another has way less enemies and obstacles with
a less or no reward, allowing them to create a more fun and better functioning game.
Storyboarding also allows them to see where the camera is placed and how it is
controlled.
While storyboarding they can see if the camera is too close to the player, at a weird
angle that is not comfortable to look at or just too far away so the player can not see
their character. With storyboarding they can plan the layout of things and objects that
are also on the screen. They can see if they might want to put button prompts for
players that are new to the game, and if they do want to put things like that they can
plan effectively where they would go so it would be most convenient for the player.
Storyboarding in music videos
Storyboarding in music videos is very effective because it allows the directors to work
out any issues in timing. In a music video the video has to be very rhythmic or the
viewer will find it displeasing and not enjoy it. This is why storyboarding is important. It
allows the crew to carefully draw storyboards that will effectively show things like
camera movement, framing, imagery, angles, continuity, style, transitions and editing.
But it will allow directors to combine the previously mentioned features and rhythmical
timing, creating a clean effective music video. It lets them line up shot after shot and see
how the scene will with music before they have started filming. Without storyboarding
the timing of the video would have to be worked out either on set or in post, causing the
video to be clunky and disjointed.
Music videos tend not to have a large budget so storyboarding is very effective, it lets
them plan out the whole video instead of doing it on set and wasting time and more
importantly money. The more time you spend on set is the more time you spend on
cast, crew, renting equipment and catering. You can turn up to set and get straight into
filming as you know exactly what you are doing. you don’t need to sort out things like
cinematography and camera movement
Storyboarding in Documentaries
In documentaries storyboarding is effective as it allows them to carefully plan how they
will film their shots. In documentaries (especially wildlife ones) it is difficult to plan what
you are filming because you don’t actually know the specifics. But with storyboarding
you can plan what your shot will look like, weather it is pleasing to look at. You can also
plan camera movements, and scenarios where animals move. Or back up plans if the
animal isn’t in a position you want it to be in.
you can also effectively plan things like continuity, you can plan which camera is where
and when the animal is moving what sequence of cameras it will be to follow it. This
causes the documentary to be way more effective and come out looking way more
professional compared to documentaries without storyboarding, as planning is essential
with unpredictable real wildlife
Storyboarding in advertisement
Storyboarding in advertising is effective as it helps plan how they will affect the viewer.
Advertisements are for a specific client, and through storyboarding you can make sure
that the advert is perfectly targeted to that client. It lets you plan on how the camera will
move, framing and the editing of the video. It also allows the team to visualize what the
advert will look like when it is finished. And how this will affect the viewer, if it will make
them interested in their product or not.
Since advertisements are short they can plan out the whole of it through storyboards.
They can plan every camera movement and zoom, and make sure the continuity is
correct. And in doing this can ensure the viewer will purchase and enjoy their product.
Storyboarding can also help the team address any issues they might have when filming
in terms of continuity, budget, story or imagery.