Storyboarding

Storyboards are used often in films. They explain the idea of scenes that you are trying to pursue. Its a visual reference of a scene, helping the director, photographer, makeup artist etc recognise the key things you are trying to depict. The storyboard is built up of the sketchers interpretation of scenes from the script. Its the best way of being able to clearly visualise whats trying to be shown on camera.

Example of storyboard layout

In able to storyboard well, you must have many key skills. The text you are basing your outcome on needs to be critically read through, the composition must be effective, the text has to be well understood and there needs to be a clear recognition of the story you have drawn. 

Storyboarding is generally set out like a comic book strip. Here are some examples of storyboards which we created in seminar, using other storys to prepare us for the skills we need when creating our own:

Jack and Jill Storyboard

Photograph Storyboard

Photograph Storyboard

 When creating storyboards there are some key things that need to be considered. For example, the type of shot, the lighting used and the composition of models/characters. Its best to draw a 4x4 grid in the box where you're sketching, as this helps to get the composition equal. 

Producing a storyboard will help you produce a dominant mood of a scene. Just by changing the lighting, it changes the mood. Storyboarding your choice of lighting and camera angle set up is very important. The image cant just be drawn as you like, it needs to be the exact positioning of the scene as it would be when shooting. 

Camera Shots:

Extreme Wide Shot - background takes the image.

Wide Shot - body becomes closer to camera.

Medium Shot - body is a lot more visable.

Medium Close Up - Shoulder shot

Close Up - Head shot

Extreme Close up - Cropping around the face.

Pan Shot - Camera moving from left to right.

Tracking Shot - A moving shot.

Tilt Shot - Looking from bottom to above.

Lighting:

Up Light

Down Light

Back Light

Day Light

Ambient Light

Side Light

 Sketches:

The sketches for the storyboards do not have to be artistic. Stick men are equally as effective because it just shows the ideas of composition, lighting and camera angles. If the images are going to be still images, then you do not need to draw moving things (or symbols that would represent sound or movement) because it doesnt correctly depict the right scene. 

Written Information:

Next to the drawings of your storyboard, there is room for text. Within the text you should include the basic information of: type of shot, lighting, composition, angle, size of models and props (if the main focal point).  Do not include speech bubbles because the images are still images (photoshoot, not film).