Storyboard Case Study: Batman the Animated Series

As you work on your storyboards, it's easy to pour too much work into the wrong section of your story. The most important thing your storyboards should do is COMMUNICATE the actions on screen TO US.

Again, COMMUNICATE..... TO US.

So fancy drawings mean nothing if they are not clear!  As an example, take a look at the intro to the award-winning Batman: The Animated Series Below:


Batman The Animated Series: From Storyboard to Animation
Storyboard Images

You see the storyboards have been put together to create an animatic for us to view. While there are some slight changes, the storyboards are drawn in such a way that we can very well understand the action at hand without needing much else.

They achieve this with

1. Clear, simple drawings.
2. Efficient camera movements, where the camera serves the characters and setting, not the other way around.
3. Drawing the BEATS, or changes in action between panels!


Storytelling is always important in animation, but even more important than storytelling is character performance.  Showcasing how your character moves between shots uses your acting skills and makes the characters much more interesting to us!

 Review these to help improve your skills in storyboarding!

I'll add some additional links below for you to check out at your leisure!

SHAZAM: Superman Animatic
Scribd.com: Adventure Time Stoyboards (need to sign up with an email address to download)

In-Class Group Assignment and Homework for Monday, Oct. 31, 2016:

Please be advised:  If you were absent from class today, you will need to meet with one of your classmates to receive feedback on your Storyboard Assignment From Last week.

A. Using what you have learned about three act structure, time out the twelve drawings you have created to make a story that breathes-- that is, a story where characters are given time to think, and react to the actions that are happening.

B. Divide into the groups you have randomly selected (1, 2, 3, or 4) and spend 30 minutes talking to each other about the contents of your story! Focus on the following checklist:

• What is happening in the story?
• Can the audience understand what is happening? Yes, or No?
• Point out the clearest 3 drawings from the story. What is clear about the storytelling?
• Staging? Character Drawing? Posing? Clear action? Or something else?
• Point out the 3 drawings that are needed the least? What is unclear? What can you throw out?
• Staging? Character Drawing? Posing? Clear action? Or something else?
• What can the animator do to improve the story?
• What is missing that needs to be added or clarified to better tell the intended story? (Example: drawings, different poses, changes to the environment, framing, camera angle, etc.)
• When finished, type up the feedback you received and turn it in to my Dropbox before Friday. Make notes of changes you intend to make to your work. Turn it in with the format "lastname_first_feedback"

C. Decide whether to KEEP or change the first 12 Drawings you have made. For those who are absent, I will review your drawings once you turn them in. Notify me in an email of the place on the server you have turned in your work.

D.  Going home, refine the timing of your 12 Drawings. 

EXPORT A VIDEO FOR CLASS WHEN YOU ARE DONE.

Then, draw an ADDITIONAL 12 NEW DRAWINGS that happen between the 12 you have already created.  Place them in-between the current 12 to give better context to the story at hand!

E. EXPORT A SECOND VIDEO of the 24 Drawings for Monday!

Bring to class the following:

1. Your 12-Drawing Animation

2. Your 24-Drawing Animation

3. Your character designs.

4. Your environment designs.

5. Your hero shots.
6. Any and All Extra Credit Reference you have shot for your studies!

Next week, we will do this exercise again and begin talking about designing color for animation!

In-Class Group Assignment

Please be advised:  If you were absent from class today, you will need to meet with one of your classmates to receive feedback on your Storyboard Assignment From Last week.

A. Using what you have learned about three act structure (clink this link for a review), time out the twelve drawings you have created to make a story that breathes-- that is, a story where characters are given time to think, and react to the actions that are happening.

B. Divide into the groups you have randomly selected (1, 2, 3, or 4) and spend 30 minutes talking to each other about the contents of your story! Focus on the following checklist:

• What is happening in the story?
• Can the audience understand what is happening? Yes, or No?
• Point out the clearest 3 drawings from the story. What is clear about the storytelling?
• Staging? Character Drawing? Posing? Clear action? Or something else?
• Point out the 3 drawings that are needed the least? What is unclear? What can you throw out?
• Staging? Character Drawing? Posing? Clear action? Or something else?
• What can the animator do to improve the story?
• What is missing that needs to be added or clarified to better tell the intended story? (Example: drawings, different poses, changes to the environment, framing, camera angle, etc.)

C. Decide whether to KEEP or change the first 12 Drawings you have made. For those who are absent, I will review your drawings once you turn them in. Notify me in an email of the place on the server you have turned in your work.

D.  Going home, refine the timing of your 12 Drawings. 

EXPORT A VIDEO FOR CLASS WHEN YOU ARE DONE.

Then, draw an ADDITIONAL 12 NEW DRAWINGS that happen between the 12 you have already created.  Place them in-between the current 12 to give better context to the story at hand!

E. EXPORT A SECOND VIDEO of the 24 Drawings for Monday!

Bring to class the following:

1. Your 12-Drawing Animation

2. Your 24-Drawing Animation

3. Your character designs.

4. Your environment designs.

5. Your hero shots.

Introduction to Cinematography: Shot Types, Blocking, Rule of Thirds, Composition, and More!

Note: The following resources were compiled from various resources on the internet. Pick and choose and find what works best of you! That said, there are three books that will need to be in your library if you want to be the best at what you do, be it animation, illustration, or more cinematic photography.

Why are we learning shot types?  The only way for you to expand your knowledge as a visual storyteller is to know all of the formulas and conventions you have at your disposal.  Even one new frame could be the difference between an amateur production and presentation and a visual masterpiece of storytelling!

A list of helpful books for cinematic storytelling, good for both Animation and Live Cinema!

http://www.amazon.com/Cinematic-Storytelling-Powerful-Conventions-Filmmaker/dp/193290705X

http://www.amazon.com/Master-Shots-Vol-2nd-Techniques/dp/1615930876/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_y

http://www.amazon.com/Master-Shots-Volume-Shooting-Dialogue/dp/1615930558/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_z

THE RULE OF THIRDS:

http://digital-photography-school.com/rule-of-thirds

http://vimeo.com/14315821

VARIOUS CAMERA SHOTS:

Basic Shots: http://www.mediacollege.com/video/shots/

Advanced shots begin to manipulate the camera and treat it as more of a character in the film, moving and swaying between angles and shots to create a more lived in space:

Examples:  http://revision4gcses.wordpress.com/media-studies/camera-anglesmovementshots/

Dolly shots are some of the most advanced, yet easiest to preform in animation.  Dolly shots are where the camera trucks, weaving in and out of the scene, around characters, key environment elements, and other places.  (in short, move the camera from one side to the next)

Two Shot: A medium shot with two subjects.

Overhead shot (bird's eye view):  Camera is facing down from above.

Canted shot:  When the camera is tilted on it's axis so that normally vertical lines appear slanted to the left or right.  Ordinary expectations are frustrated.  Often used to create mystery and suspense in films to create a sense of unease in the viewer.

http://www.slideshare.net/StaceySmith1/camera-shots-and-angles-5618222

Handheld Shot:  "shaky cam"  sometimes played up in action scenes to suggest a state of unrest.

Remember that the shots you use already come loaded with information for your character to use.  Also remember that keeping the camera steady in some instances will give your character pivotal moments to come alive.

BONUS: Notes on camera angle diversity: Notes on camera diversity.

http://www.demotix.com/blog/advice/1072724/creating-shot-list-diversity-your-camera-angles-and-image-submissions

FOCUSED CASE STUDY that Teaches Cinematography: 
The Cinematography of the Incredibles, parts 1-3.

Staging and blocking for animation: 

Why do we stage and block shots?  To better plan our animation.  It's a good idea to have a list of documents for what our cartoon will be.  Printouts of our character and our character's expressions for easy reference.  Printouts or organized sketches for your characters.  Documents of the action and shot direction. Drawings of where you think your shots will be.  And, it makes you feel better about the work you do. Seeing the pieces of your cartoon come together creates a sense of pride in your cartoon, as if you are doing something important that many people are simply unable to do.  It's the truth.

Things to remember when planning cinematography:

Practice your draftsmanship!  Draw lighter in the beginning, sketch first, refine second!  We will animate our character through drawing frames!  Block out each shot.  Export your drawings out of Storyboard pro as a pdf.  You can board on paper, or photoshop, and scan in too.  but we will make an animatic of your work for the final.

STORYTELLING: Three Act Structure:

Review the formula for a movie's "Three Act Structure" at these links:http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ThreeActStructure
http://www.cod.edu/people/faculty/pruter/film/threeact.htm
http://scripteach.com/?page_id=223

Homework For Monday, October 10th 2016

1. Make note that I will check for the movies of your previous work starting on FRIDAY!  Please turn in final versions of your early projects no later than the 12PM Thursday!

2. Expand on the idea you created in class for your next performance animation.

• Film acting reference for your story!
• Time: 6-8 seconds.
• Story: _______ walks across the screen, then something happens.
• You define the "something" that happens! What does your character do? How does your character react?
• Produce 25-30 key drawings that tell the story of this character moving and acting within the scene!
• Remember that your character needs to be clearly defined and designed!
• Scan those drawings into Toon Boom Harmony, time out your drawings to your scene, and bring a pencil test of your animation with you to class on Monday.
• Monday, I will check for the REFERENCE VIDEO, PENCIL TEST as well as your DRAWINGS!
• Bring your supplies to class to make corrections on Monday!

Homework for Wednesday and Midterm Grading Checklist:

For Wednesday:

• Revise your walk cycles! Put any final touches you would like to have to it to add both life and craftsmanship to your animation. 
• Please place any final improvements or life drawing samples I've asked you to do on the server. 
• Bring to class an idea for your walk cycle with personality. 
• Remember to add a "stamp" to your performance, where your character takes a moment to think, change direction, or does something else before he continues to walk!
• With your idea, bring a sample reference you have filmed yourself, using your phone, camera, or something else.  Practicing your reference at home will better inform what we do in class that day!
• Make notes of important parts of your character's figure. How does the character walk? What primitive 3-D shapes make up the different parts of your character? Where is the line of action? What joints are being stressed? Where are the major points of tension in the character's posing

This week, we are creating our first big performance: A walk with emotion!  To prepare for this, you have begun on an in-class exercise where a character picks up an object and interacts with it!  This will help you produce everything we create from this class, forward.

For midterms, I will be looking at all of the assignments you have produced thus far, and providing full feedback for each! In the MIDETERMS folder: please place on the server one movie file of the following assignments, and one folder of your drawings labeled as such:

1. Your ball bounce project (lastname_p1)
2. Your shape emotion project (lastname_p2)
3. Your research project (lastname_p3)
4. Your walk cycle (lastname_p4)
5. A folder with your figure drawings and caricatures in it, including the ones I asked you to produce (lastname_sk1)
6. In addition, bring your walk cycle project drawings to class so I can look at them along with your work!

Midterm is moved up a week from where it has been in the previous years. Because of this, remember that we have all of this week and next week before fall break. The review I give you during midterm will help give you the necessary tools to accomplish everything you need to do the next two weeks!