Is storyboarding essential for your independent film?

Because film is a visual medium, what better method for a Director to express his or her vision than by using storyboarding? Sure, you’ll break down the screenplay into shots, and a shot list is a vital component of a Director’s preparation, but you still have to convince your team to see what you see in your head.

Remember, a picture is worth a thousand words! If you tell a group of individuals you want a medium shot, they will all picture it differently. The last thing you want is for your vision to be misunderstood by others. With this in mind, it might be best to consider creating a storyboard. Or at the very least, give it a go.

Though storyboards appear to be similar to comic books at first glance, they are far more comprehensive and include more information. The boards themselves can exist in a virtual world, or they can be hand-drawn and placed in a book or on a wall so that the crew can walk through the action of a film.

Each shot has its own board, and each image represents a piece of the visual tale. Now, before you panic and exclaim, “I’m not an artist!” There are apps and Storyboard Artists who can assist you with this process, which we will discuss further below. But, ultimately, if you can draw stick figures, you have the adequate ability.

It’s also worth noting that not all directors employ storyboards. However, before you decide you want to be that type of director, try out storyboards. Your coworkers might just adore you for it.

 

Storyboarding: Scope

“Do I need a shot list and storyboards?” is the most common question novices ask. Yes, to put it succinctly. A shot list is a list of the many types of coverage you’ll need for a scene (medium, close-up, etc.) and it’s a nice place to start, but it’s just that: a list.

It’s something your Assistant Director does to keep track of the footage throughout the day and build a timetable. It also aids in the organisation of footage in the editorial department. However, you haven’t described what’s in the images from a creative standpoint. So, after you know what shots you’ll need to cover a scene, you’ll need to show how you envision each shot as the Director.

The storyboards come into play at this point. They walk your team through your concept, shot by shot, and ideally inspire them. This is the moment to figure out what you want to convey with each shot. It will assist the Production Designer in knowing how to dress the set, the Director of Photography in knowing where to position the camera, how to light the shot, and what lenses to use, and so on.

   

How it’s done

To make storyboards, you don’t need to be a skilled artist. You can become your own Storyboard Artist, especially if you’re directing a low-budget indie film. What is key, is that each storyboard frame contains enough information on who and what is in it, as well as the camera shot and movement employed, so that others working on the project can see how it will appear from shot to shot.

 

The process

Storyboarding is a process whereby the Director, Cinematographer, and other relevant professionals on a film draft shot by shot to convey how they imagine a film will look once they move into production to actually shoot it.

Some Directors and Cinematographers prefer to draw their storyboards themselves, but many make use of the talent of a professional Storyboard Artist who will take feedback and collaborate with these other individuals to mock up the storyboards during the pre-production phase of filmmaking.

 

 

Storyboarding: Composing your shot

Before a Director can think about shot composition, they must first choose an aspect ratio. The form of the frame, which is commonly a version of a rectangle, is called the aspect ratio. However, do some research to learn about aspect ratios and how they affect storytelling.

Most storyboarding software can make storyboards in any aspect ratio you choose, and if you’re hand-drawing your storyboards, you can buy storyboard paper in several aspect ratios. Composition is the way you organise subjects in a frame, in relation to the camera. This is referred to as blocking. You’ll show how the actors move about the screen and where they interact with each other and their surroundings.

The location of the camera is an important aspect of the visual tale, so be as detailed as possible. In the forefront, what person is there? What or who is lurking in the shadows? What perspective are we looking at these things from? Is there depth of field or is everything in focus? These are the kinds of things you need to say, and your choices should have an emotional impact.

Understanding basic notions like the Rule of Thirds or the Golden Ratio might help when it comes to framing. These beliefs are based on art and still photography, but since film relies on motion to create a story, don’t get too worked up over them.

For those unfamiliar, the rule of thirds is a technique that involves dividing your frame into nine equal pieces – three vertical, three horizontal (thus the thirds) – and placing your subjects along these lines to produce more dynamic photographs. If you have a smartphone, there’s a strong chance it can overlay a grid-like this in the viewfinder of your camera.

The Golden Ratio, which has been reduced to a grid called the Phi Grid (by a series of arithmetic formulae), resembles the rule of thirds, except the centre lines, are closer together, allowing more space in the squares at the end. Maths aside, it all boils down to how the frame is split, which some argue is more subtle and hence more pleasing to the eye with the Golden Ratio.

 

Key elements

The storyboarding elements are the components that should be included in each drawing. These are:

• Subject
• Background
• Type of shot
• Camera movement

 

Storyboarding: Motion

In a shot, you’ll observe two types of motion: the camera moving and the figure moving. You can depict these movements with arrows on the storyboard so that the team can visualise transitions and activities. It’s often necessary to show that an actor departs the left frame, so we pick up his movements in the following shot when the viewer’s eye is still.

If the camera tilts up or down or pans from left to right, you’ll want to mention that. It has the ability to rack focus, zoom, or push in. You can depict this movement in storyboards so that you can see how it works from shot to shot.

 

Storyboarding: Animation

In animation, the storyboard serves a distinct purpose. The animation begins with a script, even though you create it through storyboards. You can use these storyboards to make an animatic, which is a video version of the storyboards. The boards are sent into an editing machine, where they are assembled into a 2D version of the film.

The animatic is more than simply a roadmap in animation; you can use it to nail down the timing of each shot and the pace of a film. It is a password-protected and comprehensive handbook for animators. Because of the time and effort required to generate each frame of an animated film, editing occurs before the animators begin working. The animatic must be exact.

   

Storyboarding: Application and Tools

Fear not, those of you who are self-conscious about your sketching abilities. All you actually need to do is inform your team about what’s in the picture and where the camera is. Stick figures and blobs are quite acceptable. If you prefer to use an app, there are several excellent options available. Moviestorm and Frameforge are two prominent pre-visualization software applications. However, if you have the funds, I feel that engaging a Storyboard Artist is the way to go.

A Storyboard Artist, unlike software, is a person who brings expertise and ideas to the table, and there’s nothing like a partner to bounce ideas off. Photoboarding is another alternative and one that you might consider employing. If you have access to your sites during pre-production, this is a fantastic method.

Stand-ins can be used to obstruct the Actors and illustrate camera positioning by shooting a photo. This isn’t ideal for action scenes, but if you’re on a tight deadline and don’t have the time or money to storyboard, it’s a terrific approach to plan out shots. Check out this list of storyboarding software for any budget!

 

Storyboarding: The takeaway

The more preparation you do ahead of time as a filmmaker, the more equipped you will be to handle situations on set. Keep in mind that storyboards serve as a route map. Obstacles may arise during production, forcing you to re-imagine your shot. If you have to deviate from your storyboard, it does not mean you have to abandon all of your hard work. It denotes that you are a Director capable of dealing with any situation.

On the other hand, once you’ve settled down and seen the connection between the actors, you might want to try something else. Don’t allow the storyboards to get in the way of your creativity. Make room for creativity. Remember, not all directors use storyboards, and some directors only utilise storyboards for action scenes or important set pieces.