Storyboard Format

Storyboard Format

Storyboards, like characters, come in all shapes and sizes. All storyboards contain an indication of framing. The frame (in film, not in Flash) denotes the edges of the screen that will display the image. All actions take place within the frame. Each frame of the storyboard translates to a frame in the finished animation. Usually, only frames with important actions are included in the storyboard (i.e., keyframes).

Storyboards can be rough hand-drawn images because their purpose is to save time, but the drawings should be clear enough to make the action evident to someone else. Each frame in the storyboard should include just enough detail to convey the setting, characters, and camera shots (collectively known as blocking).

Don’t worry if your drawing skills are lacking, you do not have to be an artist to draw a storyboard. We’ve seen plenty of storyboards from nonillustrators that convey the story or gameplay just fine. Some of the best storyboards have even been drawn on restaurant napkins. It doesn’t really matter how imperfect your storyboard is, as long as it communi- cates the story visually (Figure 1.38).

Figure 1.38 Drafting a rough storyboard before the actual animation is started can prevent time-consuming revisions later.

Chapter 1 Getting Started

Your storyboard page can contain 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, or 8 frames (or panels) of action. If you try to fit more than eight on

a page, you’ll end up with some pretty tiny drawings. You can download preformatted storyboard templates or create If you build your storyboard in

Flash, don’t forget that you can use your own by drawing panels (on paper or in Flash). If you

frame labels to include notes. use Flash to create your storyboard and include one action per keyframe, the Stage will serve as your frame border.

Beyond including a frame border on your storyboard pages, you can also choose to include space for informa- tion about the production and/or company, a scene number, dialogue boxes for each frame, descriptions of the actions on each frame, and any other information that you deem relevant to the storyboard (Figure 1.39).

Figure 1.39 This simple storyboard format contains three panels and a space for action, notes, and/or dialogue.

The tools that you use to create your storyboard may affect the particular format that you choose for your storyboard.

Digital tools

You can download preformatted storyboard templates for television

Traditionally, storyboards are drawn with pencil on paper, and feature animation at http:// and then each image is scanned and saved as a file. You

animationmeat.com/templates/ may prefer to use this method, or you may prefer to templates.html. You can print this template for a hard copy or import

remain completely paperless by drawing entirely on the the PDF to Flash and work with it computer. Drawing directly into Flash is certainly a fast and

digitally.

easy way to start your Flash animation project. There are several digital alternatives to drawing in Flash:

Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, and Autodesk SketchBook Pro are our favorites, but you can use what- ever you are most comfortable with. There is also a pro- gram from Toon Boom (http://toonboom.com) called

Animation with Scripting for Adobe Flash Professional CS5 Studio Techniques

Storyboard Pro that is designed specifically for the creation of storyboards and visual storytelling (Figure 1.40).

Figure 1.40 Toon Boom’s Storyboard Pro software.

If you will be drawing your storyboard in Flash or any other With new technology comes new ways of creat-

Storyboarding on Tablet Devices

graphics program, we recommend setting the width and ing content. The iPad from Apple (http://www.

height of the Stage to the same dimensions as your final apple.com/ipad) can be turned into a portable

drawing tablet if you install the Brushes applica- Flash file. You can locate the dimensions of your Flash file

tion (http://brushesapp.com), or you can use in the Document Settings dialog box (Modify > Document) Autodesk’s SketchBook Pro for mobile devices

(Figure 1.41).

(http://autodesk.com/sketchbookmobile). These applications are designed so that your finger is the actual drawing tool. But for more precision, you can purchase a Pogo stylus from Ten One Design (http://tenonedesign.com).

Figure 1.41 The Document Settings dialog box; here you can retrieve (as well as set) the width, height, and frame rate of your project.

Consider your output format when Now that you’re familiar with potential storyboard formats, deciding on your Flash dimensions.

let’s address the less tangible elements that constitute a See Chapter 5 for more information.

good storyboard.