Storyboard and Sketcher

L

LuckyProducer

Well-known member
hey guys, i was wondering how the sketcher and director works together. I got someone to sketch the storyboard for my film, although, how would she know how i want the frames to be? How do the pros do it? Can I do it this way? Do the director and storyboard sketcher sit down together and do it together? This is really time consuming for the director who will just be watching the artist draw it out. Let me know what you guys know. Thanks!
 
I guess that depends on the Director. I personally make a rough sketch of the scenes that I want, and then have the concept artist make them look legible. You need to have a good relationship with this person as you will be spending many long hard hours with him/her.
 
It depends on how well the script is written. I would just let the sketcher do her thing. You might get some ideas from her that you didn't already have. If any frames bother you, discuss them with her and have her re-draw them. hope this helps.
-dvxwheelr
 
Buy a copy of Frame forge 3d studio and knock it up in that. A few days playing with it and you won't need a story boarder!
 
Better yet, get a widescreen digital camera and take some of your friends, position them in the location or simulated location and frame the shot and shoot. This is instant storyboarding. Also, you can go to the actual locations (whether an apartment, backyard, car, cafe) and do the same thing, create an email and send to your continuity supervisor, wardrobe, hair and makeup stylist, production designer, editor, cinematographer and talent - - so they get an idea of the shots you want, what the location may need (props, lights, obstacles), what colors work and what angles don't cut together. You don't need an expensive one with crazy mega pixels because the file size will be huge, unless you send them to the Kodak Gallery which is a very useful site to host your photos or even Yahoo Photo is pretty good. Good Night and Good Luck!!
 
I do all of the story boards myself. The reason I love filmmaking so much is because each phase of it is a type of art that I thoroughly enjoy. I write stories/scripts, I draw detailed story boards, I shoot it, cut it, write music, attempting special effects now. I just look at it as a medium to express all areas that I'm interested in. Of course, later on if I were to become an established filmmaker, I'd have to give up one or two of thos positions, because I couldn't do it all with a production company breathing down my neck. ha, look at me. Talking like I've actually made something good. My problem is that I'm a pretty good writer, I understand people (or try to) and I write my characters realistically. I have good spatial senses and am very visual, so drawing comes naturally. been doing it since I was a child. I took up piano and guitar a long time ago, so I've got that covered. I own over 200 dvds and have studied many of them rigorously. I read every day, and I can shoot and cut a film. My problem is that I never have the resources to do so. Either my "crew" can't get serious, or they can't show up. and I get screwed with junk footage. :( But I'm in the process of working out some story boards right now for a film I just wrote that will involve USMC and us army soldiers in a fire fight amongst each other. I have great locations set up, mediocre actors that I think I can pull great performances out of, and I'm getting more money. Now all I need is some faith and lady luck on my side. This thing will be feature length and I plan on getting it into a local film fest here next year.

I'll do the dvx some justice. I promise.

(why did I just type all of that?)
 
just to clarify, it's NOT about ARMY vs. Marines. It sounded that way when I typed all that. What happens is that while both groups are in a foreign country, two soldiers who just happen to be in the Army open fire on their squad and take their officer "hostage" so to speak. They aren't expecting ransom or anything silly like that. They have just had enough of the military life and their asshole officer. I guess you could claim they both suffer some sort of trauma from battle or even schizophrenia. Another squad is reassigned to bring back the officer and put the deranged soldiers into custody.

The film isn't about the fighting or the deranged soldiers. It is a character study focusing primarily on a Captain and a young soldier who end up forming a father/son type of bond in the field over time. Both of their backgrounds are written specifically to lead them to one another. I deal a lot with fate and destiny in my writings. This one has a lot to do about the bond between fathers/sons, families, and just basically between all human beings.

It's a rather tragic story at times, but does have it's ups.
 
If you really want your boards detailed, make a Shot List. In your shot list write CU if it's a closeup, etc. Having a shot list will raise the likelihood that you and the Storyboard artist are on the same page. Also, why not film the rehearsals and work out the setup.

Also, make a list for the artist explaining how exactly you envision your film. That will help them to see your vision and bring it to paper. You don't have to sit down with them like a back seat driver, it just wastes time.

Just make sure that you check in with them. I had a friend who paid this guy a lot of money to draw up some boards for him. He paid the guy up front. The guy did a couple of boards and then flaked on him with the money. Make sure you are on the same page in the beginning. Also, keep in mind that the Storyboard artist doesn't determine the final look of the film. It's just meant to be a blueprint. That is unless you're doing the Matrix.

The true magic will happen on the set. I haven't met a director yet that went exactly by the shot list and storyboards. If you do it leaves you no creative room to really make a kick a$$ film. If I was you I would be more concerned with finding a good DP. I would suggest that the only person you should sit with and monitor is the Editor. You want to make sure that all your hours of hard work are actually what ends up in the final product.

If you plan on making your storyboards yourself you can get a free stuff from:

Storyboards:
http://www.animationmeat.com/templates/templates.html

Free Storyboard Software:
http://www.softlookup.com/display.asp?id=4932
 
dakotapod said:
Agreed - Great program - :thumbsup:

You can try a demo @ www.frameforge3d.com
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dang this program looks pretty good, I too have been plagued by my horrible drawing skills. Maybe this program could be a step in the right direction. Thanks for the demo!:thumbsup:
 
IMO shot lists are about 100% more useful than storyboarding and less time consuming. The best would obviously be storyboarding w/ shot lists, but sometimes people don't always have the time.
 
Slimothy said:
IMO shot lists are about 100% more useful than storyboarding and less time consuming. The best would obviously be storyboarding w/ shot lists, but sometimes people don't always have the time.
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totally agree. My perfectionistic nature makes it much harder for me to get my story boards done. Shot lists are important, but I like to get as many story boards done as I can. It just makes it more fun for me when I can visualize the film ahead of time, and then watch it being put together in each stage. :)
 
Directing IS storyboarding. Or rather, blocking, which uses storyboarding to communicate your ideas to others.

Overhead diagrams may be more useful if you're a bad artist (like me). You can also more easily explain complicated moves, and can cover an entire scene in one diagram which can mean better continuity.
 
Hey pmark23, can you show me an example of an overhead diagram? This wouldn't give me examples of how I want my shots; although, I think it sounds interesting.

Thanks everyone for all the responses. I'm sure this post is answering many people's answers. Thanks!
 
A number of times I have been approached by enthusiastic young directors to shoot their films and presented with beautifully executed storyboards that the director is obviously very proud of. More often than not, the final product is very different from these boards and the effort in creating them was for nothing, other than get the director thinking visually.

I have also seen directors have talented artists create storyboards for them where the artist comes up with the framing, content and even action within the scene, which to me makes no sense.

As mentioned earlier in this thread, the best reason for storyboards is to communicate with others what a specific shot will look like. There's not much of a reason to execute drawings of a closeup, or an over-the-shoulder shot--those are self-explanatory. A complicated frame with multiple elements that needs to be understood by various departments is a good reason for a pre-viz'd image.

For me, a little stick person sketch is enough when discussing the shot between director and DP if necessary. And agreed that a solid, easily understandable shot list is much more valuable on shoot day.
 
The Hollywood Camera Work DVDs have a very well developed system of overhead diagramming. I believe that you can download diagrams from their website.
 
Slimothy said:
IMO shot lists are about 100% more useful than storyboarding and less time consuming. The best would obviously be storyboarding w/ shot lists, but sometimes people don't always have the time.
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I second that! In a big way too!
 
Still I would rather have some basic stick figure quick sketches I have made then I can feel the flow as I want it... change it around... find a better approach... get back to the subject if my mind gets creative and starts working too subliminaly.
 
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