Planning and Storyboarding Planning and Storyboarding

1.1 Planning to Create 1.Come up with a premise (idea) 2.Develop a story from the premise 3.Create a storyboard from the story 4.Model props, environment and characters 5.Create materials for your objects 6.Set the “stage” 7.Animate 1.Come up with a premise (idea) 2.Develop a story from the premise 3.Create a storyboard from the story 4.Model props, environment and characters 5.Create materials for your objects 6.Set the “stage” 7.Animate Steps for creating a successful animation:

1.1 Planning to Create 8.Create soundtrack 9.SFX (Video Post, Render Effects) 10.Render! 11.Edit and tweak 12.Re-render… 8.Create soundtrack 9.SFX (Video Post, Render Effects) 10.Render! 11.Edit and tweak 12.Re-render… Steps for creating a successful animation:

1.1 Planning to Create No real answer to that question but... Making an animated film lets you tell a story Forces you to understand the process as a whole You get to have total control - You are the Grip, Prop master, Lighting Guy, Soundman, Cameraman, Director - You have the final say of what goes in your animated film You get to do whatever you like - you can be as surreal, wild, gross and as funny as you want! No real answer to that question but... Making an animated film lets you tell a story Forces you to understand the process as a whole You get to have total control - You are the Grip, Prop master, Lighting Guy, Soundman, Cameraman, Director - You have the final say of what goes in your animated film You get to do whatever you like - you can be as surreal, wild, gross and as funny as you want! Why Create A Short Animated Film?

1.1 Planning to Create To have something to enter into contests and festivals… so you’ll get noticed… get a job… acquire fame and fortune (it could happen!) Because you can and want to create To have fun and learn! To have something to enter into contests and festivals… so you’ll get noticed… get a job… acquire fame and fortune (it could happen!) Because you can and want to create To have fun and learn! Why Create A Short Animated Film?

1.1 Planning to Create Whatever story you decide to do, keep it simple! Don’t bite off more than you can chew! If you start big you never get your story complete an animated short does not have to be long to be good 30 seconds minimum maximum 2-3 minutes in length Whatever story you decide to do, keep it simple! Don’t bite off more than you can chew! If you start big you never get your story complete an animated short does not have to be long to be good 30 seconds minimum maximum 2-3 minutes in length Why Create A Short Animated Film?

1.1 Planning to Create The first thing it making an animated short is figuring out what the story will be about your film has to be based on two things - Characters and the Story they drive each other if there is no story, there is no characters to inhabit it if there are no characters, there is no story to describe them You need to develop the characters and the story at the same time! The first thing it making an animated short is figuring out what the story will be about your film has to be based on two things - Characters and the Story they drive each other if there is no story, there is no characters to inhabit it if there are no characters, there is no story to describe them You need to develop the characters and the story at the same time! Creating Characters and a Story

1.1 Planning to Create As you go along you refine the characters and story so it works as an animated film the characters you use or create drive their personalities the situation you put characters into impacts the way interact or respond to the story Add twists - Miscast your characters to warp their personalities, for instance - A Superhero with the personality of a... As you go along you refine the characters and story so it works as an animated film the characters you use or create drive their personalities the situation you put characters into impacts the way interact or respond to the story Add twists - Miscast your characters to warp their personalities, for instance - A Superhero with the personality of a... Creating Characters and a Story

1.1 Planning to Create a story always has a beginning, middle and end your story should have conflict between its characters and their environment (drama or humor) The hardest part about creating a story is figuring out what your story will be about... a story always has a beginning, middle and end your story should have conflict between its characters and their environment (drama or humor) The hardest part about creating a story is figuring out what your story will be about... Creating Characters and a Story

1.1 Planning to Create What could a story be about? Well, here is an idea… What if you had a hyperactive Baby trying to catch an elusive Baby Bottle? Could you imagine the conflicts or gags you could set-up with that idea? That short one or two line statement or idea is called the Premise. What could a story be about? Well, here is an idea… What if you had a hyperactive Baby trying to catch an elusive Baby Bottle? Could you imagine the conflicts or gags you could set-up with that idea? That short one or two line statement or idea is called the Premise. Creating Characters and a Story

1.1 Planning to Create In order to get ideas for an animated short you need to brainstorm premises. 1. Take a piece of paper & write down as many ideas as you can for a simple story. 2. Keep your sheet(s) of paper to add to it if more ideas come to you Eventually one of your ideas will strike you as “The” premise for your film.* *Remember to objectively try and picture how each premise can develop into a story that you would want to tell. In order to get ideas for an animated short you need to brainstorm premises. 1. Take a piece of paper & write down as many ideas as you can for a simple story. 2. Keep your sheet(s) of paper to add to it if more ideas come to you Eventually one of your ideas will strike you as “The” premise for your film.* *Remember to objectively try and picture how each premise can develop into a story that you would want to tell. Creating Characters and a Story

1.1 Planning to Create Once you have decided on your premise you have to figure out how you will execute it. What do I have to create? Will my characters have clothes, hair and accessories? What kind of environments will they inhabit? Lighting and SFX concerns can the computer and/or software handle the task? Once you have decided on your premise you have to figure out how you will execute it. What do I have to create? Will my characters have clothes, hair and accessories? What kind of environments will they inhabit? Lighting and SFX concerns can the computer and/or software handle the task? Developing your premise

1.1 Planning to Create Are you up to the requirements for the project (are you up for the challenge?) How long should it be (production time, rendering time…)? Not all stories are told in a few minutes, so... focus on one set of characters and one conflict simple is better! (KISS) Are you up to the requirements for the project (are you up for the challenge?) How long should it be (production time, rendering time…)? Not all stories are told in a few minutes, so... focus on one set of characters and one conflict simple is better! (KISS) Developing your premise

1.1 Planning to Create Flesh out your story so you know the exact sequence of events (beginning, middle, ending)* * Take my idea of the baby and the baby bottle. What could happen there? The baby could stalk the bottle and when he or she corners it the frightened bottle it defends itself by squirting the baby in the face! See how the premise gets fleshed-out, Ideas spawn from the main premise. Flesh out your story so you know the exact sequence of events (beginning, middle, ending)* * Take my idea of the baby and the baby bottle. What could happen there? The baby could stalk the bottle and when he or she corners it the frightened bottle it defends itself by squirting the baby in the face! See how the premise gets fleshed-out, Ideas spawn from the main premise. Developing your premise

1.1 Planning to Create Sketch out your ideas to visualize how your story might look Brainstorm more ideas to help flesh out your premise. Keep the good material, weed out the bad to make it simpler! Sketch out your ideas to visualize how your story might look Brainstorm more ideas to help flesh out your premise. Keep the good material, weed out the bad to make it simpler! Developing your premise

1.1 Planning to Create 1. From your list of premises pick one that might develop into an interesting story. 2. Take some post-it notes or paper and using your premise as a guide write or draw points on separate cards describing actions or events that could be in your story. 3. Generate lots of ideas. If no ideas come from your premise, pick a better one! 4. Take your stack of ideas and make sure to organize them into a rough outline of the story. By doing this you should get a good idea of how things will look. 1. From your list of premises pick one that might develop into an interesting story. 2. Take some post-it notes or paper and using your premise as a guide write or draw points on separate cards describing actions or events that could be in your story. 3. Generate lots of ideas. If no ideas come from your premise, pick a better one! 4. Take your stack of ideas and make sure to organize them into a rough outline of the story. By doing this you should get a good idea of how things will look. Developing your premise

1.1 Planning to Create Here is a list of ideas of how my film could go… W.S. of living room/cut to MCU on corner of couch/baby peeks head out/cut to MCU bottle trying to cautiously sneak around a corner to the living room/follow bottle to corner/cut to reaction shot of baby seeing the bottle/reverse baby scooting along side of couch cornering bottle in the corner/OTS baby bottle looking for an escape route sees none and as the baby reaches for him he squirts the baby (camera) in the face and escapes (the milk spray used as a natural wipe to white). (All written on separate cards of course!) Here is a list of ideas of how my film could go… W.S. of living room/cut to MCU on corner of couch/baby peeks head out/cut to MCU bottle trying to cautiously sneak around a corner to the living room/follow bottle to corner/cut to reaction shot of baby seeing the bottle/reverse baby scooting along side of couch cornering bottle in the corner/OTS baby bottle looking for an escape route sees none and as the baby reaches for him he squirts the baby (camera) in the face and escapes (the milk spray used as a natural wipe to white). (All written on separate cards of course!) Developing your premise

1.1 Planning to Create When you have a firm idea of what your story is about, you have to create a storyboard. Your storyboard is your blueprint you use to construct your animation. Storyboards are simple, shot by shot, action by action diagrams of what you want to do in your animation. Always create a storyboard before you begin animation. When you have a firm idea of what your story is about, you have to create a storyboard. Your storyboard is your blueprint you use to construct your animation. Storyboards are simple, shot by shot, action by action diagrams of what you want to do in your animation. Always create a storyboard before you begin animation. Creating your Storyboard

1.1 Planning to Create Use a stack of cards or post-it notes and draw each shot, one per sheet. Stick your shots, in order, on a wall, sheet of paper or bulletin board. Your storyboard does not have to be a work of art! If you can’t draw use stick figures! People usually don’t see your storyboards for a personal film. Make sure your storyboards are acceptable if you have to present them to a client. Use a stack of cards or post-it notes and draw each shot, one per sheet. Stick your shots, in order, on a wall, sheet of paper or bulletin board. Your storyboard does not have to be a work of art! If you can’t draw use stick figures! People usually don’t see your storyboards for a personal film. Make sure your storyboards are acceptable if you have to present them to a client. Creating your Storyboard

1.1 Planning to Create Storyboards are the only way to properly plan! The storyboard is one of the last steps in pre- production. Changing a storyboard is easier and less costly than changing your animation later. Your storyboard dictates what you do: - What you have to build - How many shots to animate - Length of the final film Storyboards are the only way to properly plan! The storyboard is one of the last steps in pre- production. Changing a storyboard is easier and less costly than changing your animation later. Your storyboard dictates what you do: - What you have to build - How many shots to animate - Length of the final film Creating your Storyboard

1.1 Planning to Create Create your storyboard Use you outline that you created from your premise to create your storyboard. 1. Work out the story points visually on post-it notes (one post-it note per shot or action). You might need more than one panel for longer shots that contain more action. 2. Stick your drawings on a piece of paper or the wall. Re-work any shots that are out of place. You should now see how your animation will look, shot by shot! Create your storyboard Use you outline that you created from your premise to create your storyboard. 1. Work out the story points visually on post-it notes (one post-it note per shot or action). You might need more than one panel for longer shots that contain more action. 2. Stick your drawings on a piece of paper or the wall. Re-work any shots that are out of place. You should now see how your animation will look, shot by shot! Creating your Storyboard

1.1 Planning to Create Record Your Soundtrack Not all animated films have dialog. Some of the best animated shorts have no dialog at all. If your animation has dialog record it after you are happy with your script and storyboard. Record audio at CD quality (16 Bit 44 kHz) Edit your dialog with a sound editing program for timing/mixing purposes. This track will be used for the dialog track for your piece. For sound EFX, lift from CD or create your own. Record Your Soundtrack Not all animated films have dialog. Some of the best animated shorts have no dialog at all. If your animation has dialog record it after you are happy with your script and storyboard. Record audio at CD quality (16 Bit 44 kHz) Edit your dialog with a sound editing program for timing/mixing purposes. This track will be used for the dialog track for your piece. For sound EFX, lift from CD or create your own. More Stuff to Consider...

1.1 Planning to Create Render your animation Render animation to low-res for tests Note any flaws Render your animation Render animation to low-res for tests Note any flaws More Stuff to Consider...

1.1 Planning to Create Edit and tweak Fix any imperfections Tweak if desired Edit and tweak Fix any imperfections Tweak if desired More Stuff to Consider...

1.1 Planning to Create Re-Render! More Stuff to Consider...