Good storyboard – good animation

Animation is the most demanding field for a storyboard artist in terms of the detail of the drawings and the quality of their execution, and it also involves a lot of labor costs. This is because the storyboard is the main means of communication between animation artists, and it travels from studio to studio, country to country, many times throughout the production process.

Storyboard szablon w produkcji filmu animowanego

Here is a classic storyboard template:

It marks a place for frame drawings, text, translation, notes and references (location number, character number,type of special effect, etc.) and, finally, a place for the duration of the sequence.

If you want to become a professional storyboard artist,

You must possess the ability to draw quickly and accurately. In addition, you must have film knowledge and the ability to organize your work and time, as well as the ability to work in a team. Here are the most important distinguishing features of a good storyboard artist:

The ability to draw

You must be very familiar with the anatomy of the body and the principles of perspective. In your work you sketch from memory but also model from the materials provided. You will need the ability to create realistic drawings for storyboards for films, and in the case of animation, to recreate a pre-designed character and set design.

Speed

As in life, it is not only quality that counts, but also quantity. Long ago, the band Depeche Mode sang in their hit “Everything counts in large amounts.” You will be working under stress under time pressure, so speed is of paramount importance. A good storyboard artist can just as quickly grasp and sketch an idea directly in a meeting as he can work efficiently in the studio.

Film knowledge

It’s good to know the history of cinema and animation, as your colleagues will continually refer to a wide variety of films when discussing style, pacing, color and framing. You should know what they are talking about. Watch the videos, live the animations and stay current. The classics of cinema and the latest hits are most often cited in conversations.

Work organization

Take care of the organization of your workspace and time. No one but yourself will make sure you finish them on time (well, unless your boss). You will probably be doing several projects at the same time, taking care of both the creative aspect. Good organization is really necessary to create something nice 🙂

Storyboard – Floyx animated film

Ability to work as part of a team

Storyboard artist is often employed as a helping hand. The intensity of participation in the creative process may vary depending on the assignment, the studio’s organizational structure, etc. However, in many cases your job will be to illustrate the ideas of third parties. You have to accept this turn of events and adapt to the set deadlines. Teamwork is a must.

For dessert, an animation realized on the basis of the storyboard presented above: