Storyboarding for People Who Can't Draw

For all our students storyboarding their short films we're recommending the video above by Russell Hasenauer titled "Storyboarding for People Who Can't Draw". It's a useful video because it helps to explain how the storyboarding process can be achieved even by students who don't draw well, or lack confidence in their drawing. Storyboarding is not chiefly about drawing - it's about how you juxtapose shots to tell a story, ideally clearly and simply.  Storyboarding is a vital part of the film-making process, and one which all our students need to learn. 

Storyboarding

Skilled storyboard artists are in high demand, and there is a serious skills shortage here in the UK. Storyboarding is a craft that involves the ability to tell a story visually using both traditional drawing and also (increasingly) 3D skills. Storyboard artists should also master the basics of acting, performance, cinematography - and also have a sense of fun and entertainment about their work.  

Clear Storytelling

Above all, storyboard artists must learn to be clear.  Great board artists often become directors - storyboarding can be a route to the very top of our industry.

Reading List
The main book on storyboarding that we recommend is Prepare to Board by Nancy Beiman. You can read more about it here.

Storyboarding Links
To see more about storyboarding at Escape Studios, follow these links:

• Free Storyboarding MasterClass with Chess Adams
• Why Animators Need a Storyboard Animatic
• Chess Adams: "Five Reasons to Study Storyboarding"
• Chess Adams: "What are Storyboards for?"
• Pixar's Storyboard secrets
• Stefan Franck on Storyboarding

Film-Making Resouces

To find more resources about film-making, and how we make films at Escape Studios, follow the links below:

Development & Pre-Production

• How to Write a Story
• How to make a short animated film
• How to pitch your film idea
• Why Animators Need to be Art Directors
• Why Animators Need Mood Boards
• Why Animators Need Colour Scripts
• Managing Group Projects
• Why Animators Need a Storyboard Animatic
• How to Record Voice-Overs
• Sound Design for Animators

Production

• Why Animators Must Wreck Their Rigs
• What an Animation Editor Does, Exactly
• Ten Rules of Animation Dailies
• Why Animators Must Check Their Hookups
• What are CBBs? (Could be Better)
• Using Lighting to Tell the Story

Post-Production

• How Animators Work with Composers
• Royalty-free music at Bensound
• Colour Grading your film
• Thanks and Special Thanks - Getting Film Credits Right
• How to Create the Perfect One-Sheet Movie Poster (and Why You Need One)
• Getting Yourself (and your film) Listed at IMDB
• Art of The Title

The Escape Studios Animation Blog offers a personal view on the art of animation and visual effects. To apply for our BA/MArt in 3D Animation, follow this link.