"Prepare To Board" for the Animation Library

We've acquired new copies of the storyboarding classic Prepare to Board! by Nancy Beiman  - the main book we recommend to our students studying the art of storyboarding here at Escape Studios.  

Prepare to Board! is an excellent book from a master animator and Disney Animation veteran.  We now have several copies in the Animation and VFX Library at Escape Studios. 

Nancy Beiman was a supervising animator at Disney (most notably on Hercules) and (like many 2D animators) she does storyboards and character design as well as animation.

Storyboarding is the vital starting point for all our students' short films; without a solid story few films will enjoy a successful festival career.  

Evening Class in Storyboarding: 24 March 2026

Our Evening Class in

Giles & Rupert's Prehistoric Predicament - Storyboards

Storyboarding returns on 24 March 2026.  This evening class in storyboarding is an online class, taught from 7-10pm, and runs for ten weeks.

Storyboarding is a growing area of the animation industry; one which has recorded significant skills shortages in recent years.

Our storyboard students have gone on to successful careers at studios such as Walt Disney, Brown Bag Films and Blue Zoo Animation.

Why Animators Always Start With a Story

Storytelling animation by Sunny Asadi

Animators are story tellers; animation should always have an idea behind it, one that tells a story.

Junior animators focus on learning technique - and technique is important. But it is also important to think carefully about the story behind your shot.

Who is your character, and why are they doing what they are doing?  What is the scene about? What do they want, and what do they fear?  These things are important because if your shots forms part of an interesting story, it will be much more interesting to watch.

Why Writers Need Screen Credit

Don't forget to credit the writer 

The screen credit most commonly neglected by our student filmmakers is that of writer. Why should this be? Probably because, as animators and visual effects artists, our students tend to think visually, not in terms of language or story.  

But, however your film is imagined, it always starts with a story.  And whoever conceived that story should be credited as the writer.  

The writer credit is one of the key roles on a film, just as important as the director and producer. Why? Because in the end, it's all about telling a story.  

Why Animators Should Tell a Story

Animators need an idea

Every Shot Needs an Idea. Animators should always imagine clearly what their shot is about before they start to animate. 

Animators are actors, with a pencil, or a mouse. Like stage or screen actors, animators must always think about what the character is thinking and feeling. Who is the character talking to, and what is the scene about? What do they want, and what do they fear?

Unless these questions are asked, and answered, the scene will tend to feel empty of meaning, and lack compelling interest.  Start by writing out your scene as a short story. 

Story & Previs Taster on 8 August at 5pm

Join us on Monday 8th August at 5pm at Escape Studios for a free taster in Storyboarding and Previsualisation.  Come and see what it is like learning the art and craft of visual storytelling at Escape Studios.

This free online taster offers a hands-on introduction to professional storyboarding techniques, techniques which are currently in demand as the animation industry continues to expand.

In this online taster, taught by Escape Studios' tutor Iliana Franklin, you will learn to create a simple storyboard, and edit the images into a digital animatic with music and sound design.

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. 

Escape Studios "60-90 Second Challenge"

60-90 Second Challenge

Here at Escape Studios we're announcing "The 60-90 Second Challenge" for all our students. The Challenge is aimed at all our students who are interested in pitching ideas and telling stories. 

Why 60-90 Seconds? Because that is the optimum length for the short films made at Escape Studios. It may not sound like a lot of time to tell a story, but many of our most successful film projects, such as Jerich0, Seeker and Quarantine Chorus have been under two minutes long.

60-90 Seconds is the perfect length for our short stories because it allows our animators to focus on quality over quantity. 

Storyboarding Taster Thursday 3rd March 5pm

Join us on Thursday 3rd March at 5pm at Escape Studios for a free online storyboarding taster, to see what it is like learning the art and craft of storyboarding at Escape Studios.

This free online taster offers a hands-on introduction to professional storyboarding techniques, techniques which are currently in demand as the animation industry continues to expand.

In this taster, taught by Escape Studios' tutor Iliana Franklin, you will learn to create a simple storyboard, and edit the images into a digital animatic with music and sound design.

Iliana Franklin "Toon Boom Ambassador"

Iliana Franklin Joins Toonboom Ambassador Program

We're delighted to announce that Escape Studios tutor Iliana Franklin has been appointed "Toon Boom Ambassador" for 2022. 

This is the third year of Toon Boom's Ambassador Program, an annual initiative intended to highlight artists and animators who are developing original content using Toon Boom Harmony and Toon Boom Storyboard Pro.

MA Story and Previs Returns on 2 October 2023

"Moon Rockz" directed by Molly Babington

Our Master's Degree course in Previsualisation and Storyboarding is now recruiting for October 2023.

This unique degree, first launched in September 2019, is the first-ever master's degree in Previsualisation & Storyboarding, and is taught by industry veteran Iliana Franklin. 

Developed in consultation with industry, and formally validated by the University of Kent, this degree is a unique opportunity to learn industry-level skills and also earn an internationally recognised academic qualification.

Our MA students have created award-winning films such as "Moon Rockz", which recently won "Best Sci-Fi" at the Flicks Film Fest, and "Street Ratz", which won Best Trailer at the Vesuvius Film Festival, and Best Trailer at the CFIFF.

Last Call for Storyboarding on 11 Nov 2021

Chess Adams teaching at Escape Studios

Last call for our evening class in Storyboarding with Francesca "Chess" Adams, series director and story board artist at Blue Zoo, which starts on Thursday 11 November 2021.

This evening class in storyboarding is scheduled to be taught online, and runs for ten weeks.

Chess brings her long experience of storyboarding and directing shows like Digby Dragon and The Go Jetters, reflecting the big increase in animated content being created in the UK.  

Storyboarding Returns on 11 Nov 2021

Francesca "Chess" Adams

Our evening class in Storyboarding with Francesca "Chess" Adams, series director and story board artist at Blue Zoo, is back on Thursday 11 November 2021.

Our next evening class in storyboarding is scheduled to be taught online, and runs for ten weeks.

Chess brings her long experience of working on shows like Digby Dragon and The Go Jetters, reflecting the big increase in animated content being created in the UK.

There is also a growing trend towards digital storyboarding tools such as Panel Forge, which speed up the storyboarding process.

Storyboard Artists in "Severe Skills Shortage"

Storyboard artists "skills shortage"

Storyboarding continues to be an area of "severe skills shortage" in the animation industry, according to a recent report from Screen Skills (the organisation formerly known as Creative Skillset).  Screen Skills reports a shortage among "storyboard artists, story supervisors, story revisionists - across all levels". 

Industry has been telling us for many years that storyboarding is an area of critical skills shortage.  As animation production in the UK has expanded rapidly over the last five years, the supply of talent has not kept pace, hence our new MA in Storyboarding, which starts on 28 June.

New Storyboarding, Previs & Design Tutorials

Storyboards by Escapee Dominika Brodowska

We've posted some new New Storyboarding, Previs and Design Tutorials, to expand our growing number of videos at our Vimeo Tutorial Channel.

Storyboarding is a growing part of what we do at Escape Studios, as we welcome our newest cohort of students on our MA in Storyboarding & Previsualisation.  We have four new videos to share with our students, focusing on the art of storyboarding, character turnarounds, character design and previs.

Last Call For Storyboarding on 1st July

Francesca "Chess" Adams

Last call for our evening class in Storyboarding with Francesca "Chess" Adams, veteran story board artist at Blue Zoo, one of London's leading animation houses, which returns on 1st July 2020.

This evening class in storyboarding is scheduled to be taught online, and runs for eight weeks.

Chess brings her long experience of working on shows like Digby Dragon and The Go Jetters, reflecting the huge increase in animated content being created right here in London in recent years, and the growing trend towards digital storyboarding tools such as Panel Forge, which speed up the process and help to bridge the gap with 3D Layout.

Storyboarding Is Back on 1 July 2020

Francesca "Chess" Adams

Our evening class in Storyboarding with Francesca "Chess" Adams, veteran story board artist at Blue Zoo, one of London's leading animation houses, is back on 1st July 2020.

Our next evening class in storyboarding is scheduled to be taught online, and runs for eight weeks.

Chess brings her long experience of working on shows like Digby Dragon and The Go Jetters, reflecting the huge increase in animated content being created right here in London in recent years, and the growing trend towards digital storyboarding tools such as Panel Forge, which speed up the process and help to bridge the gap with 3D Layout.

Storyboarding with Iliana Franklin 3 Feb

Iliana Franklin

Iliana Franklin, the newest member of the animation team at Escape Studios will teach a class in Storyboarding for Animators on Monday 3rd February, to our Second Year animation students.

Iliana teaches our new master's degree in Storyboarding and Previsualisation, which launched in September and is already producing some remarkably skilled and imaginative work.

Iliana's class will help our animation students learn the art and craft of storyboarding, a necessary part of the film-making process and a vital skill as our students get ready for their 2nd year studio projects.

What are Storyboards For?

"Chess" Adams

What are storyboards for? And why do animators need them?  In this guest post, Francesca "Chess" Adams explains the purpose of storyboards, and why animators should want to master this important part of the pre-production process.

Chess is a story board artist at Blue Zoo, one of London's leading animation houses.  She is a graduate of the National Film and Television School (NFTS), and her extensive TV credits include Digby Dragon and the Go Jetters.

Chess also teaches our evening classes in storyboarding, which starts on 22 January 2020.

Five Reasons to Study Storyboarding

Francesca Adams teaches at Escape Studios

Francesca "Chess" Adams, who teaches our evening classes in storyboarding, offers five good reasons why students should want to master the art and craft of making storyboards.

Chess is a story board artist at Blue Zoo, one of London's leading animation houses.  She is a graduate of the National Film and Television School (NFTS), and her extensive TV credits include Digby Dragon and the Go Jetters.

Industry has been telling us for many years that storyboarding is an area of critical skills shortage. As animation production in the UK has expanded rapidly over the last five years, the supply of talent has not kept pace.

So, what are Chess's five reasons to study storyboarding?