A comprehensive guide to visual storytelling from Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), one of the world's leaders in sequential arts instruction. Storyboarding is the process of graphically organizing a project--a motion picture, animation, motion graphic, or interactive media sequence--in order to translate artists' ideas from story to screen. Whether you're a filmmaker, animator, ad director, writer, or video-game artist--storyboarding is a skill that is absolutely critical. Storyboarding Essentials covers everything students and working professionals need to master the art of writing and formatting scripts, creating frames, and following visual logic to create a cohesive narrative.

BENJAMIN REID PHILLIPS has been teaching drawing, storyboarding, and sequential art courses at SCAD since 2004. He is also a sequential artist and illustrator whose work has been featured in the Cartoon Art Museum's Monsters of Webcomics series. He won the Georgia College Press Association's Best Editorial Feature for his District serial, Dr. Dead. Phillips has also worked on Devil's Due comic edition of FOX's hit TV series, Family Guy.
DAVID HARLAND ROUSSEAU has taught drawing and design courses at SCAD since 2005. He is an entrepreneur, author, award-winning illustrator, graphic designer, actor, and former video journalist and news reporter. In 2008, he was named to the Business Report and Journal's "40 Under 40" list, and is the recipient of a Silver ADDY Award. He has also written Savannah Tavern Tales and Pub Review and Savannah Ghosts: Haunts of the Hostess City, illustrated by Julie Collins.

Contents

Foreword, by Stratton Leopold
Introduction
1. What Is Storyboarding?
            The Types of Storyboards
            A Visual Road Map
2. Interpreting the Written Word
            Script Basics
            Script Breakdowns
            Spec Scripts Versus Shooting Scripts
            “And Now, a Word from Our Sponsor”
Exercise: Script Breakdowns and Thumbnails
A Difference of Opinion: The Great Savannah Race
Interview: Kenny Chaplin, DGA/DGC
3. Rendering
            Rough or Polished Finish
            Little Drawings, Big Ideas
            The Right Tool for the Job
            Compositing
A Difference of Opinion: Un-Deadwood
Interview: Keith Ingham
4. Principles, Elements, and Conventions
            Aspect Ratios
            Getting Started
Blocking the Composition
            Staying Organized
Numbering
            How to Insert Shots
Exercise: Numbering
5. Continuity
            What Is Continuity?
            Axis and Allies
Breaking the Axis
            30 Degrees of Separation
Neutralizing and Cutaway Shots
            Screen Direction and Visual Logic
Avoiding Confusion
            Building Tension and Creating a Surprise
Don’t Turn Around
A Difference of Opinion: Hyde from Jekyll—the Chase
6. What the Camera Sees
            The Camera
            Deep and Wide
            Shooting on Location
            Framing Heights and Angles
Other Shots to Consider
            Cut to the Chase
            Behind the Scenes
Exercise: Identifying Framing Heights and Angles
7. Move Me!
            No Reaction Without “Action!”
            Movements
            Drawings Versus Diagrams
Camera Moves as Drawings
            Photomatics and Digimatics
            Order Out of Chaos
Exercise: Movement Calls
A Difference of Opinion: Hyde from Jekyll—Transmogrification
Interview: Whitney Cogar
8. The Martini Shot
            Putting It All Together
            A Toast to Storyboarding
Afterword: Humans Tell Stories, by Tina O’Hailey
Appendix
Index