Story and Acting Keys
Principles of Camera, Composition, Layout, Screen Direction, Focus Points and Shot Flow
Photoshop Digital Drawing Workflow & Layer Comp Keyframes
Industry Conventions used in contemporary Feature Animation storyboarding teams
Examples of storyboards, model sheets with clear poses/expressions, construction sheets, character profiles, style guides, and other elements of design kits, show Bibles and animatics.
SAE Sydney / David J Smith
by Chris Roman, storyboard artist for The Simpsons, Disney and Pixar, under direction by Brad Bird.
by Brad Bird, director of many influential episodes of The Simpsons, and feature films The Incredibles, The Iron Giant, and Ratatouille.
Please study these guides, carefully. Use them as visual reference and revision checklist for your storyboard keyframes, and as a reputable source for your reflective writing. Check your storyboards, regularly and repeatedly, against these guides, and revise your boards accordingly.
You are expected to follow these guidelines for higher grades.
Most useful guidelines: Angles are our friends as in (Roman & Byrd, 2002) - you are expected to use 22- to 45-degree left-right camera angles in 90% of your shots. Use consistent left-right Screen direction, and follow the 180 degree camera line rule (don't cross the line). Break up symmetry (e.g. use rule of thirds), and avoid boring parallel lines. Create Focus points and hierarchy with shape and contrast. Show Depth perspective - foreground, midground, and background. Use a variety of cinematic camera shot types. Lower the horizon often, as in (Roman & Bird, 2002) and (Bird, 1992). It's a reasonable expectation for you to do these things, in most of your shots.
I used the principles of 'Angles are our Friends', as in (Roman and Bird, 2002).
I lowered the horizon, used more up-shots and 45-degree angles, and placed characters at different heights, sizes, and depths, to show status and perspective, as in (Bird, 1992).
Roman, C., & Bird, B. (2002, September 25). Storyboarding the Simpsons Way [PDF]. Fox Animation. http://www.animationmeat.com/pdf/televisionanimation/strybrd_the_simpsonsway.pdf
Bird, B. (ca. 1992). Brad Bird on How to Compose Shots: For Storyboard and Layout Artists [PDF]. Fox Animation, Klasky-Csupo, Film Roman Studios, In-House Guides. http://www.animationmeat.com/pdf/televisionanimation/brad_bird_on_comps.pdf
Brad-Bird-Storyboard_the_Simpsons_Way.pdfBrad_Bird_on_Composition.pdfGood for layout, staging and character grouping
Save this quick cheat-sheet, and use it to plan a variety of shot types (required)
Ron-Doucet-Cheat-Sheet-1.jpgTutorial Video, 15 mins
Tutorial-Photoshop-LAYERCOMPS-Scene-Keys.vhero.mp4HNT-Sc035_ALL-Fox Enter Cave-vhero.tifExercise Files
Exercise Files
Photoshop Scene master file *.tif
Shot-Keyframe exports *.png
Download this entire folder, and unzip (extract all, as a folder)
After extracting the entire folder
[Windows File Explorer]
View > File Name extensions [ON]
or
[Mac Finder]
Preferences > Advanced > Show all Filename Extensions [ON]
Check / review the PNG keyframe sequence, in your File Explorer / Finder, and with the default image viewer.
Photoshop
Open the example HNT-Sc035_ALL-Fox Enter Cave-vhero.tif master file in Photoshop
Examine its layers and layer groups.
Window > Layer Comps. Click through the layer comps, to see how they work as keyframes.
Stop on one of the 1920x1080p keyframes.
Layers Panel > Select a layer included in the keyframe. Change something (e.g. draw).
Layers Panel > Add another layer, draw in it
Add another Layer Comp for this new layer, with the [+] button
Re-export the keyframe sequence to PNGs, in the same folder, using
File > Export > Layer Comps to Files
Check / review the exported PNG keyframe sequence again, in your File Explorer, and with the default image viewer, to see the changes.
Story artists draw as many of the important key frames as possible, particularly for acting poses.
An industry board for feature animation will average around one key per second, for acting and action shots.
Show the start, end and/or extremes of acting and action, usually within the same shot.
Show character entrances and exits.
Tracing reference, re-using poses etc. is very common.
Storyboard ROUGHS should be constructed first, in low-opacity and/or light blue, using reference and feedback to ensure the sequence looks good, and composition is working, with approval/agreement in full-size frames. Then:
Inking is done VERY LOOSELY in black ink to IMPORTANT SUBJECTS ONLY - typically the characters. Please do NOT ink the backgrounds unless agreed, thank you! We need to show hierarchy, focus points, and depth; inked characters and subjects over low-contrast backgrounds is one of the fastest-known ways to achieve this. Show a hierarchy of contrast, with high contrast blacks for important subjects only.
Simple wide / estab shots are typically many seconds long, with less action, and may have only camera motion, so only one artwork is required, with a start and end key frame. Artwork is typically scaled up larger than the show's normal frame and resolution, to allow for simple motion of the background, and/or the camera, in your edit.
Combining camera panoramas/pans, tilts, dollys, trucks, rolls, cranes, fly-bys and orbits, with action, and/or with 3D elements: these require more keys than a simple camera move. Keys may be layered over the background art. Perspective may be exaggerated, with multiple vanishing points.
View > New Guide Layout > Columns 3, Rows 3
A few color keys are usually required for every sequence (scene) of shots.
This is called a Color Script.
Storyboards are done in a variety of styles and conventions, and these are changing. There are also differences between feature and television boards.
See this old-school example (television, 1.33/4x3 aspect ratio).
A traditional page layout with multiple keyframes, labels and notes on a page is still used in some parts of the TV Animation industry, but is becoming obsolete. Increasingly, studios and artists simply create full size keyframes, even from the rough stage, due to improvements in software and skills. Storyboard pages are optional, extra work, and are unnecessary. Pages of multiple keys may sometimes be useful in roughs/thumbnailing, however these are discarded quickly, often within a day, and are less useful in very tight schedules.
Drawing camera directions or action arrows directly on keyframes is also becoming much less desired. This is especially true in feature animation. The trend is always moving, ever more strongly, to "when anything changes, show it."
Creating, editing and displaying written notes, camera descriptions, dialog and shot numbers is more flexible and readable in software, using Type Tools. Instead of drawing/writing these layers below the storyboard keys, text layers are added. If doing an animatic, this is done in video editing software, while editing the timing of shots, keys, music, sound effects and dialog. Fewer text layers are required in animatics, because the timing, pans and zooms are edited directly.
As beautiful as old, traditional storyboard pages can be, it's best to use modern, flexible workflows. See Storyboarding a Scene: Photoshop & Layer Comps tutorial, for drawing keys and layers in a storyboarding team, and exporting a key frame sequence for web display and video editing.
020-Disneys-Frozen--Meet-Kristoff-1-Deleted-Scene.mp4030-Shelldon-Ep603a-Storyboard-Animatic.v133.r720p.mp4All students must use an approved template, please.
1x 1920x1080p artboard camera frame
1x Overscan+ artboard frame
030-Storyboard-Frame-Template.vhero-1920x1080p-Digital.tifMinimum size for sharp camera pan/zoom.
Pan/Zoom strongly recommended - especially for establishing shots.
4K 3840x2160p BG artboard frame (best for digital drawing/painting)
Do NOT use a large 4K background template as a storyboard master file! Use a storyboard template!
005-Background-Template.vhero-4k.tifStoryboard-Thumbnails-1.tif
If you aren't doing an animatic, all key frames should be fully annotated with shot-key numbers, camera instructions, action, sfx, music, timing, and all special transitions such as dissolves. Please use the templates provided. See the example to the right. Note, this often takes as much time as doing a simple animatic.
If you're drawing digitally, and you're making an animatic, fully detailed annotation is optional. However, shot numbers are basic; these must be visible, or easily displayable on a layer, either in the storyboard or animatic, in the working project master files.
must please use an approved template. See Storyboarding Fundamentals for all templates, digital and traditional.
For annotation, Use the Photoshop Type Tool, or follow this link, to learn NEAT handwriting.
Please carefully notice the SHOT and KEY NUMBERS. Yes, these are required. Unsurprisingly, EVERYONE needs to know when each SHOT begins and ends.
HD 1920x1080 or larger, 72 ppi
May be oversized 2x, 3x etc., to be reframed/scaled later.
May be formatted into
Modern feature-film-style click-through slide show, of full screen images, using the approved 1920x1080p storyboard template, exported to still images, or
Animatic Video as per Editing: Animatics, or
Old-school-TV-style page of multiple frames.
For thumbnails/roughs only, around 6 to 9 per A4 page, at 300ppi, in 16x9 rectangles. NO SMALLER. Warning: Doing small roughs is optional and not required; you should upscale quickly to full size, or start drawing roughs at full size straight away, as many artists do, to reduce the number of steps in your workflow. Working at small/rough/thumbnail size for long periods will delay your project, and undersized storyboards will not be accepted for full size fine delivery.
Backgrounds for camera pan/zoom must be oversized (e.g. 4K template), reasonably clean, and sharp for a 1920x1080p camera. See camera moves in storyboards and storyboarding a scene - photoshop layer comp workflow.
See also Storyboard Visual Format Examples below
See also Image Standards for capture, cleanup, and presentation.
Use fine, sharp tips (e.g. 0.5mm, 3px @ 1920x1080px/72ppi, or less) for detail.
PLEASE USE THE TEMPLATES.
Thumbnails/Rough stage: draw around 6 to 9 keyframes per A4 page, NO SMALLER. Use an old-school-TV-style page, of multiple frames, in 16x9 aspect ratio. Some artists use post-it notes with 16x9 rectangles drawn on them. Warning: Doing small roughs is optional and not required; you should upscale quickly to full size, or start drawing roughs at full size straight away, as many artists do, to reduce the number of steps in your workflow. Working at small/rough/thumbnail size for long periods will delay your project, and undersized storyboards will not be accepted for full size delivery.
Cleanup/Final full size stage:
Old-school, minimum size: 2 keyframes per A4 page, each in a 16x9 rectangle, or
Modern feature-film-style click-through slide show of full size images, 1 per A4 page, in a 16x9 rectangle, or
Animatic Video as per Editing: Animatics.
Backgrounds for camera pans/zooms: Minimum size A4. Using larger oversized paper is recommended. Must be reasonably clean, and sharp for 1920x1080p camera. See camera moves in storyboards.
Capture all images digitally, preferably with a scanner at 300 ppi, or a decent camera. For camera: use a good spot with even light, no shadows. Consider angled fill light, e.g. near a big window. For mobile devices, the Google Photoscan app usually gives much better results, than your phone's camera app.
Cleanup all images digitally, in Photoshop: Crop out all junk. Use Image > Auto Tone, and Image > Adjust > Curves to balance tones.
See also Storyboard Visual Format Examples below
See also Image Standards for capture, cleanup, and presentation.
Use fine, sharp tips (e.g. 0.5mm, 3px @ 1920x1080px/72ppi, or less) for detail.
PLEASE USE THE TEMPLATES.
SCENE: a sequence of shots, showing the action around an important plot point (story beat) and/or location (set/environment). There may be one or more scenes. A scene is part of a project (or show, story, act, episode, etc.)
SHOT: a camera view of action, from start of recording to cut, with moving camera or not, made of one or more keyframes. A shot is part of a scene.
KEYFRAME: a storyboard drawing or still image of a key moment of action, during the start, middle or end of a shot. A keyframe is part of a shot. In animation, there are often several keyframes per shot.
You must sequentially label your shots and keys, using a consistent, understandable system. Here are 3 example systems:
Projectname - Scene 3 Car Chase
Shot 7, Key 1, Shot 7, Key 2, Shot 8, Key 1, ... (Formal, awkwardly long)
Projectname-sc030CC
sh070-k010, sh070-k020, sh080-k010, ... (Nerd city)
Projectname-Sc3, or simply Sc3
7-A, 7-B, 8-A, ... (Simple, Popular, Brief)
STRONGLY RECOMMENDED
Shots and keyframes are often re-ordered during storyboard revisions. Re-labelling wastes time, so after your labels are already applied, it is not necessary to change labels, even if you change the order. So, it's fine to move Shot 7 before Shot 5.
Your system must be able to handle new insertions. For example:
7, 7.2, 8 (insert new shot between 7 and 8)
7-A, 7-A-2, 7-B (insert new key between 7-A and 7-B)
If you have dyslexia, reading issues, or technical comprehension problems,
to maintain clarity for yourself and others
Labels, action description, dialog, camera arrows and instructions must please be placed outside the camera frame. See Storyboarding the Simpson's Way and Storyboard Visual Format Examples.
Do you want to use reference, or add realistic perspective detail, but are short on time? Storyboard artists often draw-over or trace over photo reference, or 3D snapshots, to quickly achieve complex perspective.
When tracing, remember to keep your strokes fast and loose, use construction, and show overlapping forms - don't let your storyboards become too tight, flat, or detailed, and don't let too much photorealism slow you down. Go for clarity, expression, and style!
If you want to draw over 3D models, it's easy to run your favorite 3D software (such as industry leader Maya), adjust the camera, and take a screenshot. Then simply import the screenshot as a layer into your drawing software, and reduce the layer opacity, for tracing.
You can also investigate how to import a 3D model into older versions of Photoshop. This only works as temporary legacy functionality in modern versions of Photoshop.
Short videos
We support the Photoshop to Premiere pipeline, because it deploys commonly-desired industry skills, it's friendly to the average editorial production pipeline, and it's fast.
Some alternatives:
Photoshop and After Effects - for more advanced 2D effects and/or 3D camera
Photoshop Timeline
Advanced students may wish to explore other tools popular in the animation industry, such as TVPaint (popular in Europe), and ToonBoom Storyboard Pro (popular in North America). These tools provide advanced keyframe drawing, camera tools, shot labeling and sequence editing, all within one software.
Blender Grease Pencil
Check on licensing permissions, and if your facilitator can support you, before using these tools, or using them on a private device.
Storyboard - Mentor Huebner
Hosted by Michael Sporn AnimationNorth By Northwest (1959) - Alfred Hitchcock
Crop Duster Scene
