Storyboards

A storyboard shows you how individual camera shots are used to create a ‘narrative flow’ within the sequence. Each single shot is drawn as a ‘frame’ which is annotated with brief information about the settings, actions, and camera angles, shot types, camera movements and editing notes. The different frames connect together with words or symbols that create a ‘flow’ of the images.



The pre-production of the film is when the director and production designer will discuss what look and feel they want for the film which will lead to them planning the films set and costumes. A storyboard artist will then draw up the director’s rough ideas, creating a more detailed version and adding any necessary details, action, camera and lighting directions.

The director then discusses these detailed storyboards with the director of photography whose job is to achieve the ‘look’ that they want for the film on screen. They will discuss each specific shot, analysing the composition of the scene, camera placements, camera movements, lighting and the equipment needed for each shot.



The storyboard is an important piece of information for the film crew as it gives everyone a common outline which they can work from. Production is when the filming begins. Copies of the storyboard are given to the members of the crew so that everyone knows what is required for each shot in the way of placement of lights, camera movements, movement of actors etc.
The director may change his mind about ideas stemming from the storyboard once on the set as the storyboard is only being used as a guideline for shooting.



When it comes to special effect sequences most of the backdrop are added later either by computer or matte painting so it is vitally important that actors know exactly where they should be in the shot and what they have to react to. If the actors follow the storyboards with the director they are more likely to give a convincing performance. When the film reaches the post-production stage the storyboards are used as a visual reminder of what has been filmed and in what order. They are used by film editors, especially those working on special effect films, where each effect has to be perfectly timed to match what is going on around it. Non-linear digital editing is often used as it means that films can be swiftly edited on a computer desktop, however the storyboard remains a blueprint of the original intentions for the film and provides a framework against which all the changes can be judged.
Robyn