Basic Storyboard Design Part 1

To all Aspiring Film directors/scriptwriters/Storyboard Artists/ Actors/Actresses/Producers etc. Here's something for you:)

Storyboard design is a wonderful module. Firstly, it deals with the art of drawing and story crafting to life in television dramas or films. Generating Ideas is important as it equips one with the skills of thinking on the spot and giving alternatives. This allow one to be innovative and to have plenty solutions to tackle a problem in a practical sense. Random ideas when added or used in a story produces different storylines and it affects the climax curve of the story differently. The " beats"( moods) of the story will also vary based on the circumstance characters are in. Storytelling is the art of telling a story with these different elements: Introduction, Struggle, Conflict, Resolution/Conclusion. Introduction begins the story and gives the readers or veiwers of the film to understand the overview or synopsis of the story. Usually the introduction gives ideas about the initial part of the story. The struggle is what the persona or the main character tries to achieve. Conflict is the problem or obstacle introduced that delays the progress of the main character. This usually comes in the form of villains or crisis. Conflicts can be tangible or intangible. Script writing format is usually in the form of pannels which comes after a synopsis about a scene. The pannels consist of the setting(Interior/Exterior), Action/Dialogue, Props/Cast/Sounds FX. After that, the camera shots play a important role too. Examples of shots include Extreme Close Up, Close Up, Mid Shots, Over the Shouler Shot, Long Shot,Worm's Eye View and Bird's Eye View. Shooting techniques include Canting Shots and Panning (right to left) Shot, Dolly & Trucking( Shots).



In Visual Imagery, Force Fitting, Distortion, Combination and Metaphor exists in which different objects can be used to create a new idea or object. Force Fitting is taking parts from different object/terms and “forcing” it on to something completely different to create a new object. Distortion is changing the way an object / term originally look / meant through pronounciations, word form, different meanings of the word etc. The list goes on. Metaphors are used in written works to compare different things. Its commonly found in poetry and prose. Camera Composition plays a role in storyboard design.


In Camera Composition, the focal point is the spot where your eyes are drawn to when you look at a image. The focal point is usually found in the clearer element. A scene has foreground, middleground and background. Some techniques include leading the eye, framing, rule of thirds, 180 degree rule. Comics are a common form of visual art where heroes and characters portrays drama and excitement. This is a result of dynamic angle of the characters are drawn to create the emotions and nature of the characters. Perspective drawing helps to create 1 Dimensional, 2 Dimensional and 3 Dimensional drawings. Vanishing points must be correct and eye level is determined in perspective drawing. Human Anatomy is important when drawing male and female figures in storyboard pannels. Knowing the muscles and the body parts of the male and female gender gives the storyboard artist a edge as he helps to make the character animated. Gestural Drawing shows the actions and body language the character shows. First draw the rough sketch. Next, Draw the muscles and the features. Finalise with the final curves and lines to draw the full figure to finalise the picture.  Emotions is also important to convey nature of character. Eyes and Mouth speak the most about a person's emotions.