Originally seen on cinephiliabeyond.org/the-art-of-storyboarding
This article mainly focuses on the subjects raised by Moving Pictures (BBC, 2014) Season 5, Episode 5 entitled 'Storyboards.' It takes examples from films such as 'The Thing', 'Alien' and 'The Thin Red Line' to illustrate the purpose and importance of the storyboard process. In some cases, it gives side-by-side comparisons between the storyboard artwork and the final cut film to show how it has directed the production.
This video shows an animatic of some parts of the storyboard from 'Dracula', recorded as an animatic, with voice artists reading the dialogue and script's actions aloud over it. The drawings are sketched in black and white, with minimal backgrounds. The action and direction of movement is suggested by the use of arrows.
The second video shows more of the storyboard sequences, but this time without sound. The storyboard artists are David Lowery and Iain McCaig.
Above, we see a video taken from 'Never Big Enough' (1990) is which Terry Gilliam talks about the importance of storyboarding. Gilliam first starts composing the scene by sketching out his ideas. The storyboard helps him to remember exactly all the shots and actions he wants to get; allowing him to shoot out of sequence if needs be, just ticking off each sketch as it is completed. It helps him to realize the images in his head physically, on paper. His drawings tend to be shot by shot, using arrows to indicate camera movement between frames.
Danger: don't get too attached to the storyboard and caught up in religiously sticking to it.
