Shots And Boards

Story Boards are the next step in pre-production. Here, we take the script and begin to visually build the story through drawings.

To get an idea about the very basics of a story board, watch the video below from Story Binder

Here is a sample storyboard/Shot List on Studio Binder. Explore this a bit, see if you can change the board view to the shot list view. Think about how you might make different choices about what shots to include in this scene. Take a second to draw an alternative shot for one of the frames in this story board.

Let's watch a short video taking a look at some storyboards from an award winning film:

Below is a template for drawing story boards. Print out a few and then practice drawing some boards. It's ok to take inspiration from films you've seen, but you need to come up with something original here.

Remember, clarity is the most important thing with story boards. If something is unclear, clarify by writing a note. Don't forget to use your arrows to show motion!

Remember, film isn't just about communicating what is happening but also about communicating how it is happening. We can use visuals to express how something feels. Don't forget to communicate about light and sound. (In the drawing or the notes.) Take a look at some of your practice boards and try to add some mood.

Go ahead and show your board to other people and tell them about why you made the choices you did regarding:

• Shot Size

• Camera Angle

• Framing

• Motion

• Mood (Lighting / Sound / Etc...)

StoryBoarder Software

Not all of us are gifted in drawing and sketching (Although with practice we can improve). But sometimes using software can help as we create story boards. There is a wonderful Open Source application called Story Boarder which you can use if you feel that you struggle drawing your boards.