GIUSEPPE CRISTIANO

ANALYZING STORYBOARD

SECOND EDITION

Photo by Giuseppe Cristiano

ANALYZING STORYBOARD - Second Edition

2005 Giuseppe Cristiano / IRADIDIO BOOKS
First Edition published in 1998
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or
mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission
in writing from the author.
www.iradidio.com

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction
What is a storyboard?
Why are storyboards important?
Overiview of productions that use storyboards:
a) Television Advertising
b) Music Video
c) Theatre Production
d) TV Programs and Soap Opera
e) Short and Feature Films
f) Animation
g) Multimedia Productions
In depth:
1) Television Advertising
2) Music Video
3) Short and Feature Films
4) Animation
5) Multimedia
Technical Terms:
Camera Angles
Distance
Preparing a Portfolio
Personal Organisation
Glossary
Appendix

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Illustration by Marco Letizia

FOREWORD

The greatest challenge any commercial storyboard artist must

face is probably also the very rst one in his or her career. Making the
transition from art school to the frenetic environments of the film,
television or advertising industries can easily be dispiriting, because
it calls for the first time upon skills and resources above and beyond
artistic talent. Certainly, Mr. Cristiano is a capable artist; but there
are other books by capable artists. What he offers here is something
much harder to nd: a candid and personal insight into the practical
matters of succeeding as a freelance professional. His advice should
be valuable to anyone embarking on a career in this fun, but often
eccentric, business.
Ray Kosarin is a director of animated series for television. He has directed many
episodes of DARIA and BEAVIS AND BUTT-HEAD for MTV, THE THREE FRIENDS AND JERRY
for Nickelodeon/Fox, and sequences in the Paramount feature, BEAVIS AND
BUTT-HEAD DO AMERICA.

During the last two years we have had the pleasure of working
with Giuseppe Peppe Cristiano on several of our most important
projects, one of those being the show The Three Friends... and Jerry.
Peppes work has given the series both visual stringency and humour
and that is why his contribution to the excellent nal result of the show
is large. We consider Peppe to be one of the best storyboard artists
in Europe and will do everything we can in order to continue working
with him even in the future.
Peter Gustafsson
Executive Producer at Happy Life / SF

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INTRODUCTION

When most young artists nish their training they are unaware of just how
much opportunity there is in the job market. Even discounting those areas
normally inundated with excess talent e.g. graphic design, book illustrators
etc., there will always be openings for skilled and perhaps more importantly,
fast drawers to freelance as storyboard artists.
Graphic art schools seldom offer any kind of storyboard instruction - perhaps
because its an area of opportunity that teachers would rather keep for
themselves.
The fact is, you really dont need very much to become a storyboard artist, and
I hope that this book will provide you with the essentials so you can realise your
potential.

What is a storyboard?
A storyboard is an outline or a draft line of a production made up of
consequential pictures.
Why are storyboards important?
Generally speaking, the purpose of storyboards is to save time and
money for the producer. They are enormously helpful for explaining effects
and expensive solutions to film crews or actors that would be difficult if
not impossible to explain otherwise. Consider big budget productions like
Independence Day or Jurassic Park that rely heavily on computer animation.
It would be virtually impossible to determine the right location for the actors in
order to combine the live action footage with the computer generated special
effects.

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What sort of productions need storyboards?

Storyboards are particularly widely used in the
following areas:
Television Advertising
Music Videos
Theatre Productions
TV Programs and Soap Operas
Short and Feature Films
Animation
Multimedia Productions

Each of these areas, however, use storyboards

slightly differently.

1. STORYBOARDS FOR COMMERCIALS.

This is probably the most common assignment a storyboard artist will come
across. Generally speaking, it is worth remembering that it is more the idea rather then
the prociency of the artwork that lie at the centre of a successful storyboard. When
working with commercials you are often very short on time so speed is paramount.
Everyone is always in a hurry and most of the time you will barely have an entire day
to draw a storyboard. For some strange reason they are always running out of time.
Also, the script you receive from the agency sometimes is not even complete, it could
easily be a script still in progress or waiting for approval - often there will not even be
enough of a description for you to build a sequence from. You will almost certainly not
have any details about camera movements. Consequently, when doing storyboards
for commercials you need a strong sense of imagination so you can come up with
ideas on the y.

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2. STORYBOARD FOR MUSIC VIDEO

Set your budget very low when you rst start to move around. You have to be lucky
to nd a good assignment because usually everything is done in the family. The rst
mistake many people make is to think that it is the music company itself that makes the
video, which simply isnt true. Most often it is either friends of the musicians (where local
or small bands are concerned), an advertising agency, or the manager of the band
and there is seldom a lot of money available for the project. Music videos allow the
artist greater freedom to express his/her ideas, which also means that its easier to
play around with the concept of the video.
3. STORYBOARD FOR THEATRE
This is another area where the budget is usually next to zero. For the most part
there is no need for a storyboard in theatre except if special effects are going to be
used or if there is a particular sequence that needs to be planned in detail for it to
work.
In theatre the artist works more with design than storyboard.
Working in theatre can be very enjoyable because anything can happen but it can
also be very stressful as the artist usually works very closely with the entire crew (actors,
directors etc.) and during rehearsals the atmosphere can be very tense.
At the same time, working in theatre gives you the opportunity to improve your skills
in set and costume design, which can be very useful later on if youre interested in
working in lm production as a concept or set designer.

4. STORYBOARD FOR TV PROGRAMS & SOAP OPERAS

These are two very different categories.
TV programs or shows dont usually need a storyboarder. If they do, its only to help
plan the position of the camera and the audience, or to develop a schema for the
show itself. A TV show is created using a script and an outline even though production
companies always claim that these are live shows.
Its easy to notice that there is a standard since they all look the same. In Sweden,
as in many other European countries the TV network or the producer usually buys
ready-made shows from the US or other countries, which they then shape and model
for the domestic audience. However, they still need an artist to design the sets and
scenery, as well as the style of the show.
The second category, Soap Operas, are also based on a standard but they often have
to set up exterior shots or exteriors created in the studio.

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5. SHORT AND FEATURE FILMS.

In general, it is more difcult to make a short lm than a feature lm, though the
storyboard techniques are the same.
The storyboard sheet is different, because the work area has different dimensions than
a TV Screen.
The artwork needs to be more detailed and precise, at least where the movements and
positions of the actors are concerned.
When working on a fiction project you will usually be provided with detailed
instructions, location photos, a final version of the script, information about the
actors and the crew, the kind of technique they want to use etc. Time will also be
better organised - your drawing will still need to be fast but youll probably also
have more time at your disposal.
Remember that most feature lms are 80-90 minutes in length. For each minute you
will need a set of, lets say, 10 illustrations (minimum) for a grand total of about 800-900
illustrations. If youre doing action scenes you normally need more than that for each
minute - action scenes require a lot of detail (sometimes even 20-40 illustrations per
minute, particularly if they include special effects). So, I would say that for a feature lm
you will need to draw something like 1000 illustrations - now thats a lot of work, isnt it?
However, the amount of work also depends on the production company you are
working for, so dont take these gures too seriously.
For the moment I have chosen to exclude discussions about short lms. You will probably
get the chance to work on a short lm at some point, but most short lms are produced
by amateurs with virtually no money, i.e. all the expenses are too expensive. More often
than not the storyboard will end up being done for free or even by the same guy who
wrote the story, or simply by a friend. Many producers have stopped working with short
lms all together simply because there isnt a real market for it. In Sweden, as in other
countries, there are institutions or foundations that one can apply to for lm grants e.g.
Svenska Filminstitutet, but the competition is very tough and the budget for short lms
it is not high. Short lms generally attract novices and amateurs. This is by no means a
comment on the talent of new movie makers but as there is no real market for short
lms, producers and experienced lm makers generally stay away. Short lm grants
are usually just enough to cover the costs of developing the production and most of
the directors tend to forget to contact a storyboarder. I have worked a lot with short
lm and now that I can be a bit more selective I only work on them if I really like the
idea.

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Working as a storyboarder on a feature film requires extensive knowledge of all

techniques, terms and technical tricks. Previous experience from working on
productions is a definite plus (though that does not mean you need to have
done ction before), as is the ability to improvise, but it is perhaps most important to have
a good imagination. But dont forget that you need to be good at drawing as well - in
fact, the artwork for a feature lm needs to be of a particularly high standard, not like a
comic but almost. There are plenty of published storyboards that can give you an idea
of how a nal draft should look, e.g. the ones for the Star Wars trilogy or the one for Blade
Runner, to name a few. I suggest you buy a few of those titles to have in your personal
collection - you can learn a lot just from reading those books.

6. ANIMATION
This category needs the most detailed and precise work. Your storyboard will be
used by layout designers, animators etc. and will provide the base for the entire
production. The nal cartoon will not look much different from the storyboard.
Working in animation you have to pick up the style of the original design so you need
to be able to reproduce the various characters. Furthermore, you need to know
about animation techniques as well as the limitations of animated movies - but dont
worry, all this will be described later in the animation chapter.

7. MULTIMEDIA PRODUCTION
This is an area that has been growing a lot over the last few years and multimedia
productions are increasingly in need of storyboard artists.
In this area we will look at: computer games, computer or internet training programs,
and educational and company presentations.

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IN DEPTH

1. STORYBOARD FOR COMMERCIALS.

As I said before, this is probably the most common assignment for a
storyboard artist. The sequence is as follows:
1) The art director of an advertising company is struck by a brilliant idea. He needs
an artist to illustrate it for the client.
2) The agency hires an artist to prepare a few illustrations to present the idea to
the client (usually 6 illustrations), collectively referred to as a client board. Most
often the illustrations are no bigger than an A4-sheet, but there is no standard size.
The agency will tell you what size they prefer.
The client board can also be in full colour, though not necessarily. It all depends
on the kind of contact the agency has with the client. For example, if the client is
based outside the country the agency will need the work to be in black and white
because they will probably need to fax it to them and a coloured series of
illustrations will be impossible to read.
3) If the client likes the idea the agency will get back in contact with the artist
(or another artist) to develop the storyboard. The nished storyboard is now very
close to the nal stage of development which is known as the shooting board
and is basically the version of the storyboard that will actually be used during
lming.

A complete storyboard for a commercial usually doesnt need more than about
12 illustrations.

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The client board is usually a simple sequence

of illustrations designed to sell the proposal to the
client. These illustrations need to be detailed and
of a high standard. The main purpose at this
stage is to give an idea of the style and mood the
agency is trying to create rather than present a
sequence that is convincing technically.
For example, I was contacted by the art-director
of an advertising agency and commissioned
to produce a set of six illustrations to present
a concept. The Illustrations needed to be in
black and white, and grey scale.
See illustration # 1
Illustration # 1

As you can see, the series of illustrations are not of the same standard as a storyboard
because there is no technical information that needs to be provided to the director and
crew.
At the same time, however, you can see how these illustrations will later be used to
develop a storyboard.

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Here we are provided with information about camera movement as well as technical
instructions. Note how the sequential transition from one illustration to the next in the client
board is lled out with many more illustrations in the storyboard, making the transition more
uid. You can also see a marked difference in style. This does not mean that the storyboard
has to be a work of art but it does have to be as clear and concise as possible. A storyboard
has to be delivered in a day or two, while you are usually given considerably more time to
prepare the illustrations for the initial proposal - but, of course, you cant always take that
for granted.
Remember that shooting boards are used exclusively by the director and crew so
its important that you keep in close contact with them while youre developing the
storyboard. If youre fast enough you might even try developing the storyboard on site so
that you can get immediate feedback from the director. However, the director doesnt
always have time to wait for you to nish drawing so the best way to work is to make a
quick sketch of the scenes and do the inking at home. Consequently, it is very important
that you hone your drawing technique and learn how to render a scene in the simplest
possible way. If you take a look at the example; the illustration work is very rough but it is
enough to give you an idea of the action.

Example of rough sketches.

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What do they do with your nal storyboard?

Its sad to say, but your work is going to be destroyed.
Your illustrations are shown no mercy. Even if they are
exquisite works of art they will sketch on them, scribble
notes all over them, add text, and nally cut them out
frame by frame and paste them on a blackboard.
Photo by Giuseppe Cristiano

This is how your storyboard is going to look after

cutting and pasting on a blackboard.

Every time they shoot a scene, one

of the frames will be cancelled.
When its all nished, nothing will
remain of your original work. So,
dont be too pedantic with your
work but rather learn how to be fast
and clear in your drawing.

Photo by Giuseppe Cristiano

In most cases, the project description you receive from an agency will not
go into a lot of detail. It will simply outline the scenario and will not give any
information about e.g. camera movements or camera angles. Often you will
merely be presented with the basic concept and the reason the agency hires
a storyboarder is because they need an imaginative person to come up with
creative solutions.
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Comic artists are often very good at doing Storyboards. The art of framing is something
that cannot be taught but simply comes with experience. Framing basically involves
nding a balanced way of presenting all the various elements of a scene in a given
shot.
A good way of developing your framing skills are as follows:

Build a simple frame that you can carry with you. Look through it when you are
sitting, say, in a caf, and try to reproduce what you see quickly. This way you
build up your ability to get an idea on paper in only a few lines i.e. to simplify, and
you also learn how to balance a picture because you have to choose what works
better aesthetically.

Photo by Giuseppe Cristiano

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You should also practice drawing everyday actions, like opening a door,
drinking coffee, walking up stairs etc. because thats what commercials are
all about: everyday life.
It is very important to create a sort of archive (photos, magazines, etc.).
I personally always keep a couple of copies of magazines of different kinds
and whenever I have a chance, I take a lot of photographs, particularly
when I am travelling. At some point, for example, you might need to draw
an elephant or a bulldozer. If youve built up a good archive it wont take
long for you to nd what you need. Nowadays, of course, you can quickly
nd virtually anything you need on the Internet and its a good idea to be
on-line and to have a good black and white printer at home.

It is very important to remember that Storyboards should be done in black and

white in A4 format because the agency will need to be able to fax the work for
corrections and approvals.
However, in order to give your nal work more shape, to make it a little warmer
you can use grey markers as shown in the illustration.
These markers are not very expensive and can be found in most art supply
shops. They are also very easy to use because they dry almost immediately and
because there are an enormous number of grey scale tones to chose from.

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Note how the picture changes every time you use a marker.

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