Storyboard for Writers 171- Visual directing.Projects that have been visualized well, with each sequence attract-
ing and holding audience attention and flowing seamlessly into the next. Excellence
in cinematography. - Technique.A good, practical blueprint for production of the project.
- Execution.Outstanding drawing skills and draftsmanship. Nuances.
- Characterization.Excellence in acting.
- Background.Excellence in design while still allowing for space for the characters to
star.
Never be afraid to enter your work in competition for awards if you feel that yours is
better than the norm. Whether it’s a student award or the highest professional accolade,
often the most superior boards are not entered, so you may very well win. By entering, more
people in the industry will get to know your work. So go ahead, visualize yourself tripping
up those long stairs to accept your award!
Checklist
- Did you start with a good, solid story in outline or script form?
- Have you done your research? Do you know what those locations look like? What
has been done before and is already available for this series? Have you listened to
the sound track? Looked at any available model sheets? Talked to the director or
producer? - What’s the purpose of each scene? What is the visual focus? Keep reviewing your
scenes to be sure that you’re making your point clearly and that you don’t lose it
somewhere along the way. - Whose scene is this? Which character is driving the action? What does he want in this
scene? Be sure that the right character dominates each scene. - What is the emotion?
- Did you do thumbnails of each scene to plan the action, reveal character, and dis-
cover the best composition for each shot? Did you do floor plans, maps, and so forth
so you know your location well? - Are you remembering the budget? Are you staging with that in mind...not too much
action or too many poses for lower budgets? Have you made the best use of stock
backgrounds and animation to save expense where you could? Did you avoid crowds
and stage action in a way that considers the expense of animation? - Is each shot staged in the best way to tell the story?
- Is the location and time always clear?
- Did you make good use of time and space? Are both clear?