Storyboarding - Ideas for the Animated Short - page 222

Storyboarding: An Interview with Nathan Greno,
Walt Disney Feature Animation
Nathan Greno attended Columbus College of Art and Design and later completed a
Disney Animation Internship in Orlando, Florida. Nathan began working full-time as a
cleanup artist in the Disney traditional animation studio in 1996 and then in the Disney
story department in 1998. He is now a Story Supervisor at Walt Disney Feature Anima-
tion, currently heading up story development on the upcoming feature, Bolt , slated for
release in 2008.
Q: What background skills do storyboard artists need to be successful?
What would you tell a student?
Nathan: To be a successful storyboard artist, you need an overworking brain and
plenty of imagination. You need to be able to express your thoughts visually. You need
to understand acting, staging, mood, and lighting. You must be able to write dialog
and create characters. A storyboard artist creates the blueprint for the fi lm. Storyboard-
ing is the foundation of a fi lm. With practice and training you will get better but it is a
skill that can't be learned.
Q: How can one become a better storyboard artist?
Nathan: You get better at drawing by PRACTICE! Board your own ideas and pitch
them to friends. Find a script of a movie you haven't seen and draw a sequence from
it—then watch the movie and see what choices the fi lmmakers made. You will get
better—and your drawing skills will quickly improve. Draw different kinds of sequences.
If you feel you are better at action, board a sequence with subtle acting and dialog. If
you are better at subtle acting, board a chase sequence. Challenge yourself.
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