Storyboarding and the Story Reel - Animating with Blender: How to Create Short Animations from Start to Finish - page 31

Notice how closely the fi nal shots follow the composition of the corresponding storyboards. Without the
mechanics of animation and 3D to worry about, you can concentrate on quickly developing the composi-
tional strength and organization of the story. If you make a bad drawing, it only costs you a few minutes to
draw it again. If you compose a scene poorly in 3D, it may cost you weeks.

In addition to static images, storyboards can also contain notes, arrows, or lines to indicate motion and camera
directions.

4.7

4.8

Figures 4.7-4.8 Camera directions and motion lines

Let's take a look at a portion of the script from The Beast and follow the process of storyboarding. Here's the
excerpt:

THE BEAST HITS THE SNOOTY DOG BY THROWING THE BONE, THEN FOLLOWS UP WITH SEVERAL
OTHER TOYS. FINALLY, THE SNOOTY DOG IS KNOCKED FROM HIS PERCH.

Immediately you are hit with a directorial decision: How to frame this shot? There are several ways to do it:

● A long to medium shot that shows both the dog and the Beast at the same time. This in turn could be
done from behind the Beast, with him taking up most of the foreground, from behind the dog, or from a
more neutral, omniscient position.
● From the dog's point of view.
● From the Beast's point of view.