Storyboards and animatics play a key role in animation by helping plan out the story before full production begins. A storyboard is like a visual script, showing how scenes will look and how characters will move. Animatics take it further by adding timing, simple movement, and sound, giving a rough preview of the final animation. These steps make it easier to spot issues early, saving time and effort while ensuring the final product flows smoothly and looks great.
Storyboard
A storyboard is a series of drawings that visually represent the story of a script or screenplay. Its main purpose is to give the production team a clear idea of how the story should be executed. Storyboards can range from detailed illustrations to simple stick figures, as long as they effectively convey information and emotion. [1]
“It is similar to a trial-run for your finished film, video, or commercial, laid out in a comic book-like form.” [2]
Walt Disney popularized the modern storyboarding process in the 1930s, though early forms of it were used by filmmakers like George Méliès, who used storyboards to visualize his planned effects. Disney animator Webb Smith introduced the idea of drawing scenes on separate sheets and pinning them to a board to visualize sequences, first used in the 1933 short Three Little Pigs. Disney’s approach to storyboarding was influenced by graphic novels and was crucial in enhancing storytelling. Today, storyboarding remains a standard practice in animation and filmmaking. [3]
Storyboards play an important role in filmmaking, from animated movies to action films. They help directors explain their vision to the entire production team, ensuring everyone is on the same page. However, storyboarding is not just about executing instructions—it requires storytelling skills. A storyboard artist must creatively break down scenes shot by shot to create an engaging film while considering practical limitations. The process also helps identify and eliminate overly complex or expensive shots before production begins. [4] [5]
Storyboard artists use different camera angles and compositions to establish the tone and mood of a scene. Storyboarding is not only about storytelling but also about determining how each shot shapes the film’s emotion and atmosphere. These choices guide directors in structuring their shot lists and filming strategies, making storyboards an essential tool in visual storytelling. [6]
The two basic versions of storyboard formats are traditional and thumbnail. The difference in those two is in how much detail is added. The traditional storyboard format consists of sketches with a lot of detail, which gives more information. These can be camera movements, characters, props, room details, and so on. Thumbnail storyboards are simplified versions of traditional storyboards, consisting of small, rough sketches without written notes. They focus on capturing the sequence of shots quickly and are useful for individual creators or small teams who don’t require detailed annotations. [7]
Animatic
Animatic is an animated storyboard. It is a series of storyboard images arranged in sequence and combined with sound and image movement to demonstrate how a scene would look like. It also demonstrated the approximate length of the animation or film. They help visualize timing, pacing, and overall flow. It serves as an advanced step after storyboarding, offering a clearer preview of the final project. [8]
Animatics are especially crucial for animation, where there is little flexibility compared to live-action filmmaking. Since animation requires extensive time and resources, with even a single second taking hours to render, every shot must be carefully planned and refined early on. [9]
Animatics offer several key benefits in animation and filmmaking. They are quick to produce, especially if a storyboard is already created, and serve as a reference for frame timing. They allow for easy adjustments, as rough sketches make it simpler to cut scenes without regret. Animatics also help build consensus among the creative team by providing an early visual representation of the film. Most importantly, they save time and money by identifying issues before committing to full production, making the process more efficient. [10] [11]
Bibliography
Chambers, James. “What is an Animatic?” Boords, April 4, 2024. Accessed February 7, 2025. https://boords.com/animatic/what-is-the-definition-of-an-animatic-storyboard.
Dunham, Brent. “What Is an Animatic — How to Bring Your Storyboard to Life.” StudioBinder, May 21, 2023. Accessed February 7, 2025. https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/what-is-an-animatic-definition/.
Maio, Alyssa. “What Is a Storyboard? The Fundamentals to Get You Started.” StudioBinder, June 1, 2024. Accessed February 7, 2025. https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/what-is-a-storyboard/.
Maitrai, Satyam. “The History of Storyboarding.” MakeStoryboard Blog (blog), April 7, 2022. Accessed February 7, 2025. https://makestoryboard.com/blog/the-history-of-storyboarding.
Mellon, Kevin, and Neal Holman. “Ein Guide zum Thema Storyboards.” Adobe. Accessed February 7, 2025. https://www.adobe.com/at/creativecloud/video/discover/storyboarding.html.
Naghdi, Arash, and Payam Adib. “Animatic in a nutshell; the storyboard made animated.” Dream Farm Studios (blog). Accessed February 7, 2025. https://dreamfarmstudios.com/blog/animatic-in-a-nutshell-the-storyboard-made-animated.
Vyond Team. “What Is a Storyboard and How Do You Create One?” Vyond, January 11, 2023. Accessed February 7, 2025. https://www.vyond.com/blog/what-is-a-storyboard-and-why-do-you-need-one/.
[1] Vyond Team. “What Is a Storyboard and How Do You Create One?” Vyond, January 11, 2023. Accessed February 7, 2025. https://www.vyond.com/blog/what-is-a-storyboard-and-why-do-you-need-one/.
[2] Maio, Alyssa. “What Is a Storyboard? The Fundamentals to Get You Started.” StudioBinder, June 1, 2024. Accessed February 7, 2025. https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/what-is-a-storyboard/.
[3] Maitrai, Satyam. “The History of Storyboarding.” MakeStoryboard Blog (blog), April 7, 2022. Accessed February 7, 2025. https://makestoryboard.com/blog/the-history-of-storyboarding.
[4] Mellon, Kevin, and Neal Holman. “Ein Guide zum Thema Storyboards.” Adobe. Accessed February 7, 2025. https://www.adobe.com/at/creativecloud/video/discover/storyboarding.html.
[5] Vyond Team, “What Is a Storyboard and How Do You Create One?”
[6] Mellon and Holman, “Ein Guide zum Thema Storyboards.”
[7] Maio, “What Is a Storyboard? The Fundamentals to Get You Started,” June 1, 2024.
[8] Dunham, Brent. “What Is an Animatic — How to Bring Your Storyboard to Life.” StudioBinder, May 21, 2023. Accessed February 7, 2025. https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/what-is-an-animatic-definition/.
[9] Dunham, “What Is an Animatic — How to Bring Your Storyboard to Life,” May 21, 2023.
[10] Chambers, James. “What is an Animatic?” Boords, April 4, 2024. Accessed February 7, 2025. https://boords.com/animatic/what-is-the-definition-of-an-animatic-storyboard.
[11] Naghdi, Arash, and Payam Adib. “Animatic in a nutshell; the storyboard made animated.” Dream Farm Studios (blog). Accessed February 7, 2025. https://dreamfarmstudios.com/blog/animatic-in-a-nutshell-the-storyboard-made-animated.
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