Character Design Lesson 4 - Storyboarding

  Sadly I missed the last character design lesson due to sickness, but in this one we went through the process of storyboarding directions and the importance of using the correct symbols.  Using 3D arrows means to move the whole camera (tracking), using squares and thin arrows indicates moving just the camera lens.

Whole Camera Movement

Just Lens Movement

 Panning
 Shows the direction the camera should shoot (horizontal/ vertical/ etc), panning can also be used with zooming in and out.

  Zoom
 Shown with a square in the storyboard shot and the arrows pointing in the zooming direction. The  camera lens just moves in or out, not the whole device.

  Push and Pull
These are when the whole camera moves, normally directed with 3D style arrows. Dolly zooms is when the camera and the lens moves at the same time, and will be displayed with 3D and thin arrows/ squares.

 Tilts
Similar to Zooms, tilts will have a tilted square in the storyboard shot and thin arrows coming from the corners of the section towards into the twist wanted.

 Tracking
 Tracking is when the whole camera moves in the direction desired, normally to keep at pace with the subject on screen.

  Fade In and out
These are transitions, and are shown with a large arrow across the storyboard shot in the direction the fade is needed. These are normally dark, but wash outs (whiting out) are shown the same.


  When making storyboards, it's important to keep consistent placing with the characters. Suddenly moving the characters around/ changing their heights in a conversation can be extremely jarring, and doesn't help the scene to flow. Characters should stay in the place given, unless there is a action to show they have moved. Normally a inbetween shot (like someone moving around whilst on the phone) would show this, so when the conversation resumes it ok for the characters to have switched places. 


  Dialog Shots
In character conversations, over the shoulder shot shows which is the main character at that point whilst keeping the other one in scene.



  The goal of today's lesson was to use the new directions learnt in a storyboard, and place them into a story given segment given. Firstly though, we were placed in groups of 3 and asked to quickly design 1 of the 3 characters in the scene each, the descriptions of the characters was provided to help with the process.  For our team, we had Boltz (sidekick), Tessa Brainstorm (Hero/Brainy) and Grok (Evil Henchman). I did Grok who is a large lizard creature from another planet, used by the main villain as a large crony. He is augmented to enhance his abilities, doesn't need to be book-smart (just able to follow orders), and wears armor.

1st Design

2nd Design

3rd Design

  Out of these 3, the second one is better suited to the description given. The other too are much too sharp and seem far too intelligent for the character personality.  The 3rd is more suited to a lizard army general rather then a crony. I wanted to use squares and triangles to show his build and that he is evil, and tried to give him mechanic weaponry to help in attacking.

  As we all had a character and had come up with the designs, we was able to move onto the storyboard.  As a whole, Jetpack Jones had been captures and his friend Tessa and Boltz are on a rescue mission to retrieve him from the arch enemy. Our part was when Tess and Boltz crashed on a moon, and are both injured. After emerging from the wreckage, a device goes off in Tessa's pockets.  deciding to scan the environment, they notice a camera popping up from behind some ruble. They explore the area and come across a tunnel. Upon entering an going down long tunnels, they realise they have stumbled on a underground lair. Grok then emerges behind them,  rushing in to attack. What happens next is left to the next group to draw.