Good animations weren’t just made by chance, you know.
Whether you’re writing a heartwarming fairytale or crafting an adventure full of twists and turns, the best animations are usually a result of extensive planning.
After a compelling script a storyboard is the perfect way to bring your vision to life.
Table of Contents
What is Storyboarding?
Storyboarding, an integral step in the transition from storyboard to animation, is the process of mapping out step-by-step sequences in a video. It’s a proven method used for years in film production to visualise and break down the storyline before actual production begins.
While there is no one size fits all method to storyboarding, it usually resembles a comic strip but includes additional details such as camera angles, close-ups, lighting placements, and voiceover prompts.
What’s the role of storyboarding in the animation process?
Without a storyboard, a director has no clearly defined reference for each scene. They would have to animate their project based on a script, which leaves it up for interpretation.
When it comes to animation, this means that it could take multiple scenes before the client is satisfied which can be resource intensive.
There are many benefits to creating a storyboard for animations, including:
- Clarifying the Vision – a script can be left open to interpretation, which is why it’s important to get the vision on paper. A storyboard is the best way to do that as it can bring the vision of the project to life, ensuring that production teams are on the same page from the start.
- Streamlines Production – a storyboard can help to plan out each scene, including camera angles, character actions, sound effects, and colour effects.
- Identifies any challenges early on – when a director views the storyboard, they may notice inconsistencies in the narrative that needs to be addressed prior to animation beginning.
- Improves Communication – storyboards are a great tool for communicating between various departments (animation, sound, design) working on the project.
How does storyboarding help in visualising the narrative and pacing of an animation?
Storyboarding can help you visualise the scenes in your animation before putting them into production, and it can be incredibly beneficial because:
- It lets you see how your animation unfolds scene by scene meaning you can understand if the flow is right or if you are missing any important pieces of information.
- It allows you to experiment with the timings of your scenes as you can test how long each scene should last and which order they should go in.
- It lets you decide on camera angles. If there’s anything you want to focus on then you can put this on your storyboard so your animator can decide the best path when putting your ideas into action.
What are the key elements included in a storyboard for an animated project?
While the basic foundations of a storyboard are the same for most projects, there can be differences depending on what you’re trying to achieve. However, there are three key components that should be considered when creating a storyboard for an animated project.
The Scene
The scene is the most important part of an animation storyboard. It depicts how you see the scene playing out. Because a storyboard is intended to convey your ideas, you should only include the most important scenes here.
Description
A description of what’s happening in the scene will give the director a clearer understanding of what’s happening in that given scenario. You can avoid adding unnecessary scenes to your storyboard by adding in descriptions instead.
Directions
Directions help to guide the director to your vision and outcome. An animator can understand clearly what it is you want to achieve and decide how best to do it.
What are the benefits of planning and pre-visualizing animations through storyboarding?
The power of storyboarding lies in its ability to pre-visualise the final product. This is incredibly important in animation as it allows creators to see and refine their concepts before they’re brought to life.
Why is Storyboarding considered essential for creating successful animated masterpieces?
Animations can be time-consuming, but by adding a storyboard it can actually help you to stay organised, communicate more effectively with your animation team, and save you time.
Here are some great reasons why you should consider creating a storyboard for your next animated explainer video:
They help you to stay organised
Coming up with the idea and script for your animation is great, and we get it – it can be tempting to jump in headfirst into creating your masterpiece but it can quickly become easy to get lost in your vision if you don’t have everything laid out in front of you, and that’s where storyboarding comes in. Storyboarding keeps you on track throughout your endeavours so that you can truly focus on the message you’re trying to convey to your audience.
They help to save you time
You might think that creating a storyboard for animation is going to take you extra time, and while there is some truth in that, it will save you time in the long run. If you’re creating an animation for your business and you’re working with an agency, sending them an initial storyboard will ensure they stick to your vision so that revisions aren’t needed down the line.
They will show you if you’ve missed any important details
Another reason why you can’t skip making a storyboard is because they allow you to understand if your story needs any more work.
When looking at a storyboard it can become apparent if a scene isn’t right or if a key piece of information is missing. During this stage, you can work on filling in the pre-production gaps until your ideas are portrayed in a way that is meaningful to you and your brand.
Once you have a plan in place that you’re happy with, production can begin.
Conclusion
Storyboards are the foundation of a successful animation project. Not only do they play an important role in ensuring your vision is brought to life, but they also fuel clear communication between you and your animation team.
In short, they are the core of securing the highest quality end result, which applies all the ideas, thoughts, and talents of your team.
