No
animated production can be completed successfully without the use of
storyboards. A staple of animation, they have existed since the early
1930s, when Walt Disney implemented them during the development of its
films. Since then, they have become an indispensable tool in virtually
every animation company, because they enable animation creators to
visualize a storyline, determine the sequence of events, choose
production details, and save time and money. Following are just a few of
the ways in which storyboards and animatics contribute to the success
of any animation production.
Storyboards facilitate brainstorming and creativity.
Storyboards
are a series of sketches that outline each of the scenes in an animated
project. They include information such as which characters and objects
populate the scene, which camera angles are being used, what movement is
occurring, what dialogue is being spoken, and whatever other material
may be useful. Animatics are storyboards to which have been added pieces
of animation, movement, and sound to further indicate how the final
product will look.
Because storyboards present the details of each
scene visually, they are an especially valuable tool for facilitating
brainstorming and encouraging creativity. As animators view the project
coming to life through the storyboards, they can more easily identify
ways to improve the development of the storyline and the scenes.
For
instance, storyboards allow animators to move scenes around to
experiment with different sequences. Flashbacks are often the result of
such experimentation in an animated production or motion picture. In
addition, they allow animators to test different iterations of the
animation before large commitments of time and money must be made to
producing the finished project. As a result, storyboards give the 2D
animation studio the freedom to change how the scenes develop and to try
out different ideas. This freedom results in a higher-quality and more
carefully crafted animation than would otherwise have been possible.
Storyboards save time and money.
While
storyboards foster creativity, they also serve a very practical purpose
for 2D animation companies and their clients in that they save
significant amounts of time and money. Initially, it may seem as if
creating storyboards consumes resources, because they must be created
with time and talent that could otherwise have been spent producing the
final product. However, there are a number of reasons that storyboards
are a financially prudent step.
One of these reasons is that
storyboards allow animators to identify mistakes and problems before the
project goes to production. These errors are simple to fix on a
storyboard, because they require nothing more than a quick re-sketching
or repositioning of the scene in question. In the middle of production,
however, they would be much more costly and time-consuming to repair,
because they would require steps such as re-animating an entire scene.
In
addition, storyboards save time and money because they allow the
animators to determine exactly how each scene will be shot before
production begins. This allows the company to save money by determining
which shots are most cost effective. Storyboards also save producers
from time-consuming tweaking, adjusting, and re-animating during the
production phase of the project.
Storyboards guide production.
As
mentioned earlier, one of the reasons that storyboards and animatics
production in CA and elsewhere save time and money is because they allow
the animators to determine exactly how each scene will unfold. The
details encompassed by the storyboards include production details such
as camera angles and distances. In fact, storyboards and animatics are
often utilized to determine which shots will be most effective during
the production process.
As a result, by the time the storyboard is
finalized, the production process has become much simpler as well.
Camera angles and distances, character movements, timelines, and more
are clearly laid out on the boards. All that is left is for the
producers to implement the scenes as they are described by the sketches
in the storyboard. When producers have such a detailed and carefully
developed plan for their film or animated cartoons, it becomes much
faster and easier for them to create the final project.
In
addition, as mentioned earlier, storyboards help to reduce the number of
changes that are necessary during the production phase of the
animation. As a result, production can move much more quickly because it
does not get held up by frequent changes and corrections. The detailed
guidance and the improved speed which storyboards lend to the production
process make them an indispensable step for anyone who wants to animate
a project with speed and economy.
Storyboards provide a way to describe the animation to others.
Finally,
storyboards are a valuable addition to any animated production, because
they provide a way to describe the animation to others. Often, a
project must be described to investors or other interested parties.
Vague ideas cannot produce the kind of compelling presentation that will
allow a project to receive funding or approval. However, concept
design, character design, and carefully crafted storyboards and
animatics can take an idea and visualize it in such a way that it is
suitable for presentation.
Animation is an exciting, beautiful,
and powerful art form that often looks as if its has been effortlessly
put together. However, this beauty and power is the result of hard work
and careful planning. Part of this planning process is storyboarding. By
creating storyboards for your project, an animation studio can help you
facilitate brainstorming and creativity, save time and money, guide
production, and help others to understand your vision in order to create
an excellent animated piece.
Powerhouse Animation is a traditional 2D animation studio based in Austin, Texas with offices in Burbank, California. Since 2001, Powerhouse has been making ideas come to life through animation, illustration, and motion graphics. With a staff of 35 in-house artists, animators, videographers and designers, Powerhouse works on a wide variety of projects and has created animation for companies including Disney, Sony, Marvel, DC, Old Spice, Miramax, the USO and more.