Ch. 5 Summary:Extended Frames

Extended frames give storyboards the chance to capture key visual information in one drawing. Margin notes and clearly listed shot info help convey maximum emotion or action from an extended frame. Camera moves like panning, tracking, booms, tilts, along with combos involving multiple perspectives, cameras and ht. or depth all help add extra dimensions to a static frame. Zollys and hand-held shots round out the basics. All of these have specific icons for the storyboarder to use.

Ch. 4 Summary

Aspect ratio of frame width to height varies from celphone to Imax sizes. 16:9 widescreen is the current popular standard. A formula of width multiplied by height will calculate storyboard aspect ratios to get the right size in inches for drawn storyboards. TV formats of letterbox and pan-and-scan result in cropping. Booo.

Ch. 3 Storyboard Moment Shot List: Simpsons action sequence:

1) MS: HOMER SIMPSON running from HOUNDS
2) WS: track BART driving family car, with MARGE hanging onroof rack, clutching MAGGIE
3) CU: rack from BART yelling at HOMER to LISA in back seat, frantically assembling some gadget
4) MS: MR. BURNS watching from his garden
5) car skids to stop in front of gate
6) HOMER leaps to gate, wiggles to avoid snapping HOUNDS
7) 2 shot: LISA hands gadget to MAGGIE: it's a dog whistle
8)high wide shot: MARGE and LISA slingshot MAGGIE over gate, MAGGIE lands on back of
lead hound, facing backwards
9) WS: MAGGIE slides off HOUND while blowing whistle; all HOUNDS sit at attention waiting for MAGGIE'S next command
10)MS: MAGGIE points offscreen, blowing whistle
11) OTS MAGGIE: Hounds rush towards MR, BURNS, in BG

Blade Runner opening: overhead camera diagram

Simpsons sequence: image 1

Simpsons sequence: image 2

Simpsons sequence: image 3

Simpsons sequence: image 4

storyboard moment: overhead Simpsons sequence cont.

storyboard moment: overhead Simpsons sequence

overhead camera diagram: Blade Runner opening

Chapter 3 summary

Chapter 3 breaks down the 3 types of preproduction tools: the shot list, overhead diagram, and images for reference. Shot lists use specific language to specify the scale, angle, camera moves, character blocking, and action/dialogue. Overheads are abstract sketches showing each camera move numbered according to the shot list, with blocking moves for characters. Images show specific details for each shot composition. An interview with Richard Taylor, cinematic director for EA Games, finishes the chapter with his insights on using lots of reference images and a adaptable pipeline of artists to create video game imagery.

1 paragraph story

Sub Francisco

Flexx Jones, a creepy govt. agent zombielike thing, is infiltrating her old city, Sub Francisco. The city has been ruled by an unnamed orca whale matriarch for years. But Jones is hungry, and needs to take care of some unfinished business in her city now under 10 feet of Pacific Ocean. A sinister cat-and mouse game awaits Flexx as she pits her unnatural appetites against the voices in her head, or is that just telepathic mischief from the orca queen? Down murky BART tunnels and up to the surface they battle, until Jones is finally lured south with the promise of a freedom she's never known: her very own airship/ submarine combo, the most powerful vehicle above or below the waterline. (Zombies are unable to pilot vehicles in this world) At the industrial steampunk chaos of a submarine factory, the orca barely escapes with her life while slipping into a hatch of the revving airship/ sub hybrid. The orca shapeshifts into an exact copy of Jones and flies off to impersonate Flexx Jones. Jones is left as the new leader of a region stranger than anything she's known.

6-panel storyboard for SUB FRANCISCO