When Storyboarding Is More Relevant Than Ordinary Text

Everybody likes to watch movies or short videos. But have you ever thought about stages of creating video? In modern movies storyboarding has an important place as well as it can be used in studying and for making your business project movie. Of course at first it is important to know what storyboarding is why and when it appeared. Another important thing is where to use it and what are general features of creating them?

That’s why we decided to talk about all these things and give answers on these questions. After reading this article you will have easier life because of knowing what storyboarding is and having possibility to use it for your purposes. Want to learn something new? You can take English classes online and become wiser every day. Now it’s time to start.

What is storyboarding at all?

Have you ever seen comics? Storyboarding is something very similar to them. It is like a plan but in sketches and with some notes below pictures. Detailed storyboarding represents your video step by step.

Firstly it was used in comics and then it became popular among silent movies and nowadays is used by many companies which produce films. It is an important step on the way to produce a film. Many directors now firstly create storyboarding and only then begin to make video. You can look at modern videos and imagine how they use this method. Feel free to read about pros and cons of Netflix: great source of movies and serials.

Where it can be used?

As we already mentioned storyboarding can be used in movies and comics. However it can also be used for making your business video be it presentation of new production or report. You can also use it while reading a book to remember actions better. Of course you may just write a short plan but it is not so interesting. Moreover storyboarding develops your imagination and drawing abilities.

Of course you may not use this method but it is important because:

1. You can make your own views on video more precise

You will be able to show others how you think all should be. Sketches you will make can help in this, because it’s easier to explain something when you have a support. Of course you can just describe your video with the help of words, however every person will perceive it in own way. When you use pictures it is impossible: people see exact characters, environment and speech.

2. Allows you to make it easier for viewers

While making first sketches of your storyboarding you can plan sequence and plot. When storyboard is ready you can ask other people to look at it and point out some problematic or hard for understanding things. So you can change it a little bit to be more acceptable for viewers.

You can also look visually at all your future video and maybe change something at this stage, because do it when movie will be made is more difficult.

3. Helps you to save time

Although it may seem that this method takes too much time it is not so. Of course you will spend time making that sketches and thinking about plot and how to do it better. However as you has storyboard ready, you can explain everybody what you want and spend less time for this explanation. Also after finishing this, you can start to make movie and person who will help you with it, won’t have questions, because storyboard contains everything.

Okay, storyboarding is great, but how to start?

At the first time it may be difficult to order ideas and maybe even hard to start at all. That’s why we wrote something like a plan for you:

1. Prepare area for drawing

First of all you need to draw some squares in a row: make two-three rows so every square in every row will be exactly under previous ones. Each of them will further contain picture. This picture will reflect definite shot. So you should have your list filled by theses squares. Leave some place to write some notes below every square. You can make your life easier and found ready workpieces in the Internet.

2. Divide your text into phrases

At this stage you should distinguish where and at what shot that or another phrase should be said. After you decide, write these phrases below squares. Remember that each square is a shot. Think about how to make information shorter and easier in order not to write too much. Everything should be clear for viewers or clients or anybody whom you will show this.

3. Make some drawings

Finally, when you know what will happen and have the images in your head, draw them. Remember that your storyboard shouldn’t be very detailed. You can even not pay a lot of attention to pictures. Do it schematically, just for people to understand what you mean. It’s okay because not everybody has gift for drawing. Your pictures can be in color as well as black and white. It is also recommended to make some notes about camera and foreshortening for your future video.

Before creating your own storyboard feel free to watch some in the Internet. There are a lot of sites for storyboarding.

There are also some advices and points that can help you to make storyboard successful.

Hints for successful storyboard:

1. Before creating a story think about:

- Main character or characters of the story, their appearance. How appearance can reflect mood and temper of the main hero

- Environment and actions which will happen in the story

- Problems that your story raises, main ideas of it

2. What sources to use?

- Don’t dwell on the video only. Remember about music sound and phrases

Decide what information is better to represent in video, what in audio and what - through the text.

- Video is the main way to show some actions and movements.

- Freeze is good to show some emotions

- Audio can emphasize emotions, allows to feel the situation better

- Text and phrases can help to reflect thought of characters and describe them through dialogues or monologues. As usual first ones are used to show attitude to somebody and sharing emotions. The latter ones used to show some important thoughts of the main character. However both these forms can be used.

3. Pictures should be as important as text or even more

Sometimes people forget that they have storyboard and begin to depict everything in words. Try to do it vice versa. Don’t tell anything. If your storyboard is good people will understand most of information or at least plot and idea in general without any words. It’s a good way to check whether your work is successful or not.

4. Don’t forget about camera

Camera angles are very important. They can spoil the whole video as well as emphasize some moments and show emotions better. So think about what angle to use and should it be close-up or long shot.

5. Remember about logic and sense

Your video should be logical; all shots should be at their place. Video should be complete or end with a rhetorical or problematic question. Remember about it.

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To sum up what can we say? Storyboarding is very interesting method of sharing information and preparing for video production. At first time it may be hard of course, to make this series of drawings and text however result is worth it. Of course creating of storyboards takes a lot of time, however they are more detailed than usual plan and helps to think about video not only in your head but share these thoughts visually with team and colleagues. So, try this method and you won’t be upset!