A storyboard is basically the narrative of the film being created but in its first stages. it is a rough plan of the film using drawings and information to define what happens in each scene. storyboards are usually drafted to save time with filming and to avoid wasting resources when filming. storyboards help the whole film crew as well as the actors as everyone has the same frame in mind as everyone knows where to be and what happens in each scene.
storyboards are important in the making of films because it clarifys the roles of each person involved in the film and therefore they know what to do. for example the camera crew know to shoot a close up on the protagonists face or the actors know what happens at each scene. there are things to consider whe drafting up your storyboard:
- The number of the shots
- Duration
- Cinematography
- Location
- Iconography
- Lighting
- Actors
- Sounds
- Dialogue
- Narrative description
These micro-elements help decide what happens in each scene for example you can define the amount of seconds each scene is gonna be and how many scenes they actually are in the film. Each micro element has its own set of importance. The cinematography is important because then the film crew know what camera shot, angle and movement to use when filming. The location is important as it sets the mood of the film and is one of the key elements to get a reaction from the audience. Iconography is important because you can associate characters and their personas just by looking at the props around them. lighting is important so to get the right lighting for each scene can add effect not just to the film but can also can get a reaction from the audience if you use the correct lighting. actors are important as then they will able to know what characters are meant to be in what scene at what time. sound is very important as if chosen to complement the film it could really increase the tension in the film which will more than certainly gain a reaction from the audience. dialogue is important because then the characters know what they are ment to say and when to say it. the narrative description is probably the most important as it tells everyone what is happening in each scene.
This is the storyboard of the music video for gorillaz song rhinestone eyes. the main micro-element used in the storyboard is the setting. You first think that they are performing on stage infront of a crowd but using cinematography and the camera movement zoom out you later realise that they are performing infront of no-one on a deserted island with trash all over the place. Antother thing is that they keep bringing up a character who they refer to having `rhinestone eyes` and in a scene you see her eyes reflecting off a landscape which could physically represent rhinestones as eyes.
This storyboard is from the well known thriller kill bill vol 2 and the pai mei traing scene. this storyboard has the editing technique montage. its where loads of scenes have been cut into short clips and been put together to create 1 scene. Notice that they have also included dialogue to show what each character would be saying.
Conclusion Through this conclusion i have gotten to understand just how important a storyboard plan is when it comes to creating a film. it is important because it is important information for myself but also the whole film crew and actors. It is definatly essential to plan and needs to be considered because if not you could end up wasting countless hours filming footage that you wont use which is an waste of time and resources.
