FAQ

A good and fair question. If you are unfamiliar with a storyboard pipeline and are curious as to how it works, this is for you!

Storyboards are the foundation to the visual storytelling of a production. We are the team that lays down, brick-by-brick, the blueprints and skeleton of an episode for the animators to follow. Many departments rely on us to be able to clearly lay out the visual instructions for each episode, which may seem like a lot of pressure, but it's really fun!

The pipeline is laid out in such a way that it is the most productive, saves energy and resources, but also doesn't sacrifice quality. What we want to achieve is clear, solid instructions for the animators in a healthy manner. The goal that we all have is how to create the least amount of work for everyone while still making something awesome.

During the Initial Review, the Directors sit down with the Storyboard Supervisor to review the script. The Storyboard Supervisor then asks any questions for clarity, Directors can make sure certain aspects are hit properly, etc. This gives the Storyboard Supervisor an idea of how best to split up the work, who to hand off certain scenes to, etc.

The Handout is when the Storyboard Supervisor sits down with the Storyboard Artists to section off the script. The Storyboard Supervisor will make sure to pass along the vision of the Directors and answer any questions the Storyboard Artists may have. Storyboard Artists will be given all necessary materials needed i.e. Script, Designs, Backgrounds, Radio Plays (if available), etc. If you need any more materials to help you along, feel free to reach out and ask if we have it for you. Storyboard artists will continue on to complete their thumbnails for their section and prepare for the First Pitch.

Our First Pitch is where each Storyboard Artist presents their current sequences to the Storyboard Supervisor. The Storyboard Supervisor will then give notes to address during the First Notes Process. In this phase, ONLY thumbnails should be laid out. This is due to the fact that this is the phase where most notes and changes from the Storyboard Supervisor will be given. The First Pitch will showcase general action, shot flow, and composition. If you need examples of what a good thumbnail pass should look like, please ask Marie.

After the First Pitch, the First Notes Process comes next. This is the stretch of time that a Storyboard Artist will use to go  back to their board and apply the notes given during the First Pitch. This is also when the Storyboard Artist starts to further flesh out the boards - cleaning up important drawings, plussing up and clarifying any action needed, etc. Keep in mind that the next pitch is when you will not only present to the Storyboard Supervisor once more, but also to the Directors.

During the Second Pitch, the Directors are also present to give further notes. This is the last pitch that Storyboard Artists have before turn-in.

The Second Notes Process is the stretch of time where the Storyboard Artist will apply final notes given during the Second pitch and also finishing up their board. This is going into final cleans and clarification. 

Finally, we have Submit for Editorial. This is the final step for Storyboard Artists. Once the you are finished with your board, you will export your panels to send to the Animatic Editor and submit your final master file to the Storyboard Supervisor and Production Coordinator.

The reason why Storyboard Pro is recommended is because it's built specifically for board artists. It's very simple to quickly lay out panels on a timeline, make camera movements, export, etc. In other programs, it might take more time to set up, so this gives the ability to cut down on time used for technical aspects and gives more time for boarding. However, it is an expensive program, so if you don't already have access to SBP, it's ok!

Photoshop is the next recommended software due to it's universal nature.

Any program can be used for boards. You can also choose to do your boards traditionally. This is all up to your preference and how you can work the easiest!

The animatic editors need the flexibility to time down to the frame. The best way to provide this ability to them is giving them each panel individually. The naming convention used for each panel allows the editors to batch import panels to the timeline in chronological order. Our export process is done to make the editor's life (and also the general production's life) as easy as possible!