Photoshop and other Program Users
If you don't have Storyboard Pro, not to worry! You are free to make your boards in Photoshop, Clip Studio Paint, or any other program as long as you can work in 16:9 and 300 DPI. Your working size can be set at 1920x1080.
The project file name should reflect this structure: Show Name, Episode, Sequence, and your Initials (two letters, unless otherwise noted)
Template for Photoshop file is available in the pCloud under P:\02-pipeline\templates\storyboard
The template is .PSD, which should be able to be opened in any major digital drawing program. Included in the file is a Title Card template for pitch purposes and the Prop Safe card. If you are having trouble opening .PSD and need help with setting up your file, please let us know. NOTE - you do not need to do letterboxing for your boards, this is applied in post. Just keep in mind the safe areas while you are making your compositions.
Setting up your Canvas
Please include a Title Card at the beginning of each pitch. Please fill out Episode #, Sequence name, your name in the place of "Board Artist", and the Version Number + Pitch Date.
In the example to the left, we will be using the Photoshop dialog screen for a new Project.
When setting up your canvas, please use these dimensions and DPI (1920x1080, 300).
Orientation: Horizontal
Color mode: RGB
These settings can be used universally across digital drawing programs.
Depicting Camera Movements
You have two choices for camera movement depiction:
Manually drawing the movement frame-by-frame within the confines of the canvas
Using rectangles and arrows as a guide within a wider frame
In the case of 2, please use the following format:
CAMERA START: GREEN FIELDING
CAMERA END: RED FIELDING
Arrows should follow the path of the intended camera movement between the GREEN and RED fields.
For example...
Example of a PAN
Example of a PULL OUT
Example of a PUSH IN
The reason for this specific camera indication is for the ease of the editors. The animatic editors need to clearly and quickly be able to read the intent of the camera movement!
Exporting for Pitching
The easiest way to pitch is to make a multi-page .PDF with each page being a single panel of the board. This makes it easy for you to flip through your board with arrow keys.
Here is a tutorial if needed.
If you would like, you may also create a rough Quicktime (.mov) video of your board if you would rather not manually pitch. This is harder and takes more time and effort (you will have to make a very rough edit cut of your board in an editing software of your choice), so it is not recommended unless that is your preference.
File name for your pitch material export (for either .PDF for Quicktime) should follow this anatomy:
Show Name, Episode, Sequence, Your Initials, Version #
i.e. If you are working on Episode 201, sequence toaEscape, your name is Marie Lum, and this is the first version, the file name will be as follows:
BFP_201-toaEscape_ML_V01
Exporting for Animatic Editors
We will export each panel individually and batch send to the animatic editors. These should be .PNG files.
File naming convention for each individual frame: BFP_EP-SEQUENCE_SC-PNL
You will need to change the anatomy of the formula according to your Episode, Sequence, Scene, and Panel number.
EP -> The three numbers according to your episode # (i.e. 201)
SEQUENCE -> The name of your assigned sequence (i.e. toaEscape)
SC -> Scene number in three digits (i.e. Scene 11 would be 011)
PNL -> Panel number in two digits (i.e. Panel 3 would be 03)
For example, if you are working on Episode 201, sequence toaEscape, and you want to export Scene 11, Panel 3, this is what the file name should look like:
BFP_201-toaEscape_011-03.PNG
The easiest way to do this in Photoshop is batch exporting each image layer within your project file.
In order for this to work correctly, every panel needs to be all elements of the panel merged together into a single layer.
Here is a quick tutorial on how to batch export.
Easily Renaming Files
Inevitably, there will be hiccups with keeping files named properly. Please make sure they are named correctly and use Bulk Rename Utility if needed. This will allow you to batch rename multiple files quickly and efficiently. Following this naming convention will be crucial for the animatic editors to do their job as easily and quickly as possible!