PROJECT 1:  CREATE A STORYBOARD

This project requires each student to conceive and create their own storyboard for what would become a 30 sec to 1 min edited video story.  The story is as follows:

The action begins on one of the upper floors of the Art Institute of Atlanta.  Character A is given or takes something from Character B.  Character A then meets Character C and gives him/her the ‘something’.  Character C then leaves the premises with the ‘something’.

The task is to flesh out the story and then break it down into a series of shots (pans, tracking shots, CU, MS, WS, etc.)  Each shot is then represented by a frame of the storyboard.  All frames must be numbered.  Motion shots (pans, etc) can be indicated by using two frames to show the beginning and end of the shot.  In such cases, label frames 1A and 1B to indicate it is the same shot.  Similarly, you can label shots A & B to show significant movement or changes within the frame.

All frames should approximate to 35mm or standard video 4:3 aspect ratio.  Don’t use ‘verticals’ or frames that are inconsistent.  Use between 6 and 20 frames to tell your story.  You may draw, use stick figures, or photograph the story.  For photographs I recommend using a recyclable or digital camera.)  Grade will be based on the imagination and effectiveness of the script (storyboard) NOT skills in drawing or draftsmanship.

Mount frames onto a foam core or cardboard base not larger than 3’ x 2’ 6”; or smaller than: 20” x 16”.

TIPS
The essence of film and video is about the translation of action into a series of shots.  The medium thrives on CU shots and maintaining a dramatic storyline.  The ‘trick’ is to use the precise number of frames or shots to tell the story—too many, and shots will be redundant; too few and the story will be confusing, or it will ‘jump’.

Don’t invent an unnecessarily complex story—keep it simple.

Use a variety of shots—don’t repeat the same composition (ie: Going from WS to WS to WS will make a boring film—regardless of the content of the story).  Remember, WS help establish location and spatial relationships between characters; CU show details of what is going on and reveal emotions and responses of characters.  Often when something is ‘taken’ from someone else, the next shot will reveal how that character felt about giving up that something.