Why Animators Need to Storyboard

Storyboard by Anastasia Gurova

One of the most common mistakes made by junior animators is to have too many cuts, and for relatively simple exercises to become overly complex with multiple cuts and camera moves.

The trick in the beginning is to keep it simple. If you do want to cut, or move the camera, it is important to do a rough storyboard first so that you figure out well in advance what the best shot structure is. 

Should you start with a close-up? Or a wide shot? sketch it out in advance, and figure out what the shot order should be.  Best of all - keep the camera still, and don't cut. 

 

Hold the camera still

Storyboard by Ronnie Kim

For the early stages of animation, we recommend keeping things as simple as possible, and not cutting much, if at all.  The simplest approach is often the best one - just leave the camera where it is and let your characters perform - just like on a live action set. 

Many film directors have made their careers with this approach. They point the camera at the actors, and let them act. It's not bad film-making, it's just a simple, clear approach that can pay big dividends, and avoid complexity. 

Cinematography Resources at Animation Apprentice
For more information on Camera and Cinematography at Animation Apprentice, read the blog posts below:

• Why Animators Have too Many Cuts
• Why Animators Need to Check Their Hookups
• Why Animators Should Avoid a Flat Horizon
• Camera always follows, never leads
• Avoid jump cuts
• The 180 degree Rule - Don't "Cross The Line"
• Avoiding "motion sickness camera"
• Don't "Break the 4th Wall"
• Understanding the "Magic Circle"

To find out more about Animation Apprentice, click here for a link to Frequently Asked Questions. To sign up for our next classroom at Animation Apprentice, follow this link.