What is a storyboard and why is it important?
A storyboard is a collection of images (either drawn or digital) that show the keyframes that collectively create a plan for a video or animation (Vyond.com, 2019).
A storyboard is like a step-by-step guide to creating a video/ animation, by spending a small amount of time creating one, it can save time on revisions, and can help external clients envision the animation in simple terms (Vyond.com, 2019). By breaking the video down through a storyboard, it can also increase speed of production, because it is easier to do several small tasks and it can be quite daunting to have a large task such as an animation (Indeed Editorial Team, 2022). Breaking a task down into more manageable parts is called a WBS (Work Breakdown Strategy).
My first storyboard:
For my first storyboard, I planned on using the image of a young girl, like in finding nemo, tapping on the glass, but from speaking with my peers, it was decided that I would be better off not using an image of a girl and it would be incredibly difficult to create in Maya within our timeframe.
Final storyboard:
Following creation of my first storyboard, Rob had us create storyboards in class as a group to allow us to bounce ideas off each other.
Collaboration within a team is extremely important because it allows designers to use others’ perspectives and skills to expand on or create an idea (www.linkedin.com, 2023).
Following splitting a large piece of paper into sections, we began writing down any key words relevant to my animation, in an attempt to come up with a name.
When looking for a name, Sydney mentioned using the name ‘My First Solar System’, which I thought would be a perfect fit for my animation. Following discussion, we then created a plan for my animation, ready to be created in Maya.
Executing the storyboard:
When it came to actually creating my animation in Maya, I had to simplify it quite a lot. Because of the time constraints, I felt I had to choose between a low quality animation using the storyboard, that was rushed, or create a simplified version with higher quality images and textures.
After consideration, I decided I would rather create an animation with higher quality assets and a simplified story, than one with a complex story and rush it.
Reference list
Indeed Editorial Team (2022). What Is Project Decomposition? (Plus Benefits and Tips). [online] Indeed.com. Available at: https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/decomposition-project-management#:~:text=A%20WBS%2C%20or%20work%20breakdown,to%20complete%20an%20entire%20project..
Vyond.com. (2019). What is a Storyboard? Illustrated Guide (Trial Included) | Vyond. [online] Available at: https://www.vyond.com/resources/what-is-a-storyboard-and-why-do-you-need-one/#1.
www.flowmapp.com. (2023). Storyboards — FlowMapp. [online] Available at: https://www.flowmapp.com/blog/glossary-term/storyboards.
www.linkedin.com. (2023). The Importance of Interdisciplinary Collaboration in the Design Process. [online] Available at: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/importance-interdisciplinary-collaboration-design-princely-imonlemen#:~:text=Interdisciplinary%20collaboration%20in%20a%20team [Accessed 1 Aug. 2023].