Welcome to the first installment blog on storyboarding and conceptual Illustration. Glad to have you visit and hopefully you will find it both fun and informative. After giving this some thought on just how to kick this baby off, I decided the best thing to do would be to do a general and introduction to the subject for those of you who have never seen a storyboard or concept illustration, or wonder why it’s so useful in the pre-pre production phase (i.e. pitches) as well as productions further along that need issues anwswered before all the carnival of usual production starts. I’ll be writing this in installments and will cover both storyboarding as well as concept illustration.

So off we go with question #1

1 - What exactly IS a storyboard and what does a storyboard artist DO?

Well that’s a good question that is easily answered. A storyboard artist is (usually) one of the first people hired on a production. I (we) work predominantly with the director of the film but also production designers and art directors as well. My job is to get the script read and go over the scenes with the director from a visual standpoint as well as bring up production problems BEFORE they arise. Once I get a feel for the director’s vision and thought process, as well as shooting style I will start breaking down the script into drawn frames. This is usually carried out in pencil but can be very finished colored illustration as well. Once the scenes are drawn, the director goes back over the scene with the drawings and more or less starts to ‘see’ the first bit’s of the project come to life visually. Storyboarding also brings out storytelling flaws in the script or sequential flaws that went unnoticed. It allows for the director to re-arrange or ‘re-shoot’ if you will, the scene again without spending a lot of valuable film that ends up on the cutting room floor, paying for actors to sit around for their call, crews to redo the lighting if it’s just not right. It also brings to light any approvals that may be needed with product placement etc. Basically it’s a very ‘cheap’ way of getting everything in order before the project is underway and helps keep the fires that will always pop up, at bay. Basically once a movie is boarded, it’s a general map that is circulated to the whole crew so everyone can be on the same page with what to , and what is needed.

2 - Is what I draw the end all be all for the shot?

Hardly and most of the time angles are adjusted, and done in a completely different manner that was drawn. As a board artist you can’t fall in love with your work. Vary rarely do I see a shot just as I boarded it, but it is nice to see when it does happen.

3 - Are storyboard artists the same thing as a comic book artist or ‘graphic novel’ artist?

This is a very popular misconception these days. Absolutely not, although there are many of the same skills that apply to them all. A storyboard is drawn to suggest camera movement and lightning with arrows, etc. and mostly is drawn in a quick sketch. Comics and graphic novels are drawn for publication and therefore require a greater amount of detail and finish in the drawing. It always kills me that someone calls and wants a ‘graphic novel’ style and they have no idea what that means and don’t realize that drawing in a graphic novel/finished comic style take a LOT more time than a standard storyboard. AS an artist who works in the comics medium as well as movies and tv, I know how long it takes to draw graphic novels. And normally it’s done by more than one
artist. 1 page of graphic novel material is usually able to be completed (at least penciled) 1 page a day averaging 1-6 frames or ‘panels’ in comic speak. A good storyboard artist can produce 20-30 quick sketch frames a day. It’s a completely different ballpark and thought process.

Generally comic illustrations are pretty to look at storyboard panels CAN be but are usually not. They just relay information. Having said that, there are some comic artists that don’t make good storyboard artists and some storyboard artists that don’t make good comic artists. There are also those (like myself) that can do both successfully. The only place the two intersect in an ability to draw everything really well and really quickly.

4 - Is a storyboard artist expensive and why should I hire one for my production?

Yes, a good pro artist is expensive but the cost you save on the back end of the production by not wasting time, film, money, etc. more than makes up for a good storyboard artist fees and doing all the problem solving up front. Every good director would never ask this question to begin with. The best example is Steven Speilberg who always uses a good pro board artist on his films. Having said that, you can hire a kid fresh and green from school. I’m sure they will work for cheap or free or what is known as ‘copies and meals’ or maybe you have a son or daughter that you think has talent and is a good illustrator. Ask yourself this, can they draw well enough that the WHOLE crew can get the idea just from their drawing and no verbal explanation? Look at the internet and research PRO board artists. IF they cannot draw as well as a pro artist then please be realistic. Do they know how the camera moves and all of the technical problems of filmmaking? Then it’s best to let a pro do it. Remember, you get what you pay for and it doesn’t pay to cut corners in this stage of the biz. I am a problem solver as is every board artist, and I’ve found out from experience that any production that asks me to work for free isn’t one that I want to be involved with and probably will never get off the ground.

Well that’s enough for this time. I have to go get some drawing done. Hope you have some initial answers to questions you may have. Next time, I’ll continue this and also start talking a bit about the role of a concept illustrator on productions.

Craig Gilmore - out