Storytelling & Boarding Resources

I’ve had people reach out to me over the years asking what classes I’ve taken or materials I’ve absorbed. Maybe it’s the you get out as much as you put in. I’ve watched countless youtube videos, interviews, podcasts, read books on the subject since high school, and scoured the internet for articles and blogs of how to do anything and everything in terms of film making, screen writing, storyboarding, cinematography, drawing, design, as well of years of school both formal education and any online course I could find the time for and commit to.

I’ve read Brian MacDonald’s blog and listened to interviews over the years, currently I’ve been absorbing his podcast.

This was the first storyboarding class I took. Really helpful with the basics and exercises for developing board sequences. (Took twice with 2 different teachers)

https://2d.cgmasteracademy.com/storyboarding-for-animation.html 

Rad’s storyboarding class is the second one I took (I’ve taken his twice).

His really helped me with understanding where/when to cut, how motion and actions lead to the next shot, and hook up poses which are really important, especially for tv boards. Also, he teaches you how to move the camera in perspective through an environment. I would say that’s the most valuable tool I learned because my first episode I revised for tv I had a camera moving through an interior shot with no cuts & had to add some in between camera moves of the environment & characters shifting in perspective — definitely would not have known how to do it without this class. http://radhowtoschool.com/

CDA has several types of storyboarding classes. I’ve only taken  Cinematic Storyboarding with Jay Oliva, which I only felt prepared for because I had the prior online classes. I hear all the other storyboarding classes are just as great. If you were starting out there I’d probably try to get Intro to Storyboard with Alan Wan or whoever is teaching it first, just because these classes are so intensive but very much worth it. Jay’s class was probably the closest to what it’s like working in production. I feel like his directly helped me with working for primetime and boarding in that type of style.

http://conceptdesignacad.com/class-schedule/

https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hPF8BejGpuM/War--7j-qWI/AAAAAAAAevM/DBGRxMfRTWkZOVyku9rAevM65tpRyIMfgCEwYBhgL/s1600/Cinematic%2BStoryboard.jpg

https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HKTWkGXLiE8/WQb4clnV-lI/AAAAAAAAc-0/PqULdWZSkqM9Mmy21hqFgzA1iUfyyXDiQCEw/s1600/122_Intro_to_Storyboard_SU17.jpg

Other helpful things I always go back to: 

Brad Bird’s notes on storyboarding. 

http://thinkinganimation.com/Handouts/StagingAndComposition/Composition_Storyboards_Brad_Chris.pdf

Storyboarding “Rules” for adventure time

http://kingofooo.tumblr.com/post/161105648449/by-storyboard-supervisor-erik-fountain-a-few

Pixar’s Recommended Books for Interns:

http://story-notes.tumblr.com/post/136939492209/the-pixar-list-of-recommended-books-for-interns 

All of Brian’s McDonald’s podcast & his books on storytelling

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRsdrTDGmrU&list=LL&index=13&t=0s 

Also the book Shot by Shot is a big one for board artists (have not read it yet)

Videos I’ve found helpful

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bp0pDjVxN9U&list=LL&index=2&t=0s 

Kevin Lima’s talk from CTN a few years ago

https://tv.creativetalentnetwork.com/an-evening-with-american-film-director-kevin-lima

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmZ5P34gKJE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-P2xAt9ewK4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0BfmTzM8vw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBHaCyKy3Yo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWm8wRj6yjM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32TGFNTBBlI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mLW-vBrq0Q&index=68&list=PLeLw9TDyBUdV8dMeBjztgKMZtEG38LHVT

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-69s8mQgx0&index=34&list=PLeLw9TDyBUdV8dMeBjztgKMZtEG38LHVT

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h92nZ4qhJFE&index=25&list=PLeLw9TDyBUdV8dMeBjztgKMZtEG38LHVT

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozP03v3PCKs&index=60&list=PLeLw9TDyBUdV8dMeBjztgKMZtEG38LHVT

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOFxhKkoIZM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qifZp-0ob9U

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwC-U7uuK_A

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qO9fbQBel_o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e245Ja99WPc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6mSdlfpYLU

Helpful Story/Filmmaking/Process related youtube channels:

https://www.youtube.com/user/TheHotButton 

(Interviews from filmmakers, cinematographers, writers, producers, actors, etc. in depth about specific movies & their careers)

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCL5kBJmBUVFLYBDiSiK1VDw/videos

https://www.youtube.com/user/cinematographydb/videos

Cinematography Database 

https://www.youtube.com/user/everyframeapainting/videos

Every Frame A Painting - Filmmaking Analysis

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCupfsRXXvWKLIYCLV_ri1sQ/videos

Global Cinematography Institute - great interviews with cinematographers

https://www.youtube.com/user/RJFilmSchool/videos

Rocket Jump Film School

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWq-qJSudqKrzquTVep9Jwg

The Royal Ocean Film Society - filmmaking analysis

But honestly the biggest thing and what I often get told in portfolio reviews/feedback if studying films you love and taking shots, shot progression, and framing/compositions from scenes you love and applying it to your own storyboards. ”