I'm a brand new screenwriter; I haven't had any major screenwriting jobs and I'm still perfecting my craft. So I was wondering, is it important for the writer to learn and practice storyboarding?
I've uploaded a couple of my original pilot scripts to my profile here, but would it be helpful for me to create and add some storyboards to complement them? And would storyboarding be an attractive skill for me to learn to market myself?
1 person likes this
Storyboards can help you outline scripts, Ben Henning. I've outlined scripts with stick figure storyboards (something quick). I don't think you need official storyboards to complement your scripts unless you plan on directing.
1 person likes this
Ben Henning Storyboards are a specialty item the director comes up with a storyboard artist. Not a screenwriter thing, unless you happen to be an artist/director of your own material. The other caveat is with animation. Some anime houses just work with the storyboards and not a script per se.
2 people like this
Christopher Phillips oh interesting! Could it be considered a negative thing then, like stepping on the toes of a potential other director?
2 people like this
Ben Henning I don't think that it would be a negative thing. Storyboarding would usually be about directing on paper with the camera angles and the movement.
I could certainly see a case for it if a screenwriter is trying to previsualize their script like with a lot of intricate action sequences. With independent film on a tight budget, people wear all kinds of different hats. For larger budgeted work, a storyboard artist would be hired by the director.
Amazon Studios used to have a submission process that would make animated storyboards from submitted work. It was pretty interesting. So, having a visual reference early in the process is always helpful.
2 people like this
Christopher Phillips that makes sense! Thanks for explaining. It sounds like it would be a good skill for me to learn and a good thing to complement my scripts, whether or not it ends up being really needed.
2 people like this
Ben Henning Besides looking at examples, I recall coming across a how-to book at Barnes & Noble in the art book section. There are also many software tools, as well.
3 people like this
It's certainly useful to putting together the complete package to make the movie.
1 person likes this
I have created 22 hours of no-budget films, including 3 comedies which is each slightly more than 100 minutes long. I have never done any storyboarding. But I can understand the value for others.
1 person likes this
I know AI is a TOUCHY subject, especially in the screenwriting community (and justifiably so) but just as an FYI, I know of someone who storyboarded their entire script using MidJourney, which is not a function I would have ever thought of for it. I think we can all agree that we don't want AI writing scripts, and frankly, I am not a fan of it being used for any public-facing advertisement art or graphics, but how does this group feel about using it privately for that function to help you better visualize your story or help others see your vision?
1 person likes this
It's up to every writer what they wanna use, Tom Lapke, but I won't use AI publicly or privately for storyboards, loglines, scripts, etc. Screenwriters were doing these things without AI before, and we shouldn't need them now.
2 people like this
Tom Lapke I think that's person-to-person. I can understand a creative wanting to complete the process themselves. And I can understand using Midjourney for specifically reference or inspiration purposes: not letting that be the final product, but a jumping-off point. But as you said, touchy subject, and I tend to lean against AI in general.
3 people like this
At the writing stage its not essential but for planning complex sequences like action its a helpful pre-vis tool.