Storyboard+Artist



__What is the role of a Storyboard Artist and what role does it play in the film production process?__ A Storyboard Artist's job is to turn the director’s interpretation and thoughts of the script into either drawings that others can understand, like a comic book, or computer-generated video that can be watched, like a movie, so that one the day of shooting everyone knows what the director wants. The film crew actually shoots or films the scene. This allows the film crew to have a visual idea of what the director wants in the scene before the actors, actresses, props and set are actually developed and on sight. The role of a good storyboard artist is to prevent a lot of wasted time in filming aspects of the scene that are not what the director is looking for, as well as streamlining or eliminating unnecessary scenes and filming requirements from the production.

__What is involved in undertaking the role?__ There is no typical career route to becoming a Storyboard Artist. Individuals may have worked as Graphic Artists, Illustrators or Graphic Novelists; or they may have been employed in Design studios or in Animation and made the transition to film storyboarding by chance, or by making contacts with Storyboard Artists and Production Designers

__What other roles must coordinate with this role?__

A storyboard artist works closely with the director and facilitates directorial decisions in small or large ways. Many storyboard artists go on to become second unit directors or actual film directors. It takes a director’s eye and sensibility to do the job well.

The director is my boss and my supervisor. Storyboard artists are thrown in with the art department, both figuratively and physically (about half the time they put our desks/offices in the art department), and we are frequently hired by the production designer but we answer to the director only.

__Training required in undertaking the role.__ Most storyboard artists are graduates of Fine Art, Graphics or Illustration courses, only a small number of courses teach story-boarding skills. It is vital to have as much drawing experience as possible and a strong polio of work. A good understanding of the director's role in the film making process helps storyboard artist to think in the same way. Some skills should include:
 * Good knowledge of Photoshop
 * Excellent drawing skills
 * Ability to think cinematically
 * Communication skills
 * Ability to visually interpret other people's ideas

__Changes in this role due to developments in technology and the media industry__ <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Technology is very important, especially in the creation of animatic videos. I use Light Wave 3d, After Effects, sound editing software, among others to create animatics. But even “traditionally drawn” storyboards are scanned and manipulated in Photoshop, and frequently now delivered via the Internet though FTP, web site or email.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">__Famous storyboard artists__

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">Paul Guinan- <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">[]

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> [|Ricardo Delgad-] conceptual designer and storyboard artists who worked on Men Black, Tomb Raider, Dinosaur and Atlantis <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> [|Tony Kieme] commercial and game designer worked on Final Fantasy <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> [|Elizabeth Colomba] worked on Polish Wedding or William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> [|Wendy McAllister] has been churning out storyboards in Vancouver's film industry since 1993. She has worked on "Saving Silverman","3000 miles to Graceland", "Free Willy 3" and many others. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;"> [|Anthony Zierhut] is a storyboard artist by profession working in Los Angeles. His site gives useful insight into his career as storyboard artist for George of the Jungle, Babylon 5 and other television programs