Film Studies & Cinematography Project 3: Animation Storyboard and Storyboard Development
Table of Contents
Module Information
LECTURE
This blog documents the development process of Project 3: Animatic & Storyboard Development, which contributes 30% of the overall course assessment. The purpose of this project is to translate the approved short animation concept from Project 1 into a structured visual plan through thumbnail sketches, a detailed storyboard, and a time-based animatic.
Building upon my story Whispering Stars, this project focuses on visual storytelling, camera planning, pacing, and emotional rhythm before entering full animation production. By breaking the narrative into clear panels and timed sequences, the storyboard and animatic function as a blueprint that helps test continuity, screen direction, and narrative clarity.
The production process is divided into three main stages. First, thumbnail drawings were created to explore composition, framing, and overall story flow in a quick and flexible manner. These initial sketches helped refine the narrative structure and visual rhythm of the animation. Next, a detailed storyboard was developed using an A4 landscape format, including panel numbers, descriptions of action, audio elements, visual effects, and estimated duration for each shot. Arrows and tonal contrast were used to indicate camera movement and depth, ensuring the storyboard could clearly communicate motion and cinematic intent.
Sketches and storyboards
Based on the storyboards and plot setting slides created in Project 2, we will produce an animated short lasting one to three minutes.I start by creating thumbnails in accordance with the specifications, adding text to describe the image, and creating it on Procreat, provided that the narrative is easily comprehensible.I used Procreat to create thumbnails, describing the scene using lines.
Sketches
This section documents the thumbnail drawing stage of Project 3, which focuses on visualising the story structure and shot progression before developing the final storyboard and animatic. Thumbnail sketches were used as a fast and flexible method to explore composition, camera framing, and narrative flow, allowing the story to be clearly understood in an orderly manner.
The thumbnails were sketched in black and white to emphasise contrast, depth, and spatial relationships rather than detailed rendering. Short text descriptions were added beside the sketches to clarify actions, mood, and intended pacing.
Storyboard Development
Next, we had to create an A4 storyboard with black and white tones to convey the depth of the composition and arrows to direct the action and camera work. I began concentrating on the intricate images that matched the narrative, but I also added some transitions and empty scenes and modified other images to match the screenplay.
This section documents the storyboard development stage of Project 3, where the initial thumbnail sketches were refined into a structured and detailed visual plan. The storyboard functions as a bridge between concept development and animatic production, translating abstract ideas into clearly defined shots with precise timing, camera movement, and audio planning.
The storyboard was created in A4 landscape format using a black-and-white colour tone to emphasise composition, depth, and lighting rather than surface detail.
Animatic
Finally, the storyboard panels were assembled into a 1–3 minute animatic using editing software, serving as a time-based preview of the animation before full production. Each storyboard panel was imported and arranged according to the planned sequence, with careful adjustments made to shot duration in order to achieve appropriate pacing and narrative clarity. The timing of each panel was repeatedly reviewed and refined to ensure smooth continuity, clear screen direction, and an effective emotional rhythm throughout the animatic.
Silent animation
Transitions such as fade-ins, fade-outs, and dissolves were applied to guide the visual flow between shots and to reflect changes in mood, time, and setting. In addition to static panel placement, basic camera movements—including slow push-ins, pans, and subtle zooms—were simulated by animating scale and position within the panels. These movements replaced the directional arrows used in the storyboard and helped visualize how the final animation would feel in motion.
Sound design
This term I'm taking Spatial Audio Design, which has greatly aided my completion of this assignment. I sourced the required audio from free audio websites and utilised Audition software for audio refinement.
Final Submission
The final submission for Project 3 includes thumbnail drawings, a complete storyboard, and a finished animatic. All materials were compiled and exported according to the project requirements. The thumbnails and storyboard were submitted as PDF files, while the animatic was exported in MP4 format at 1280 × 720 resolution and 24 fps.
This project has strengthened my understanding of visual storytelling, shot planning, and the importance of pre-production in animation.
Google drive Link:https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1zyOrYDsvSGYmYozSc8jy5II5PGPbB96n
Feedback
One key feedback point was the need to improve pacing and shot duration, especially during the montage and emotional transitions. Based on this, I revisited the animatic and adjusted the timing of several panels to ensure smoother continuity and a more balanced narrative rhythm.
Another area highlighted through feedback was the use of camera movement and transitions. Suggestions were given to make camera motions more consistent and subtle, avoiding overly abrupt changes that could distract from the story. This feedback guided me to refine zooms, pans, and dissolves to better support the emotional tone.
Feedback also emphasized the importance of sound design in enhancing the animatic. In response, background music and sound effects were refined to better match the mood of each scene, particularly during the destruction and renewal sequences.
Reflection
Through the completion of Project 3, I developed a clearer understanding of the role of storyboards and animatics in the pre-production stage of animation and filmmaking. This project demonstrated how visual planning helps transform an abstract story idea into a structured and coherent narrative before entering full animation production.
One of the key challenges I encountered was managing pacing and timing within the animatic. Initially, some scenes felt too rushed, while others lacked emotional impact. By repeatedly reviewing and adjusting shot durations, I learned how timing directly influences storytelling and audience engagement.
The project also strengthened my awareness of the importance of sound design. Adding background music and sound effects significantly enhanced the emotional atmosphere of the animatic, showing that audio plays a crucial role in supporting visual storytelling even at an early planning stage.
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