The storyboard artist is not hired for his drawing skills, but rather for his imagination. Lights Online Film School recently had the opportunity to speak with Giuseppe Peppe Cristiano, a professional storyboard artist based in Stockhom, Sweden.

Giuseppe has published numerous storyboard manuals, including two books, with which many of our readers are familiar: The Storyboard Artist and Storyboard Design Course. Giuseppe was kind enough to sit down with us and discuss the storyboard artists job the skills that are necessary; how to use a storyboard not as a comic book but as a budgetary tool to help independent productions.

Without further ado, lets jump in!

Hello, Giuseppe, and thanks for taking the time to chat with out students about the storyboarding process! As you know, many of our students are indie filmmakers who hold themselves to high standards despite limited budgets.

So, lets kick off our conversation by revisiting something you once said to me: A storyboard is more of a budgetary tool than a comic book. What do you mean? How can a storyboard artist help to cut down on a projects budget? Sometimes when I get a call for a job, and that happens to be a short film or an independent production, I ask what the budget is. This gives me an idea of what might be possible in terms of visuals and shooting, but it also gives me a direction in what terms I should be thinking during the meetings with the directors or the DoP. Of course, that also gives me an idea of what my budget would be and what I could expect as payment for my work.

The main purpose of the first meeting with the director is to get an understanding of the mood of the film, the style, the directors vision. During this session, we might watch reference clips, test films, perhaps a pilot if they have produced one. We look at the casting, the location, design, etc. But mostly we talk about movies in general, influences and what we last saw. Its a way of getting to know each other.

I also do a bit of homework. Prior to the meeting, I check out what the director has done before (or whatever else the production company has produced), might even watch his previous movies. It is important for me to know how he/she works. I also ask what cameras theyll be using, what equipment will be available, etc.

Once this is set, we start sketching and working on the script. I say working on the script because often we end up changing portions of the scripts as once we start visualizing we get a better view of the storyline and action, and as a consequence, we might decide to combine scenes, move locations around, cut dialogue, or even change the whole ending of the film. Now, that helps the production a lot. Doing a proper storyboard, keeping in mind the limitations of the budget (for example the distance between locations, the rental of a crane or other equipment, post-production, stunts or effects), could shave days off the schedule, and each day of production represents a huge cost.

Another good use of storyboards is to limit the post-production work and effects. To be able to lock a scene in camera, finding a smart solution so that you wont have to fix it in post, which can be quite costly.

When I work on a film, I need to understand the story, the characters, the subtext it may seem like a no-brainer, but youd be surprised by how few artists actually do that. Characters decisions (actions) have to be motivated by their personalities. Often this is overlooked in the script.

I also think that a film should be storyboarded from beginning to end. I have worked on a lot of movies where they only used a storyboard for certain scenes (perhaps to coordinate a stunt, or for a special effect). In such cases, I cant really do much more than simply draw what the director asks me to. I dont know anything else about the movie, so I cannot come up with solutions or ideas other than purely technical ones pertaining to the scene in question.

In general, a good storyboard can help all the departments. For example, a storyboard can give you an overview of the locations and what designs have to be made, what props are needed. It also helps the production assistant prepare the call sheets. It helps the DoP to know which lenses to use. It helps the editor

to put together the material for the rough cut. It can also help the producer to find investors and financers for the film, not to mention its a perfect way to show where products can be placed.

Interesting. What are the main elements that each storyboard clip needs to contain and/or communicate? To name a few: angle, frame, depth, movement. In general, the storyboard artist is not hired for his drawing skills, but rather for his imagination. What is actually much less important on a storyboard are the lights and shadows. In many cases, you might add some embellishment to the frame in order to create a good composition, but that would be purely to make the board look nice, as it does not actually serve any practical purpose. Unless of course a particular use of light forms part of the action. Sometimes not even the background or location details are important, simply because in many cases the locations have not been approved or they tend to change. What is important is the action and the continuity in the scene. Camera movements are also very important; often the DoP will draw a floor plan of the scene with the various camera positions and movements to explain his vision. That helps a lot.

So lets take a look at a practical example. Imagine we have a script that includes this scene:

How would you approach this scene as a storyboard artist? What steps must be taken in order to shoot a scene such as this one? Lets imagine were on a small budget with very few resources. My first approach to an assignment like this would be to ask about the overall story and what happened in the scene before. In case it is necessary to connect the scenes, for example. Also to create continuity. After that, I would discuss the shots with the director, who generally would give me his vision before we start brainstorming to find solutions or alternative shots and framing.

Sometimes, however, I might be on my own without even a shot list from the director. In this case, I follow my own version of the scene, doing very rough sketches and thumbnails.

Most directors I work with are used to my sketchy boards, and we have a really fast way of communicating even through email.

So Ill begin with a first run of sketches:

This is an independent family drama film. I understand that there will be some limitations in terms of equipment, so I avoided, for example, any camera movement involving high vantage points, such as a crane shot. Personally I think these kinds of movies should keep the framing at a subjective view angle to come closer to the core of the story and the characters. To bring the action closer to reality, so to speak.

I open with a Wide shot (1) with the man standing at the door. In frame (2), I kind of jump very close to the man, a pretty brutal cut in a way but I feel this way we have established the waiting and the tension in him.

The truck entering and cutting the line of action (3) for me represents another conflict.

Here I made a change in the script (it often happens when brainstorming with the director that you end up making a lot of changes to the text and the action. I felt that our characters have a deeper conflict and that either the young man is angry at him and accuses him of something so that he wants a confrontation (then he will be staring at the old man and will be more aggressive), or he is troubled and confused, almost crying, desperate, but still there is something between the two men which is then underlined by the fathers speech at the end of the scene. Analyzing this, I thought that the young man doesnt really look at his father.

He enters the house, (4) avoiding him. He sits down and talks to the old man without looking at him (5-7), suddenly turns his head (8), and that breaks the old man, changing his mood from worried and preoccupied to more irritated and angry (9).

The dialogue continues in (10) followed by a silent moment. The silence continues in (11), where the old man sits down next to his son. On an intense Closeup (12), perhaps with a slow movement of camera toward him, the old man delivers his monologue.

This is a rough board, more or less what I do during meetings, sometimes it might be even rougher, a series of incomprehensible doodles that only me and the director are capable of understanding. After we have gone through the board and made adjustments, if necessary, I do a cleanup of the board. That could be done in different styles and resolutions depending on the production company and directors needs.

Here is what a polished board might look like:

The polished board could be used to seek financing, in that case it has to sort of look like a comic book, though not quite as detailed. Definitely not in color, although sometimes you might want to indicate special effects, and colors could be required as a guideline, so to speak.

Impressive, Giuseppe! Thanks for sharing. Lets talk a bit about the artistic and technical abilities of a storyboard artist.

The reality is that many indie filmmakers will be drawing their own storyboards, and not everyone has spectacular drawing skills. In your opinion, what must a storyboard artist be able to do in order to create a functioning board? As I said before, an artist with lots of ideas is probably what most directors want to work with. It is true that many directors used to draw their own storyboards and in some cases I have seen really excellent work. I used to work with a director who can really draw very well, in fact, I think hes at least as good as me, but hes so busy and he told me once that the producer forbade him to do the storyboard and called me instead because it was taking too much time away from his other duties. The storyboard needs to be handed out to the production team, therefore it needs to be clear, which is why even if the director can do his own sketches, they sometimes hire an artist to clean up the board.

I believe that a professional storyboard artist should have a great knowledge of films, not just what films are out there, what series are on TV, but also what new technologies there are. A storyboard artist has to stay up-to-date with the industry, know the latest developments when it comes to special effects, etc.

I recommend subscribing to movie magazines to keep an eye on the latest releases, etc., but also to look at movies special features, the making of sequences. You can learn a lot from those documentaries.

Working with directors, most of the conversations will end up being about movies, so you better know your stuff.

Would you recommend that filmmakers with little to no drawing ability use a software program? If so, what program? I am not sure about software, to be honest. It could become quite time consuming to work in 3D programs (such as Poser, 3D Studio Max, or even Google Sketchup). Ill say its better to sketch using stick figures rather than anonymous stiff characters moving around in some sterile 3D environment. Google Sketchup might be a good alternative, though, for building up a location (some directors I work with sometimes prepare their shot lists this way).

You could also use a digital camera to make a rough storyboard. Then even if you cant draw I am sure you

can trace a photo.

In the end, hiring an artist for a job is not just about their artistic ability. Its also about the input they can give and the imaginative solutions they might suggest.

Well said! Before you put pen to paper, do you believe you should keep your options open and begin with a general brainstorming session? If so, how do you start that process? During the first meeting, we usually draw very little and talk a lot. There are many ways to approach and visualize a scene, but one should know what is most appropriate and in the right context. The first question to ask is what sort of mood and style they want for the film. Once you know that, you can start building. Generally speaking, the same approach is valid also for other jobs (advertising, TV commercials, music videos, games, etc.). Before you can get started, you need to have directions, and I ask all sort of questions before I begin drawing an assignment.

It is important also to know the target audience for the film. Its often overlooked, but the language of a film sometimes has to adapt to a certain audience, and even the editing and the choice of framing matters as well as the overall tempo.

There are moments when, as an artist, I might ask what the character is thinking just like a method actor

would do. Im supposed to draw his action, after all, arent I?

Absolutely, Giuseppe! Thanks for sharing your process and work so in-depth. This is a fantastic window into the world of storyboarding. For more from Giuseppe, you can order his books on Amazon here: The Storyboard Artist and Storyboard Design Course. Also check out his website.