Visual storytelling begins with working on an engaging storyboard which is one of the critical steps. Drafting a storyboard while working on a film, animation, or even a commercial, will always require a well-crafted storyboard to assist you in the project. In endeavors of novice storyboard animators and filmmakers, one of the most useful guides is the Ashley Ann Tahilan Storyboard Guide. This guide explicates the processes, steps, and tools used by professionals such as Ashley Ann Tahilan to develop striking visual stories of astonishing quality and importance. This article seeks to highlight and explain some of the most essential features of this guide and inform the audience how utilizing this guide can enhance one’s ability to tell stories with much greater proficiency.
Understanding Storyboarding: The Basics
Prior to elaborating on Ashley Ann Tahilan’s specific style, it is important to clarify the contribution of storyboarding to visual storytelling. Storyboarding involves drawing each of the scenes in the form of a pictorial representation which serves as a guide for how the scene will be executed. It is like an architectural plan but in this case of an animation or film, where directors, animators, actors, and cinematographers have to organize their thoughts and ideas into a single illustrative storyboard.
According to this guide, it is made clear by Tahilan that storyboarding is not merely about illustrating scenes; it goes further to include how to visualize the feelings, movements, and actions of the story. That means knowing one’s script, characters and more importantly, understanding the story’s emotional development.
Step 1: Dividing the Script into Parts
The first advice given in The Ashley Ann Tahilan Storyboard Guide in regard to breaking down a script is to read the script multiple times. This phase prepares one for the timeframe and structure of the story. Understanding how to read a script is essential as identifying the emotional beats and key scenes is critical.
In this particular case, I advise taking note of the following when breaking down the script:
- Character Motivations: What does each character want to achieve? What is their goal and what changes in the course of the story?
- Key Emotional Moments: What are the highs and lows of the story? Which of those moments do you feel should be accentuated in the visuals?
- Visual Tone: Is the scene whimsical or dark and gloomy? Knowing the mood of the scene informs the decisions that the director will make in regard to lighting, color palette, and level of detail such as composition.
Step 2: Refining the Outline of the Main Scenes
Once the script is finished, Tahilan has mentioned that sketching the main scenes is crucial. This is where the magic begins. At this level, there is no need to detail or refine the sketches. Rather, they should function as a simple thumbnail sketch of the scene’s overall arrangement, visual framing, and tone.
In her guide, Tahilan invites artists to freely create and test various angles and camera shots. The camera angle which you select may modify the audience’s interpretation of the scene profoundly. A case in point is the low-angle shot, which makes the subject look powerful, as opposed to the high-angle shot, which is suggestive of weakness. Trying out these angles allows you to achieve varying movement within the visuals.
Step 3: Concentrating on Movement and Feelings of a Character
One of the things that makes Ashley Ann Tahilan’s Storyboard Guide different is her focus on movement of a character. A storyboard does not consist solely of still images, but rather depicts the relationships and interactions between a character and their surroundings.
In order to achieve this goal, Tahilan recommends being mindful of the following actions:
- Body Movement: What type of physical motions does a character exhibit? Are they moving in a stiff or free flow manner? The actions a character takes is certainly important to the emotional story being told within the characters.
- Facial Expressions: A character’s face is capable of doing so much. From the slightest movement of the eyes to a full-blown grimace, the face can mouth a whole story.
- Interaction with the Environment: Each character has a distinct personality; how do they interact with the world? Is there interaction on their part or is it completely passive and determined by outside factors?
Step 4: Polishing and Updating the Storyboard
As with any creative endeavor, no storyboard will come out perfectly crafted after the first attempt. The most crucial aspect of storyboarding, as Ashley Ann Tahilan puts it, is constant polishing. Once you finish the first round of sketches, it is critical to walk away, look at the work with fresh eyes, and make adjustments. These changes focus on making everything as precise as possible.
In her guide, Tahilan points out the importance of seeking help. The input of directors, animators, or other artists is likely to open your eyes to other problems needing solutions. Sometimes it pays off to revisit the emotional beats of a scene or change the tempo so that you ensure the storyboard meets the desired direction of the project.
Tools and Software for Storyboarding
Even though manually drawn storyboards still hold some appeal, Ashley Ann Tahilan Storyboard Guide also offers some digital tools that can alleviate some burden from the animator. Here are some of the tools that Tahilan recommends:
- Storyboard Pro: This software is a benchmark for the professionals. It provides features for drawing, animating, and creating comprehensive storyboards.
- Photoshop: Photoshop is flexible and can be used from making the first sketch to completing the storyboard.
- Toon Boom: Another prolific software for storyboarding and digital animation. It has many features designed to optimize the workflow.
While explaining her methods, Tahilan emphasizes that even though digital tools are helpful, one must not forget to master the traditional methods. There are times when the best concepts are born from the simplistic nature of pencil and paper.
Common Mistakes to Avoid in Storyboarding
Most novice storyboard artists tend to make several common errors. Ashley Ann Tahilan’s Storyboard Guide lists these missteps and provides helpful advice to avoid them.
- Detail Overload: The first iteration of storyboards should represent the main features of the scene. Too much detail can complicate the story.
- Neglecting the Use of Transitions: How a story flows is as important as the scenes that comprise it. Make sure as each scene ends and the next begins, the pacing is in rhythm.
- No Engagement of Feedback: The process of storyboarding is engaging. Never leave out the feedback loop. Different people working with you will definitely make sure that the storyboard you have crafted meets the requirements of the director.
Learning from Ashley Ann Tahilan
Ashley Ann Tahilan has published her Storyboard Guide, which incorporates everything you want to know about storyboarding, this includes her tips and advice. But the guide is simply one of the materials Tahilan has. Aside from the book, she conducts workshops and video courses that address the techniques and ideas put forth in her book.
If her guidelines are followed, both students and practitioners of the art of storyboarding can learn to think about it as more than just practice in a technical specific, but something that requires creativity.
Final Remarks
The Ashley Ann Tahilan Guide on storyboarding is an invaluable tool for anyone interested in practicing visual storytelling. It does not matter whether you are novice or professional storyboard artist, with her guidance, all learners will benefit from her advice regarding the dissection of scripts, the drawing of animated scenes, aputting the available materials together and editing them as well as working with other people.
Like any skill, successful storyboarding requires lots of practice and a little bit of dedication. However, with the right guidance, anyone can master the fundamentals of engaging visual storytelling.
FAQs
What is a storyboard, and why is it important?
A storyboard is basically a graphic organizer that outlines how a scene will unfold visually. It is helpful because it enables the production team to think about the order of shots, camera angles, and the actions of the characters in advance.
How does Ashley Ann Tahilan approach storyboarding?
Ashley Ann Tahilan approach storyboarding by analyzing the script, sketching essential scenes, and paying attention to the movements and emotions of the characters to make compelling storyboards.
What are some common mistakes in storyboarding?
Some common mistakes in storyboarding include overcrowding the storyboard, not adding transitions between scenes, and lacking any form of review from others.
What tools does Ashley Ann Tahilan recommend for storyboarding?
For storyboarding, Tahilan recommends digital programs like Storyboard Pro, Photoshop and Toon Boom, but also insists on the importance of traditional hand-drawing for beginners.
How can I improve my storyboarding skills?
Improving your storyboarding skills can be achieved through constant practice, watching more films and animations, trying out new visual approaches, and working with others.
