Storyboards Information

Once an idea for script is written for a film or animation, the next step is to make a storyboard. A storyboard visually tells the story of an animation or film panel by panel, like in a comic book.

A Storyboard convays:
- What characters are in the frame, how are they moving?
- What are they saying/doing?
- How much time has passed from each frame.
- Where the "camera" is in the scene.
- Close or faraway?
- Is the camera moving?

Creating a storyboard helps a filmmaker plan their project out shot by shot. You can make changes to your storyboard before you start animating or filming, instead of changing your mind later. You will also be able to talk about your animation or film with others and gain feedback on your ideas.

Here is some storyboard language I learnt while studying Storyboards:-

Close-up Shot: A close range of distance between the camera and the subject.
Dissolve: A transition between two shots, where one shot fades away and simultaneously another shot fades in.
Fade: A transition from a shot to black where the image gradually becomes darker is a Fade Out; or from black where the image gradually becomes brighter is a Fade In.
High Camera Angle: A camera angle which looks down on its subject making it look small, weak or unimportant.
Jump Cut: A rapid, jerky transition from one frame to the next, either disrupting the flow of time or movement within a scene or making an abrupt transition from one scene to another.
Level Camera Angle: A camera angle which is even with the subject; it may be used as a neutral shot.
Long Shot: A long range of distance between the camera and the subject, often providing a broader range of the setting.
Low Camera Angle: A camera angle which looks up at its subject; it makes the subject seem important and powerful.
PAN: A steady, sweeping movement from on point in a scene to another
POV: A shot which is understood to be seen from the POV of a character within the scene
Reaction Shot: A shot of someone looking off screen
Tilt: Using a camera on a tripod, the camera moves up or down to follow the action.
Zoom: Use of the camera lens to move closely towards the subject.

Saul Bass

Vertigo
Vertigo starts off with a close-up on a woman's face, first at her lips and then the camera travels to her eyes. Her eyes twitch from side to side and seem to be watering, which i believe creates an image of fear from the woman, which gets us thinking immediately why she feels this way.
The Camera seems to loose itself in the woman's eyes, the use of close-ups as well, shows off the woman's beauty immediately. These close-ups remain under a dark light, creating a negative and sinister feeling.
The woman's eyes suddenly strech wider, as the screen turns red, this paints a very negative image as red is the colour of blood and death. The title comes out from the woman's eyes, I believe Saul Bass wanted to exaggerate the inner emotion behind a person's eyes that cannot be expressed into words, as the graphics that follow, also come out of the eye and are kaleidoscopic shapes in many colours, that represent the eye's shape.
The credits also appear slowly beside these kaleidoscopic shapes, i believe to create atmosphere and anticipation. Also the music used in the title sequence is intresting, he has used slow, dramatic music which contains a lot of crecendos and repetative trills, this again helps to portray the sinister mood put across from the graphics and imagery.


Analysis of Psycho
The opening to Psycho contains no imagery or use of camera as Saul Bass has just decided to use horizontal and vertical lines to accompany the title sequence. These horizontal and vertical lines appear in time with the music which is much more disharmonious compared to Vertigos soundtrack, the music also contains an ostinati of staccato notes, to create a tense atmosphere.

The font throughtout the title sequence doesn't change, and there is no colour. The vertical and horizontal lines used join together to create the title "Psycho" and to show the other credits, I believe this is a very good technique because an idea so simple, has made a very clear and negative atmopshere. I felt like I have learnt alot from these title sequences and it has given me a few ideas to discuss with my group about how we will start our own short film opening.

Saul Bass' work again, has made me learn that is not all about the immediate effect of the imagery, and that the most simple ideas can be the most effective.

Camera Techiniques

Here i have made note of some camera techniques and effects.

Match on Action:-
To use this technique in editing, cut from one shot to another view that matches the action and pace of the first shot. This creates an impression of continuity, despite the fact that you may have filmed the shots weeks apart.
Shot-reverse shot:-
This effect is so common it is impossible to imagine film or TV without it. Nevertheless, it takes some practice to master. When two characters are in conversation, film one character looking off screen to where the other character is imagined to be, and vise versa. Ensure that one character faces left and the other faces right, so you can edit between a character talking and a character listening.
180 degree:-
When filming the brief sequence of action in the room, you need to storyboard the scene so that an imaginary line is drawn across the room. cutting it in half.
When using a variety of shots for point of view and switching between the characters it is essential that all shots are filmed from the same side of the line. If you cross the line when filming, the characters will appear to exchange places and continuity will be lost. The character who faces right will appear to face left, and it will seem as if both characters are facing in the same direction when they are supposed to be talking to each other!

By learning these three techniques I can now better my own coursework whilst filming.

my name is natasha :) i am new to media, I wanted to change to media as i did not enjoy my other subject of choice. Although, I have always been interested in what happens behind the scenes of my favourite films. I've also wondered about how magazines are written and published every week with new things to read every time. I would like to have a future ither infront or behind the camera, so i think media would be a stepping stone towards that.
As you can see, I am far behind the other members of the class, but I am keen to catch up and am very excited to see what the media studies course will bring.
I am now studying media studies, english, drama and p.e. :)