C O U R S N ° 1

Introduction to storyboarding

What is
storyboarding?
At the beginning of a film project, there is the writing of a screenplay that provides the

broad guidelines for a project. However, it has no cinematic content. This is when the

director performs a technical breakdown, which involves breaking down the screenplay

into sequences and then dividing each sequence into shots. Then, concepts such as

shot composition, camera movements, dialogues, etc., will be added. Since the technical

breakdown is in the form of text and cinema is in the form of images, one quickly finds

limitations when dealing with scenes involving special effects or stunts. This is where the

storyboard comes into play.

The storyboard represents the very first materialization of a film project. For the first time, the

director will be able to see what the film he has in mind could look like, and which, until then,

has been entirely virtual.

By seeing the storyboard, the director will either confirm his choices, reassure himself about

the initial ideas regarding the direction, enhance or improve them, or on the contrary, realize

that two shots don’t connect well, or could connect better.

Storyboard by Maxime Rebière for the film Elle s’appelait Sarah, by Gilles Paquet-Brenner (2010)

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The three main functions

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I N T E L L E C T U A L H U M A N E C O N O M I C
F U N C T I O N F U N C T I O N F U N C T I O N

a working tool a sales and seduction tool

a creative tool

The storyboard allows the director to visualize their The storyboard is the unparalleled medium of communica- While the storyboard allows for the precise planning of the

ideas and leads them to self-reflect for a better result. It tion from the mastermind to all of his collaborators. It is the work, it can also limit any budget overruns.

enhances artistic collaboration, which is the cornerstone of ultimate communication tool between the director and his
By showing only what will be visible on screen, it is possible
filmmaking. teams.
to avoid the production of unnecessary set details. This

It contributes to the search for the scene’s atmosphere, It is true that in the immediacy of its reading, the drawing upfront preparation will result in a significant amount of

determines the pacing through the sequence of shots, and far exceeds the capabilities of writing. time saved, leading to cost savings.

places the sets and characters within the chosen format.

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Technical breakdown S T O R Y B O A R D
S U P P O R T

The director performs a technical breakdown. This will divide each sequence of the screenplay into shots: short or long,
static or with camera movements, wide or close-up.
The project will be divided based on what belongs to the Cinematic and the Pre-cinematic.

C I N E M A T I C P R E - C I N E M A T I C
technical description action description

Refers to all aspects of camera and microphone work. Everything in front of the camera and microphone. In other

In other words, all camera and microphone parameters: words, everything that will be seen and heard: actors,

camera movements, framing, angles of view, etc... dialogues, movements, lights, environment, set, etc.

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I N F O R M A T I O N 2 4
I N T H E T E C H N I C A L
B R E A K D O W N A N G L E O F C H A R A C T E R

The essential information that should be included in V I E W P O S I T I O N I N G

the technical breakdown is divided into five elements. technical description action description

These are categorized either in the technical description

This is the relationship between the camera’s position and Details the character(s), animals, vehicles, etc., that are in
section or in the action description section. Together,
the objects/subjects it focuses on. Is the focal axis inclined the frame. Indicate their posture (standing, sitting, lying)
these five elements make up what is called the ‘bible’ of
more or less steeply in a high-angle or low-angle shot? Is and their positioning in relation to others. Whether they are
the storyboard and the shooting
the camera positioned at eye level or at ground level? stationary or moving. Whether they enter and/or exit the

frame (IN/OUT).

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S H O T C A M E R A D I A L O G U E S &

C O M P O S I T I O N M O V E M E N T S A C T I O N
technical description technical description action description

This is the relationship between an image and the object Relates to everything that refers to camera movement Is the detailed description of what happens in the shot

it presents. Choosing a shot composition means making a during the shooting. Whether it’s a simple or complex (movements, actions, of the character). Useful details for

selection from our visual field within a rectangular window movement, with changes in direction along the X, Y, Z axes. the specific shot are added based on the screenplay, such

with a predefined width-to-height ratio. Or variations in the focal length of a lens, zooms. as who says what and when (Dialogue ON/OFF). Sound

elements, lighting, or other elements (rain, wind, mist) are

indicated.

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D I A G R A M S

The best way to start a storyboard is to determine the

Pictograms of different charac- Fisch eye camera pictograms,
location where the sequence takes place. To do this, we ters, by Louis de Rancourt zooming in and out, by Louis de
Rancourt
create a top-down drawing of the set called a ground plan.

It is especially useful in live-action shooting because, in

Characters should be It is important to indicate
addition to providing visual information about the set, it
presented very briefly, so if there is a change of
brings a fundamental advantage to the positioning of actors
that they can be differen- focus during shooting
and camera movements.
tiated from one another, (zoom), and also when
Indeed, it allows for preemptively avoiding potential either by color or by a the camera is equipped
continuity problems or impossible camera placements. distinctive sign. with a fisheye lens.
For example, it prevents the camera from going through an

existing set wall. Diagrams are also a valuable asset in VR

project storyboards, enabling the creation of a true 360°

view around the player.

As the name suggests, ground shots are mainly a frontal

Le passage, by Fabien Montagner. Grandfather’s house. Floor plan. Louis de
view from above, but it is still possible to present them in a
Rancourt 2010
slight isometric perspective.

Camera movement diagrams, les enfants de la berge by Thierry Autret, Louis

de Rancourt 2007

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T Y P E S P L A N R A P P R O C H É T A I L L E P L A N L A R G E
medium shot long shot
O F S H O T S
Reminder

The Emperor’s New Groove, by Mark Dindal storyboard Stephen Anderson The Emperor’s New Groove, by Mark Dindal, storyboard Stephen Anderson
2000 2000

T R È S G R O S P L A N P L A N A M É R I C A I N P L A N D ’ E N S E M B L E
extreme close-up american shot wide shot

Wreck it Ralph, by Riche Moore, storyboard Stephen Anderson 2012 La reine Margot, by Patrice Chéreau, storyboard Maxime Rebière 1993 La reine Margot, by Patrice Chéreau, storyboard Maxime Rebière 1993

G R O S P L A N P L A N M O Y E N P L A N G É N É R A L
close-up full figure extrem long shot

Wreck it Ralph, by Riche Moore, storyboard Stephen Anderson 2012 The Emperor’s New Groove, de Mark Dindal storyboard Stephen Anderson Moana, by Ron Clements & John Musker, storyboard David Pimentel 2016
2000

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S H O O T I N G P L A N D E T R O I S Q U A R T S P L A N A É R I E N
3/4 shot aerial shot, up shot
A N G L E S
reminder

The Emperor’s New Groove, by Mark Dindal storyboard Stephen Anderson Moana, de Ron Clements & John Musker, storyboard Chris Williams 2016
2000

P L A N F R O N T A L L A P L O N G É E
frontal, straight on high angle

Monster University, by Dan Scanlon, storyboard Dean Kelly 2013 Wreck it Ralph, by Riche Moore, storyboard Stephen Anderson 2012

P L A N D E P R O F I L L A C O N T R E - P L O N G É E
profil shot low angle

Winnie the Pooh, by Don Hall, storyboard Stephen Anderson 2011 Winnie the Pooh, by Don Hall, storyboard Stephen Anderson 2011

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C A M E R A T R AV E L L I N G AVA N T / A R R I È R E
dolly shot
M O U V E M E N T S
In storyboarding, dolly movements are usually indicated by inward or outward arrows at the four corners of the frame, or by
Reminder
perspective arrows around the frame.
A moving shot is more complicated and time-consuming

to produce than a still shot, but it offers far more subtle

and interesting visual and dramatic options.

In this section, we’ll look at the different camera

movements that exist. Above all, we’ll look at how they

are respectively presented on paper in a storyboard

before being filmed. Note that camera movement

arrows are always black.

Or noir, by Jean-Jacques Annaud, storyboard Bruno de Dieuleveult, 2011

P L A N F I X E T R AV E L L I N G E X C E N T R É
static shot The off-center dolly

As its name suggests, the camera does not move in either Off-center tracking is represented either in two thumbnails one after the other or, as in the example below, with a full-bleed
direction. It is represented by a simple frame drawing in which the two frames are positioned.

The Emperor’s New Groove, by Mark Dindal storyboard Stephen Anderson

Or noir, by Jean-Jacques Annaud, storyboard Bruno de Dieuleveult, 2011
2000

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Z O O M AVA N T / A R R I È R E T R AV E L L I N G L A T É R A L
zoom tracking shot

To zoom in/out, we’ll place arrows in the four corners of the frame, as we do for tracking. Like the vertical tracking shot, the lateral tracking shot can be presented in several

However, these are thin, black and do not extend beyond the outer frame. ways. In one or more thumbnails, it is accompanied by an arrow to indicate the direc-

tion of movement and the words (start/stop).

Le Scorpion et la Grenouille by Jérémie Prigent, story-

board Louis de Rancourt, 2010

Big City, by Djamel Bensalah, storyboard Bruno de Dieuleveult, 2006

T R AV E L L I N G V E R T I C A L
boom shot
T R AV E L L I N G D ’A C C O M PA G N E M E N T
Vertical travelling that moves up or down. It can be presented either as an expandable
follow shot
thumbnail or cut into several successive thumbnails, in either case accompanied by an
Same principle as for dollies, it can be off-center or linear: the black arrow indicates
arrow indicating the direction of movement.
the direction and the subject is always centered.

Le Scorpion et la Grenouille by Jérémie Prigent, storyboard Louis de Peter Pan, by Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson et Hamilton Luske, storyboard Bill Peet, 1953
Rancourt, 2010

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PA N O R A M I Q U E H O R I Z O N T A L
pan.

The frame of the horizontal panning thumbnail has the particularity of being drawn with a dotted line in the middle, or of

having arched dotted arrows indicating the direction of camera movements.

Deux frères, by Jean-Jacques Annaud, storyboard Fanny Vassou, 2004

PA N O R A M I Q U E V E R T I C A L C A M É R A P O R T É E
tilt. handheld

Unlike vertical tracking, perspective and For handheld shots, you can indicate instabi-

camera-to-subject distance will change lity by placing small curved arrows at the four

between the start and end of the pan. The outer corners of the thumbnail.

vignette can then be worked with a panora-

mic perspective or, for ease of drawing, two

vignettes with «start and stop» points of view.

GAME OF THRONES – 509, by Mark Mylod storyboard Adrien La vieille qui roulait au super, by Jean-Stéphane Beetschen,
Van Viersen 2015 storyboard Louis de Rancourt, 2004

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The drawing
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M O U V E M E N T S & T H E
C H A R A C T E R S &

B A C K G R O U N D S D I S P L A C E M E N T S T O O L S

Since the characters are expected to move, it’s important to For beginners, avoid anything that doesn’t erase, such as
As seen in the thumbnails on the previous pages, the im-
indicate their movements and shifts using an arrow system. paint, marker, pen, or permanent marker. This will prevent
portant thing is to go straight to the point when drawing
Use curved arrows, add volume with perspective to indicate you from having to start over in case of a mistake.
characters and backgrounds. Start with a sketch, free of
distance or approach. Mention IN and/or OUT when they
unnecessary detail, giving preference to full bleed so as to The essentials are:
enter or exit the frame.
be able to frame later.
- fairly translucent 50g paper
Note that to distinguish the arrows effectively:
If you don’t feel comfortable, you can prepare the structure
- Tracing paper
of a character or set with a light blue pencil, then go over it - Camera movements - black
again with a black pencil once you’re convinced. - A 2B pencil
- Character movements - red
Don’t hesitate to use a perspective grid on the floor/ceiling - A blue pencil
You can annotate camera movement arrows with the type
to emphasize the viewing angle and prevent the characters
of movement: - A red pencil
from floating.

- Pan. for a pan (panoramic shot) - Eraser, cutter, ruler, repositionable adhesive tape.

- Trav. for a travel (tracking shot)

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