How To Create A Storyboard
Storyboarding is a way of telling a story through pictures, and is often used to develop concepts for TV and film.
The process involves writing a story, breaking it down into simple actions, and then drawing it in pictures. Storyboarding can help to decide what shot type will best capture the information you want to convey in a scene. By using the Storyboard template provided in this resource, you can develop your own idea for a film or animation.
To share content with students or families use this link:
Teacher Pack
The Teacher Pack below contains all the lesson plans associated with this course as a single downloadable document.
All other activity sheets and course materials can be downloaded through the Lessons Tab.
The Curriculum Alignment document below maps this course against the Australian Curriculum.
Maximising outcomes
Watch and learn
Expose students to DIY films currently on the internet or television. This will give them an understanding of the overall product they are to achieve. It is also an opportunity to discuss which DIY films were effective and why, and inspire creativity.
Students can also view how professional film-makers storyboard films by looking at special features of DVDs. Films from the Harry Potter franchise, for example, have many special features that give excellent examples of storyboarding in pre-production.
Time management
Introduce each step of the storyboarding process in intervals. Give adequate time for students to understand the task and complete it as it will feed into the next step.
If you go on to complete a full production of a film (planning, filming, editing), you will need to allow an appropriate amount of time to do this. It could potentially be a term-long project.
The storyboarding aspect could be a one- to two-week long activity.
Presentation
Each step of the pre-production process allows the opportunity for presentation. Story/idea for oral/written presentation; storyboard for visual and written presentation; inclusion of costume, prop or set making for visual and oral presentation; and completed film for visual and aural presentation.
The presentations are also great for end-of-term performances of students' work.
Technology
Introduce the recording devices from the first or second lesson. Allow students time to become comfortable with the recording devices (refer to materials list on website); this includes being in front of the camera, as well as engaging with and using the equipment.
This can decrease shame/shyness/silliness in front of the camera and increase respect for and appropriate handling of the equipment. (As a teacher, you can use the equipment to keep a blog or behind-the-scenes footage of the students working throughout the term.)
Tips
Advantages of using media
Communication: students are asked to form an opinion/idea and share/express it.
Subject understanding: students need to research, create, gather and compile their knowledge of the subject in order to form an opinion/idea.
ESL engagement: students can communicate their opinion/idea through an engaging visual medium.
Engagement: creative and entertaining process to spark learning engagement and interest.
Group work: promotes students working together to achieve a result.
Cross-curricular links: students can incorporate visual arts, music, drama, textiles and technology.
Learning inclusion: great way for families/friends to be included in students' learning as they will want to share/show their stories or films.
Sharing: presentation of storyboards/films in the classroom to share ideas and spark debates and critique.
Documented evidence (if made into a media product): great future learning resources and solid evidence of learning outcomes within a subject.
Safety issues
Hazards
Ensure the environment where students are filming is safe. Thoroughly inspect the location you are filming in prior to students working there. This means being aware of the following:
Do not use materials that may create a hazard or injury.
Ensure any props or costumes are safe to handle and wear.
Rehearse the action of the film in the filming location to mitigate any unexpected surprises.
To avoid trips and falls, tape down all cables and wires. If they can't be taped, then block off access to the cables and inform students where the cables are located.
Injury
Always have the camera operator paired with a "lookout". The camera operator will be looking through the camera lens and often cannot see at ground level what is around, behind or in front of them.
Additional issues
Copyright
When undertaking this activity with students, ensure that they are aware of and adhere to copyright regulations.
When writing the story all material/ideas must be original, otherwise there is a risk of breaching copyright.
Advise students to credit the source in the closing credits of the film if a quote or passage used is from another artist's material.
If pictures or footage are added to a film, ensure they are free from copyright, or credit the source.
If music is used in any film, ensure it is free from copyright or that the rights to use it can be obtained. All music rights can be sought from APRA:www.apra-amcos.com.au/
Insurance
Brief students on school policy relating to the use of technical equipment owned by the school.
Set strict guidelines for the students when working with equipment to avoid damage. Ensure students have adequate time to explore the equipment and understand how to use it.
Shot type: the type of shot used in visual storytelling that makes subjects appear bigger or smaller in the frame.
Wide Shot: The subject takes up the full frame and we can see all of their body. We can also see other things around them, like the environment they are standing in.
Medium shot: The frame is positioned so you can only see half of your subject. This is usually from their waist up.
Close Up: The frame is positioned so you can see lots of detail about your subject. eg, a close up on a person talking would frame them from the shoulders up.
Storyboard: A visual representation of what the camera sees. Also holds important information about shot types, location and the action within the frame, and is used to plan the shooting of a film.
Panning shot: The camera moves from side to side on a tripod and this can show the audience a lot of action.
This is a valuable resource for the Media Arts curriculum for the middle primary years. It has relevance to both the Making and Responding strands. The learning activities provide opportunities for exploring techniques and processes and communicating ideas through the creation of a stop motion animation that explores the use of various techniques and materials including props, framing scenes, and camera angles.The resource also provides an opportunity to respond to others work.
This resource has significant pedagogical value for Media Arts in the curriculum. The video shows a finished product, and clearly demonstrates how to write a 15-second story, create props and sets, and shoot your own film by taking still photos using a digital camera. The teacher notes include detailed information, including editing techniques. Students have an opportunity to share their work at the end of the activity.This resource could be used as to scaffold learning with other activities in the "Making Media Easy" series.
This resource may also be relevant to the general capabilities, Literacy and Information and Communication Technology competence. The resource supports the creation of written and visual texts. The resource also provides opportunities to create, document and share work using digital images and video.
The resource also contains a range of suggested activities for a number of other learning areas including English and History. Some of the activites provide ideas to further explore historical characters, or stories from historical times.
Produced by The Song Room with Kathy Burns, with support from Education Services Australia on behalf of the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations
Additional Documentation by Emily Doyle in partnership with ATOM
Video created by X:MACHINE Productions
Additional talent: the students from Canteen Creek
References
Lofthouse. "The Shadow Box." September 11, 2012. Online audio file. Looperman. January 10, 2013. <http://www.looperman.com/tracks/detail/132158>
Learning Focus
Students will identify a theme for their story, create a central character and begin planning their story
Learning Focus
Students will break their story ideas down into action points
Learning Focus
Students use media conventions to identify and plan the range of shots to be used in producing their story.
Learning Focus
Using all the information gathered in the previous lessons, students create a storyboard using the story ideas they have developed in previous lessons.
Learning Focus
Students complete their storyboards and use those to shoot a produce their film.