If you’re familiar with Alfred Hitchcock, you’ll know that he was known for his meticulous storyboarding, which extended down to every detail of the production. By carefully crafting scenes in his mind, Hitchcock understood the value of storyboarding— a technique that translates the complex language of film into visual cues.
From an animation perspective, once the story is agreed upon, the animation team comes together and begins the process by using blank A4 sheets. They write a concise 10-word description of a scene at the top of each sheet and then create rough 15-second sketches outlining the sequence. This results in a storyboard that could span from 30 to 120 A4 pages, which are then posted on the wall for the entire team to follow along.
The outcome? The animation team can debate the storyline and messaging without committing to expensive animation work. This approach allows the team to adapt to story changes without the need for costly revisions.
Understanding Storyboards
A storyboard helps visualize a video in advance. These can range from simple sketches to detailed, comic-book-like illustrations, all compared with corresponding clips from the final production. To effectively tell a story, you need to build credibility both for yourself and your ideas. Planning a video or animation sequence isn’t intuitive for most people; it requires thoughtful preparation. Whether you are shooting a film or creating an animation, the planning stage needs to incorporate careful visual effects work. Even decisions like how the camera should move are made clearer through the storyboard.
The Benefits of Storyboarding
In health and safety communication, storyboards play a crucial role in conveying key messages effectively. By using animation, you can integrate brand colors and creative ideas, bringing characters, environments, and situations to life in ways that are both engaging and memorable. This improves retention and makes the message more impactful.
Storyboards generally contain three essential elements:
- A specific scenario,
- Visuals,
- Explanatory captions.
When presenting ideas, a well-crafted storyboard can transform useful insights into a compelling narrative. Without a story format, even critical insights may fail to make the impact they deserve.
Important Questions in Storyboarding
When developing a storyboard, several key questions often arise that need to be addressed:
- Will the concept work? The storyboard helps validate the concept before moving forward, allowing you to adjust the course as necessary.
- Can the action thrive? Notes on the storyboard guide developers on which media to use, how to sync elements with the narrative, and help to visualize the entire module from screen to screen.
- Error identification at an early stage: Storyboards help identify potential issues early, saving time, effort, and costs by catching problems before they affect the entire production.
Whether creating a storyboard for animation or eLearning, the process is essential in setting up the content creation effectively every time. It prevents jumping straight into course creation and encourages time spent on planning the structure for efficient, effective learning outcomes.
The Takeaway
Storyboarding offers two significant advantages:
- Flexibility at Low Cost: It allows for easy changes in direction with little to no cost. At the storyboard stage, assets have not yet been fully created, so you lose nothing if you scrap an idea and change course.
- Budget Control: A storyboard helps track how much each element will cost and prevents overspending. With a storyboard, you can:
- Define the overall structure before you begin,
- Maintain a keen focus on learning objectives,
- Track the required assets.
Ultimately, storyboarding minimizes costly mistakes and allows you to refine and improve projects before diving into production. By analyzing the course of events, you can modify and enhance your work with ease, ensuring a more successful and cost-effective project.
For more information about creating impactful eLearning content with Core EHS, visit Core EHS HSE eLearning.