Minor Project: Storyboarding Techniques - Creating A Fighter Sequence Tutorial

 Today I watched a video tutorial series by Rembert Montald on The Gnomon Workshop, in order to understand how to storyboard a fight scene. This will help me to improve upon what I have already completed for the premise project and ensure that my animation is ready to go into 3D production.

Storyboarding Techniques - Creating A Fighter Sequence Tutorial

Tutorial by Rembert Montald – Current position is: Concept and storyboard artist at Riot Games

 

Below are the notes I took for each video of key points I found useful. 

Video 1: Layer Comps and file management

This video breaks down the importance of Photoshop file management and the use of applying layer comps to your workflow. Layer comps can be applied to different Photoshop layers while working. You are then able to quickly scroll between these layers. This is particularly useful when drawing out a fight scene as it allows you to view your work in real time in order to see how the images flow between each other. Layer comps can also be exported from the scene and the files will save in order, which saves a lot of time when creating the animatic. 

 

Video 2: Starting the first rough pass: Go slow

First pass should be done by drawing images side by side so that you can animate with your eyes. By working side by side you get a nice overview of the entire scene. Work zoomed out so you don’t get boiled down in detail and instead see the flow of the scene. Use transform tool a lot to make sure the perspective is alighted with what the audience should be seeing (pay attention to the horizon line). Can also be useful to animate the background with “speed lines” to help with motion (reference anime). Its important to stay simple as it saves time as you may not keep shot. The shot you are drawing may not be the one you will go with. Learn your environment and try to think of the most interesting shot which would fit the tone and situation of the scene. *Main mistake people make is that they use too much exposition – Montald. (always wanting to show off the environment however animation may only be 4 mins long. Not enough time is spent on the character. Advice “if its not a film between 2-3 hours, try not to focus on exposition and instead get straight into the action") Exposition can instead be done in the background but should not be the focus.

Puts the eraser on 70% so that he is not erasing his work but instead using it to improve and flesh out the idea.

Shadows are important to add additional information in the scruffy drawing and can be used on characters to ground them in the scene.

The first pass should be you getting the energy of the scene out on paper. Get the movement of the scene out on paper so that you can decide if what you have come up with is really how you want the animation to play out.

 

Don’t overuse Dutch angles (tilted camera).

Montald says that they watch a lot of action sequences and just take notes for what they want to happen in their own work. Then decide which shots you want to take from that. Start with the part which inspires you the most as it will motivate you to continue if that part looks good.

 

 One of the main takeaways that I personally took from this video is that even though Montald is a professional, he still feels frustration about his drawings. However despite this understands that this is just the planning faze and the ideas will be fleshed out at a later date. I find that I will become carried away with my own work as I'm conscious of how others may view the drawing. However I must learn to move past this if I want to work efficiently and must understand its apart of the process. Think of shots like shapes in a composition. If all shapes look that same its boring to look at. When designing a shot keep in mind what information the previous shot was conveying and if it is too similar to what you are now portraying. Mix up the shapes and sizes within the shots to keep the viewer interested.

 

 

Video 3: Cleaning the first sheet: Ease into it

Once you have your rough outline, go over again adding anatomy.  First part is about capturing the energy, this part is about drawing the shapes.

• Use motion blur to help mimic movement like a camera
• Exaggerate the poses
• Too many frames can make a scene seem floaty.
• Colour can help to distinguish the characters as well as

 I took less notes on this video, however I found it very useful to sit and watch someone else work.

 

The next set of tutorials was mainly about going over the foundations made in the first two. This meant a lot of repeated processes so I noted down the most useful parts for the following videos. 

Video 4: Assembling the first sheet

This section makes use of Layer Comps, the tool discussed in video 1, in order to build up the first set of shots. By playing back the images in a sequence, it allows you to see how the images should be edited to fit with one and other. 

Ask and response - One character may be readying their weapon and then show a shot of how the other character is reacting to this (creates dialogue in the scene without the need for words).

In this faze you need to focus on fixing the drawings while they are still only sketches. You use comps in order to check how the images flow between each other.

 

Video 5: Second-pager rough pass: Speed things up

Change up the distance the character Is to the character to keep the eye entertained and to give a sense of space.

No static shots, the camera needs to constantly moving.    

 

 

Video 6: Third-page rough pass

From observing the drawing process, it seems that you should allow yourself to understand and improve the choreography as you go. That is why it is so useful working on one large document with all of the frames side by side as it allows you to understand what is happening and figure out whether it works. It  may be the case of just shuffling around the frames which Montald Does a few times.

Montald mention's that he focuses firstly on the characters and their movement and then goes back and focuses more on the camera and its own movement. This allow you to get the best possible shot of each scene. Continuous action between shots to convey flow

 

Video 7: Fourth Page Rough pass

• Richard Williams animation survival tip.
• Look at anime inspired shots

Video 8: Cleaning And Assembling the second page

Draw action shots around the feet to demonstrate movement.

Use parallax (when the character moves left, move the camera right).

Ease In and out

Suggested artists by Montald

• Alex Raymond
• Helen foster.

Secondary actions – research

 

Video 9: Cleaning and assembling the third page

This video was really useful to see how Montald draws characters faces. This is something I struggled with when drawing the animatic the first time.

Also focus on one character for every frame to make sure you complete the characters movements.

 Montald explained his inspiration from this fight scene stemmed from the film "The Raid". However Montald is not just copying the movements, instead he says that he is looking at the references and then amplify it. Constantly asking himself, what is exciting about this scene?

 

 

Video 10: Cleaning and assembling the fourth page.

Not much really to add for this video, mainly reinforces the ideas said before. 

Video 11: Final thoughts

The quality the animatic has been developed to throughout this set of tutorials would be enough for industry standards according to Montald as it reads well enough to translate into a final product. This was the main issue I have found with the animatic I have currently produced, I personally understand what is happening because I made it, however others may not. 

Going forward into the project, I think it my next step is to go back and analyse fight scenes, much like Montald explained he does. I really want to be able to understand camera movement and so this is what Ill be focusing on mainly.