David Bunting Animaton

Storyboarding ABC’s Masterclass

In this masterclass suitable for professionals and students, David shows the skills required to successfully work as a story artist in television, through theoretical and practical exercises. Through his ABC’s of storyboarding (Acting, Blocking and Cinematography), David examines how to create powerful boards that support the script and enhance the story, on fast-paced television schedules. Deconstructing scenes from classic films and his own work, David explores both character development, and how the assembly and juxtaposition of shots have a profound effect on the audiences’ emotional responses and comprehension of a story.

Overview:

• Establish 3 act story structure.

• Learn basic character development techniques

• To explore how every act, every scene and every shot has its own beginning middle, and end.

• Analysis of the power of ‘the Kuleshov effect – how the juxtaposition of shots changes the meaning.

• How cinema is built on the reaction shot.

• Classic reaction shots that push past dialogue. For example, Charlie Chaplin’s Tramp rejoicing upon a declaration of love and Jack Torrance receiving the full brunt of the horror of his imagination in The Shining.

• Einstein’s 5 methods of montage.

• Using shots within shots.

Objectives:

·      To establish the roles and responsibilities of a storyboard artist

·      To establish the 3 cornerstones of every good storyboard

·      Review the vocabulary of film the basic shots and their relation to the human body

·      To encourage students to use critical thinking as they learn how film editing contributes to the meaning of the film.

·      To engage students in the exploration of film as a medium of communication.

·      To encourage animators’ interests and knowledge of the history of cinema.

Storyboard challenge

In this hands on storyboard workshop, students are given the challenge of creating a short storyboard from a script. This will be a chance to apply some of the principles covered David’s talk and explore how every visual choice a storyboard artist makes affects the audiences emotional and intellectual understanding of the story. This is a great exercise in exploring how each decision impacts on the emotional and intellectual responses to what we see on the screen. 

Objectives

·      To explore the purpose, principles and practice of cutting.

·      To encourage students to use critical thinking as they learn how film editing contributes to the meaning of the film.

·      To give students experience of discussing and justifying shot choices.

·      To give animators experience in pitching their work.