Why Are Storyboards Necessary for your Job?

Storyboards were first used in the 1930’s when Disney Animator Webb Smith started illustrated scenes on separate boards and placing them in sequence on a bulletin board. Disney began to use Storyboards more frequently afterwards, realising that by storyboarding out their ideas and scenes first they were avoiding the costs of animating the sequence only to scrap it later when they realised it didn’t work.

These days most professional productions, whether they’re animated, live action or theatre; are storyboarded as a way for directors, producers and creatives to have a united and solid understanding of the project they are embarking on.

Storyboards can also be flexible in its purpose. When it comes to advertising who the boards will be shown to can determine what kind of approach needs to be taken when creating the storyboard. If the storyboard is to be shown to clients or research it should “focus on conveying the spirit and content.” However, if it is to be used as a reference for filming the boards need to be more precise and technical. Click here to see examples of storyboards we’ve done and their transformation into Live TVCs!

When it comes to storyboarding it is very handy to be able to see what the final product will look like before the expensive process of production has begun, it helps the creators see where they can improve upon their ideas and how the flow of the story will go.  Storyboards are now essential to the production process with some productions like Adventure Time, Spongebob and Steven Universe being entirely storyboard driven!

For your own storyboards, contact Red Ape for a free quote by clicking here!

Written by: Alessia