Storyboards
In a traditionally animated film, each shot is drawn by hand. Before animators can take crayon to paper, there is a lot of work to be done:
- The Princess and the Frog started out as a storyboard – like a script which uses pictures as well as words. The storyboard helps the animators work out the best storyline and plot.
- Before the animators can start drawing, the voices of the characters need to be recorded, so that the animation and the voices are truly synchronised.
- To make sure that the voices are right, a story reel is created. This is when the soundtrack is played with the storyboard images. It helps the filmmakers work out any plot or timing issues.
- Once the director is happy with the design of the film (how it looks on the big screen), the layout artists begin work on blocking out each shot of the film. It is in the layout stage that the director decides on camera angles, lighting and shading in the film – all tools that the filmmaker uses to help tell the story on screen.
