STORYBOARDING FOR ANIMATION

Get the lay of the land, meet your instructor, and get a sneak peek at what’s coming your way. This is your launchpad — quick intros, key info, and the game plan for the weeks ahead. Let’s hit the ground running.

• Instructor introduction
• General housekeeping
• Course & assignment overview

From a single sketch to a full-blown scene, storytelling is your backstage pass to shaping emotion, action, and meaning. In this class, you’ll dive into storyboarding as your all-access toolkit — part director, part actor, part cinematographer. Zootopia’s in the spotlight, but it’s your own storytelling chops we’re here to level up.

• The power of storytelling
• A story artist and their many hats 
• The purpose of storyboarding
• Case study: Zootopia 

Assignment #1: Inspiration Clip Description
Pick a favorite scene or clip (YouTube, Vimeo, etc.) and, in 150-300 words, describe why it resonates with you and what makes it stand out.

Course Project: Full Storyboard Sequence
Create a storyboard sequence based on an original idea. Start with thumbnails, refine, and deliver a final presentation. You’ll receive continuous feedback throughout, helping you create a pitch-ready storyboard.

Great characters drive great stories — full stop. In this session, we’ll dig into what actually makes a character click with an audience before you even put pencil to paper. Through examples, discussion, and a little group fan-geeking, you’ll start seeing the story through your character’s eyes.

• Character fundamentals
• Establishing a point of view 
• Character examples & analysis
• Workshop: Discussing favorite characters & what makes them work

Assignment #2: Character Analysis
From the scene in Assignment 1, choose a character and write a 500-word analysis on their personality, choices, and how the acting informs their character.

Learn how to bring characters to life with just a pencil and a few smart choices. From bold silhouettes to subtle expressions, you’ll explore how every line helps sell the story — and why great character drawing is more than just good looks. 

• Establishing a character in a storyboard: Technical overview
• Silhouette value in composition 
• Storytelling poses & acting
• Contrast & nuance
• Case study: Moana 

Assignment #3: Draw From Life
Head out to a café, park, or other public space and sketch real people. Keep it loose, focusing on capturing action, pose, or expression with a few rough sketches.

A camera is the invisible guiding hand in defining a scene. Learn how to make your camera choices say something. This class is all about using angles, cuts, and movement to serve the story, not just frame it. You'll start seeing every pan and close-up as part of the plot, not just the picture.

• Camera’s role in storytelling
• Camera language
• Establishing tone & intent with camera 
• Scene analysis & comparison with camera treatment
• Workshop: Drawing from life, challenges, complex scenes: Discussion

Assignment #4: Life Drawing 
Find a life drawing class or life drawing videos on YouTube. Dedicate time to sketching the human form, aiming for quick 1-15 minute poses to improve accuracy and gesture.

Rules are meant to be broken, but they must first be understood to create the clearest vision of your scene. Learn when to break them — and when not to. This class dives into the nuts and bolts of shot composition, perspective, and camera placement so your scenes don’t just look good — they make sense. 

• Technical shot breakdown
• Establishing the scene
• Having the right perspective, figuratively & literally
• 180 degree rule

Assignment #5: Environment Sketch
Create a simple room or environment using a one-point perspective. Make five different shots with varying camera angles and perspectives.

Storyboarding can feel like wandering in the dark — thumbnailing is your flashlight. This is the first phase of bringing your storyboard to life. In this class, you’ll sketch fast, fail smart, and discover your scene’s shape before you commit to the big boards. It's where messy ideas turn into a sharp direction.

• Conceptualizing characters, dynamics, & goals of the storyboard
• The value of discovery & failing through thumbnails
• Demo: Live thumbnailing off of a script page 

Assignment #6: Film Study: Thumbnailing a Scene
Pick a film scene and create 20-25 quick thumbnails, capturing the essence of the shots without focusing on details.

The collaborative nature of filmmaking is never more apparent than when storyboarding in animation. You'll learn how scenes move from first sketch to final cut — and why teamwork across departments is just as crucial as creativity. It's where your drawing meets directing, with a whole team backing you up.

• Studio storyboarding process
• Pipeline stages
• Editorial & scene assembly 

Assignment #7: Scene Idea/Premise for Main Story Assignment 
Pitch a 1-3 sentence idea or moment for your main storyboard project. Feel free to include sketches or shot ideas alongside your pitch.

Take your story from scribbles to something that actually sticks. In this session, you’ll learn how to pitch your idea, incorporate feedback, and turn peer input into storytelling gold. It’s all about collaborating, bouncing ideas off of one another, problem-solving, and levelling up each other’s work — just like in a real story room.

• Collaboration & ideation 
• Plussing, noting & solutions
• Demo & case study: Live thumbnailing 
• Workshop: Presenting storyboarding ideas, giving and receiving feedback on characters & premise 

Assignment #8: Thumbnailing Your Scene
Begin thumbnailing your scene for the final project, integrating feedback from previous assignments and breakout room discussions.

See what it actually takes to thrive as a storyboarder — the highs, the hurdles, and the hustle. The job demands not only vision but also the ability to navigate challenges and seek opportunities. This session is all about real talk from the trenches: how to grow, adapt, and keep your creative edge sharp in a fast-moving industry.

• A day in the life
• Overcoming challenges & creating opportunities
• Ongoing growth as a storyboarder 

You're taking your storyboards from plans to something that actually looks like a scene. This class is all about turning thumbnails into rough boards that clearly tell your story — messy’s fine, as long as it makes sense. Think of it as building the blueprint before the big build.

• From thumbnails to roughs
• Rough boards & prioritizing clarity
• Demo: Live roughing out boards off of thumbnails
• Case study: Vivo

Assignment #9: Roughing Out Your Thumbnails
Start refining your thumbnails, using the principles from class to develop your sequence further.

Get ready to build a portfolio that speaks volumes about your unique style and storytelling eye. Learn what to include (and what to leave out), how to showcase your versatility, and how to impress recruiters with a killer selection of work. By the end, you'll know exactly how to put your best foot forward in the competitive industry.

• Portfolio construction & selection
• Recruiter expectation
• Portfolio examples
• Showcasing who you are

Nail the pitch, whether you're a natural public speaker or just starting out. Learn how to make your scene the star, gain confidence in the story room, and practice giving and receiving feedback to take your work to the next level. You’ll walk into any pitch with the tools to own it.

• Pitching tips & essentials
• “Show, don’t tell”
• Staying authentic 
• Demos: Live pitching 
• Workshop: Pitching sequence & practicing giving and receiving feedback

Assignment #10: Applying Notes & Feedback
Review the feedback you've received and integrate the most useful suggestions into your storyboard sequence. Refine based on the insights to elevate your work.

Continue to pitch your storyboards. This session will have you presenting your storyboards, getting live feedback, and fine-tuning your ideas. It’s a hands-on chance to apply everything you've learned and polish your skills for your future career as a story artist.

• Workshop: Breakout room pitches 
• Instructor feedback: Drawovers, breakdowns, improvements

Wrap it all up, look ahead, and get your next moves lined up. This session is your chance to reflect, ask anything, and leave with a clear plan — not just credits, but a kickstart.

• What now? Next steps!
• Course reflection 
• Final thoughts 
• Open Q&A