Storyboarding – From Idea to Animatic

Course content

Date: TBA

This course is part of the Build Your Own MA portfolio of Professional Media Short Courses being delivered by participating Skillset Media Academies across England. All of these short courses offer postgraduate credits towards an award and can be taken individually or in combination with other courses across the network to achieve a recognised qualification, a Postgraduate Certificate, Diploma or MA in Professional Media Practice. This particular course carries 20 credits.

To browse all available courses and find out more, visit: www.skillset.org/build

What makes an effective storyboard? How can you use storyboards to sequence and hone that great animation idea?

Developed in consultation with Aardman Animations and delivered by award-winning animator Derek Hayes, this course offers a 2-day residential, followed by 7 weeks of part-time supported learning online.

• Develop your understanding of the role of the storyboard artist and the storyboarding process. Sharpen your storytelling tools and discover a range of storyboarding techniques in practical hands-on sessions.
• Hone your skills in Storyboard Pro.
• Produce your own storyboard in response to a current commissioning brief. With just 8-14 participants, this intensive opportunity provides tailored industry support as you refine your idea over 7 weeks.
• Take a weekend break from the daily grind. Stimulate your business with invaluable networking opportunities and precious space for collaboration and inspiration.
• Do all this while keeping up the day job - anywhere, anytime. Work around your current commitments and use our flexible online programme to embed your learning into your working life.

This new course is aimed at experienced visual artists and storytellers (e.g. animators, designers, illustrators, artists and filmmakers) who want to work as story artist and animation director within the film/visual effects, gaming, television, multimedia and corporate industries.

You should have at least two years' professional experience in media production. The course advances rapidly, so you will need to understand creative media production methods. No previous knowledge of storyboarding is required.

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Course structure

The 2-day residential workshop in Falmouth offers practical, hands on sessions that develop your storytelling and sequencing skills. You will design and produce visual narrative sequences, experiment with timing, pacing and movement, and use industry storyboarding software package, Storyboard Pro. You will explore the craft of visual storytelling from different perspectives, including filmmaking, photography and life drawing.

During the residential, you initiate an individual storyboard idea. You then develop this project with expert support and feedback during the course and throughout seven weeks of online project work. The online programme is designed to fit around your existing commitments, always accessible wherever you are.

Your virtual learning environment offers a tailor-made workspace: A private area where you can make notes, upload your work for feedback, and contact your tutor for a one to one discussion; and an area open to all Storyboarding delegates that offers news, profiles of other delegates and tutors, and an active forum to discuss key issues as they arise. A schedule helps you track your activity and that of other participants as the seven weeks progress.

Industry experts will feature in virtual seminars. Tutors will offer guidance on your developing storyboard, setting you specific tasks to aid its effective progression. The learning environment includes an interactive tool that allows you and others to make detailed comments on high quality images and video - for example, viewing and commenting on video frame by frame. It also supports collaborative project work via a group wiki (where you can co-create documents and share ideas).

The virtual learning environment includes simple tutorials that demonstrate how to use each feature. The residential will also provide an introduction to the range of online resources available to you.

Tutors

Derek Hayes

Derek was one of the first ever animation students at the NFTS and his first feature was the Sex Pistols film ‘The Great Rock ‘n' Roll Swindle'. His company, Animation City, operated from 1979 to 1993, producing commercials for companies including Lego and Carlsberg, TV Graphics (including BAFTA winning ‘Jeeves and Wooster' titles) and pop promos for Madonna, Rod Stewart and Elton John amongst others.

Derek has directed numerous shorts (including prize-winning ‘The Victor'), TV special ‘Prince Cinders', and feature films ‘The Miracle Maker', (featuring Ralph Fiennes, William Hurt, Julie Christie and Miranda Richardson) and Otherworld' with Ioan Gruffydd. Most recently, he has worked with Aardman Animation in feature film development, as Head of Story on a series of children's films, and as consultant and designer. Derek is currently developing a new live action and CG feature, two TV series for children and a live action natural history drama-documentary.

Dr Christine Truran, Course Leader

Previously a producer and director at the BBC, Christine came to Falmouth in 2000 to launch the MA in Television Production. Using her strong industry links to generate guest lectures, work placements and production partnerships, Christine is keen to bridge the gap between studying and employment, creativity and professionalism. Her current research explores ‘virtual narratives' - the impact of interactivity on storytelling within digital media.

Note: In the unlikely event that Derek Hayes is unavailable, he will be replaced with a tutor of equivalent experience and profile.

Target audience

This course is open to media professionals with an undergraduate degree and work experience in a relevant industry (normally a minimum of two years); and to non-graduates with significant and relevant work experience (normally ten years) who can demonstrate an ability to both complete and benefit from the course. Please contact us if you would like to talk through your experience and explore whether the course is right for you.

Course fees

£800 per participant.

Local accommodation is available to suit your budget. Accommodation costs for the residential are not included in the course fee.

Bursaries may be available to attend this course - visit our fees and funding section for more information

Facilities

The courses utilise University College Falmouth's first-class Media, Design and Photography resources

Contact

To find out more about the Skillset Media Academies visit: www.skillset.org/training/san/sma/

To find out more about the course, contact Gabby Rogers, for Skillset short courses at Falmouth. Gabby can explore with you how our courses can best meet your needs. Email: gabby.rogers@falmouth.ac.uk

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