CSE 456 - Story for Digital Animation

Assignment #4a: Developing a Storyreel

DUE: Wednesday, 7/13 by 8:30 AM

Class Agenda

You will be iterating your story with the following checklist in mind:

1. Is your story as clear, simple and and succinct as you can make it?
2. Is your armature statement a clear, complete sentence?
3. Does your story have 7 steps that follow in a logical order?
4. Have you skipped a step or added steps?
5. Do your seven steps prove your armature? Is the connection clear?
6. Is your story as visual as possible?
7. Is your story best told as an animated short?
8. Is your story an important one to tell?
9. Do you have have a maximum of three characters?
10. Do you have only one indoor set?
11. Is your story as active and engaging as you can make it?
12. Does the visual representation of your story support your 7 steps in a way that best dramatizes your story?

You will be creating a story reel, putting together drawn storyboards in Premier to make a rough film. The story reel will be limited to no longer than three and half minutes. Practice your acting and pitching skills to improve the pacing of your story. Show your reel to "fresh eyes" (those who haven't seen it) and collect their feedback and respond to it. It will be important to fix and clarify beats that are confusing.

Do your best to "become a slave to your story". Think about why this specific story is extremely important to tell. Consider your audience. Will people care about seeing your storyboards and experiencing your story? If not, how can you make your story more compelling and universally appealing?

Incorporate everything you've learned about story for animated films in all of the lecture and lab sessions to your final work.  The story items you turn in via the Catalyst Dropbox should properly represent the design and structure of your story world. 

For this assignment, you will produce the best possible storyboard reel that would really knock everyone's socks off if it were to be be produced as a completed 3D animated short. You will be pitching your story in class. Remember for your story pitches to show your audience your excitement for the story. Fall in love with the story. Look at your audience and share your story and why it is an important story to tell. Use active language. Use props and illustrate wherever it will help. Write down ALL of your feedback. Feedback is a gift. Then address the feedback thoughtfully.

You will submit iterated versions of your title, 7 steps and armature, beatsheet, character design, set design, and story reel. Remember to adhere to the story design limitations imposed on you in the previous assignments:

1. No more than three total characters, with at least one. No extras or crowds.
2. The story must take place in one indoor set.
3. Exaggerate in ways that make your story interesting for animation.

Visualize your story and work to tighten the steps and connect the armature, visualize the characters, setting and actions. Bring the characters to life by applying the acting techniques suggested to you in class. 

Remember to iterate utilizing all of the story tools that we have introduced and reviewed with you in class — including your title, your seven steps, your beatsheet, your thumbnails, your Personal Hell exercise, and your animatic reel. Consider how you can support the immersive nature of storytelling for animated film by carefully considering the look of your set and the behavior of each of your characters. Answer for yourself: why should your story be conveyed as an animated film?

Audio will be added for your final turn in later on, so start thinking about how you can use audio and sound effects to enhance your story. List out any ideas you come up with, and even try them out by adding them in if you have the time.

Try your best to have your work reviewed before moving too far ahead.  Please provide visual support that includes character reference photos and/or drawings and reference for your set as it helps to bring us into your story world.

Communicate and coordinate your schedules with your story group and to work with your colleagues and your friends to get as much constructive feedback as you can. Your work will be your own. Incorporate your unique signature. 

Checklist of what is due:

Be sure to include your name on all work!

• A Story Reel:
  • With added audio ideas, if not in the reel, then listed along with it.
  • Each story reel will run no longer  than three and a half minutes. Remember that if you find yourself needing more time, you must simplify your story and trim out any unecessary beats.
    
    
• 7 printed story packets containing the work below, in addition to Dropbox submission.
  
  
• Type up the feedback notes you took in class for your last pitch (on 7/6) and include a statement about how you addressed each piece of feedback. The notes should also be separated into the following categories:
  1. Story
  2. Acting/Pitching
  3. Boards/Visuals
  
  
• Story Title
  
  
• 7 Steps and Armature
  
  
• Include the following supplemental story information:
  • Description of the date, time, and location that the story takes place
  • The name of each character and also your three adjective description for each character.
    
    
• Completed Beatsheet with a sequence and shot list
  • Be sure the beatsheet is consistent with your animatic
    
    
• Character Design Reference and/or Concept Art
  • At least one image for each character
    
    
• Set Design Reference and/or Concept Art
  • At least a site plan of your set, and any additional reference/concept art
    
    
• Asset list
  
  
• Audio list
  
  
• Photo Reference for any aspect of the story (optional)
  
  
• Any Story Structure Practice work (optional)
  
  
• Updated thumbnails (optional)
  • Be sure they are numbered properly, clearly drawn, and designed to be read from the upper left of the page to the lower right.
    
    
• Family tree (optional)
  
  
• Any storyboards in color (optional)

All work for this project should be submitted to the Catalyst Dropbox by Wednesday July 13th, at 8:30 AM. And remember to please print out and staple together seven packets of your story materials for the staff to review in class. It is also good practice to test all of your files before submitting them into the Dropbox. We can't be responsible for any technical troubleshooting after you've submitted your final work.

NOTE: You must have some of the assignment completed for the following Monday's lab to receive feedback and credit.

Good luck and enjoy the process!