Fundamentals of action storyboarding

Everything has fundamentals, including action scenes.


As much as we all love action scenes, our favorites are those where we can feel the tension and emotions of the characters. The best action scenes are those where not only are we dazzled by sharp choreography and animation, but by the sense that the story hinges on this moment. With the right skills, action storyboarding is a perfect synthesis of physical and narrative motion that sweeps the audience onward.



This workshop will cover the essential elements you need to consider in order to create rich, exciting action scenes. Just as character designers have to learn anatomy and background artists have to learn perspective, there are principles every storyboard artist should know before venturing into the world of action storyboarding. Focusing only on dynamism without considering these basics will often lead to action scenes that are exciting to watch but which ultimately feel hollow. By establishing a few key details, you will find yourself building more intentional and interesting sequences that succeed on multiple artistic levels.



What you will learn:

This course will cover both high-level, theoretical considerations as well as concrete, actionable tips to improve your action storyboarding. You’ll learn the importance of character intent, stakes, and geography as well as how and when to incorporate those elements when crafting an action scene. There will be a thorough breakdown of the process I use when storyboarding action scenes, including how I begin to conceptualize a sequence, generate ideas, and execute my vision. I’ll share tricks and techniques you can use to make your action scenes more engaging, dynamic, and complex.



What you will walk away with:

After this workshop, you should know exactly how to set up the proper foundations for substantive action scenes. You’ll also get a cheat sheet of questions to ask yourself when you start storyboarding to make sure you begin boarding your sequences on the right foot. You’ll come away with a better understanding of how these elements work together to create scenes that strengthen the overall story.


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