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Efficient storyboarding workflow?


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Hi,

 

I've recently entered pre-production on a low budget feature I recently finished writing, now storyboarding awaits. I'd like to shoot the entire storyboard on set. Been looking into the Artemis app. It would be great to use the app to find the right focal length for each shot and add that information to each storyboard picture. Does anyone know how the metadata is stored in Artemis if you sync it to dropbox? Would be great to add the pictures and metadata into something like studio binder or shot lister, so that you know exactly what lens to use for each specific shot. It would be a huge timesaver, which would suit us perfect considering this'll be a run & gun type production.

 

30$ i a cheap investment if you use the app a lot, but it's expensive (for me at least) to just try it out, so I thought I'd check in with you guys before I decide. How would you go about storyboarding a low budget feature as a DP if you had access to the set and actors in pre-prod? Drawing the entire storyboard would be nice, but I don't think it'd be the most efficient approach, and I also feel that being able to go through the entire script on set with the actors when doing the storyboard would be great for both me as DP / Director and the actors.

 

Any thoughts or ideas would be much appreciated!

 

Thanks,

Patrik

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To be honest, I've never seen the focal lengths given on a storyboard. The only document where I've seen this used is in the old shot plans used on multi camera TV dramas, which would give camera positions, shot sizes and sometimes lens angles. These great if you've got limited time.

 

With a good storyboard artist you can often tell which lens to use from their artwork.

 

.

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To be honest, I've never seen the focal lengths given on a storyboard. The only document where I've seen this used is in the old shot plans used on multi camera TV dramas, which would give camera positions, shot sizes and sometimes lens angles. These great if you've got limited time.

 

With a good storyboard artist you can often tell which lens to use from their artwork.

 

.

 

Neither have I, but for the sake of efficiency on set I think it'd be a great idea. I like to be well prepared, and I feel it gives me greater room to be even more creative in situations when you need to act fast. Shooting starts this October and I have this summer at our disposal to storyboard the shoot, but since we already have access to all the sets, why not go there and figure out how we're going to shoot this, think things through shot by shot, before we arrive on set in October? I would be a great relief to know that all the shots have already been planned out in great detail, instead of coming up with those decisions in the heat of the moment. (even though such moments will be inevitable).

 

Maybe it's just me who's a control freak? Anyway, I appreciate your input!

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Artemis, if my memory serves, puts the lens mm at the bottom of the taken photo, along with other information, well worthwhile investment (though honestly I don't use it too much). Personally I don't much like working in that rigid of a manner, since I feel it limits the opportunities which arise when production is "in swing," however I can see the merit.

Something you might be interested in, in future, is good pre-viz software where you can make the whole film in CG before you make the film; which also helps get camera movement down.

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Artemis, if my memory serves, puts the lens mm at the bottom of the taken photo, along with other information, well worthwhile investment (though honestly I don't use it too much). Personally I don't much like working in that rigid of a manner, since I feel it limits the opportunities which arise when production is "in swing," however I can see the merit.

 

Something you might be interested in, in future, is good pre-viz software where you can make the whole film in CG before you make the film; which also helps get camera movement down.

 

 

Artemis sounds like a great choice!

 

I understand what you mean regarding this rigid of a manner workflow, but I feel the opposite way. It's like the saying "You have to know the rules in order to break them". I'm much more creative knowing that I have a solid plan to go back to if I get too creative on set. I look at this kind of storyboarding as a DP's first draft. They might be far from the end result, but they give you an idea how to execute the shoot and it makes you finish that "final draft". But then again, maybe it's just me...

 

I'll definitely look into the pre-viz CGI, thanks!

Edited by Patrik Ingvarsson
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I think it really all does come down to an each their own (and to a certain bit, perhaps a higher bit, what they director is comfortable with and would like to do). But hey, if it works for you, do it! One of the nicest things about film is that there are myriad ways to do every single thing, which makes each thing you do a chance for exploration and experimentation.

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I think it really all does come down to an each their own (and to a certain bit, perhaps a higher bit, what they director is comfortable with and would like to do). But hey, if it works for you, do it! One of the nicest things about film is that there are myriad ways to do every single thing, which makes each thing you do a chance for exploration and experimentation.

 

Wise words, I agree :)

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