subject: Film Storyboarding Software: Learn The Tricks Of Successful Documentary Storyboarding [print this page] Filming a great documentary needs great attention to detail -very careful research, interest for the subject material at hand, as well as painstaking preparation can combine to create a wonderful "slice of life" - one that really resonates with viewers. However, you have to approach the pre-production part of your project properly - part of getting it right depends on excellent storyboarding. In depth storyboards will allow you to organize lots of different types of details - you will also have the ability to plan out the entire pre-production process.
Most documentary film makers strive to produce a specific focus or point-of-view (Dylan Avery, creator of the 9/11 conspiracy documentary, Loose Change, is an example of this style), while other people will make an effort to avoid bias or editorializing. Whatever strategy you take, you will need to go through a process of previsualization before your can create truly effective storyboards. This particular previz phase is generally a brainstorming stage, one where test interviews are often conducted (with or without filming the subject).
The aim of previz is to structure a specific focus, and also to locate subjects who will share their lives to the level that is required to produce a meaningful documentary. Throughout previz, consider locations, research, "casting", as well as camera shots and angles. Spend a little time thinking about soundtracks, music, and any special effects. Establishing the tone and organizing your vision is the aim of previsualization. Occasionally, this is done in a group setting - true brainstorming is a team activity. However, you can also work alone - putting your research in a linear order and also dreaming up ideas can be quite helpful as your get ready to do your storyboarding.
Today, documentary directors are avoiding the tiresome storyboarding methods of previous decades. Rather than finding a live artist, and coping with delays and drama while waiting for sketches, they are opting for film storyboard software which takes the artist out of the situation. Web storyboard software has come a long way - today, it offers a full complement of pre-loaded artwork, including characters, background, and also props. This software program was created to pay for itself over time, by eliminating the requirement to outsource drawings. It also streamlines the creative process - you can produce finished storyboards in only minutes.
Whichever storyboard method you choose, be it old-fashioned paper storyboards or modern digital storyboards, you need to pre-plan every second of your documentary - frame by frame. Take into account every element of each shot or scene, and add dialogue and music too (obviously, this is easier with digital storyboards - the software makes it easy to add or change sound effects). Play with ideas while you build your storyboard - you can capture the substance of your artistic vision by means of experimentation. This may lead to a more streamlined, cost-effective filming process. You'll save time, money, and energy when you create refined storyboarding that organizes all the multitude aspects of your documentary - before the cameras begin rolling.
