I’m still here!
And I’m still a lazy ass about my posts because I have made yet another video post. Even though it took me three attempts. My apologies to the folks with slow internet. I tried to keep it short, but I rambled, so it ended up at almost eight minutes.
Sorry.
If you can’t watch it easily, here’s the readers digest version:
– I survived my first Kid vs Kat board (barely).
– My blogoversary is this week! My online baby is two years old (yikes!).
– And I’m switching software from Sketchbook Pro to Flash for various reasons. I’ll report back how that went.
I also said that if you have any requests for blog post ideas, just throw them in the comments. Because my slight writer’s block continues. I guess my brain can only handle a few things at time.
But I hope videos will suffice for the time being.
Because look! I have another stupid expression on my face! (I give up. Truly.) And in case you noticed, yes I throw the same black shirt on for shooting these videos. Rest assured I do, in fact, own other shirts.
If you can’t see the video, please click through to the blog and take a look.
Thanks for your patience and have fun looking at my goofy expressions. I’m a walking cartoon.
UPDATE: If you still can’t see the video, try over at Vimeo here http://www.vimeo.com/7811852
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Read the Storyboard Blog by RSS Feed or by email for probably more video posts. Cause Iβm lazy.
I cant see any video.
Hi Karen,
Have you tried using the “layer comps” tool in photoshop to do the panels instead?
You can see Derek Thompson using them to do a storyboard in the Gnomon sample clip here:http://www.thegnomonworkshop.com/store/product/415/Conceptual-Storyboarding%3AStorytelling-and-Struggle
I’ve found this to be an excellent shortcut, but it means everything is in once place and easily exported later.
Congratulations on two years of blogging by the way! Eat cake and be merry. π
Yes…my heartiest congrats also on your two-year anniversary! Keep going!!
@ Abhinab – Could be a glitch or something. It’s there, I swear! I’ve added the direct link to the vid on Vimeo, so you could try that.
@ Martin – I haven’t tried any boarding in photoshop. I tend to think it would have the same issues as Sketchbook in a way. Like still having to organize and write everything by hand etc.
I’ll check that link out though, thanks! (I would try it in ToonBoom Storyboard Pro but the studio isn’t using it and I can’t get the template to look just right for this job.)
@ Martin & Todd – Thanks a bunch! Where does the time go?? π
~K
You should try StoryBoard Pro from ToonBoom…
I’ve never used it, but what I’ve seen from this software compared with what I think is your workflow. .. it will save you tons of time.
I really appreciate: “One Artistβs Process: The Revisions”.
Thanks.
You and your cartoon face are bright and adorable and I love that the industry has people like you helping filmmakers and storytellers do both better — happy duo-versary ~ ! And many more (or as many as you want, no pressure!)
Hey, ever use your storyboarding skills for training people in personal visualization and manifestation exercizes? Making storyboards where they’re the hero going after thier own goal in thier own story? That might me a whole ‘nother side of your practice…!
Kep up the good works, and if you call three takes of 8 minute video “lazy”, man! What must “productive” look like!? Ha!
Your pal,
@TheGirlPie
@ Omar – I have tried it out some, but like I mentioned above, the studio isn’t using it so I won’t rock the boat. It would be fine for me to initially hand in the board but could cause problems with the studio revising it. So I’ll have to wait for another project to really test it out.
Glad you liked that other post! I’ll try to do more of that kind.
@ GirlPie – You are too sweet my dear. Interesting idea you have there and I *have* considered it in some capacity.
I didn’t really mean it to be 8 minutes! I just kind of ramble on and then I say “Gah! It’s how long??” Oh well. π
Thanks for dropping by. Always awesome.
~K
Very belated, but HAPPY BLOGAVERSERY! (is that a word? and if it is, is it spelled right?)
Two years!? No, it can’t have been. One year mabye…say it was one year! I want to feel younger.
Topic suggestion…State of the film/storyboard industry? Depress us all please….but in your cheery, happy way.
BTW…I still have Cintiq envy. I thin you switched to video just to show it off. π Evil!
Yep, it was 2007.
I was going to tell you to check the Archives…and when * I * did, I found out I made a mistake! My first post was November 6th. I was WAYYYYY off (I got the “6” right). Oh well. It’s still 2 years old. And we’re older. Bleh.
I would talk about the storyboard industry, but I lead such a secluded life I have to say I really don’t have a clue. How’s that? π
And yes, it is odd how the videos and the Cintiq kinda happened at the same time… Totally unplanned! Really!!!
~K
I actually love these video blogs, so keep ’em coming!!
I guess a question I’d like to see answered is, how do you keep focused and not go stir-crazy from being chained to your desk for several days at a time? It’s something I have to contend with, and I always feel so “unprogressive” for working at home. (*wry*) I think you may have covered a bit of this in a blog entry quite a while back, but I’d love to see you talk about it on video.
Yay, glad you’re digging them Lynn.
Hmm…how to say focused and not go stir crazy…another question I’ll be horrible at answering! Focused? What’s that? Not stir crazy? Is that possible?? π
I may tackle it anyway…if nothing else it’ll be good for a laugh. It could also turn into a ‘do as I say, not as I do’ kinda thing. Will probably make a good video.
Thanks!
~K
As for topics for future posts I would like to hear your thoughts on various books on the subject of storyboarding; particularly “Prepare to Board” by Nancy Beiman.
I’ve been meaning to do a post about books and such! Just haven’t gotten around to it yet. I haven’t read that one in particular but I am aware of it.
I don’t own all the storyboarding books because I kind of ‘learned on the job’. But I do have suggestions for lots of books anyway.
(Of course I should just write my own and say “Get this one!”) π
Thanks Skull.
~K
Have you ever heard of a program called StoryPlanner? I came across it in a FX Magazine several months ago but really havent had much of a chance to test it out. Anyways, heres the site: http://www.toonz.com/htm/products/prodSPfeat.htm
Theres a trial period that lets you test and export everything..
Thanks Ayla!
I think I did read something about it a while ago. It said it had some issues that could be improved upon, but they may have been addressed in the latest version. When I have the time I will definitely check out the trial version.
Quite the price difference from the regular version to the ‘pro’ version. Sheesh.
Very interesting though. π
~K
Hi! And congrats on the two years! I’m trying to reemerge after being AWOL for so long. But it’s great to come back to your blog and read or even watch your educational wittiness to such matters of storyboards. I will admit, I didn’t watch the video yet, but that’s because I know where I am right now, I won’t enjoy because there’s too much noise around me, and my connection to my own wireless internet is sketchy.
Anyway, glad to see you are still doing your thing and doing it quite well at that. I’m still a little out of the loop so excuse my ignorance but that board you are sitting in front of looks cool.
Mr. Breakfast Face! Wee!
So nice to see you around these parts again. π
That board is called a Cintiq (ooooo…fancy). And yes. It IS cool.
Check out the post before that where I really talk about it. It’s another video though. I’m curious how the vids come out over wireless. They are tad ‘long winded’.
Thanks for the congrats and hope to see you again guy!
~K
Hi Karen,
Belated congratulations on two years of blogging on storyboards.
These things take up a lot of time and energy and sooner or later
most folk strongly question the worth of such work.
But take heart, your information and comments are highly valued
and appreciated. Thanks for your work!
I cannot imagine a real animator using flash. I just cannot get
my head around the limitations. It will. be interesting to hear your
comments on flash as you work through it.
I like Kid vs Kat. Tried and true but still entertaining and funny.
The kid and the kat are believable. Disbelief is suspended.
Diabolically funny.
Happy Holidays.
Yeah I missed visiting. I got busy with school (even though I’m taking 1 class, I’m tutoring a friend and editing her papers).
And for my own class homework, we are supposed to be playing with Flash, the only program in my Digital Arts class I’m unfamiliar with. And my assignment was due last Tuesday, which means it’s due this Tuesday and I still haven’t really messed around with it yet before I can even work on what I need to. But that’s neither here nor there.
I didn’t attempt to play any videos while on wireless, but for you I will try it later. I did just watch your video, and I could imagine myself doing the same thing, rambling so to speak, but even in the rambles there are bits of useful information and I think the delivery is what makes you unique. So if it were just straight forward fact and no rambles, it wouldn’t be as good. Or at least I wouldn’t be interested. My Digital Arts professor is the same way, very animated and entertaining but it’s an effective method of teaching, at least for me anyway. But I will check out your previous post.
Very nice. I keep expecting a video where Karen breaks into “Numa Numa”…which may be pretty likely.
Congrats on all the work!
@ Spence – Thanks for the kind words! Well, boarding in Flash isn’t nearly as daunting as animating in it. The studio has given me a very nifty template and I just have to worry about layers and using the brush tool.
Flash isn’t made for animation production, but I’m still in awe at what animators have done with it. Yes, there’s lots of crappy stuff. But there’s also some great stuff that deserves respect *because* of the craziness of having to do it in Flash.
Glad you enjoy KvK! π
@ T – Well, I’m always happy to see you here whenever you have the time busy boy. π
Glad you liked the vid. I rather enjoy making them and I’m getting pretty good feedback on them, so that’s cool.
@ Aidan – OK, I’ll bite. What’s “Numa, Numa”…? Cause I’d like to know in case I do. π
~K
Don’t say I didn’t warn ya:
http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/206373
Oh my. I’m only aware of this guy from a South Park episode I believe.
But thanks. My life is now complete.
I was considering doing a lip sync to ‘Poker Face’ though…if I get enough requests. π
~K
(Which of course, I won’t.)
Always nice to see you, K! You asked for ideas of things you could go over in your blog? How about showing us how you use Flash to do storyboards? I’m rather new to Flash but I don’t understand how you would do that. I recently did a storyboard with pencil and paper and a template based on one of yours, then I scanned the drawings and did an animatic with ProShow Producer which is basically a slideshow app. It was easy to put it together and my clients were very impressed.
Anyways, thanks again for all your good tips!
Thanks for the idea Zeb.
I could totally do that, but the studio gives me this special template that I use. So I could show how I use it, but I have *no clue* how to tell you how to make one of your own! I’m not very Flash-savy.
But I could still give a little demo for sure. π
~K
I got a suggestion for a blog topic.
Discuss the difference in animation/storyboarding styles between Disney and Warner Brothers.
Not the feature films, but the 8-minute cartoons. And why Warner Bros. has stood the test of time so much better than Disney.
I mean, if you watch a Donald Duck or MIckey Mouse cartoon from 60 years ago, it’s okay. Haha. Cute. Almost quaint. But the humor is obviously dated. .
Compare this to Bugs and Daffy. Who are still just as hilarious. Who’s cartoons are still shown on TV today.
Anyway, I think it would be an interesting topic. (But I’ll just go now, and close the door quietly behind me…)
I don’t know Friar. That sounds like it actually might require some *thinking* on my part. π
Off the top of my head, the main difference is that the WB cartoons weren’t made for children. So the appeal lives on to adulthood.
I shall ponder further. Good one.
~K
@Karen
Ahh, yes. But despite being meant for adults, WB cartoons still apeal to children.
And the actual artwork/animation from both Disney and WB studios was top-notch.
So the difference HAS to lie in the storyboarding / directing.
Hey, I think this IS an interesting topic.
And (God Forbid)….actually relevant to this blog.
Felicitations on your 2 year!
I can see your video — you are full of animation! Haha…
But my computer sound is broke, so reading lips is fine in person, but not so good online. I think you say hello and mention your 2 year?
@ Friar – Yes, you can’t beat Chuck Jones and Friz Freleng. And I think Mel Blanc deserves some credit here too.
Simple storylines. Strong characters and personalities. And timing. Awesome animation timing goes a LONG way. (South Park has that too.) π
@ Jaden – Thanks! Aww, too bad about the lack of sound. I guess you don’t know what the heck I’m blathering on about. But the funny faces are keeping you watching I see.
I’m overdue on a post! But I have a really cool interview in the works. Stay tuned. π
~K
@Karen
All those guys were key to WB’s success…but my absolute favorite is Chuck Jones. The guy’s one of my heroes. Wish I could have met him.
You’re right about timing. South Park animation is quite shitty (deliberately so). But they more than make up for it with the comedic timing.
Same as Rocky and Bullwinkle. Animation was awful. But the writing is what helped the show survive. It’s been on the air for 50 years in one form of the other (you can still get it on Teletoon)