You should take a two-part approach to the completion of this task.
Part One : Draw Your Storyboard
Draw a storyboard frame for EVERY shot in your documentary (every time you cut to a new shot, you need a new storyboard frame). Include text elements such as lower-third titles and give an impression of EVERYTHING that you put in the frame (including backgrounds). It is ok to use stick people, but make sure that you present the correct shot distance and framing. This doesn't have to be a masterpiece, but it does have to be accurate. You are not expected to colour in your storyboard (but you can identify colours of objects using pencil crayons if their colour is important - you can just draw a sample colour patch on your storyboard without colouring the whole object or frame).
Part Two : Annotate Your Storyboard
Annotate your storyboard to present important information. Things you should include are;
- Storyboard frame number. (goes in the box above each frame. Start at 1...)
- Transitions (how a shot moves to the next. E.g. dissolve, cross-fade, straight cut, split edit, etc). identify the transitions in the boxes in-between frames on the storyboard.
- Camera movements. Use arrows to identify camera pans, tilts, zooms & reverse zooms (using 3D arrows will help to differentiate between a tilt and a zoom). Draw these directly into your storyboard frame.
- Shot Type. Use abbreviations such as ECU for Extreme Close-Up. Identify the shot distance or type for every frame in your storyboard. Write these in the information box below each frame. Use the shot distance reference guide in the sidebar to help you.
- INT or EXT. Identify each shot as an 'interior' (indoor) or 'exterior' (outdoor) shot. Just circle correct description in the information box below each frame.
- DAY or NIGHT. Identify the time of day by circling the correct description in the information box.
- Details. What is this a shot of? E.g Interview with Headteacher or Establishing shot of factory, etc.
Don't forget to number your storyboard pages and identify the name of your production at the top of every storyboard page too.
Here is a picture of the storyboard template we normally use in our dept. You are welcome to use it or you can find, or draw, your own. The benefit of using the existing template is that we have lots of copies already photocopied and ready for use.
