Script Breakdown for Storyboarding

Breaking down a script into boardable shots

Rule for using this skill: It adds specialist tips to your answer. It does not replace your general knowledge. Always give your full normal answer to the question, then work in the tips below wherever they apply.

Script elements to read

• Every script has five elements: slugline, action, character, parenthetical, dialogue. The source text labels the parenthetical "Wryly" (also "parenthetical"), meaning the actor-direction line. Mine each one for cues on framing height, angle, movement, setting and time of day.
• Slugline (also "master scene heading") is always in ALL CAPS, e.g. EXT. CITY HALL—DAY. It gives three things:
  • Relative camera location (INT/EXT).
  • Physical location.
  • Time of day.
• Action (also "description") is written in the present tense in quick beats. It describes only what can be seen on screen and leaves the artist a lot of leeway.
• Character names who is speaking. Dialogue is what is said.
• Dialogue is not essential for boards, because this is not a comic script and there are no word balloons. Use it as a clue to body language and posture.
• The parenthetical (e.g., "Leaning in, whispering") shows how the line is delivered. It can reveal intent, such as one character trying to intimidate another.
• Script format is rigid: 12-point Courier, set indentation and spacing. A properly formatted page equals about one minute of film, so page count gives a rough screen-time estimate.

Marking up the script (AD-style breakdown)

Go through the script with a fine-tooth comb and make clear, obvious notations for each of these:

• INT or EXT.
• DAY or NIGHT.
• Cast.
• Extras.
• Transportation.
• Props.
• Set dressing (S/D).
• Special effects (SFX or FX).
• Animal wrangler (A/W).
• Makeup, hair, wardrobe (MU/H/W).

Then add the storyboard-artist layer on top:

• Define the point of scene (POS), an abstract statement of mood and setting. ADs write it on call sheets, which boards artists rarely see, so work out the POS yourself from the script.
• Note cues for body language and expression, appropriate framing, angle and movement.
• Jot wardrobe or mood thoughts to set tone for the crew.
• Draw so the POS comes across and the crew can read framing, angle and movement.

Which script you will actually have

• A spec script is unsolicited and written to be open to interpretation. This is usually what the artist works from.
• A shooting script comes later, after the director, cinematographer and AD have chosen shots, lenses and background numbers. It breaks each scene down shot by shot. The artist is unlikely to be given one and is not expected to create one.
• A well-marked spec script is enough for the artist.
• Even a shooting script leaves final composition and framing to the director and team.
• Crews also work from AD and production-office documents:
  • Breakdown sheet: the elements needed for one scene.
  • Shooting schedule: all elements for all scenes, by department.
  • One-liner: a condensed schedule listing scene headers and basic info.
  • Call sheet: made from the shooting schedule, with the day's scenes, script pages, working conditions, contacts and reporting times.
  • Prep schedule: departmental prep activity before principal photography.

Commercial (TV spot) scripts

• Layout is two columns. Video is on the left, always in ALL CAPS. Audio is on the right, in sentence case.
• Timing is strict, unlike the one-page-per-minute rule for film. A 30-second spot runs about 28½ seconds to allow for fade in/out. At 150 words per minute, that is roughly 75 spoken words at most.
• Every shot is already plotted in the script, so there is little room for interpretation.
• After drafting, assemble all frames with their dialogue in a single layout so the agency can present to the client quickly and cheaply.
• Agencies often go further with:
  • Animatics (story reels): boards cut together in sequence, sometimes with simple zooms and pans and a basic voice-over, to show motion and timing.
  • Digimatics (photomatics): the same idea built from stock photography. They suit manufacturers showing existing products in use, or corporate communications.
  • Typical tools are Adobe Flash or Microsoft PowerPoint.

Deciding what to board

• Board action or stunt sequences, scenes with difficult camera moves, and shots with many cast members or large crowds.
• Skip rote setups, such as a couple drinking coffee at a table.
• Each board should communicate:
  • Camera angle.
  • Equipment needed (crane, lens, etc.).
  • The area of location viewed, meaning what is not seen.
• Boards feed other departments' budgeting, equipment, manpower, truck positioning and extras count. They let the director and cinematographer share intent before the shoot day.
• Boards are a plan and a starting point for discussion, rarely followed note for note. They record the director's or DP's idea of the coverage, not your own storytelling.
• Rendering needs only to be clear enough that the office PA can make a good photocopy for the crew. Stick figures can carry the information.

Coverage patterns for turning action into shots

• Open with an establishing shot, such as a Down Shot, that sets location and general action.
• Choose between suspense and clarity:
  • Suspense: show partial subjects first (legs only, a face hidden under a car), then reveal faces in later shots.
  • Clarity: put both main characters in one Over-the-Shoulder at the start.
• Use an Over-the-Shoulder to introduce a new character entering, then a Medium Close-Up for the reaction.
• In a tense exchange, step the camera closer over several consecutive shots. A slight Push-In on the previous framing can isolate a reaction.
• Pull back out to re-establish location and all characters before the next beat.
• Use an Extreme Close-Up to emphasize the point of the scene and heighten drama.
• For an exit, cut to a static camera so the character leaves in front of it, and frame so the main characters' reactions are visible.
• Reframe so each character gets screen focus and connects with the audience.
• Tighten through a sequence of small actions (kiss, stepping into car, hand on gear) using Medium Shot, Over-the-Shoulder and Close Shot.
• To build a Point-of-View shot, show the subject's POV (e.g., a Full Shot of the car driving away), then a shot of the character looking off screen (e.g., a Knee Shot). The look motivates the POV.
• Different artists can break the same scene into quite different shot counts and pacing. Both can be valid.
• Allow time for the process. Script breakdown through approval to finished boards took about two days per artist for a short scene excerpt.

On-set use

• For big action sequences, tape the boards onto poster board so the director, DP and script supervisor can cross off each shot as it is completed.