Prepare to Board! Creating Story and Characters for Animated Features and Shorts

Packed with illustrations that illuminate and a text that entertains and informs, this book explains the methods and techniques of animation preproduction with a focus on story development and character design. Story is the most important part of an animated film-and this book delivers clear direction on how animators can create characters and stories that have originality and appeal. Learn how the animation storyboard differs from live action boards and how characters must be developed simultaneously with the story. Positive and negative examples of storyboard and character design are presented and analyzed to demonstrate successful problem-solving techniques. Artwork from an international array of students and professionals supplement the author's own illustrations. Three never-before-published interviews with well known development artists and a comprehensive glossary are also included.

Table of Contents:
Getting Started; Vive La Difference! Animation and Live Action Storyboards; Putting Yourself Into Your Work; Situation and Character Driven Stories; What If? Contrasting the Possible and the Fanciful; Appealing or Appalling? Beginning Character Design; Size Matters: The Importance of Scale; Beauties and Beasts: Creating Character Contrasts in Design; Location, Location, Location: Art Direction and Storytelling; Starting Story Sketch: Compose Yourself; Roughing It: Basic Staging; Boarding Time: Getting With the Story Beat; The Big Picture: Creating Story Sequences; Patterns in Time: Pacing Action on Rough Boards; Present Tense: Creating a Performance on Storyboard; Diamond in the Rough Model Sheet : Refining Character Designs; Color My World: Art Direction and Storytelling; Show and Tell: Pitching Your Storyboards; Talking Pictures: Assembling a Story Reel or Animatic with a Scratch Track; Build a Better Mouse: Creating Cleanup Model Sheets; Maquette Simple: Modeling Characters in Three Dimensions; Am I Blue? Creating Character through Color; Screen and Screen Again: Preparing for Production; Books, Discs, and Websites for Further Reference; Animated Interviews

About the Author :
Currently teaching animation and character design at the Rochester Institute of Technology, Nancy has worked for nearly thirty years as a supervising animator, director, character designer, and storyboard artist. A graduate of the Character Animation Program at the California Institute of the Arts, Nancy worked in development and as a supervising animator on several Disney features including A Goofy Movie, Hercules and Treasure Planet. She was nominated for an Annie award in 2000 for storyboarding Little Angelita for Disney and won a Cine Golden Eagle in 1984 for her personal film Your Feets' Too Big. Nancy is a member of the National Cartoonists Society and the Australian Black and White Cartoonists Club. In recent years she has illustrated two children's books, Duffy and the Invisible Crocodile and Basil Bigboots the Pirate for Australian writer Patricia Bernard in 2004, and taught at the Savannah College of Art And Design.

Review :
'Nancy Beiman has done an excellent job explaining the story development and boarding process, and I am certain this book will be a useful tool to all animation students and schools.' Brian P. McEntee, Art Director 'Beauty and the Beast' and Production Designer 'Ice Age' 'No one knows more about designing characters and creating story for animation than Nancy Beiman. Lavishly illustrated and expertly written, she draws on all her experience as a teacher, an artist and an animation industry veteran. A must-have for anyone who wants to make an animated film.' Jerry Beck, Animation Historian, www.cartoonbrew.com 'In the library of motion picture how/to books, one topic that has not been adequately explained is the art of storyboarding. Internationally known animator Nancy Beiman draws upon her experience to create for the first time a definitive manual for the art. Lavishly illustrated and highly readable, it is essential reading for anyone serious about learning how to create stories, characters and storyboards for film.' Tom Sito, animator, author of Drawing the Line: The Untold Story of the Animation Unions from Bosko to Bart Simpson. 'At long last we have a comprehensive new book covering the not always fully-understood areas of the animated film production processes of story and character development, and their care and feeding. Nancy Beiman, a seasoned Producer, Writer, Teacher, Story Artist, and former Disney Animator who has worked all over the globe, has authored a book which I predict will become a textbook in animation programs everywhere.' Bill Matthews Animation Professor 'Nancy Beiman knows that storyboards are about more than continuity and cutting; they're about character and conflict. A good storyboard has the power to make things as elusive as thoughts and emotions tangible for audiences. Prepare To Board fulfills the promise of its title by supplying readers with solid advice and illustrated examples that will help them make successful animated films.' Mark Mayerson, Professor of Animation, Sheridan College ...an excellent job explaining the story development and boarding process...this book will be a useful tool to all animation students and schools.' Brian P. McEntee, Art Director 'Beauty and the Beast' and Production Designer 'Ice Age' 'At long last we have a comprehensive new book covering the not always fully-understood areas of the animated film production processes of story and character development, and their care and feeding. Nancy Beiman, a seasoned Producer, Writer, Teacher, Story Artist, and former Disney Animator who has worked all over the globe, has authored a book which I predict will become a textbook in animation programs everywhere.' Bill Matthews Animation Professor 'In the library of motion picture how/to books, one topic that has not been adequately explained is the art of storyboarding. Internationally known animator Nancy Beiman draws upon her experience to create for the first time a definitive manual for the art. Lavishly illustrated and highly readable, it is essential reading for anyone serious about learning how to create stories, characters and storyboards for film.' Tom Sito, animator, author of Drawing the Line: The Untold Story of the Animation Unions from Bosko to Bart Simpson. 'No one knows more about designing characters and creating story for animation ....Lavishly illustrated and expertly written....A must-have for anyone who wants to make an animated film.' Jerry Beck, Animation Historian, www.cartoonbrew.com "No newcomer to the business, Ms Beiman has animated feature films for Walt Disney Feature Animation and Amblin.' Her credits also include directing, storyboarding, character design and children book illustration. Nancy brings a wealth of animation knowledge from her years of experience in the business, plus creative savvy from her colleagues. All this is wrapped up in interviews from old school Disney veterans who share their creative insights on the story development process. If you're a serious student of animation production, or simply a fan who loves the medium, I promise you a treasure trove of helpful information and a delightful read. Nancy Beiman's book comes too late for the storyboard apprentice back in the sixties, but just in time for you." Floyd Norman, Story Artist THE JUNGLE BOOK and TOY STORY II