3/08/02
Flash Interactive Storyboard V.6 1.51 mg
Scanned in the two panels I was missing and completed this version of the Storyboard. I can return to the Character designs.
3/01/02
Flash Interactive Storyboard V.5 1.51 mg
Hoo boy, finally got the rest of the new panels scanned. Its
been almost 8 weeks since I finished roughing out the new panels. I do not have
my own scanner, I use the ones at work, and between working and finding an open
or working scanner, I haven't been able to sit down for the hour it takes to
scan them in. Even now, I discover I have two panels I have managed to forget
to scan.
I have spent the last 5 hours putting the 'final' (are they ever final?) version
of the storyboard together. I have edited the confrontation to the Knight and
the Baron in the initial Throne room scene. I've also thrown in the hint of
a relationship between the Knight and Princess. The Knight also has a scene
during the wedding. Visibly upset at the marriage, he puts on his helmet to
hide his true feelings. I've added a scene where the Knight finds the Princess
locked in the Glass Tower. He tries to break her out using his sword, but he
can't scratch it. He 'tells' the Princess he will return and tell the King her
plight, and return with an army to save her. He rides off after reassuring her
he will return.
As the Knight rides through a Mountain Pass, his horse is spooked and refuses
to continue. As the Knight tries to restrain his horse, a shadow of the Dragon
falls over them. The Horse bolts, and the Knight draws his sword ready for battle.
The Dragon eats the Knight, told through shadow and silhouette.
The Princess waits for the return of the Knight. Two days pass, and the Princess
realizes the Knight is not coming back. She becomes despondent.
The story picks backup with the Baron occupied with a 'guest' and the introduction
of the Shepherd.
I might cut out the scenes with the Shepherd and his family. I won't make that
decision until I construct the animatic.
12/18/01
Flash Interactive Storyboard V.4 1.33 mg
Finished scanning the remaining rough panels and imported them
into the storyboard. Going through the storyboard, I come to realize I really
haven't paid the attention to the characters I should have. It goes back to
the beginning when I was letting the events tell the story rather than the characters.
No matter how impatient I am to start animating, I recognize the need for a
clearer story narrative.
Dave has
generously sent his comments, one of which was the transition of the Baron being
a jerk to a raging Dragon too quick. I wanted The Baron to be nothing more than
a jerk, then reveal his evilness in stages, but I have to agree with Dave that
maybe something else needs to be included to help this process.
I've been playing with the idea of a court member who has a crush on the Princess
(probably a Knight to contrast the Shepherd), rides to visit the Princess and
finds her imprisoned in the glass tower. When he tries to save her, he is defeated
by the Baron. Now there is some restrictions to this I have to work out. The
first being the Princess never knows the Knight's fate. If she were to know,
I would think she would feel guilty and never be open to develop a friendship
with the Shepherd. She could also wait for the Knight to return, and become
more despondent when he never shows. The second would be the Dragon be hinted
at (perhaps only through shadow). I don't want to reveal the Dragon is the Baron
until the climax. The third would be the Knight would be eaten by the Dragon,
perhaps again through shadow. I don't want it to be too gruesome for young children.
I have come to realize that I won't be able to start on the animatic for a month
or two or three or twelve. I am more concerned with the finished product rather
than the time it takes to complete.
12/10/01
Flash Interactive Storyboard V.3 835kb
On Saturday, I scanned in the remaining storyboard panels I
had sketched out. I imported them into Flash, and when I did a test render,
the SWF file size was way too high. I went back in and experimented with the
settings, settling on 75% compression (25% of original) as being satisfactory
in size and appearance (often 18% or less from original file size). Since the
jpgs were b/w (but changed to RGB in PS, Flash will not import grayscale) and
saved at the highest compression, this setting had little difference in quality
of rendered jpgs.
I then spent Sunday and today making a 2nd and 3rd pass through the storyboard,
editing the text, and (surprise) adding more panels. The panels I add have nothing
to do with changing the story line, but defining the characters. Example: The
Princess sniffs the roses the Baron gives her, but hides the fact they stink.
I hope to show that the Princess is kind, sensitive to other's feelings. Saturday
night I had 231 panels, today I have 266. I have decided to keep sketching the
panels as roughs until I am satisfied with the story, then go back and rework
the roughs. I have almost completely replaced all the original storyboards from
five years ago. The version I have posted today it what I have accomplished
do far.
12/07/01
I spent most of yesterday and all of today creating an interactive
storyboard in Flash. One of the reasons I choose Flash was the ability to print
out each frame at eight per page to get a thumbnail edition of the complete
storyboard. You can set this to any number in page set up, I set it up to print
4 pages per row, and it automatically filled the page with 2 rows of four. I
could set up the scenes and import jpg files, add text and arrows, camera moves,
and drop and drag to get it in linear format. I created simple next and previous
buttons to move from one panel to the other.
I was able to flip through the panels, add blank panels with text if I felt
the board needed additional panels, and get an over all feel. I finally have
gained control of the storyboard.
The *bad* news? I have added a number of panels. I also edited out a good number
of panels I felt were flat or unnecessary. The version I am posting today is
a first pass. I realize there are a number spelling of errors, I edited on the
fly so that some transitions are not accurate and camera angles are unclear.
I want to remain true to the mission of this web page to show the good along
with the bad. I am confident that even though the board looks like crap now,
hopefully someone will benefit from my mistakes, and perhaps learn when I correct
them.
I also have about 40 panels I need to scan in and add, and a number that I still
have to sketch. Many of the exsisting panels are merely nothing more than roughs,
but I feel I have to get an overall idea of what I need before I concentrate
on details. I printed out the thumbnails from Flash and will hand edit that
first before going in and changing it in the movie. I'm almost positive I will
be editing even further. I do not mind doing this at all, my frustration is
gone, and I am more concerned about producing this short at the best of my ability
rather than the speed of competition.
Flash Interactive Storyboard V.1 640kb
*note* I had changed the ending two years ago, the original version had the Shepherd slaying the Dragon. I changed it so that the Princess was the one to slay the Dragon. I haven't updated that, yet. I just put 'Princess' over the Shepherd.