COMP 230: Storyboard Design and Development introduces the student to professional storytelling and storyboarding techniques, particularly for live action and animation sequences. The objective of this course is to provide a comprehensive, hands-on, and in-depth knowledge of state-of-the-art storyboarding and storytelling concepts, methods, practices, and strategies.
It offers an introduction to storyboards and a complete picture of steps involved in storytelling.
It introduces learners to techniques of drawing and use of other media for motion and emotion.
It discusses specific aspects of directing a storyboard such as visual clarity and depth, semiotics, and figures of speech.
Outline
Unit 1: The Goal: Why Do We Watch?
Unit 2: Common Beginner Problems
Unit 3: The Beginning Basics
Unit 4: How to Draw for Storyboarding: Motion and Emotion
Unit 5: Structural Approach: Tactics to Reach the Goal
Unit 6: What Do Directors Direct?
Unit 7: How to Direct the Eyes
Unit 8: Directing the Eyes Deeper in Space and Time
Unit 9: How to Make Images Speak: The Hidden Power of Images
Unit 10: How to Convey and Suggest Meaning
Unit 11: Dramatic Irony
Unit 12: The BIG Picture: Story Structures
Unit 13: Aiming for the Heart
Unit 14: Wrapping Up
Learning outcomes
Upon completion of COMP 230, the student should have a deep understanding of storyboarding and storytelling concepts, methods, practices, and strategies, as well as the ability to create storyboards using powerful storytelling ideas. More specifically, the student should be able to
disseminate the events of the story.
define the threshold of awareness in the story.
create the structural level of the story for clarity and dramatic presentation.
guide the audience’s attention to narrative questions and metaphors that drive the story forward.
direct the viewer's eyes and ears with composition and perspective.
signify meaning and associations through semiotics.
construct meaning with respect to continuity and causality.
evoke emotional response and measure it using thematic analysis.
evolve and sustain the story using storytelling ideas enacted through software.
Evaluation
To receive credit for COMP 230, the student must achieve a course composite grade of at least D (50 percent) and a grade of at least 50 percent on each assignment (Assignments 1–10) and 50 percent on the final project (Assignment 11). The weighting of the composite grade is as follows:
Activity
Weight
Assignment 1
5%
Assignment 2
5%
Assignment 3
5%
Assignment 4
10%
Assignment 5
10%
Assignment 6
10%
Assignment 7
5%
Assignment 8
5%
Assignment 9
5%
Assignment 10
5%
Final Project (Assignment 11)
35%
Total
100%
To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University’s online Calendar.
Materials
This course either does not have a course package or the textbooks are open-source material and available to students at no cost. This course has a Course Administration and Technology Fee, but students are not charged the Course Materials Fee.
Glebas, F. (2009). Directing the story: Professional storytelling and storyboarding techniques for live action and animation. Focal Press. (eBook)
Software
To complete COMP 230 coursework, students are encouraged to have storyboarding and scripting software (e.g., SketchUp, Celtx, Sparkol) installed on their computer.
Athabasca University reserves the right to amend course outlines occasionally and without notice. Courses offered by other delivery methods may vary from their individualized study counterparts.