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Terry Gilliam on the Importance and Power of Storyboarding

11.7.12 @ 4:30PM Tags : previsualization, storyboarding, terrygilliam

The spine of any smooth production is its organization, and storyboarding is a key vertebra. Regarding this important phase of pre-visualization, we’ve heard in the past from great filmmakers such as Ridley Scott, Sam Mendes, and Conrad L. Hall. A not-so-recent interview with another visionary, Terry Gilliam, has recently surfaced — and if you’ve seen any of Gilliam’s work, you have a good idea of what fantastical imagery can be accomplished even on a budget (The Brothers Grimm was budgeted at $88 million, true, but Time Bandits was made for $5 million; ‘nough said). I think it would be safe to attribute some of Gilliam’s success in achieving somewhat under-funded flights of fancy to his artistic background, and therefore his ability to storyboard. More »

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The Art of Storyboarding with Ridley Scott, Sam Mendes, and Conrad L. Hall

05.26.12 @ 12:21AM Tags : cinematography, drawing, previsualization, ridleyscott, sammendes, storyboarding

Previsualization and storyboarding will vary production to production, but it’s important to have some sort of idea about what you’re shooting before you shoot it. Often there are stories about famous directors coming on set and making it up as they go along, but this isn’t the most ideal way to work, especially when your budget can’t afford 50 crew members to move set pieces and lights to compensate for your on-the-fly planning. Below are two videos, the first is a conversation with Ridley Scott about his own storyboarding work, and the second is a commentary with Sam Mendes and the late Conrad L. Hall comparing storyboards versus screenshots of American Beauty. More »