I'm prepping to direct a 6 minute teen vampire sex comedy, YOU ARE SO UNDEAD, based on Lisa's hilarious script. One of the most useful classes I ever took for directing was a two year class on acting at the Joanne Baron studio. One of the most useful classes I ever took for writing was a typing class in high school. I'd like to add another offbeat class you'll find useful if you want to direct: figure drawing.
I cannot draw worth a damn. When you're doing a shotlist/storyboard, it is really helpful to be able to draw in perspective. You do not want to see what my storyboards look like.
If you have a chance, particularly in college, take a figure drawing class. You may not learn to draw well, but you will learn to draw better than me!
Alex, if you saw Hitchcock's storyboards (the ones by his own hand, not by commissioned artists) you wouldn't feel so bad about your own.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.hitchcockwiki.com/gallery/260/3132.jpg
Google Sketchup is pretty good for quickie storyboards, though it took me awhile to get the hang of it.
ReplyDeleteJohn Hepworth
I love using Frameforge - a fantastic storyboard program.
ReplyDeleteFigure drawing is a fantastic skill to learn because you train your brain to deconstruct images at an incredibly fast pace.
ReplyDeleteI did it for years and I use the basics of those skills all the time when I'm envisioning scenes for my scripts.
Sounds exciting Alex! I'm prepping my own Vampire six-minute comedy, about a young Vampire 'coming out' to his human parents.
ReplyDeleteAnd as long as your storyboards make sense to the people working with you, you're golden!
humm- I'm a classically trained artist, done figure drawing for year- thought my interest in screenwriting was oddball, but maybe there is a lot of artists wrting and deconstructing scenes- know James Cameron is a really good artist- check out "comic book" how to books to draw fast "Action Men"
ReplyDeleteJust drop me a line next time. I can help you out, I do boards for a living!
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