Producer's Vault: Mastering Low-Budget Storyboards
Unleash the full potential of your low-budget film with masterful storyboarding techniques.
Word Count: #592 | Read Time: > 4 Minutes
Unleash the full potential of your low-budget film with masterful storyboarding techniques.
Low-budget filmmakers often struggle to effectively plan and visualize their projects, leading to wasted resources and subpar results. As a filmmaker on a tight budget, I understand the importance of maximizing resources and effectively communicating the visual story to my team.
WHY IT MATTERS…
Storyboarding is a crucial step in the filmmaking process that can save time and money while elevating the quality and impact of the final product.
THE BIG PICTURE…
Storyboarding is a vital tool for filmmakers, allowing them to visually plan and organize their shots, scenes and the overall film. It is especially important for low-budget filmmakers as it allows them to maximize resources and effectively communicate their vision to the team. Below is an excellent example from the Criterion Collection on how the Coen Brothers’ storyboard.
ZOOM OUT….
THE ONE I LOVE (2014) directed by Charlie McDowell, was made on a budget of $250,000 and was intensely prepped with storyboards. The film was well-received by critics, and the use of storyboards is often cited as a key factor in its success.
“The One I Love” was intensely prepped with storyboards. Charlie had every shot in his mind visually and knew how to tell that story. In “Creep”, Patrick and I basically stumbled out of a van stoned and tried to find a movie with an interesting idea and fell into something that was interesting but only half-baked.
— Mark Duplass, Director talking with Silver Screen Riot.
ZOOM IN…
Like the video above, the Coen Brothers use storyboards to great effect. The detailed storyboards in BLOOD SIMPLE allowed the filmmakers to effectively plan and visualize every shot, leading to a cohesive and visually striking final product.
The key elements of a storyboard include:
Shot composition: This refers to how the shot is framed and how the elements within the shot are arranged. It includes things like the placement of characters, objects, and background elements.
Camera movement: This refers to how the camera moves within the shot, such as panning, tilting, or zooming. It is important to consider camera movement in order to create dynamic and visually interesting shots.
Action: This refers to the movement of characters and objects within the shot. It includes things like character gestures, facial expressions, and object movement.
Dialogue: This refers to the spoken lines of characters in the shot. It is important to include dialogue in the storyboard so that filmmakers can plan for microphone placement and audio recording.
Special effects: This refers to any visual effects that will be added to the shot in post-production, such as explosions, gunfire, or visual enhancements.
Annotations: This refers to notes or instructions written on the storyboard that provide additional information about the shot, such as camera angle, lighting, or sound effects.
By including these elements in their storyboard, filmmakers can ensure that they have a clear and detailed plan for each shot of their film.
ACTION ITEMS…
Research and study different storyboarding techniques and styles.
Create detailed storyboards for your film, including shot lists and camera angles.
Use storyboards to communicate your vision to your team and collaborators.
SEE IT IN PRACTICE…
KRISHNA (2015) directed by Trey Edward Shults, made on a budget of $70,000.
BLOOD SIMPLE (1984) directed by the Coen Brothers, made on a budget of $1.5 million.
THE WITCH (2015) directed by Robert Eggers, made on a budget of $3 million.