Course Name (short): Story, Layout & Painting 4
School: All Sheridan Schools
Program(s): Bachelor of Animation
Program Coordinator(s): Angela Stukator
Course Leader or Contact: David Donar
Originator: Paulette Geffros
Designate: Paulette Geffros
Version: 2.0
Status: Approved (APPR)

Calendar Description
This course combines the elements of story (narrative), layout (construction) and painting (aesthetic quality) and provides students with the opportunity to refine skills that will enable them to visualize their story ideas in the form of conceptual art and a story reel which includes all cinematic devices. Students apply the concepts and skills involved to create layouts from visualization and storyboard processes.

Typical Instructional Format

Courses may be offered in other formats.

Section I Notes: Course Contributors: Mark Komza, Terry Lenko, Barry Parker, Michael Hitchcock

Detailed Description
This course combines the elements of story (narrative), layout (construction) and painting (aesthetic quality) and provides students with the opportunity to refine skills that will enable them to visualize their story ideas in the form of conceptual art and a story reel which includes all cinematic devices. Students apply the concepts and skills involved to create layouts from visualization and storyboard processes. The physiology and the psychology of colour are examined through painting assignments that also incorporate colour theory and the concept of colour harmony. Simplistic and elaborate stylization and quality of work are emphasized.

Program Context

 Course Critical Performance and Learning Outcomes

Course Critical Performance
By the end of the course, the student will have demonstrated the
ability to fully integrate the fundamentals of storyboarding, layout
and painting to demonstrate complex storytelling and an emerging sense
of personal expression.

Course Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, the student will have demonstrated the
ability to:

1. Analyze layouts from his/her individual storyboards and design.

2. Create layout packages from his/her own storyboards that
   demonstrate individual style and personal vision through mood,
   style, colour, theme and storytelling.

3. Direct a story sequence.

4. Master the ability to construct a story arc.

5. Execute complex camera moves using assigned and created drawings.

6. Incorporate the elements of the narrative form into a story
   sequence.

7. Compare the literary, theatre and cinema forms of the narrative.

8. Create mood through the effective use of lighting, shading and
   shadowing.
 
9. Conduct a pitching presentation that incorporates the terminology
   of filmmaking to explain the process and products involved in
   story, layout and painting.

10. Develop summaries that reflect literary research into concepts 
    such as archetype, story arc and narrative form.

11. Use the medium of painting to determine the style of work.

12. Produce economy of layout through the use of background elements.

13. Create works that reflect representational painting.

14. Produce a story reel that incorporates all cinematic devices  
    concept, staging, timing and audio.

15. Generate work that reflects prioritization, organization and
    personal confidence.

Students demonstrate their learning in the following ways:           
     
Story reel                                       25%                 
                                    
Student portfolio (mid-term)                     10%
Student Presentation (Pitching)                   5%
In-class Discussion                               5%
Three (3) Projects @ 10%                         30%       
Production Package                                5%
Painting Portfolio of Required Components        20%
                                    Total       100%

Recommended Reading:
Mascelli, Jospeh V., The Five Cs of Cinematography: Motion Picture
Filming Techniques, 1965.
Katz, Steven D. Film Directing Shot by Shot, Michael Wiese Publisher,
1990.
The students in the Bachelor of Applied Arts/Animation program

Instructors:  David Donar, Marek Komza, Michael Hitchcox

TOPICAL OUTLINE

Week 1	
Storyboarding	Introductions
		Expectations: Outline review, introduce next weeks 
                assignment

Layout		Scale, Point of View, Size Relationship, Micro World
		Review Iron Giant, A Bugs Life, M.C.Escher work
		Handouts for Project #1

Painting	Introduction to the possibilities and limitations of 
                the production of background painting. Discussion and 
                demo on how to approach a rough tonal study in black 
                and white (with the emphasis on pushing the limits). 
                Light direction, focal areas, plane separation and 
                depth will be discussed. Exterior Study/Component #1
                     
Week 2		
Storyboarding	Research
		Develop at least three (3) initial story ideas.
		Supporting materials should include: artistic 
                influences, articles, films
		Class discussion

Layout	        First consultation on the ideas (thumbnails)
	        Work on developing the chosen idea to a package of
                layout scenes (x2)

Painting 	Continuation from Week 1
                Demo on how to clarify a tonal study. 
                Students will choose one of their tonal roughs and 
                work out a clean tonal study (still black and white 
                but larger). Exterior Study/Component #1
 
Week 3                       
Storyboarding	Select one (1) story idea.
                Develop a research package that includes influences 
                (literary, visual, and cinematic)
		Draw conceptual and inspirational art.

Layout		Ideas from Week 2 developed and roughed in 1:1 scale

Painting	Continuation from Week 2. Critique on tonal studies. 
                Demo on colour concept thinking. The student will take
                a final tonal study from Week 2 and transpose it into 
                four (4) colour roughs. 
                Focus will be on atmosphere, light direction and focal
                area. Exterior Study/ Component #1.

Week 4
Storyboarding	Student Presentation: Four (4) panels of the story arc
               (set up, conflict, climax, and resolution)

Layout	        Project #1
	        Assignment cleaned up and presented to the class

Painting 	Continuation of Week 3 
                Demo on how to work out a clean colour key. Students 
                will choose one of their rough colour sketches and 
                transpose it into a cleaner and larger colour key. 
                Exterior Study/Component #1
                
Note: All work from Exterior Study/Component #1 will be due Week 5.

Week 5	
Storyboarding	Final Story Arc due
	        Work on Storyboards (thumbnails)

Layout	        Atmosphere, mood, rendering (texture)
	        Review of series of shorts addressing problems for the
                next week getting the thumbnails of previous 
                assignments
	        Introduction to Light
	        One source of light, two sources of light, multiple 
                sources of light
	        Introduce Project #2

Painting 	Introduction to concept painting for interior areas
	        Demo on tonal roughs for interior study
	        Focus on atmosphere. Light direction, focal area and 
                simplification of details 
        	Students will paint four colour roughs
	        Interior Study/Component #2

Week 6	
Storyboarding	Continue work on Storyboards

Layout	        Introduction to different types of media useful in 
                creating mood in thumbnail size
	        Practicing on thumbnails prepared a week before with 
                the application of knowledge about light to it

Painting	Critique on colour keys from Component #1 - students 
                will choose one interior rough
        	Students will work on four colour rough ideas with a 
                focus on atmosphere, light direction, time of day and 
                focal area.
	        Demo on possible colour solutions.
	        Continue work on Interior Study/Component #2. 

Week 7		
Storyboarding 	Continue work on Storyboards

Layout	        Magnifying thumbnail exercise to a size of 30 x 40
	        Different sizes  different aspects of the same 
                problem

Painting	Continuation from Week 6
	        Demo on how to paint a clean interior colour key
	        Students will pick one of their rough interior colour 
                keys and transpose it into a clean colour key.
	        Continue work on Interior Study/Component #2.

Week 8	
Storyboarding 	Storyboard Portfolio due

Layout	        Project #2 completed
	        In-class critique

Painting	Critique on interior colour keys
		Discussion on developing colour concepts for 
                storyboards
		Students will choose a number of panels from their 
                leica (story) reel and begin developing an overall 
                colour concept.
		Visualization of story will be emphasized
		Focus on leica reel/Component #3.
			
Week 9	
Storyboarding	The Story Reel after-effects demo

Layout	        Texture: Interactive lecture and presentation on 
                variety of different textures
	        In-class practice

Painting	Continuation of Week 8
		Developing and clarifying colour directions for 
                storyboard
		Finalize colour palette and continue painting rough 
                panels
		(Variations of tonal and colour concepts are 
                encouraged at this time.)
		Focus on Leica Reel/Component #3

Note: Prepare a visual display of personal leica reel colour concept
for Week #10.

Week 10		
Storyboarding 	Student Presentations of Storyboard	

Layout	        Project #3 Style (Personal development and others)
	        Review of different styles in film and art
	        Research artists whose work you personally admire
	        Use as a source of personal inspiration

Painting        Critique on colour concepts
                Students will present a visual presentation that 
                outlines their colour concepts and how they have used
                colour to help visualize their stories.
                For discussion purposes, it would be an asset if 
                students include all their work ideas and efforts 
                (good and not so good).
                Focus on Leica Reel/Component #3

Week 11
Storyboarding	Student Presentations

Layout	        Activity: a) Attempt to mimic a chosen artist
		          b) Develop your own style

Painting	Students will pull two colour roughs from their
                packages and develop two clean colour keys (larger
                than storyboard panels/ day and night if possible).
	        Focus on Leica Reel/Component #3

Week 12
Storyboarding	Student Presentations

Layout	        Review of more materials
	        Individual conferencing

Painting	Students will choose one layout from either the leica
                reel design pack or from their layout course. It is
                highly recommended that the design be somewhat 
                challenging and complex. This will be the end result 
                for the Painting component of Story, Layout and 
                Painting 4. It should be something that the students 
                will add to their portfolios. Although the final 
                background painting us set for Weeks 12 and 13, it is 
                recommended that students start developing the final 
                painting as soon as possible.

Week 13		
Storyboarding 	Final Projects due
	
Layout	        Final Presentation
	        Collection of work

Painting	Continuation of final background painting
	        A discussion and demo about realistic rendering and 
                other areas of interest will be covered.

Week 14
Storyboarding	View Final Projects

Layout	        Final presentation and critique continued

Painting	Evaluation and critique
	        All content should be presentable in portfolio format.