2. STORIES FOR CHANGE: 30 - 40 SECOND PSA
A. STORIES FOR CHANGE - THEME & IMAGES
B. STORIES FOR CHANGE - RESEARCH & STORY BEATS
C. REFRAMING STORY - PRODUCTION MAPS & SCENES BUILD-OUTS
D. INTRODUCING MOTION - PANELS, CAMERA & ANIMATING LAYERS
E. TONAL KEY
FINAL PSA ANIMATIC IN SPB (30-40 seconds)
F. SUMBITTING YOUR FINAL PSA PROJECT
Plato once said that "the storytellers change the culture". For better or worse, I believe this is true. While nobody likes or needs artwork that preaches to them, what a good story can do is compel an audience to look closer, think more deeply, and perhaps be more patient with something they don't understand. Done well and done often, thoughtful, engaging stories can't help but make a positive impact on a culture.
There are even entire festivals dedicated to this idea.
Socially Relevant Film Festival - New York
Social Justice Film Festival - Seattle
Show Me Justice Film Festival - University of Central Missouri
(In)Justice for All Film Festival - Chicago
Listed below are a number of themes that reflect the times that we live in. This semester we will be pursuing a single theme as the basis for a series of 30 - 40 second Public Service Announcements that exemplify, or amplify the message of our chosen theme.
For this assignment each of you will choose a theme you would like to explore. For this initial step your job is to create 6 images based on the chosen theme. In the best scenerio, your images should ask us to reflect on change, cause us to see circumstances differently, or appeal to the best version of ourselves.
The objective is NOT to generate controversy but to find the human story where controversy has blurred our vision.
Workflow:
Step 1. - Brainstorm . . . with your classmates for a common theme you are interested in pursuing.
Step 2. - Research . . . stories and articles based on historical incidents or recent events that give substance to your theme and and put a human face on the abstract concept.
Step 3. - Draw . . . Create 6 separate drawings that reflect multiple aspects of the single theme. Sketch out as many images as you can think of and then clean up the ones that stand out in a second pass.
Step 4. - Post . . . Combine your images into a single jpg and post it to your team the Discord channel for feedback. Include a caption or title for each image that gives insight into the story behind the image.
Step 5. - Comment . . . Since feedback is a valuable component of this process, make sure you are sharing your constructive thoughts with your fellow classmates.
Example: The images below are for the topic "Love the Earth"
Captions: 1. Polar Bears, 2. Blue Marble, 3. Love the Earth, 4. Peaceable Kingdom, 5. Wash Day, 6.You can help.
Submission:
- Drawings should be well composed, easy to read and named properly.
- Name your image file and upload as a single jpg to the Discord #stories-for-change channel. Include captions diectly below.
- Check out your classmate's stories-for-change posts and leave some positive comments.
Naming: simpsonB_PSA_images.jpg
Expand on one of the 6 drawings from the Images for Change assignment and
Based on feedback and personal interest, choose one of the images as the inspiration to create a simple storyline that digs deeper into the image you have chosen. You will create 9 to 12 story beats that convey a complete story arc (beginning, middle & end) for a 30- 40 second PSA. If you find you have drawn more than you need, feel free to edit them down. Save the extras because they may come in handy.
Workflow:
Step 1. - Research . . . Now that you have a more focused subject, it's time to dig deeper into your research for more specifics on the topic at hand. Site at least two sources to help guide your process. Use this worksheet to record and sbmit your findings.
Step 2. - Draw . . . Work in your sketchbook or use the multi-panel sheets from the Story Resource Page. Use 9 to 12 images to convey a story arc (ie. beginning, middle & end).
Step 3. - Convert . . . Once you've drawn your story beats convert them to sequential jpg files using JSL Convert and Export Story Panels Tutorial.
Step 4. - Edit . . . Use Batch Renaming in Adobe Bridge to rearrange and renumber your story beats.
Step 5. - Post . . . Zip your panels folder and post a single .zip file to Basecamp.
Step 6. - Pitch . . . Come to class ready to pitch your story beats and share insights from your research.
Example: Here are beats for the "Love the Earth" PSA
Submission:
- Submit your Research Document to the Reading Guides section in Blackboard.
- Story beats should be compressed into a single .zip file
- Upload zip file to the Basecamp 308_Storyboarding for Digital Media/308_dropbox
Naming: simpsonB_PSA_workingTitle.zip
C. REFRAMING STORY - SCENE BUILD-OUTS
Based on the feedback from your Story Beats, you should have a pretty good idea where you need to make adjustments, what bits need to be left out and where you'll need to add drawings to make the story flow. Instead of going back to the sketchbook at this point, I recommend drawing your scene changes directly in Photoshop. Be sure to choose a good sketching brush to make things easier.
Rewatch this tutorial for review: Storyboard Scene Builds & Action Beats - Photoshop Layer Comps
Workflow:
Step 1. - Adjust Beats: Make any needed adjustments to your Story Beats
Step 2. - Identify Scene/Shot Count: Identify scene/shot breaks and diferentiate between cuts & camera moves. Renumber your panels accordingly using the Batch Rename tool in Adobe Bridge.
Step 3. - Plan & Build Scenes in Photoshop: At this point each scene should have its own dedicated Photoshop file. With the original thumbnails as your guide, build out each scene as needed, isolating foregrounds, backgrounds & characters into their respective layers.
Step 4. - Export Reworked Action Beats: Export Layer Comps to bridge. Rearrange and batch name accordingly.
Submission:
No submissions at this stage in the project. However, come to class ready to show your progress via Bridge.
Let's give some thought to how movement through character blocking and camera motion can add impact to your story. At this point you will expand your panel count by creating multiple action beats within a scene (typically each shot has a beginning, middle & end). You will also be adding animated cameras and other moving elements to scenes as needed. In complex scenes, you may find it helpful to create a Production Map (or Plan View) to help track blocking and camera placement.
Workflow:
Step 1. - Action Beats: Expand single panel scenes by adding action beats. With few exceptions, each scene/shot should have a begin, middle & end. At this point you should consider reworking your drawings in Photoshop. Use Layer Comps to create new action beats within a single scene.
Step 2. - Create Production Maps: From a Bird's-eye perspective, you can track character blocking and camera placement within the set. Create a Production Map for as many scenes as you think helpful to successfully board your piece.
Step 3. - Plot Camera Moves & Animate Layers: Determine where camera motion and animated layers can best serve your piece and build your scene elements accordingly. Use the JSL Camera Tool to build cameras in the scenes that require camera moves.
Step 4. - Rough Cut Storyreel in Adobe Premiere: If you are new to Adobe Priemere, I suggest you review a Simple Storyreel in Premiere. And since we are using Premiere to simulate our camera moves you'll want to watch this video too. Simulating Camera Moves in Adobe Premiere.
Submission:
Upload Rough Cut Storyreel to the Basecamp along with any production maps to 308_Storyboarding for Digital Media/308_dropbox
Naming:
simpsonB_PSA_workingTitle_031223.zip
simpsonB_map1_workingTitle.zip
E. CREATING TONAL KEYS (6 to 9 panels)
Create a Tonal Script for your PSA that will help us understand lighting and mood.
Tonal Palette: Choose the key story beats in your PSA to develop a visual guide for how lighting and tone will play in your final piece. Limit your palette to five swatches (white, black and three grays). If time allows you will evenyually apply these tones to every scene in your animatic.
Go here for detailed instruction on how to build a Tonal Key in Photoshop.
Submission/Specs:
- 6-9 panels worked in a single Photoshop document.
- Exprt as a single .jpg
- Upload to the Basecamp 308_Storyboarding for Digital Media/308_dropbox
Naming: simpsonB_PSA_workingTitle_toanlScript.jpg
F. FINAL PSA STORYREEL
It's time to see how all the elements come together with timing, basic tone and scratch audio. By adding a tempo track to the scene we can establish a consistent pace to our editing, sound effects to add presence, and tone to add depth and readability.
Workflow:
Step 1. - Add Gray Scale to Scene Builds: Rework your Scene Build layers in Photoshop using yout Tonal Key as a guide.
Step 2. - Timing/Tempo Track: Choose a tempo track that suits your story and import it into Adobe Premiere. Time your panels against the tempo track to create the pacing your storyreel requires. You can mute the audio on the Tempo Track and use the visual ticks to guide your editing.
Step 4. - Sound Effects and Score: Sound is arguably the most cost effective way to bring presence to your storyreel. All sound at this point is considered temporary (or scratch). Sound effects can go along ways toward selling an animatic. Temp score is effective too but be careful not to overwhelm the timing of your piece with music. Good timing is more important than emotional tone at this stage of the game. With a little effort we should be able to do both.
Step 5. - Export Movie and Review: Once you have exported your final storyreel be sure to watch it in Quicktime pro. Take notes while your reviewing your work, make needed revisions and re-export.
Step 6. - Submit Storyreel: Once you like what you see rename the movie file and submit it to Basecamp.
Submission/Specs:
- Export movie file 1920 x 1080 H264 with sound
- Once exported, add a date to the end of your movie file to keep track of revisions.
- Upload movie to the Basecamp 308_Storyboarding for Digital Media/308_dropbox
Naming: simpsonB_changePSA_workingTitle_030923.mp4
Submit the following two items to the Basecamp 308_Dropbox/Stories for Change - Final Submission folder inside a new Basecamp folder.
Storyreel: simpsonB_PSA_polarBears_092920.mp4
Supporting PDF: simpsonB_PSA_polarBears.pdf
1. STORYREEL – A finished movie of your project should be submitted at 1920 x 1080 H624 Compression. Be sure to include a six-digit date to the file name.
A. Must include scratch audio - Sound fx and score combined are recommended.
B. Call to Action/URL for further inquirey - A short, easy to read, statement telling your audience what they should do, or how they should think about the knowledge you have shared with them. Include a url to a website for further inquirey.
Call to Action: The impact of Global Warming is closer than you think"
URL: To learn more go to www.nationalgeographic.org
C. Final credits - A seperate panel for audio effects and music credits.
2. SUPPORTING PDF - Include the following as a single PDF file.
A. Image from your Storyreel. Color is optional.
B. Title - Give your project a brief descriptive title. Example: "Polar Bears in New York"
C. Descriptive/Research Paragraph - Write a short paragraph describing the area of change your PSA addresses. Site your research source for your reading assignment and tell us the change you would like to see as a result of your PSA.
D. Include Tonal Script
Stephan Leeper/Central Michigan University 2022
