STORYBOARDING FOR ANIMATION: THREE ACT BREAKDOWN

FILMS TO BREAK DOWN

 

1. Badgered by Sharon Coleman

2. Balance by Wolfgang and Christopher Lauenstein

3. Strings by Wendy Tilby

4. Dimanche (Sunday) by Patrick Doyon

5. One Small Step by Tiako Studio

6. Father and Daughter by Michael Dudok de Wit

7. Imago by Cedric Babouche

 

 

WORKSHOP ASSIGNMENT

1. Watch your assigned film. 

 

2. Break the films into three acts using the definitions below.

3. Fit the plot elements into the 7 sentences based on the Seven Sentance Story Spine.

4. Make an Exposition List. List everything you learn in the first act that you need to know to get the last act.

Things you may include; character biography, personal interests or struggles, personal motivation, rules of the world, color, shapes, image systems, etc.

THREE ACT STRUCTURE

Traditionally we think of stories broken down into three acts.

Act 1: Beginning/Set-up:

Introduction, exposition, visual "hook", establish status quo, inciting incident.

 

Act 2: Middle/Raising Action:

The journey begins, point of no return, up the stakes, threaten the status quo.

 

Act 3: End/Resolution:

The Crisis, mandatory clash of good and evil, tie up loose ends. . . and possible epilogue.

SEVEN SENTENCE STORY SPINE

Also known as Pixar's 4th Rule of Storytelling, the Story Spine is a structure that helps break three acts down even further.