ART308 STORYBOARDING FOR DIGITAL MEDIA
WEEKLY SCHEDULE - SPRING 2025
Tuesday/Thursday: 2:00-4:50, Wightman 135
Sleeper's Personal Zoom Room - Password: animation / CMU Animation Discord Server
308 Demo Page / 308 Readings & Film Lists / Story Resource Page / 308 Basecamp Folders / Storyboard Pro Tutorials Page 
1. INTRO TO CLASS / SIX PANEL FICTION
WK01: JAN 13-17
Reading 1: Making Comics - Writing with Pictures pt 1 p. 8-25 - Download: PDF of first reading if your book hasn't arrived
TUESDAY: CHOOSING THE MOMENT - SIX PANEL FICTION
In Class Story Lab: Six Panel Fiction - Beats
Demo/Tutorial: JSL Story App - From Sketchbook to Pitchable Panels
THURSDAY: FROM PANELS TO STORYREEL
Demo/Tutorial: Six Panel Fiction - Premiere Pro Workflow
Assignment: Six Panel Fiction - Storyreel
2. PERSONAL MEMORY
WK02: JAN 20-24 MLK DAY - NO CLASS MONDAY
Reading 2: Making Comics - Writing with Pictures pt 2 p. 26-53
TUESDAY: PERSONAL MEMORIES - SNAPSHOTS
Assignments: Personal Memory - Snap Shots
THURSDAY: STORY BEATS - PITCH NEXT TUESDAY
Demo/Tutorial: Storyreel 1 - Set-up, Practice & Pitch
Assignments: Personal Memory - Story Beats
WK03: JAN 27-31
Reading 3: Framed Ink - Working the Flat Surface/A Quick Word on Lenses p. 24-30
TUESDAY: FILM LANGUAGE & A QUICK WORD ON LENSES
Demo/Tutorial: Story Reel pt. 2 - Shot Counts & Action Beats - 7:30
THURSDAY: SCENE BUILDS, ACTION BEATS
Demo/Tutorial: Storyreel 3 - Building a Shot with Layer Comps in Photoshop - 11:00
Assignment: Personal Memory - Scene Builds & Action Beats
WK04: FEB 03-07
Reading 4: Framed Ink - Composing Shots with a Purpose; Visual Message within a Still; p.33-59;
TUESDAY: INTRO TO CAMERA MOVES
Demo/Tutorial: Story Reel pt.4 - Setting Up a Camera Move in Photoshop - 22:00
THURSDAY: ROUGH CUT STORYREEL
Demo/Tutorial: Story Reel pt.5a - Simulating Camera Moves in Adobe Premiere - 15:00 / in Adobe Premiere - 15:22
Assignment: Personal Memory - Rough Story Reel
WK05: FEB 10-14
Reading 5: Framed Ink - Composing Shots with a Purpose; Working With Motion p. 60-72
TUESDAY/THURSDAY: FINAL STORY REEL
Assignment: Personal Memory - Finish Story Reel
2. STORIES FOR CHANGE PSA
WK06: FEB 17-21
Reading 6: Research Two Articles
TUESDAY: STORIES FOR CHANGE - INTRO
Assignment: Images for Change
THURSDAY: STORIES FOR CHANGE - STORY BEATS
Assignment: Stories for Change - Research & Story Beats
WK07: FEB 24-28
Reading 7: Visual Story: Contrast, Affinity & Visual Space - Reading Guide Here
TUESDAY/THURSDAY: REFRAMING STORY - SCENE BUILD-OUTS
Assignment: Stories for Change - Scene Build-outs
WK08: MAR 03-07
Reading 8: Making Comics - World Building- Sense of Place, Perspective and Research pp. 158-179
TUESDAY/ THURSDAY: STAGING, CAMERA MOVEMENT & PRODUCTION MAPS
Assignment: Stories for Change - Action Beats: Staging, Camera Movement & Production Maps
SPRING BREAK: MARCH 10-14
WK09: MAR 17-21
Reading 9: Mark Kennedy: A quick Primer in Values - Reading Guide Here
TUESDAY/THURSDAY: CREATING TONAL KEYS
Assignments: Tonal Keys due Thursday / First Draft PSA Storyreel due Tuesday
WK10: MAR 24-28
Reading 10: Making Comics -Stories for Humans - Character Design p. 58-79
TUESDAY: FINAL PSA STORYREEL
THURSDAY: GENTLE WEEKEND BREAK
Assignment: Final PSA Storyreel
3. FINAL PROJECT: STORY TREATMENT & STORYREEL
WK11: MAR 31-APR 04
Reading 11: The Heroes Journey: Step by Step - Reading Guide Here
TUESDAY/THURSDAY: INTRO TO FINAL PROJECT
WK12: APR 07-11
Reading 12: The Story Spine, Pixar's 4th Rule of Storytelling - Download Reading Guide
TUESDAY/THURSDAY: WHY WE TELL STORIES / STORY EXPLORATION
Assignment: Story Exploration (two options) - Character vs. Environment or 5 Modes of Conflict
WK13: APR 14-18
Reading 13: Pixar's 22 Rules of Storytelling. - Reading Guide Here
TUESDAY/THURSDAY: STORY BEATS , WRITTEN TREATMENT & ACTION BEATS
Assignment: StoryBeats / Written Story Treatment in Three Acts / Action Beats
WK14: APR 21-25
Reading 14: Why and How to Incorporate Custom Sound Design - Reading Guide Here
TUESDAY/ THURSDAY: BLOCKING, SCENE BUILDS & ROUGH CUT
Assignment: Scene Builds & Blocking / Storyreel Rough Cut
WK15: APR 28-MAY 02
Reading: None
TUESDAY/THURSDAY: ROUGH CUT FEEDBACK & REVISIONS
Assignment: Storyreel - Final Submission / Story Treatment - PDF
EXAM TIME: MAY 06 - TUESDAY 2PM
SPRING ANIMATION SHOWCASE / BFA EXHIBITION - PARK LIBRARY - MAY 02
6:00 PM - Spring Animation Showcase - Opperman Auditorium
7:15 PM - Animation BFA Thesis Showcase - Opperman Auditorium
8:00 PM - Animation BFA Thesis Exhibition Reception - Park Library, 3rd Floor Gallery