HOME | DD
rufftoon β Storyboard Lesson
Published: 2010-08-15 06:04:22 +0000 UTC; Views: 110895; Favourites: 1789; Downloads: 9353
Redirect to original
Description
!!NOTE: DOWNLOAD FOR FULL VIEW!!Apologies in advance.
More writing than drawing in this one. Just thought it would be interesting to compare the two scenes, the original animated series one with the movie version.
Though there were no obvious problems with the screen directions per say, it was the whole action- reaction and timing that was awkward in the movie.
Notice that for the animated series, we don't even see one earthbender doing one attack, and yet it is clear and makes sense.
Screen direction in storyboards, cutting and editing is very important. It is the link between the chains of events. It connects with the 180 degree rule :
[link]
Please note that this rule can be broken in service to the story, for emotional effect, etc.
As for the "Macarena" in panel 6, I blame this video:
[link]
Related content
Comments: 516
i hated that movie . i was so disappointed. the bending movements were retarded and took waaay too long. i was telling my friend the other day that it took "Ung" ten minutes of useless twirling to bend a gust of ir the equivalent of a fart. shhesshhh.
π: 0 β©: 0
These comics you've been doing really belong in a film school textbook. They lay the concepts out in unambiguous language, demonstrate how to do things right and why that works, and pick apart examples of the job poorly done, again with why.
π: 0 β©: 1
I think it would need to go through an editor to get rid of all the extra rambling I tend to do.
π: 0 β©: 1
I find that your "rambling" adds a personal touch to the text, makes it more approachable than a strictly technical piece would be.
π: 0 β©: 0
I have not gone through the many pages of comments to see if anybody else has said this already, but.... DANG, Haru's lookin' sexy in that first panel.
π: 0 β©: 1
He's sexyfine ;D
π: 0 β©: 0
The dance!bending set any song will never get tired. Poor Haru.
π: 0 β©: 0
Rofl! It looks like either you've watched it hundreds of times now, or either that it was so bad you found all this stuff and more in single go.
Either way, I love that last gag (I simply adore the Macarena one, too) about them trying to outrun the rock - I can't help wonder why everybody keeps doing that while they can just as easily step aside... >.<
π: 0 β©: 0
La macarena is soooooo addictive.
Just by pure coincidence, I was watching Avatar yesterday. I noticed that the "element bending" moments are beautiful. Were you charge of that?
π: 0 β©: 1
Oh no, not me. I just helped a little bit in the third season, that's all.
π: 0 β©: 0
HEYYYY MAACARENA!!!! XD!!
That made my night!
π: 0 β©: 0
The upper one is much better, even animation students from colleges will do better than the bottom ones. Overall, agreeable, M. Night failed at storyboard lessons.
π: 0 β©: 0
haru :3 such an awesome character and so much lulz came from him. this is great btw makes me glad i avoided the movie like the plague
π: 0 β©: 0
omg that explains it. So the reason they were madly stomping was to create that wall of earth, not the puny rock. Still it shouldn't take 6 earthbenders to create that, still disappointing. When I first watched the movie at the theaters I was really anticipating an awesome boulder when they just kept on stomping. I guess that screen direction really confused me. Your storyboards are awesome btw and very informative and so easy to understand.
π: 0 β©: 1
Thing is, that rock wall was done. Finished. These guys shouldn't have to keep on moving. When they keep moving, it makes the impression THEY created the tiny rock since it happens seconds after they stop.
π: 0 β©: 0
I never knew there was so much technical stuff in storyboards! That video, I'm actually scared to see the film now. From what I've heard it's like Mike and Brian had no creative input at all.
π: 0 β©: 0
They really should require that any one making a movie on an established franchise should be required to watch said franchise.
Especially if every thing in the movie is just going to be a complete shot for shot rehash. Hell they could save a fortune in storyboard and scripts. Perhaps even actors, just have every one lip sync the shots to line up with the dialog.
π: 0 β©: 0
I wouldnΒ΄t mind reading more from your professional side. ItΒ΄s damn interesting.
As for the Macarena, itΒ΄s not your fault, it was bound to happen after watching that vid. Compliments to the creator of it btw. If he should read this someday, great work there.^^
π: 0 β©: 0
*watches the clip* oh loooord Β¬_Β¬ I havent seen the film yet (lives in UK) but the more that I see and hear about it the more I want to weep.... the original cartoon was such a masterpiece.... how could this happen to it T^T
and lol they DID look like they were dancing, surely it would never require all those moves for sinmple bending such as making a rock wall, thier movements dont match the 'feel' of what theyre trying to achieve at all... and who would bother learning bending if they had to do all that just to make a wall? i thought bending was an extention of the persons self through martial arts, ergo, to for exampe throw a rock, they should make a forceful movement in the direction the rock wants to go.... not do a waltz around the room Β¬_Β¬
π: 0 β©: 0
*DYING OF LAUGHTER*
I.. oh, god.. I loved the Macarena panel. And 'stache-less Haru in general. XD
...Seriously though. When I saw that scene, I was just like "....wut?" and then promptly burst into giggles. The little dance would have been cool if it had actually DONE something significant. I mean, hell, there were like five or six earthbenders, the boulder should have been HUGE! COME ON GAIS, YOU CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT!
[/pseudorant]
π: 0 β©: 0
Ugh. That was possibly the worst part of the movie. Audience definitely confused when army of earthbenders apparently accomplish nothing?
I mean, this all comes back to the problem that in the movie, bending isn't a physical extension of your body. Rather, if you do the right sequence of moves, the elements will be coaxed into doing your will. We've gone from martial artist to summoner.
π: 0 β©: 1
I really like your last line: "We've gone from martial artist to summoner".
π: 0 β©: 0
I remember seeing the clip on Youtube. I think I was more baffled by how ten men were needed to move a pebble across the screen along with Katara just standing there doing nothing (instead of soaking the firebender's power source?), rather than how the screen flow went. o_o I must rewatch it.
Rather amusing piece though. You should do more side-by-side comparisons like this. (:
π: 0 β©: 0
You're far too kind to the movie. each earth bending move seems to require a street fighter like combo before anything will happen.
back, down, forward, down, back, up, up, forward, back forward hard punch! ~hadouken?~
π: 0 β©: 0
AHAHAHAHAHA!!! That Macarena scene is priceless!!!
π: 0 β©: 0
I swear, that part was such a fail. *dancedancedance* *small rock* ...uh. okay?
π: 0 β©: 0
forever more, when ever I am subjected to this move this scene will always make me giggle. In the back of my head I will hear,
"STOMP STOMP STOMP STOMP
ARM SWISH STOMP
HAY MACARENA!!"
loled so hard I cried.
π: 0 β©: 0
My sister and I argue constantly about who really made the little rock appear. CONFUSION!!!!! XD
π: 0 β©: 0
LOL I can't wait to see the worst movie of the year to laugh until my head explodes!!
π: 0 β©: 0
LOL at the Macatena video!
π: 0 β©: 0
Hahahaah! Heeh macarena!! omg that's great
π: 0 β©: 0
I LOVE IT when people give helpful criticism instead of the plain ol' "OMG YOU SUCK" kind of insults. :3 *worship*
π: 0 β©: 0
What happened to the sharpie mustache and goatee?
π: 0 β©: 1
That's season one Haru. He didn't get hold of a sharpie yet
π: 0 β©: 1
I just thought it was after the 3 seasons have been done Haru... Oh well...
π: 0 β©: 0
Your stabs at the movie are so educational. 
π: 0 β©: 1
Hardly any jokes in this one- mostly me just rambling.
π: 0 β©: 1
Nothing wrong with that. This is the fandom speaking- we ramble. 8D
A lot of people seem to "love" the boyband!earthbenders, though. I think this is my favorite interpretation of the movie: [link]
π: 0 β©: 0
XD Oh snap, wait, seriously? I didn't see that one guy there, moving the rock. I thought it was that whole pack of Earthbenders that moved the teeny rock. >_> Seriously, Shyamalan? Are they so weak they need THAT many of them to move a rock Toph could throw with a single hair from her head? XD Now I see it was just poor story-boarding and unnecessary victory-dance-esque moves. ...Either way, it's hilarious. xD
π: 0 β©: 0
LOL! That's great! 
You know, I find your lessons on story boarding and such very interesting. I don't suppose you could suggest any good books on the subject?
π: 0 β©: 1
There are many books out there on storyboarding, but I can't say I have seen one I absolutely love.
The book Dream Worlds, by Hans Bacher, is a good reference for many aspect of movie making, including shot compositions. Recommended.
π: 0 β©: 1
Thank you very much! I'll be sure to check it out! ^^
π: 0 β©: 0
*takes notes for his own stuff*
π: 0 β©: 0
Hey Macarena!!! I like how you talk in detail about storyboard and direction etc... rather than rant like most would...
π: 0 β©: 2
Can't help it, that movie is filled with good examples for storyboard lessons.
I may use a different movie at some point, but for the moment...
π: 0 β©: 1
Keep it up! My mum (who's also Chinese) went "meh" when I told her about the casting ("maybe they couldn't get anyone??" wrong. send notices to MANAA and EastWest, the Asians will come running) and the movie initially. She's a fan of the series too and she thinks I am just trying to "influence" her when it comes to the movie's awfulness. Then finally I made her watch it with me (w/o breaking the pledge! guess how.). She went O_O "I have never been so bored in my life!"
So yeah, I like how you give the storyboard lessons! Wanna see more!!!
π: 0 β©: 0
just a little bit more nitpicking, I know they choreographed that scene to look "epic" (fail) and notice how the front most guy has completely straight legs while the others had them bent... Good attention to "detail" Rufftoon ^^ M. Night doesn't have your eyes...
π: 0 β©: 0
That was one of the worst scenes. 'Hey look! Earthbending, I remember this episode!.....WHERE IS ALL THE EARTHBENDING?'
I enjoy these storyboard lessons.
π: 0 β©: 0
The way I see it (and let me know if I'm wrong, I'd love to learn!) is that storyboarding is just like making a comic. The middle scenes often do not need to be shown to convey action or movement. The scenes of impact are crucial. Unless movement in the previous movements (springing to jump, for example) helps with clarification, I don't think it's needed.
That video is epic by the way. As for the macarena with one rock, perhaps they were doing the moves after they lifted the wall and that other guy was moving the one rock? In the series, the elements moved with them! Not after the bending!
π: 0 β©: 1
<= Prev | | Next =>