4

LESSON
Stop-Motion Animation Workshop

Storyboarding
and Storytelling

Introduction • Use the technique of brainstorming to identify a

topic for your group animation production;
This guide outlines the important stage of “planning”
for your final stop-motion animation video. You will be • Engage in critical reflective thinking as part of the
introduced to the process of storyboarding and story- decision-making and problem-solving process;
telling, and view examples of other students’ work.
You will then be introduced to the process of creating a • Invent and incorporate unique visual symbols and
collaborative storyboard. movement to create personal meaning in art;

• Appreciate the diversity of individuals, as reflected

in their artwork.

Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:
Storyboarding Your Idea –
• Explain the importance of storyboarding and sto-
rytelling in relation to your stop-motion animation Telling a Story
project; Great animation starts with a great “idea” for a story. Tell-
ing stories is an age-old method used to communicate
• Use various media and technology to convey mes- ideas and recreate and preserve culture, memories and tra-
sages and meaning; ditions. By learning how to tell a story through animation,
you will be challenged to use symbols and movement to
• Work interactively, co-operatively and collabora- effectively convey your messages and stories. The intent is
tively to plan and create a storyboard; to tell a meaningful story that expresses a strong message
to its intended audience.

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LESSON
Stop-Motion Animation Workshop

Storyboarding and Storytelling

Individual Learning Activity:

Storytelling and Inspiration
Introduction to Teamwork You may choose a topic from the above themes, or think up one of your own. The Thought Bubble below may help you brain-
storm. Once your team identifies a theme, you may want to research it on the Internet to help you come up with a specific
and Brainstorming idea for your animation. The idea that you select should be interesting and meaningful to all team members.
Frédéric Back, author of the acclaimed, Oscar-winning
You will create your movies in collaborative teams. Your
animated film The Man Who Planted Trees, is an inspira- Note: Please take your time when devising your topic and story for your animated video, as this initial decision will affect
teacher will assign you to a Production Team of four to six
tional figure. His work is an expression o f his dedication all other steps of the production process!
people for the conceiving, planning and production stages
to a message of peace and respect for the Earth and its
of the studio portion of the stop-motion animation lessons.
communities. Back has created several outstanding ani-
mated films that can inspire your students to tell their own
meaningful stories. The web pages below explore how his All teams are expected to work in a respectful and col-
passion for the environment led Back to make animated laborative fashion. Each team member should participate “endangered species” “ocean” “marine life” “life” “death”
equally and share tasks. As each team member will bring “endangered  
films in the hope of making this world a better place.
their own unique expertise and talents to the group, ev- “pregnancy”species”   “birth”  “ocean”   “teen pregnancy”  “marine  life”    “life”    “death”  
“marriage” “friendship”      
fredericback.com/ateliers/index3.en.shtml. (See themes “pregnancy”    “birth”    “teen  pregnancy”    “marriage”    “friendship”          
6 and 7). eryone’s ideas and contributions to the project are to be “family”
“family”    ““war”
war”    ““peace” “gravity”
peace”    “gravity”   “electricity”
 “electricity”   “pulleys
 “pulleys   &  levers”   & levers”    
considered valuable. If you work together effectively, are
committed to the project and use your group’s diversity of “tsunamis”
“tsunamis”    ““earthquakes”
earthquakes”    ““equilibrium”
equilibrium”    “microscopes”   “microscopes” “bacteria”
 “bacteria”    
All animation productions (and many live-action produc-
tions) begin life as a storyboard, which is a script of sorts
skills, your team’s final product will likely be much better “nuclear energy”
“nuclear   energy”  “mutations”
 “mutations”    ““sickness” “disease”
sickness”    “disease”   “cures”
 “cures”    “AIDS”  “AIDS”  
written with images as well as words, similar to a giant
than if you had completed the project on your own! “magic”     “ legends”     “ fantasy”  
“magic” “legends” “fantasy” “fables” “myths” “witches” “fairies”   “ fables”     “ myths”     “ witches”     “ fairies”    
“leprechauns”    “metamorphosis”    “ecosystems”    “lightning”    
comic strip. Storyboarding includes scene planning, which
The Stop-Motion Animation Rubric see Annex 01 provides “leprechauns” “metamorphosis” “ecosystems” “lightning”
“icebergs”    “polar  bears”    “traditions”    “whales”    “hunting”    “fishing”    
requires you to plan out the scenes of your movie from start
to finish before you begin animating. Your storyboards will guidelines for your team and identifies how each section of “icebergs”
“trapping”    “polar
“sports”   bears” “traditions”
 “murmuring”   “whales”
 “sealing”    “special   “hunting”
occasions”   “f ishing”
 
the production process will be graded. The high percent-
incorporate the key poses in the story; in-betweens can
age allocation for the teamwork component of this rubric
“trapping” “sports”
“peer  pressure”   “murmuring”
 “discoveries”   “sealing”
 “famous   events”  “special  “outer   occasions”
space”   “peer
be incorporated later. Your group will need to figure out
the acting and timing requirements for each scene. Please reflects the view that strong teamwork skills are deemed “wonders  “discoveries”
pressure” of  the  world”    ““famousplanets”    events” “stars”    “black  
“outerholes”   space”  “mountains”  
“wonders of    
essential to working successfully in the competitive real “forests”    “waterfalls”    “music”    “occupations”    “poverty”  
ensure that your group devises a distinct beginning, middle the world” “planets” “stars” “black holes” “mountains”
and end to your story. Remember, the better you plan, the world of animated film production.
“forests” “waterfalls” “music” “occupations” “poverty”
better your animated video will be!
Group Learning Activity: Brainstorming a Topic world  leaders        heros                  role  models          famous  people
To learn about storyboarding, watch the follow-ing video:
Your first task as a team is to effectively brainstorm ideas
to help in the selection of a good topic for your animated
Storyboarding Your Idea
video. Please identify relevant themes from the following
(4 min 30 s)
list of subjects.

• English • Math
• Science • Social Studies
• Health • Arts (Art, Music, Theatre)
• Technology • Media Literacy
(for advanced curriculums—
grades 7 and up)
Click here for Storyboard Sheets and a Completed
Storyboard example. Some popular and relevant themes identified for your age I am brainstorming
group include:

• Bullying • The Environment

• Substance Abuse • Active Healthy Lifestyles
• Racism,
Diversity & Body Image

HamiltonBuhl.com 2 3 HamiltonBuhl.com
 4

LESSON
Stop-Motion Animation Workshop

Storyboarding and Storytelling

Individual Learning Activity:

Storytelling and Inspiration
Introduction to Teamwor You may choose a topic from the above themes, or think up one of your own. The Thought Bubble below may help you brain-
storm. Once your team identifies a theme, you may want to research it on the Internet to help you come up with a specific
and Brainstorming idea for your animation. The idea that you select should be interesting and meaningful to all team members.
Frédéric Back, author of the acclaimed, Oscar-winning
You will create your movies in collaborative teams. Your
animated film The Man Who Planted Trees, is an inspira- Note: Please take your time when devising your topic and story for your animated video, as this initial decision will affect
teacher will assign you to a Production Team of four to six
tional figure. His work is an expression of his dedication all other steps of the production process!
people for the conceiving, planning and production stages
to a message of peace and respect for the Earth and its
of the studio portion of the stop-motion animation lessons.
communities. Back has created several outstanding ani-
mated films that can inspire your students to tell their own
meaningful stories. The web pages below explore how his All teams are expected to work in a respectful and col-
passion for the environment led Back to make animated laborative fashion. Each team member should participate “endangered species” “ocean” “marine life” “life” “death”
equally and share tasks. As each team member will bring “endangered  
films in the hope of making this world a better place.
their own unique expertise and talents to the group, ev- “pregnancy”species”   “birth”  “ocean”   “teen pregnancy”  “marine  life”    “life”    “death”  
“marriage” “friendship”      
fredericback.com/ateliers/index3.en.shtml. (See themes “pregnancy”    “birth”    “teen  pregnancy”    “marriage”    “friendship”          
6 and 7). eryone’s ideas and contributions to the project are to be “family”
“family”    ““war”
war”    ““peace” “gravity”
peace”    “gravity”   “electricity”
 “electricity”   “pulleys
 “pulleys   &  levers”   & levers”    
considered valuable. If you work together effectively, are
committed to the project and use your group’s diversity of “tsunamis”
“tsunamis”    ““earthquakes”
earthquakes”    ““equilibrium”
equilibrium”    “microscopes”   “microscopes” “bacteria”
 “bacteria”    
All animation productions (and many live-action produc-
tions) begin life as a storyboard, which is a script of sorts
skills, your team’s final product will likely be much better “nuclear energy”
“nuclear   energy”  “mutations”
 “mutations”    ““sickness” “disease”
sickness”    “disease”   “cures”
 “cures”    “AIDS”  “AIDS”  
written with images as well as words, similar to a giant
than if you had completed the project on your own! “magic”     “ legends”     “ fantasy”  
“magic” “legends” “fantasy” “fables” “myths” “witches” “fairies”   “ fables”     “ myths”     “ witches”     “ fairies”    
“leprechauns”    “metamorphosis”    “ecosystems”    “lightning”    
comic strip. Storyboarding includes scene planning, which
The Stop-Motion Animation Rubric see Annex 01 provides “leprechauns” “metamorphosis” “ecosystems” “lightning”
“icebergs”    “polar  bears”    “traditions”    “whales”    “hunting”    “fishing”    
requires you to plan out the scenes of your movie from start
to finish before you begin animating. Your storyboards will guidelines for your team and identifies how each section of “icebergs”
“trapping”    “polar
“sports”   bears” “traditions”
 “murmuring”   “whales”
 “sealing”    “special   “hunting”
occasions”   “f ishing”
 
the production process will be graded. The high percent-
incorporate the key poses in the story; in-betweens can “trapping” “sports”
“peer  pressure”   “murmuring”
 “discoveries”   “sealing”
 “famous   events”  “special  “outer   occasions”
space”   “peer
be incorporated later. Your group will need to figure out
the acting and timing requirements for each scene. Please
“wonders  “discoveries”
pressure” of  the  world”    ““famousplanets”    events” “stars”    “black  
“outerholes”   space”  “mountains”  
“wonders of    
“forests”    “waterfalls”    “music”    “occupations”    “poverty”  
ensure that your group devises a distinct beginning, middle the world” “planets” “stars” “black holes” “mountains”
and end to your story. Remember, the better you plan, the “forests” “waterfalls” “music” “occupations” “poverty”
better your animated video will be!
world  leaders        heros                  role  models          famous  people
To learn about storyboarding at the NFB, watch the follow-
ing video:

Storyboarding Your Idea

(4 min 30 s)

• English
• Science
• Health
• Technology

Click here for Storyboard Sheets and a Completed

Storyboard example. Some popular and I am brainstorming
group include:

This project was developed by

• Bullying HamiltonBuhl® and is featured
• Substance Abuse on MakerHub with their
• permission.
For more makerspace projects,
visit makerhub.demco.com.

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 Stop-Motion Animation Workshop

Storyboarding and Storytelling

Creating a Collaborative Storyboard Learning Activity:

Creating Your Storyboard
Once your team has come up with a potential topic for
your animation, you will need to have your idea approved You may use a copy of our Storyboard Sheet to help
by your teacher. Once given the go-ahead, your group will plan out your storyboard, use storybook templates
need to begin storyboarding. found on the Internet or create your own storyboards from
scratch. Keep your story and message simple and concise,
as it takes 24 frames to make up one second of animation.
Learning Activity: Cartoon Animation The process will likely take longer than you might think.

Watch the following video to see how a film is made and to Note: The average animated movie length will vary and de-
get an idea of the enormous time commitment involved. pend upon topic selection and length of class time. Your
teacher will help each class group determine an appropri-
ate run time.
The Making Of-The Nightmare Before Christmas
(2007, 23 min 43 s)
Use this Storyboard Rubric to ensure that your team in-
youtu.be/kLw-Fo8uhis
] cludes all information and components when designing
and completing your storyboard.
Synopsis: The entire team behind The Nightmare
Before Christmas walks though the process of
developing, creating and shooting this
classic. (Recommended for grades 7 and up.) Questions you might want to consider include:

• What is your setting?

Storyboard Websites
To see examples of the intricacy of storyboards made by • How many characters do you need in the shot?
professional artists, please visit the following websites:
• Do you need any important props in the shot?
Stephen McCallum’s Animation/Media Production
stephenmccallum.blogspot.com/2009/07/storyboards.html
]

• What type of shot (close-up, wide shot,

(Storyboard for From Flores, 1991) establishing shot, etc.) do you need?

Michael Sporn Animation, Inc. • What is the shot’s angle (i.e., how/where is the
michaelspornanimation.com/splog/?p=1536
]

camera positioned)?
(Storyboards from the Disney classics Sleeping
]

Beauty and Cinderella) • Do you need any special lighting? The lighting
depends on what type of mood you’re trying to
convey (for example, you may need candlelight,
Monsters University: Animated Storyboard moonlight, a dark alley or a bright sunny day).
(2016, 1 min 50 s)
youtu.be/VAXQIHrFj38
]

• Will you use any special effects?

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LESSON
Stop-Motion Animation Workshop

Stop-Motion Animation Rubric ANNEX 01

Remember, all great stories start with a great idea. Great stories make great animation.

Very Needs Mark

Excellent Good
good Improvement %

The idea for the story

The idea for the story The idea for the story The idea for the story
Idea for was excellent.
story Message extremely
was very good. Mes- was good. Message needs work. Message 15%
sage very clear. fairly clear. is unclear.
clear.

Extremely well
More planning re-
planned—excellent Well planned—very Fairly well planned—
quired—flow needs
flow. good flow. good flow.
Story- work.
board
Drawings extremely ef- Drawings very effective Drawings fairly effective
Actions and emotions
15%
fective in conveying the in conveying actions in conveying actions
of story not clearly con-
actions and emotions and emotions of story. and emotions of story.
veyed in drawings.
of story.

Characters are ex-

Characters are very
tremely interesting— Characters are interest- Characters are vague—
interesting—very good
excellent effort. ing—good effort. more effort required.
Characters Characters are
effort.
Characters are suitable Characters’ suitability
10%
Characters are very
extremely suitable to to storyline. to storyline is unclear.
suitable to storyline.
storyline.

The set/props do
The set/props do a very The set/props do a fair The set/props need ef-
an excellent job of
Set/ good job of enhancing job of enhancing the fort to help enhance the
Props
enhancing the produc-
the production’s aes- production’s production’s aesthetics
5%
tion’s aesthetics and
thetics and mood. aesthetics and mood. and mood.
mood.

Students display Students display very Students display fairly Students’ knowledge of
Design excellent knowledge of good knowledge of good knowledge of design elements 10%
design elements. design elements. design elements. lacking.

Movement in the movie Movement in the movie Movement in the movie Movement in the movie
is very smooth. is smooth. is generally smooth. is irregular/jumpy.
Movie An excellent attempt to A very good attempt to A good attempt to The incorporation of
15%
Production incorporate “principles incorporate “principles incorporate “principles the “principles of ani-
of animation” and/or of animation” and/or of animation” and/or mation” and/or “tricks”
“tricks” into movie. “tricks” into movie. “tricks” into movie. is not apparent.

Extremely creative More thought and cre-

Creativity work.
Work is very creative. Work is creative.
ative effort required.
10%
The team worked The team had difficul-
The team worked very The team worked well
extremely well ties working together
Teamwork together—shared tasks
well together—shared together—shared most
and sharing tasks and
20%
tasks and activities. tasks and activities.
and activities. activities.

Total /100

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LESSON
Stop-Motion Animation Workshop

T ANNEX 02

TITLE:

ANIMATION TEAM:

BEGINNING DESCRIPTION

MIDDLE DESCRIPTION

END DESCRIPTION

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LESSON
Stop-Motion Animation Workshop

STORYBOARD EXAMPLE ANNEX 03

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LESSON
Stop-Motion Animation Workshop

Storyboard Rubric ANNEX 04

ALL STORYBOARDS START WITH A GOOD IDEA FOR A STORY.

Very Needs Mark

Excellent Good
good Work %

All main events of Most main events of Some main events of The main focus
Scene the story are identi- the story are identi- the story are identi- of the story is on “non
Selection fied through choice of fied through choice of fied through choice of essential events”; some
/4
scene selection. scene selection. scene selection. scenes are incomplete.

Captions clearly iden- Most captions clearly Some captions clearly Captions don’t clearly
tify each scene and identify each scene and identify each scene and identify each scene
Captions help to connect the help to connect the help to connect the or help connect the
/4
storyline. storyline. storyline. storyline.

All main characters are All main characters The main characters
All main characters are
identified; their actions are identified, but their are not well identi-
identified; their actions
Characters and emotions match
and emotions match
actions and emotions fied; their actions and /4
the storyline extremely don’t always match the emotions are unclear in
the storyline very well.
well. storyline. relation to the storyline.

The set/props relate The set/props relate Some of the set/props There is difficulty relat-
Set and extremely well to the very well to the pur- relate fairly well to the ing the set/props to the
/4
Props purpose, mood and pose, mood and coher- purpose, mood and purpose, mood and
coherence of the story. ence of the story. coherence of the story. coherence of the story.

Most ideas are not gen-

All ideas are generated Most ideas are gener- Some ideas aren’t gen-
erated and organized
and organized in a logi- ated and organized in a erated and organized in
in a logical sequence.
Thinking cal sequence. logical sequence. a logical sequence. The
Skills The plot is quite original The plot is very original plot is fairly original and
The originality and /4
creativity of the plot is
and creative. The mes- and creative. The mes- creative. The message
lacking. The message
sage is very clear. sage is clear. is somewhat clear.
is unclear.

Total /20

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