Instinct or storyboard?

[surfer171]

Yes, this isn't about troubleshooting or anything, just need some collective voices on my current predicament.

So here I am, on my animation hiatus while waiting for my September intake to a multimedia university when something came up. Instincts in animation or storyboard? Let me explain what my predicament is; I'm not good at drawing things and the only thing that's helping me is my "imaginary" storyboard I do as I animate, that instinct and trust your guts feel during animation like what goes here and what happens next and how to do this. So I kept wondering to myself if there is such thing as an animation that relied fully on instinct and little on storyboard like action animation that relied fully on the choreography of the fight scene and is it a good thing? The reason it bothers me is some stick figure animator when asked about how they choreograph their combos, one of them replied that it came into mind.

Sure, storyboard is important but to me, it's more on the story mediated animation where story and flow of plot is important to make everything understandable. I mean… I don't know… I'm just a bit lost since I kept having doubts about relying on instinct or storyboard despite my inability to make one or even draw something (and I'm fully aware there's website for making one but it doesn't fit my taste)

Something additional and out of topic, what's the timing for complex animation? Say, the entrance animation of Tanya where she flips around in her entrance or anything that is relevant to it cause if I'm not mistaken, some complex movements can mess up the animation like as you animate a flip that goes clockwise, a keyframe causes it to go counterclockwise momentarily before continuing to rotate clockwise.

Thanks for reading.

[Bop]

Storyboarding is a must if you're working with/planning to work with other people. Otherwise, well, do what you want. There's no definite answer.

[Pipann]

For storyboarding, being great at drawing isn't really that big a necessity. As long as you can tell your doodles apart and can tell what is happening in the image, you're good to go.

Alternatively if you really doubt your skills, consider asking help from an artist with experience. Or maybe even hire someone to do them for you.

[surfer171]

Originally posted by ClinterinoM0 | C::

Storyboarding is a must if you're working with/planning to work with other people. Otherwise, well, do what you want. There's no definite answer.

I know… it's just… I'm doing this by myself and never have I ever work with people. I mean, the first animation I did, was all just some random chatting with my friends at school and I piece things out one by one with ideas that seemed randomized to me and through observations on what people wanted to see.

Originally posted by Pipann:

For storyboarding, being great at drawing isn't really that big a necessity. As long as you can tell your doodles apart and can tell what is happening in the image, you're good to go.

Alternatively if you really doubt your skills, consider asking help from an artist with experience. Or maybe even hire someone to do them for you.

I can't, I mean, I'm working on drawing things but I still can't make something convincing for me to understand like I wanted to draw somebody being kicked followed by a a backflip like Johnny cage followed by a headbutt or whatever combos one can think off.

I hate myself for being in this situation. My brain is like an imaginary storyboard crew constantly piecing together as I animate and at times, I think out loud and at times I act out what I wanna do (minus the flipping and fighting moves)

[Pipann]

Add notes your frames, describing what a character is doing? I mean, it's what they all do, I think. Isn't that what a storyboard is about?

[Bop]

Originally posted by surfer171:

I still can't make something convincing for me to understand like I wanted to draw somebody being kicked followed by a a backflip like Johnny cage followed by a headbutt or whatever combos one can think off.

That is not a storyboard. That is an animation reference.

[surfer171]

Originally posted by Pipann:

Add notes your frames, describing what a character is doing? I mean, it's what they all do, I think. Isn't that what a storyboard is about?

I thought it's all drawing like arrows indicating movement of characters or cameras indicated by squares. Is writing considered storyboard? I mean, all I know storyboard is drawings of scenes and events happening. If writing is storyboard, then isn't that more of a stage play styled script?

[surfer171]

Originally posted by ClinterinoM0 | C::

Originally posted by surfer171:

I still can't make something convincing for me to understand like I wanted to draw somebody being kicked followed by a a backflip like Johnny cage followed by a headbutt or whatever combos one can think off.

That is not a storyboard. That is an animation reference.

Yeah… it's just my little concern on the relationship between complex movements and storyboard. I could bet that with good storyboard, complex movements can be achieved without any second thoughts like @crashmaul's video or any sfm action animation that focus more on their fight scene and little about the plots or story flow

[Pipann]

Originally posted by surfer171:

Originally posted by Pipann:

Add notes your frames, describing what a character is doing? I mean, it's what they all do, I think. Isn't that what a storyboard is about?

I thought it's all drawing like arrows indicating movement of characters or cameras indicated by squares. Is writing considered storyboard? I mean, all I know storyboard is drawings of scenes and events happening. If writing is storyboard, then isn't that more of a stage play styled script?

I don't think it really matters? It's just the base after all. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[surfer171]

I don't know… thanks for the comfort you two. It's just, it's been a few unproductive days I've been going through and I've got nothing in my mind in this action collab I hope to take part in. And that I'm a fragile guy when someone gave constructive criticism over this one animation I made.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/2juvd63leetgunn/intro%20rendered.mp4?dl=0

Which is the reason for the additional and out of topic question.

[Pipann]

This isn't half bad though. Of course it could use some work, but trust me you, making believable animation isn't a walk in the park. Practice makes perfect.

So, keep practicing!

[surfer171]

Originally posted by Pipann:

This isn't half bad though. Of course it could use some work, but trust me you, making believable animation isn't a walk in the park. Practice makes perfect.

So, keep practicing!

Thanks, I've been more of an analytical sort of guy ever since I've grown my interest in the animation section. You know, watch the camera angles, watch the camera focus, look at how the scene flows, and everything to do with movie making.

Lately, been trying to set a goal to do complex animation like those seen on parkour and free running videos with their flips, their tricks and whatever it is that involves a lot of movement. And also on fight choreography but my timings are jumbled and needs polishing

[Zappy]

I didn't really read much of it, so apologies if this has nothing to do with the thread, but when I animate, I get an idea, think about the idea while adding some sounds, animate to the sound keying, add some more sounds according to what my head finds good, and animate some more, until I'm done with it. Meanwhile I have a longer storyboard inside my head. Works fine for me, except when I can't be bothered enough to animate it, due to the temptation of video games. :P

[surfer171]

Originally posted by Zappy:

I didn't really read much of it, so apologies if this has nothing to do with the thread, but when I animate, I get an idea, think about the idea while adding some sounds, animate to the sound keying, add some more sounds according to what my head finds good, and animate some more, until I'm done with it. Meanwhile I have a longer storyboard inside my head. Works fine for me, except when I can't be bothered enough to animate it, due to the temptation of video games. :P

It's alright, basically, I just need somebody to talk to about my predicament on unable to do a storyboard since most of my storyboard are done in my head or sometimes by the trust your guts thing. I mean, I'm a pretty fragile guy when it comes to constructive criticism of a work I've tried the best at doing (refer to link on comment #9) so I went on a hiatus and left myself to recover from it (I know, may or may not be healthy in the real world and all).

Like choreography for an action scene cause after watching too much Jackie chan fight scene, things like complex movements all came into view and I'm trying to learn to make one.

[Ze_Jeff]

What i do is for any big projects, i first lay down the story in an animatic witch isnt a big deal if i have to scrap, in case i make any story changes.
Animatics are absolutely a must if youre working with any other people.Not even any other animators, just any people.

[surfer171]

Originally posted by Ze_Jeff:

What i do is for any big projects, i first lay down the story in an animatic witch isnt a big deal if i have to scrap, in case i make any story changes.
Animatics are absolutely a must if youre working with any other people.Not even any other animators, just any people.

It's an animated storyboard but how can I tie it with my predicament? I don't want to mess up my sets with a bunch of unanimated models posing out the fighting moves unless I'm getting the concept wrongly then correct me

Edit: I don't usually work in a group. Just solo me, liking to do things at my own pace and at my own quality of animation cause apparently my mindset goes "quality over quantity" because of YouTube