Storyboards Storyboard Shot Composition 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is a 'bird's-eye view' shot and what does it typically convey in a storyboard?
- A shot looking straight down from directly above, often conveying vulnerability or showing spatial layout (Correct answer)
- A shot from a low angle looking up at the sky
- A point-of-view shot from a bird character
- A wide exterior shot showing trees and rooftops
Correct answer: A shot looking straight down from directly above, often conveying vulnerability or showing spatial layout
A bird's-eye view (top-down shot) can make characters appear small and vulnerable, provide a map-like overview of a space, or create visual interest through an unusual perspective.
Question 2: What does 'leading lines' mean in storyboard composition?
- Lines within the image that guide the viewer's eye toward the main subject (Correct answer)
- The first line of dialogue in a scene
- The outline around the main character
- Horizontal lines indicating the horizon
Correct answer: Lines within the image that guide the viewer's eye toward the main subject
Leading lines are compositional elements like roads, fences, or architectural lines that naturally draw the viewer's gaze toward the focal point of the frame.
Question 3: What is the difference between a 'cut-in' and a 'cutaway' shot in storyboard planning?
- A cut-in shows a closer detail of the current scene; a cutaway shows something outside the main scene (Correct answer)
- A cut-in is an insert shot of a prop; a cutaway is a reaction shot of another character
- A cut-in skips time forward; a cutaway skips time backward
- Both are identical terms with no meaningful distinction
Correct answer: A cut-in shows a closer detail of the current scene; a cutaway shows something outside the main scene
A cut-in is a close-up of detail within the current scene (e.g., a hand), while a cutaway shows something related but outside the immediate action (e.g., a clock on the wall elsewhere).
Question 4: What does a storyboard panel's 'frame size' (ELS, LS, MS, CU, ECU) describe?
- How much of the subject or environment is visible in the shot (Correct answer)
- The physical dimensions of the drawn panel
- The resolution of the final rendered frame
- The number of frames per second for that shot
Correct answer: How much of the subject or environment is visible in the shot
Frame size abbreviations (Extreme Long Shot, Long Shot, Medium Shot, Close-Up, Extreme Close-Up) describe how closely or distantly the camera frames the subject.
Question 5: What is 'eye-line match' and why is it important in storyboard sequences?
- Cutting between a character looking and what they see, so the viewer understands the spatial relationship (Correct answer)
- Ensuring all characters' eyes are drawn at the same height in a panel
- A technique for drawing realistic eyes in character close-ups
- Matching the horizon line between consecutive panels
Correct answer: Cutting between a character looking and what they see, so the viewer understands the spatial relationship
Eye-line match is an editing convention where the direction a character looks in one shot is matched to the subject shown in the next shot, creating a coherent sense of space.
Question 6: What is the '180-degree rule' and how does it affect storyboard layout?
- The camera must stay on one side of an imaginary axis between characters to preserve spatial continuity (Correct answer)
- The camera can only rotate up to 180 degrees in a single shot
- Each scene must be shown from at least two opposing angles
- Characters must face the camera within a 180-degree arc
Correct answer: The camera must stay on one side of an imaginary axis between characters to preserve spatial continuity
The 180-degree rule states that the camera should remain on one side of an imaginary line connecting subjects so that their screen positions remain consistent across cuts.
Storyboards Storyboard Shot Composition 2
What is a 'bird's-eye view' shot and what does it typically convey in a storyboard?