Storyboards Storyboard 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the purpose of a 'beat' in storyboard terminology?
- A camera angle change
- A single unit of dramatic action or story event (Correct answer)
- A sound effect notation
- A transition between scenes
Correct answer: A single unit of dramatic action or story event
A beat is the smallest unit of dramatic action, representing a single story event or emotional shift in the narrative.
Question 2: Which type of storyboard panel typically uses a bird's-eye view angle?
- Dutch angle
- Overhead shot (Correct answer)
- Low angle
- Point of view shot
Correct answer: Overhead shot
An overhead or bird's-eye view shot looks directly down on the scene from above, used to establish spatial relationships.
Question 3: In storyboarding, what does 'SFX' stand for in panel notation?
- Story Flow Exchange
- Sound Effects (Correct answer)
- Scene Frame Extension
- Special Features
Correct answer: Sound Effects
SFX stands for Sound Effects, indicating audio cues that should accompany the visual action in that panel.
Question 4: What storyboard technique shows a character's movement path across multiple frames using dotted or dashed lines?
- Motion blur
- Action line (Correct answer)
- Cross-dissolve
- Rack focus
Correct answer: Action line
An action line (or motion path) uses dotted or dashed lines drawn on the panel to indicate the trajectory of a moving subject.
Question 5: When storyboarding a 'reaction shot,' what is the primary purpose?
- Showing a new location
- Capturing a character's emotional response to an event (Correct answer)
- Introducing a new character
- Depicting a camera crane move
Correct answer: Capturing a character's emotional response to an event
A reaction shot captures how a character emotionally responds to something they've witnessed or heard, building dramatic tension.
Question 6: What is a 'thumbnail storyboard'?
- A digital storyboard viewed on a phone
- Small, rough sketches used for quick planning before final boards (Correct answer)
- A storyboard with only extreme close-up shots
- A storyboard exported as image thumbnails
Correct answer: Small, rough sketches used for quick planning before final boards
Thumbnail storyboards are small, loosely drawn sketches used in the early planning phase to rapidly explore compositions and story flow.
Question 7: Which element is most critical when storyboarding an action sequence to ensure visual continuity?
- Consistent color palette
- The 180-degree rule (Correct answer)
- Character costume details
- Background complexity
Correct answer: The 180-degree rule
The 180-degree rule ensures that the camera always stays on one side of an imaginary axis so screen direction remains consistent throughout the action.
Storyboards Storyboard 2
What is the purpose of a 'beat' in storyboard terminology?