Storyboards Video Storyboard Terms 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is an 'animatic' in video production?
- A type of animated GIF used in social media advertising
- A timed sequence of storyboard images edited together with audio to simulate the final video (Correct answer)
- A fully animated rough cut of a commercial
- A software used to draw storyboards digitally
Correct answer: A timed sequence of storyboard images edited together with audio to simulate the final video
An animatic is a moving storyboard — sequential frames timed to music, dialogue, or sound effects — used to preview pacing before production begins.
Question 2: What does 'OTS' stand for in storyboard notation?
- Over-The-Shoulder shot (Correct answer)
- On-The-Set production note
- Outline-To-Scene transition
- Off-The-Screen camera direction
Correct answer: Over-The-Shoulder shot
OTS stands for Over-The-Shoulder, a common shot framing one character from behind while focusing on the character they are speaking with.
Question 3: What is the purpose of a 'beat' in storyboard and script terminology?
- A musical cue marked on the storyboard
- A brief pause or moment of reaction between actions or lines (Correct answer)
- The frame rate at which the video will be shot
- A type of transition between scenes
Correct answer: A brief pause or moment of reaction between actions or lines
A beat is a small unit of dramatic action — a pause, look, or reaction — that storyboard artists capture to preserve emotional timing.
Question 4: What is 'motivated lighting' in storyboard planning?
- Lighting that is paid for by the production's lighting budget
- Lighting that appears to come from a visible or implied light source within the scene (Correct answer)
- The minimum lighting needed to make a scene visible on camera
- Color-grading notes added to storyboard panels
Correct answer: Lighting that appears to come from a visible or implied light source within the scene
Motivated lighting mimics a believable real-world light source — such as a window, lamp, or fire — that the audience can see or infer in the scene.
Question 5: In storyboarding, what is a 'two-shot'?
- Two consecutive storyboard panels shown side by side
- A frame that includes exactly two subjects (Correct answer)
- A scene that requires two takes to complete
- A double exposure effect planned in the storyboard
Correct answer: A frame that includes exactly two subjects
A two-shot frames two characters together in the same shot, commonly used in conversation scenes to show both people's reactions simultaneously.
Question 6: What does 'diegetic sound' mean when noted on a storyboard?
- Sound effects added in post-production
- Sound that exists within the world of the story and can be heard by the characters (Correct answer)
- Background music chosen by the director
- Dialogue recorded separately from the video
Correct answer: Sound that exists within the world of the story and can be heard by the characters
Diegetic sound is sound that originates from within the story world — like a ringing phone or a character's footsteps — as opposed to non-diegetic sound like a musical score.
Question 7: What is 'aspect ratio' and why is it noted in storyboards?
- The proportion of width to height of the video frame, which determines how panels must be drawn (Correct answer)
- The ratio of close-up shots to wide shots in a sequence
- The speed ratio between fast and slow motion segments
- The number of storyboard panels per page
Correct answer: The proportion of width to height of the video frame, which determines how panels must be drawn
Aspect ratio defines the proportional relationship between a frame's width and height (e.g., 16:9 or 4:3), and storyboard panels must match it to accurately represent framing.
Storyboards Video Storyboard Terms 3
What is an 'animatic' in video production?