I’ve learned a lot about making storyboards and animated videos in these two assignments. Coming up with the storyboard wasn’t that difficult, but when it was tested against the reality of the video, I had numerous adjustments to make.

I began with a description of seven screens. I thought I’d broken down the action sufficiently, because it’s only a description of how to use a rotary phone to make a call. Well, and because it’s me, I had to have a humorous slant.

I used Vyond.com as the platform to create the animated video required by the assignment. Animation requires breaking the action down, sure. I knew that intellectually, but in reality, you must break it down far further than you thought. My first draft was only about 30 seconds long. The draft illustrated the intended point, but didn’t flow as I wished it to, and I envisioned sound effects, music and narration.

Without going into detail about the process, I ended up with 13 screens, and a video lasting 1 1/2 minutes. Given the platform is drag-and-drop, I didn’t have to create thousands of cels, as they do in Hollywood. But I really had to think of the transitions that would gracefully get me from one screen to the next, to move the eye forward in a sequence rather than jumping from image to image.

My college painting teacher was right. It’s all about hard edges and transitions. That’s what makes it come alive.