Spielberg on STORYBOARDING

[@A_RayChan_Joint]

when I saw that ad from werner herzog masterclass saying storyboards takes away the creativity, that filmmaking isn't accounting and it's for cowards. I disagree, this is a great example on how storyboard/previs importance to a film's time, budget and even allows room for creativity. Storyboards are not set in stone, they're a road map, and a foundation to visualize the script. It makes sense since Herzog is a great documentary filmmaker, that type of film making allows spontaneous and natural progression of it's subject. It still surprises me to find that some big budget films were shot without using storyboarding, and films still goes over time and budget and countless amounts of reshoots without a proper preparation at the start, rather than relying on the editors to work their way out at the end. nice channel by the way.

[@rayortiz313]

I took the class. Herzog also railed against shooting excessive coverage in the hopes that the editor will make the scene work, so his thinking is more in line with this approach than may at first be apparent.

[@geovannomozes7010]

I agree. But i do understand why herzeg felt that way. His movies often approach reality in a documentary way. His interest always about relation between nature and humanity. Also he likes to shoot in extreme location. Its hard to storyboard things if ure in shooting situations like he does.

[@pablosantander5739]

every director has his process, for Hitchcock , the storyboard was very important for the process, the map for every shot.

[@axistiltproductions]

Storyboards are planning for the future. You have to plan and previsualize any project or face devastating problems. I must add though music can happen spontaneously.

[@bgl00ney]

I adore Herzog but he has an approach to film that doesn't favor that kind of preparation.

[@Jer-7007]

I was a Hollywood storyboard artist. Worked on big ones (like "Titanic", "Independence Day", and "The Game") and more little ones than I can count. Also worked in animation on "Rugrats". Here's the thing though. This video makes it look easy. In fact, it's quite tedious and time consuming. The average script page requires about 20 pictures (and the average script is about 120 pages long). How long would it take you to draw 20 pictures? For me, I could handle about 2 pages of rough sketches a day and half a page of good drawings (like the ones shown in this video) a day. So the length of time it would take for one artist to board out a whole script (in good pictures) would take longer than the time it takes to actually shoot the movie! Fortunately, most directors don't need storyboards for the easy scenes (like conversations around a dinner table), but only for the action scenes or special effects scenes, which cuts the work load down some. Also, most big movies have several storyboard artists, instead of just one - which cuts the workload down even more. Still... it's long, tedious, stay-up-all-night work, and storyboard artists don't even get a mention on the credits. At least, I never did!

[@The_Dapper_Millennial]

Thanks for sharing that part of your story(board *wink wink). Seriously though, that is a lot of work done behind the scenes that most (including myself) didn’t even realize was a thing. I’m just learning about storyboarding in preparation of starting my own KZbin channel. Any tips on how to best implement a very simple storyboard into the creation of KZbin videos, and quite simply, do I actually need one?

[@Jer-7007]

I'm too old to know much about making You Tube videos - but the ones I have seen seem fairly simple to me. So I wouldn't think you would need boards...but, then, you know more about your project than I do! So if you think you need them, then you need them! That's about the best advice I can give you. Every project is different.

[@mrfugazi1181]

I find it truly shocking that the names of the artists who draw a storyboard don't appear in the end credits of a movie. Association of Film Storyboard Artists (AFSA) - NOW!

[@crownchampionco]

Story board artists won’t be needed anymore. Directors have already starting using A.I apps like mid journey and dall e etc. Sora can possibly make feature length films.

[@pablosantander5739]

storyboard artist here too. Yes, the documentary shows only the relationship of Spielberg with the actors showing the storyboard, but doesn't show the dinamic between the graphic artist and the director, besides, the name of the artists never is mentioned or how time tooks every case or the work process. I hope at least the fee for drawing was fair (I don't know how much is in U,S,)

[@_tacocat_]

Harrison: I'm gonna get some mustard

[@JasonPerryman]

I just laughed my head off at that moment and where Spielberg sarcastically dryly replied him.

[@samuelalvarez_art]

Took 5mins in until I realized Spielberg did not draw the finished story board. At the start I was stunned how well he could "draw".

[@Dellaluna13]

I remember seeing his own hand drawn railcar sequence from Temple in an old ILM/Lucasarts book. I love Spielberg, but when it comes to drawing storyboards, he’s no Ridley Scott.

[@JasonPerryman]

Yeah me too. I was kinda reassured when it turned out 'professionals' drew the remains of his stick men images. Wow I don't need to be as good an artist as Steven to be as good at making movies as him.

[@davidswanson5669]

0:50 just to add more praise on the artists, I wanted to highlight how this image shows a man drawn with as few lines and detail possible, while still communicating incredible detail in the elements that matter (casting, wardrobe, lighting, framing, mood (both environment and mood of the actor). The ability to be so efficient with a drawing…since these are only meant as a means to an end (and not intended to end up as published works), is something too easily overlooked.

[@southlondon86]

@@Dellaluna13He doesn’t have to be, sir.

[@giri.goyo_yt]

Yeh. He ain't no Scott or Scorsese.

[@arawn10]

Dave Stevens, Master illustrator, storyboarded the truck chase sequences for Raiders. Dave Stevens went on to create "The Rocketeer" comic series (a story that took place in the same 1940's "Raiders" era), which in turn became a famous graphic novel; Which in turn became a film in 1991 produced by Disney starring Bill Campbell and Jennifer Connelly. I suggest checking both the movie and "The Rocketeer" graphic novel out; They're both Great!

[@johnnysciortino2178]

12:24 Those pre-viz claymation animations for Jurassic park are awesome! Must have been somewhat normal before CGI pre-vis was practical

[@toniweiss_getyourstorystraight]

Nope. Only Spielberg could afford it. And it was a deal to accommodate Phil Tippet because he was supposed to do all the animation - and ILM (rightfully) took his job away. But this is the grand daddy of pre-viz

[@NgaTaeOfficial]

Fascinating that Phil Tippet did such extensive pre-viz animations. I knew before he’d gotten bumped off the project by the rise of CGI, but I’d never known he did this “intermediate” stage to such a large degree.

[@lore_droid]

The mechanical arm that was originally visualized by Spielberg for Toht makes an appearance! Great stuff!

[@ericdavidwallace]

This was so informative and helpful (and well Made) thank you so much for creating this video. Steven and George have always been the biggest influence on my film making career. I went to Dream Works as a kid during the making on the film "Small Soldiers" and it blew my mind that this was a job "Grown Up's" did for a living.

[@Jer-7007]

One more thing: Every director I worked with was different. Some of them explained exactly what they wanted in each picture. Others just had me read the script and draw whatever I saw fit. When I was done, some directors followed my storyboards almost exactly. Others did something completely different, as though they had never even seen my drawings - which made me wonder why they hired me in the first place! Then, there were those in between, that followed some shots, but disregarded others. Oh well...I got paid either way!

[@jerrythefilmmaker8229]

Where can I see your work?

[@Jer-7007]

@@jerrythefilmmaker8229 Probably nowhere. All of the movie stuff I did back in the day is on paper, and whatever copies I have are stored away in boxes, somewhere. For the last 20 or so years, though, I've been working full time at a company called Mirage Entertainment, which produces live stunt shows at amusement parks (similar to the "Waterworld" show at Universal Studios). I do have this more recent stuff on computer files, and could send it to you, if your interested, but you would never have heard of any of them. Most of them are from theme parks in China and one is from a western stunt show at Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri. These are just the only ones I have on computer files, rather than paper.

[@Wijo_Koek]

Same here. Sometimes the storyboards were mainly for convincing the producer that everything was planned and well thought-out. And then the director did what he thought was best, without sticking to the storyboards. Fun story: on one job I remembered storyboarding an action sequence with two sailing boats. But during the filming, one of the boats accidentally hit the other boat. The insurance company refused to cover the damage because they thought it was intentionally. Luckily for the producer, my storyboards proved that it was not planned at all and that the boats were intended to race each other and not hit each other. So storyboards sometimes can save you. 🤭

[@jerrythefilmmaker8229]

@@Wijo_Koek looking for storyboard artists for a project. Where can I reach you?

[@Jer-7007]

Ha! Good story.

[@CanonballKryptoTheKryptonautsI]

Awesome vid. I've been thinking of focusing my productivity on the Storyboards... This video convinced me, thanks

[@vinceduquestories]

thank you for sharing this!

[@cashcowcommissions6790]

I love this! Thanks for posting!

[@snapdragon86]

6:50 - "Im guna get some mustard..." / "Suspense is really killing you, Harry?!"

[@RinoaL]

Can't hear half the audio starting near 1/3rd through the video.

[@electricden]

Fascinating stuff. For Raiders the comic book artist Jim Steranko did the original post production paintings, which I've seen in making off books, but not so much the storyboards. Apart from being possibly added as an extra feature on a Blu-Ray have these ever been published seperately?

[@ShotDrawnCut]

Yes, there was a screenplay tie-in book published with the storyboards included.

[@TheLoner70503]

The best storyteller ever.

[@ericdavidwallace]

Yes

[@drewendly89]

“I’m gonna get some mustard” 😂

[@harrysanders818]

Thank you. This was extremely interesting

[@axistiltproductions]

Now I want to watch Raiders and Jurassic and War of the Worlds, where are those DVD's? Love the video and the Director since I was a kid. I still look up to Spielberg and wait for his next movies like i was 10 again.

[@danielog]

it is actually a good lesson from an actor to a storyboard artist, the fact that Harrison Ford walked out on Spielberg... goes to show, that actors are not necessarily visual thinkers, and reviewing the movie like that, is probably very confusing... more complicated than helpfull

[@jerrythefilmmaker8229]

Are you a storyboard artist?

[@maverick792]

He needed the mustard

[@BigMacIIx]

And this why movies back then was consistent story telling. Nowadays producers have no idea about the end product after multiple reshoots.

[@southlondon86]

😢

[@SantsLime]

And here I am after realize that being a director means: To know how to manage people and money as well as making sure that everything is happening on time.

[@Zotrax1946]

Interesting!

[@Jer-7007]

Ha! Don't know about that association, but I was a member of I.A.T.S.E. Illustrators and Matte Painters division.

[@JasonHauser125]

Harrison Ford was awesome as Han and Indy. Ford was also an asshole and he just gradually turned into an even older and more ornery asshole until we have the man we have today.

[@AntonyCannon]

This is all truly excellent and what-not, but I think the real question is: Whatever happened to Alan Grant's epic beard!?

[@stephenmesquire]

Alan Grant was based on John Horner mostly, who had a beard. The other celebrity palaeontologist of the time, Bob Bakker, had an even bigger beard. So palaeontologists were seen as beardy.

[@AntonyCannon]

@@stephenmesquire Neat! Mr. Spielberg is a beardy too. I wonder what happened...

[@Treblaine]

Perhaps to be more distinct from Hammond.

[@alexokin6819]

Sat down his comic book hariso saus nuthi n leaves harisoisery man😊

[@acherdo9542]

Algunos dibujos estan mal a propósito.jajaja

[@J.S.3259]

It’s remarkable how much Raiders outright steals from The African Queen, among other films

[@maverick792]

Raiders was inspired from many other films

[@southlondon86]

It’s remarkable how everything is pretty much stolen from other things.

[@Treblaine]

The African Queen stole from reality, there was a real story of a German warship being destroyed on an African lake. But it didn't happen like that.

[@LuckyBastardProd]

Check out the two Nyoka Serials, Jungle Girl and Nyoka & The Tigermen and the Buck Jones serial Gordon of Ghost City, that one has the desert chase but with Buck Jones dragging behind a stage coach!