Giuseppe Cristiano - The Storyboard Artist: A Guide to Freelancing in Film, TV, and Advertising

There arent all that many books widely available on the art of storyboarding (when compared to other creative fields), much less one Ive read with such a simple overview on the world of freelancing. Covering (as the title suggests) the worlds of advertising, film, and TV, this is a comprehensive guide to those starting out in the field. Id also consider this worth a read for those looking to hire storyboard artistsits always good to know exactly what is reasonable to request of creative professionals.

Erin Corrado. www.onemoviefiveviews.com

Terrific! The under-appreciated dark art of storyboarding is illuminated here. Everything about the art and business of a storyboard artist is brilliantly framed.

John Badham, director, creator of ShotMaster jbbadhamcompany.com

A practical guide that is, like its subject, a conceptual and physical tool for saving time and money. Recommended for film students looking for illumination of all corners of the filmmaking process (and possibly to discover a niche) and freelance artists seeking a change.

Ben Malczewski, Library Journal

With this book, Peppe does for storyboard artists what Scott McClouds Understanding Comics did for comics. Crisp, highly informative, and essential in understanding the language of the medium. Great stuff!

Greg Ruth, comic artist, The Matrix, Conan, Creepy, Freaks of the Heartland

The Storyboard Artist gives a well-designed and comprehensive overview for anyone setting out on a career in the field. It will benefit professionals as well because of its fresh perspective on the tools of the trade. Giuseppes fine drawings show a passion for the storytelling medium. This book will have a permanent place on my shelf.

Trevor Goring, illustrator/storyboard artist/graphic novelist, Independence Day, Mission Impossible II, Twilight

It is my pleasure, both to have had Giuseppe Cristiano work for me, creating terrific storyboards for the Nickelodeon animated series 3 Friends and Jerry, and now to recommend this new book. Succeeding as a professional storyboard artist is not easy. It requires not only excellent storytelling and decent drawing skills but many others as well, all-too-often overlooked in art school: marketing, task management, and navigating the chaos of the get-it-done-yesterday world of film and TV production. This book offers the aspiring storyboard artist an education in all of these. Read and keep The Storyboard Artist next to your desk. You will not only have the tools to become a better storyboarder: you will have the benefit of a seasoned professional mentor at your side.

Ray Kosarin, producer/director, Daria, Beavis and Butt-Head, Da Mob, The World of Tosh; animation instructor, New York Universitys Tisch School of the Arts

At last! A great book on the most important step in filmmakingthe storyboards.

Bill Plympton, animator/director/screenwriter/producer, Plymptoons, The Tune, I Married a Strange Person!, Mutant Aliens, Hair High, and Idiots and Angels

Published by Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd., # 1111
Studio City, CA 91604
tel. 818.379.8799
fax 818.986.3408
www.mwp.com

Cover Art: Giuseppe Cristiano
Book Design: Gina Mansfield Design
Editor: Pamela Grieman

All photos, illustrations, and storyboards
by Giuseppe Cristiano, except:
Ulrika Sjberg: Photos on page 11 and 15
Marco Letizia: Comics on page 21, 60; and illustrations on pages 29, 138 (illustrations 2, 3), 154
Alessandra Orlacchio: illustration 1 on page 34
Massimigliano Pugliese: Photos on Pages 106, 107, 108, 109
Tomas Skoging: Storyboard Sketches on page 103
Jean Moebius Giraud: Illustration on page 178

Special Thanks:
My Family, Per Carlsson, Fredrik Norberg, Frederic Pascual (for the cover illustration), Cynthia Prescher, and Daniel Arvor.

Printed by McNaughton & Gunn, Inc., Saline, Michigan
Manufactured in the United States of America
Printed on Recycled Stock

2011 Giuseppe Cristiano

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without permission in writing from the publisher, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Cristiano, Giuseppe.
The storyboard artist : a guide to freelancing in film, TV, and advertising / Giuseppe Cristiano.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 978-1-61593-083-8
1. Storyboards. 2. Commercial art--Technique. 3. Motion pictures--Production and direction. I. Title.
NC1002.S85C74 2012
741.6023--dc23

2011038438

DEDICATION

To Clara and Lorenzo, my mum and dad.

For the inspiration and the motivation that led me into professional storyboarding Id like to mention Mr. Jean Giraud, aka Moebius, whom I had the fortune to meet in real life a few times, and who was kind enough to invite me to his studio. I received from him cherished advice, as well as some fabulous books I proudly keep in my collection.

I would also like to thank all of the directors with whom I had the pleasure to work and from whom I learned a great deal of information, techniques, and tricks of the trade. Thank you for the experiences that made me grow. Among the many are Jonas kerlund, Fredrik Bond, Johan Kamitz, Eric Broms, Sam Brown, Johan Renck, Tomas Skoging, and many more.

A very special thank you goes to Ray Kosarin, director of Beavis and Butt-head, Daria, 3 Friends & Jerry, and the Saturday Night Live cartoons, who taught me the patience and fun of working with animation.

Thanks also go to the advertising agencies all around the world that I work with regularly: Saatchi & Saatchi, DDB, McCann Worldgroup, Ogilvy, Leo Burnett, BBDO Worldwide, and many more. And, of course, the film and TV production companies I worked with throughout the years deserve special thanks, including Universal, Warner Bros., Fox Family, HBO, BBC, RAI, Ridley Scott Associates, Aardman Animations, Nelvana, SF (Svensk Filmindustri), Nordisk Film, Stink, Rogue, and the list goes on.

Last, but not least, I want to thank all of the people I had the pleasure to draw on my boards: Paul Newman, Clint Eastwood, Robert DeNiro, Gene Simmons of Kiss, Lemmy from Motrhead, Steven Seagal, Madonna, and others.

A good artist catches the frame, but a good frame catches the artist.

My intention with this book wasnt just to write yet another storyboard manual. It was my goal to produce a book that covers all aspects of the storyboard profession and that focuses, to a large extent, on the creativity required by an artist in order to accomplish the work in the best possible way. My goal is to provide useful information for those who are interested in exploring or pursuing a storyboarding career.

As a professional, I understand that a good storyboard artist is not simply someone who is a great artist. There is much more involved. A storyboard freelancer is one who is capable of resolving problems and finding solutions while working on a script with other creative types such as art directors, copywriters, and movie directors. The storyboard profession entails much more than just possessing the ability to draw; therefore, this book will cover many other aspects of the storyboard profession.