Directing the Story: Professional Storytelling and Storyboarding for Animation, Comic and Live Action

This book grew out of desperate need. I was a storyboard artist at Disney and had no idea what I was doing. At Disney, I was surrounded by amazing talents. I went into work early and typed up notes on what I was learning. This experience became Directing the Story. I went on to storyboard over a dozen features, several TV animated shows and later directed Donald Duck in Fantasia 2000, Piglet’s BIG Movie and 2 seasons of Mira Royal Detective.

This new edition of Directing the Story includes storyboarding for 3D animation illustrated with storyboard examples. During my time teaching storyboarding, I noticed many beginners struggle with drawing the figure. I’ve introduced drawing star figures. They’re the equivalent of the flour sack technique animators use to learn to animate flow, force, timing and shape distortion. And once the student masters that, I show how the anatomy drops right into place.

Out of my frustration of trying to write my own stories and watching the waste at the studio’s race to get things into production, I’ve struggled for years to discover the secrets of story. I’m currently working on a new theory of story which shows how all the parts of story, character and plot work together. I’m including the beginning basics of this theory which allows my students to come up with a story in 7 minutes. Plot takes longer.

Francis Glebas, recently retired, has been making stories and movies for 60 years, professionally for 51 years. He’s worked his way up from painting animation cels on a night crew to directing a feature film. He’s worked at most of the major studios. Currently, he teaches filmmaking skills and is writing a infographic novel about a new theory of story, from an alien perspective. Be sure to check out his other Focal Press book, The Animator’s Eye which takes you through the complete process of making an animated film.