In Week 2, the class focused on the fundamentals of storytelling and narrative structure. Key takeaways from this week include:
- Stories are built on cause and effect, not a simple sequence of events.
- A strong narrative connects beats with “therefore” or “but”, rather than “and then.”
- Characters should lead the story, with their desires and flaws driving the plot forward.
- Conflict is essential for drama and storytelling, including both internal and external conflicts.
- The SWBST structure (Somebody, Wanted, But, So, Then) was used to clearly define goals, obstacles, and consequences.
- Storytelling is about motivation, choice, and consequence, which forms the foundation for storyboarding and visual storytelling.
Assignment 1 : Story Pitch
Once upon a time, there was a little bird that couldn’t fly. Every day, he practiced hard but still couldn’t fly very high. Until one day, a flood hit and the water level rose rapidly. The little bird gathered its courage again and tried once more. Finally, it managed to fly, soaring towards the sky it had long desired.
Assignment 2: Cinematography Analysis
Assignment 3 : Previs – Hunter to Prey
The gist of the story is that the hunter discovered a wounded monster and pursued it with vigor. He kept chasing it but unknowingly fell into the monster’s trap. In fact, the monster was feigning injury. The so-called prey was actually the real hunter in this entire scheme.
I collaborated with Yu Tang to design this animation. I drew the storyboards, as well as designed and produced shots 4 to 15.