Week 1:

5+5 Emotions

1. Understanding the Story Before Placing the Camera

Before opening Maya, the first task was to understand the storyboard:

• What is this scene about?
• What information does each shot communicate?
• What emotion or idea is the camera supposed to express?

The camera should never be placed randomly.
Every camera decision must serve the story.

2. The Camera as a Character

One of the most important concepts from this class is:

The camera is another character in the scene.

This means:

• The camera has a point of view
• The camera reacts to characters and events
• Camera movement should feel motivated, not decorative

In Maya, this translates into being very intentional with:

• Camera position
• Camera height
• Camera movement timing

3. Translating Storyboard into Camera Language

While recreating the storyboard in Maya, I practiced using fundamental camera language tools:

Shot Size & Framing

• Wide / Establishing shots to define space and contexts
• Close-ups to focus on emotion or important details

Camera Angle

• Eye-level shots for neutrality
• Low-angle shots to show power or dominance
• High-angle shots to show vulnerability or weakness

Focus & Focal Length

• Shallow focus to guide the audience’s attention
• Deep focus to let the audience explore the frame
• Rack focus as a “cut without a cut”

Camera Movement

• Camera movement should always have a narrative reason
• Movement helps connect ideas, reveal information, or shift emotion

4. Adjusting the Storyboard in 3D Space

We were allowed to make small adjustments to the storyboard when necessary.

This taught me an important lesson:

Storyboards represent intention, not technical limitation.

In 3D space:

• Some shots may not read clearly
• Composition may need refinement
• Camera movement may need to be simplified

As long as the original storytelling intent is preserved, adjusting the camera is part of the filmmaking process.

• Think like a cinematographer
• Use camera language to guide the audience
• Support story and emotion through camera decisions

Assignment 1:

My story design is that a melancholic person is drinking to drown their sorrows. The close-up shots are used to emphasize the main character.

Assignment 2:

This is an animation analysis storyboard.