THE COMPOSITION OF STORYBOARDS AS FILM EDITING:

Every writer, artist or designer of storyboards should research the way cuts are assembled in well-edited feature films. The scenes are composed of many different camera angles, with close-up views, medium shots and wide angles of the environment.

These shots establish the relative locations of the different elements in perspective by carrying over visual elements like the border of a carpet, the edge of a desk or the corner of a room. This gives each shot a reference point for the audience, reassuring them that they're observing events in a constant contextual space. Be aware that cutting two images together forces the audience to believe there is a connection between them (see Dynamism and Exposition).

One of the problems with standard interactive applications and web-sites is that users are constantly travelling between a range of contexts. Every time they move from one page to another, they have made a contextual 'jump'. This can become disorientating, so sometimes you need to ensure they know A before they read B. The storyboard can make it possible for the user to be present in a completely different context for each piece of information, depending on which link they came from.

These 'cinematic' cutting techniques are not usually suitable for gaming environments, where TRANSITIONS are used to reinforce player/author immersion. Choosing the right navigational devices can have a great impact on how the user perceives getting around inside the information space. The risk is that users will become bored or feel lost if there are no strong visual cues.

By carefully planning every hypertext, writers, artists and designers can invent new and more accurate navigation tools. Hypertext is very much a part of the interactive debate and the web-forum called Fibreculture (http://www.fibreculture.org) has a massive archive of discussions about HYPERTEXT.

CONSIDER MOVEMENT: This can be a physically liberating experience for any audience, implicitly mobilizing them as the 'camera' becomes a proxy observer. In interactivity, the audience not only observes the action - they participate in it, becoming intrinsic to the momentum of the story.

• Movement of the frame; like a camera tilt or pan, or a travelling shot.
• Movement within the frame; an action or event within the image.
• Movement from screen to screen, including buttons and links.

By moving the frame the audience follows the action, varying the perspective on objects and landscapes. We can move elements within in the frame to achieve similar dynamics.

If a close-up is required, we can move the camera closer to the actor, or have the actor move closer to the camera. One way or the other, all movement is ideally seeking to make a dramatic point. In contrast to movement, we must equally consider Calm and Stillness. Perception of phenomena is very much dependent upon contrast. Light is perceived in relation to darkness; movement is relative to inertia or stillness.

With a simple B&W camera, renowned French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson tried to capture 'the decisive moment' in his photographs. That single, tiny movement that captures the moment; e.g. at the funeral of U.S. President John F. Kennedy, everybody is saluting, standing stock still at attention. Then the baby boy, John-john raises his little hand and salutes his dead father and the flag. That single motion makes the scene crackle with emotion and meaning.

The uneasy drift of a feather across an open battlefield could achieve more dramatic effect than another thousand horses in a charge of the Light Brigade.

The Golden Rule of Motion Pictures is "If it doesn't move, don't film it." It's possible that at some point in any scene a character should either stand up or enter the room, but movement also includes speaking. If the characters don't move or talk, then move the camera, even if it's only three inches (the distance between your eyes) to enhance the sense of perspective.

Move the 'camera' for three reasons:

TO GIVE THE SCENE A SENSE OF DEPTH: If the 'camera' moves to the side even slightly, it will give the shot a sense of depth. The rate of movement shows the relative distance between all the objects in the scene. The slightest movement will turn a flat 2D image into a 3D image.

TO FOLLOW THE ACTION: Caution - Too Much Action Can Cause Nausea. Don’t zoom the camera lens in and out rapidly if you can help it, unless it’s for some extreme effect. Zooming in only magnifies an already flat image. A better alternative is to physically move the 'camera' in or out from the subject to follow movement; a long dolly shot or transition magnifies the scene while adding a sense of 3D depth to the image.

TO SHIFT BETWEEN ONE ACTION OR SCENE AND ANOTHER: In movies, this is usually called a JUMP CUT or an IN-CAMERA EDIT - usually when an action within the frame is timed to coincide with a 'camera' movement before the shot is cut. This is an editing technique and can be effective, but it is very unlike the 'realistic' TRANSITIONS found in 3D gaming design.