Once again, the usual disclaimers up front: I'll be showing my raw work in progress here as I do it with the classes. I'll be showing both the good stuff and the
bad stuff so you can see my complete thought process unedited as well as how long each piece took.

Production Index
Rather than having this scroll endlessly as I add stuff, I have an index set up here so you can go to each section specifically. The links will become active as I add stuff and I'll indicate the last date that any artwork or information was added.

• Location Design Floorplans Oct.3rd

• Machine Designs Oct. 4th

• 3/4 view Location Designs

• Asset Designs & Props

• Character Designs

• Storyboards

• Layouts

Interesting Design
In the past when I've given out this assignment, almost everyone failed to come up with an interesting "Mad Scientist lab". This was simply due to lack of effort - to find the appropriate reference material and populate the room with stuff that says: "I'm a mad scientist and this is the environment that I work in". It's finding cool looking elements that are stereotypical and iconic that are immediately recognizable as "Mad Scientist" stuff. There were plenty of test tubes and beakers, but where was the weird stuff??? A few people had some interesting ideas but didn't carry them far enough. You need to come up with things that will make the viewer go, "Wow! That's so neat!!"

Storyboards
This is going to be pretty basic: Mad Scientist enters the laboratory, moves from one machine to the next to make sure it's on and operating properly. Moves to the operating table and looks at the body of the monster lying there. The assistant can be introduced with the scientist coming in, at one of the machines or at the end with the monster.

Not only will the shot selections be important, but the character actions as well as the timing of the scenes. Too slow and it will become ponderous, too fast and it will lose the tension.

Here are the four really important things to be sure you have in your boards:

1) What is the character doing?
• Do you have enough action poses,
• Do you have match action poses from one scene to the next,
• Is the character in proper proportion - to the environment and other characters,
• Is the eye direction correct.

- You look at the character's eyes first. Can you see what they are feeling or thinking in their eyes? Can you feel what they feel?

2) What is the shot?
• Are you using the proper fielding,
• Is this the best angle.
• Have you crossed the axis line,
• Is the cutting clear between the scenes - no jump cuts!

3) Where is the Character?
• Is the background clearly indicated in the scene. Do I know where I am in the environment,
• Is the perspective correct - where is the horizon line, where are the vanishing points,
• Is the background consistent with the location design,
• Is the character properly placed within the environment,
• Are the proportions of both the character and environment consistent.

4) Is the storyboard complete?
• Does it show the storyline clearly,
• Does it show the storyline in an interesting and entertaining way,
• Do I feel the proper emotions at the proper times.

While this is not an exhaustive list of the things you need to be thinking of while you do your boards, it's a good start point to be sure you have the important things.

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