One Of The Fun Parts: The Story Pitch
Generally, making an animated movie is a fun process. It may take a long time, with lots of technicalities and complications involved along the way, but I love it still. One of the most enjoyable phases is the storyboarding process, when the script is interpreted by an artist who puts pictures to the written words. This always leads to surprises and, in the best case scenario, lots of laughs.
A room full of people gather to view a given scene, while the story artist clicks through his series of sequential storytelling drawings. All the while he describes the intended action and context of the scene, even lending sound effects and character voices as he goes. It’s a performance of sorts, with the objective of conveying how the scene might play in cinematic screen time. This pitch session is the first time I, as the director, have a chance to hear an audience react to certain gags or story elements. It’s an amazing way to find out whether a scene is working or needs more development. These pitches are a tool for the whole team…and, best of all, it’s fun!
One fun example of the surprises that can happen is like the time when the script pages only called for the SMURFS to be walking and talking as they moved through Smurf Village. The story artist, Steve Fonti, added the funny idea of a Clown Smurf to hop into the scene and make a random joke. Everyone present broke down in surprised and hysterical laughter. Steve’s new joke stuck and has been expanded upon, creating an entire new sideline character for the movie. Expect to see Clowny Smurf appear more than once in this upcoming movie…but that’s all I can divulge right now.
We get to make up stories and draw pictures for a living…Does it get any better than that?
It certainly doesn’t get any Smurfyer!
- KA
