Nearly 170 DGA members seeking ways to better prepare for their next episodic directing assignment received valuable information on August 10 when the DGA Director Development Initiative (DDI) hosted the conversational lab, Storyboards: Why and When to Use Them. The online event featured Directors Stacey K. Black and Pete Chatmon in a conversation moderated by Television Diversity Task Force Co-Chair/Director Edward Ornelas where they shared valuable insights on using storyboards for their projects.
Black revealed that she considers storyboards to be highly beneficial during the early stages of project and its relevance to bring a story to life. She mentioned that it is important to share storyboards with many people as possible, so everyone feels prepared before shooting.
Chatmon also reiterated the significance of having a storyboard before going on set so everyone is aware of what will be required for a specific scene, He also stressed how storyboards convey the specificity and clarity on what the Director plans to show and what you need for the composition of each frame.
Both panelists walked the participants through their creative process from start to finish, with Black demonstrating her detailed shot guide and script with notes and diagrams from the television drama series Station 19 and Chatmon sharing his process by demonstrating a tracker where he organizes all scenes with floor plans and notes, along with a checklist of what has been shot-listed and blocked for the comedy drama television series The Flight Attendant. Ornelas also jumped in to share his process with storyboards by showing photos of his storyboards on set and provided anecdotal stories while filming television drama series The Resident.
The conversation was followed by Q&A with attending members as Black and Chatmon fielded questions on topics such as the type of software programs they use, their processes for collaborating on storyboards with their directorial teams, and their thoughts on emerging technologies involving storyboards.
DGA Members can watch the full video from Director Development Initiative events by clicking here.
ABOUT THE PANELISTS:
 Director Stacey K. Black
Black’s directorial credits include episodes of Station 19, Stumptown, All Rise, A Million Little Things, NCIS: New Orleans, The Fix, Midnight Texas, Bull, MacGyver, Major Crimes and The Closer. She has been a DGA member since 2010. |
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 Pete Chatmon
Chatmon’s directorial credits include the feature Premium; the documentary 761st; and episodes of The Flight Attendant, Insecure, Silicon Valley, Love Life, You, Grey’s Anatomy, Black-ish, Blindspotting, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Mythic Quest. He is currently in development on The Education of Matt Barnes, for which he will direct the pilot and serve as Executive Producer. He also serves as Co-Executive Producer and Producing Director on Reasonable Doubt. He is the author of the book, Transitions: A Director’s Journey and Motivational Handbook. |
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 Ed Ornelas (moderator)
Ornelas’s directorial credits include the independent feature film, The Legend of Billy Fail; and episodes of Promised Land, Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, NCIS: New Orleans, Code Black, The Resident and Roswell, New Mexico. Ornelas has been a DGA member since 2009 and also serves as a Co-Chair of the Latino Committee, a co-Chair of the Television Diversity Task Force, as an Alternate on the DGA National Board, and as a mentor on the DGA Director Development Initiative’s Television Mentorship Program. |
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About the Director Development Initiative:
The Director Development Initiative is designed to provide current information on the Director’s craft in order to further the Guild’s goal to increase diversity and inclusion in the industry.