From Comic Storyboard to 3D Animatic: Discussing the Visual Composition in Computer Animation

Telling stories by frames is the main idea of animation. Therefore, the visual composition of each frame and each cut are very important. That is, not only the arrangement and organization of objects in space but also the camera movement is significant to animation. Designing appropriate visual composition can enhance audience engagement and stimulation as well as telling a better story.This research focuses on the animatic in 3D computer animation, also known as the pre-visualization, which is the decision-making point of all the draft frames and cuts. The animatic is generally regarded as the miniature of the whole picture. By way of analyzing the animatic based on the traditional usage in the comic storyboard, this research tries to discuss the relationship between animatic and comic storyboard, also find out the rules and patterns of visual composition in computer animation.