From Word To Image

Storyboarding and the Filmmaking Process
By Marcie Begleiter

Book Review
By Ann Baldwin


Marcie Begleiter is a writer and educator who specializes in previsualization. She has worked extensively in the film, television, and interactive industries. She is owner of Filmboards, whose client list includes Paramount, Tristar, New Line, HBO, and ABC. In her book, From Word To Image: Storyboarding and the Filmmaking Process 2nd Ed. (Michael Wiese Productions 2010), she will expand your visual awareness and communication skills about all aspects of the visual storytelling process.

Before a film goes into production there are numerous decisions that must be made, often by hundreds of co-workers; storyboarding is an effective method of communicating between all the departments during pre-production, so when the cameras begin rolling, everyone is on the same page.

She takes you from the text script (screenplay) through all the stages and elements involved in creating a visual script (storyboard). She demonstrates not only how to create the basic stick figures, but detailed, 3-D illustrations as well, while covering topics such as composition, color, and perspective. There are plenty of helpful exercises where you’ll learn things such as how to create and use Moodboards to inspire your creativity.

She supplies you with a wealth of resources such as websites, software, films, DVD’s, and texts. She uses hundreds of illustrations and single frames from films such as The Cotton Club, Vertigo, The Last Emperor, The Godfather, and The Wizard of Oz as examples.

Storyboarding is a valuable tool for screenwriters that allows you to see your stories in a new light and helps you to write more visually. I highly recommend From Word To Image for all filmmakers involved in the collaborative development of a film during pre-production such as screenwriters, storyboard artists, production designers, directors, and cinematographers.

To learn more about Marcie Begleiter you can visit her website at http://www.marciebegleiter.com and purchase a copy of From Word To Image at Michael Wiese Productions, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.