Alfred Hitchcock Storyboards

 

Previously I looked into a comic and in that post I mentioned something about storyboards and how they can be useful for making a cohesive and inventive product. Animation mostly uses storyboards unless if live action movies use them for it's setting. Also most of the old movies whether it's their script or behind-the-scenes footage is rare to find. 

You know who you didn't expect had a storyboard art crew? Alfred Hitchcock, who made some of the most iconic, well thought-out creative movies of all time. 

The Birds (1963) I first experienced watching on DVD, there was sorta of a scrapped ending that wasn't in the final product. The film became a Hitchcock staple, it had a ton of storyboard art. It's incredible. I researched into comparisons of each scene.

I like the addition of arrows with the scenes of Melanie so that it's easy to understand her reaction by distinctive shots. 

 One of the latest Hitchcock movies I seen was Vertigo (1958). Was easy for me to appreciate this film, since I respect Stewart's work. It looked so gorgeous with incredible effects. The scene above is the famous church scene with the staircase. 

Scottie is so cute in these drawings. The sketches of the camera angles are also very pleasent and detailed.

I researched into Pyscho and while I haven't watched it yet, it definitely has more explicit moments that isn't suitable for all audiences. Anyways just great drawings by Saul Bass. He's also well known for creating iconic movie posters like West Side Story and The Shining.

Here's one I'm definitely familiar with. Strangers On A Train. Such a fantastic movie, this gives me back recent memories of the amusement park scene. 

These were more rare to find as I looked into a video. I just always loved when Hitchcock could almost do the impossible like when Cary Grant would climb onto Mount Rushmore. Seriously one of the coolest scenes in movie history, and similarly back in 1942, Saboteur had an intense climax of the characters atop of The Statue of Liberty. Okay, I need to look more into this film immediately.

I absolutely appreciate alot of these since I like creating stuff myself and directors like Hitchcock give me an inspiration to make something exicting and passionate. Sure I'm not only focusing on his work. Some of my favorite movies are from other great movie directors.

I like these close-up shots. Melanie's bleeding. I like blood in B&W, it's sorta dramatic than how it's realistic portrayed in Technicolor but I still thought they did it artistically well in the actual movie. I also like how more cartoony she looks, like the face, now I need an animated version of this!

Sometimes the storyboards aren't always drawn as in the final product or aren't as detailed and stunning as in his later works, but I still like them. I like how in this scene from Notorious (1946), informs how many times a certain amount of people should kiss Alicia's hand. 

I'm starting my own storyboards myself. I know that they don't look fully detailed and cinematic yet but with the addition of words and narration? See for yourself.

Willing to buy the book very soon. I can't wait to look more into these whenever I get the chance.

Examining Storyboards + More Wolf And Sheep Drawings

 

I want to examine some storyboards I downloaded on my save files. 

This past year I was so invested into learning more about how animation works. Right now, storyboards are the next thing I'm wanting to study.

Here's a unique one with Huckleberry Hound.

What I like about this is when to use certain sound effects when something happens in a scene, like the middle picture on the bottom. This is especially interesting because Huckleberry Hound is known for it's somewhat limited animation, so the style their going for in these storyboard sketches fit perfectly well.

Next is the Brer gang. Brer Fox, Rabbit, and Bear. I love all three of them, I find them quite memorable and energetic. 

These are some of my favorite animated bits from the final version of the Song Of The South film. 

Alot of expressive acting and narration involved here. You can see in a matter of time, the buildup gets more intense. 

It's really challenging to search Looney Tunes and Tom and Jerry storyboards, but I immediately looked for one that was nice and that's from a cartoon called Jerry's Cousin (1951), this was at a time when the Tom and Jerry cartoons themselves were more violent and rubbery as ever, so this is especially amusing. 

Muscles is one of those characters in the entirety of the franchise that actually talks, so this entire storyboard isn't all explaining what the animator needs to do in a singular scene. 

I showed you all some of my storyboards in previous posts, but I did make a new one yesterday.

01 - This mainly focuses on the boy interacting with the sheep and deciding to go on a peaceful walk with a shepherd crook.

02 - Focuses on The Wolf's house, inside showcases some grotesque imagery of animal parts and roasted animal food, and the Wolf's laboratory. 

So alright, yeah, the storyboards, the illustrations may be just your average sketches, mostly alot quicker to develop, but what's great is that once it's completed, I think the next main priority is to start drawing, and animating the construction of the characters that look more detailed and vivid. 

Whenever I draw The Wolf, it makes me feel like a better artist.

Here's a construction model for the sheep. He's got a more playful, nice attitude.

If I can think of more concepts, storyboards, and inventive characters, similar to this, I'll definitely post it in the future.