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🎨 DDP 142: Digital Storyboarding

Semester: Fall 2025
CRN: 0468 | Units: 3 credits
Term: Sept 2 – Oct 24, 2025
Modality: Fully Online (Canvas)

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👋 Welcome!

Welcome to Digital Storyboarding!
I’m Professor Kent Kay, and in this course, we’ll explore the visual art of storytelling — transforming written or spoken ideas into compelling storyboards using industry-standard tools.

You’ll learn the principles of staging, composition, and camera movement, and discover how storyboarding is used across film, animation, advertising, games, and visual effects. By the end, you’ll be able to create professional-quality storyboards and animatics that clearly communicate ideas to clients, teams, and audiences.

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📚 Course Description

This course introduces the methods, tools, and creative processes of digital storytelling and storyboarding. You’ll gain experience in:

  • Creating visual story images from written concepts

  • Structuring narratives for different media formats

  • Applying camera techniques, sound, and timing

  • Using digital drawing tablets and professional storyboard software

  • Exporting and sharing work in industry-standard formats​

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🧠 Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

  • Explain the history and foundations of digital storyboarding

  • Use correct camera terminology and integrate special effects notes

  • Create storyboards for film, animation, commercials, and presentations

  • Produce animatics with moving cameras, audio, and real-time playback

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🎯 Course Objectives

  • Evaluate drawing tools to create storyboards with camera moves, animation, and sound

  • Apply film grammar (shots, acts, sequences, transitions) to maintain continuity

  • Recognize color spaces, captions, and export options for video workflows

  • Organize story flow using panel names, layer structures, and scene layouts

  • Integrate storyboards into production pipelines, including video conforming and transparent export formats

  • Develop animatics with 3D elements and sound design

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💼 Skills You’ll Gain

  • Digital Storyboarding & Visual Storytelling

  • Camera Moves & Shot Composition

  • Storyboard Pro / Digital Drawing Tablet Workflow

  • Animatic Creation with Audio & Effects

  • Pipeline Integration & Export Formats

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🛠 Required Materials

  • LinkedIn Learning access (provided by COD)

  • Reliable internet connection

  • Digital drawing tablet (recommended for ease of sketching)

  • Storyboard Pro or equivalent software (provided/licensed through COD if available)

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📊 Grading Breakdown

(Point values will be provided in Canvas for each assignment)

  • Participation

  • In-Class / Online Assignments

  • Projects / Papers

  • Lab Work

  • Quizzes

  • Exams

  • Final Exam / Project

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Grade Scale:
A: 90–100% | B: 80–89% | C: 70–79% | D: 60–69% | F: Below 60%

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✅ Course Policies

  • Participation: Weekly engagement is required. Missing 2+ weeks without communication may result in being dropped.

  • Check-In Requirement: Completing the posted “Check-In” activity is mandatory to avoid being dropped as a no-show.

  • Academic Integrity: Plagiarism or cheating will result in a failing grade for the assignment and may be reported.

  • Classroom Conduct: Be respectful and professional in all communication and critiques. Disagreements are welcome when expressed thoughtfully.

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♿ Accommodations & Support

  • Disability Services: Contact DSPS at (760) 773-2534 or dspsinfo@collegeofthedesert.edu for approved accommodations.

  • Veterans: Communicate scheduling conflicts in advance when possible.

  • International Students: Official translators may be used for exams (no cell phones).

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📅 Important Dates

  • Sept 8, 2025 – Last Day to Add

  • Sept 12, 2025 – Last Day to Drop without “W”

  • Oct 14, 2025 – Last Day to Drop with “W”

  • Oct 20, 2025 – Final Exam Week

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🗓 Tentative Schedule

(Subject to change — see Canvas for weekly updates)

  • Weeks 1–2: Introduction to Digital Storyboarding & Tools

  • Weeks 3–4: Camera Moves, Film Grammar, and Scene Continuity

  • Weeks 5–6: Animatics with Audio, Effects, and 3D Elements

  • Weeks 7–8: Final Project Completion & Presentation

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