When storyboarding dialogue scenes, the focus shifts dramatically from dynamic action to subtle emotional staging and the precise use of character performance and blocking. The artist must ensure that every character’s posture, hand gesture, and facial expression on the panel contributes directly to the emotional subtext of the line they are delivering, enhancing the performance captured in the voice recording. It’s the storyboard that determines the rhythm of the conversation—when a cut occurs to a reaction shot, or when a moment of silence is held on an expressive close-up.

Our coursework emphasizes the importance of character acting principles, training students to use visual cues to suggest motivation and interiority, ensuring the panel drawing is clear enough for the animator to capture the intended performance. Learning to stage a conversation effectively, using techniques like the shot/reverse-shot pattern while maintaining visual interest and character focus, is essential for storyboarding compelling, relationship-driven narratives in both series and feature animation.