No Storyboard artists are still a thing, but Layout artists and key animators tend to be one and the same these days. Occasionally there's be a separate credit, but that is rare.adaroo said:
I'm wondering because, even though I keep hearing about these roles every now and then, I haven't seen them credited in any of the anime I've watched recently. has their jobs been combined with another position? because I know, for example, that key animators tend to draw the layouts for the cuts they work on
For American cartoons, Layout and Storyboard artists tend to be intertwined and on some shows, will do the rough keyframes for the overseas studio to clean up and in-between.
but how do they manage a consistent final result if every key animator is making their own layouts? I'm assuming someone oversees the process? the AD maybe?Anihunter said:
No Storyboard artists are still a thing, but Layout artists and key animators tend to be one and the same these days. Occasionally there's be a separate credit, but that is rare.
For American cartoons, Layout and Storyboard artists tend to be intertwined and on some shows, will do the rough keyframes for the overseas studio to clean up and in-between.
Also, mind naming a storyboard artist working on a currently airing anime? I looked up a few titles but couldn't find one credited anywhere
It feels to me like you're conflating western productions with japanese productions. I reccomend reading kvins overview of the roles in anime.
https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/feature/2016-03-16/your-ultimate-guide-to-anime-ending-credits-part-i/.99852
Japanese storyboards are very different from western boards
https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/feature/2016-03-16/your-ultimate-guide-to-anime-ending-credits-part-i/.99852
Japanese storyboards are very different from western boards
Look for the 絵コンテ credit (it's usually credited after the 脚本 or "screenplay" credit at the beginning of the credits roll) That's where the storyboard artist is. But as Geth said, storyboards in a Japanese anime differs greatly from that of a western cartoon. As the latter also has to serve as both layout and occasionally key animation for the overseas team to work with. While storyboards in Anime tend to just be a reference for animators at best.adaroo said:
but how do they manage a consistent final result if every key animator is making their own layouts? I'm assuming someone oversees the process? the AD maybe?
Also, mind naming a storyboard artist working on a currently airing anime? I looked up a few titles but couldn't find one credited anywhere
Ok, so after going through that 4-part article twice here's what I concluded:
1. There is no dedicated storyboard artist role in anime production like in some western works, who takes a directors rough boards and makes them more detailed and comprehensible. storyboards in anime, usually made by an episode/unit director, are taken as is and are used by KAs as basis for the layouts. said episode/unit director IS the storyboard artist
2. A dedicated layout artist who oversees a whole production from start to finish is rare, especially in modern works, and the layout is instead drafted by the KA responsible for a specific cut under the supervision of the director(s) and AD(s). said KA assigned to a cut IS the layout artist, even though the director/AD are usually as responsible for the final result
hopefully I'm not off by much?
1. There is no dedicated storyboard artist role in anime production like in some western works, who takes a directors rough boards and makes them more detailed and comprehensible. storyboards in anime, usually made by an episode/unit director, are taken as is and are used by KAs as basis for the layouts. said episode/unit director IS the storyboard artist
2. A dedicated layout artist who oversees a whole production from start to finish is rare, especially in modern works, and the layout is instead drafted by the KA responsible for a specific cut under the supervision of the director(s) and AD(s). said KA assigned to a cut IS the layout artist, even though the director/AD are usually as responsible for the final result
hopefully I'm not off by much?
That's entirely correct yeah, though often times the episode/unit director is different from the storyboarder, usually for bottleneck/scheduling reasons. Now that anime is mass produced there have become storyboard specialists that pump out very fast (but not very good) boards, and then they move on to the next production while the staff then assigns people to "process" the board.
In a more ideal scenario the storyboard artist and the episode director would be the same person because they can then better bring their vision to life. However in a commercially made anime there isn't much vision to begin with so speeding up the process is preferred.
There are also some people who just prefer drawing boards and not having to deal with later directing them, which is also valid. Ultimately, it's hard to say there is a best way to do this work since it varies depending on the individual people involved. But generally speaking, if you drew an ambitious board, the end result is better off if you direct it yourself.
In a more ideal scenario the storyboard artist and the episode director would be the same person because they can then better bring their vision to life. However in a commercially made anime there isn't much vision to begin with so speeding up the process is preferred.
There are also some people who just prefer drawing boards and not having to deal with later directing them, which is also valid. Ultimately, it's hard to say there is a best way to do this work since it varies depending on the individual people involved. But generally speaking, if you drew an ambitious board, the end result is better off if you direct it yourself.
I appreciate you guys taking the time to reply to me. thanks a lot
adaroo
are storyboard and layout artists not a thing anymore?