Legal Notices
Toon Boom Animation Inc.
4200 Saint-Laurent, Suite 1020
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
H2W 2R2
Tel: +1 514 278 8666
Fax: +1 514 278 2666
toonboom.com
Disclaimer
The content of this guide is covered by a specific limited warranty and exclusions and limit of liability under theapplicable License Agreement as supplemented by the special terms and conditions for Adobe®Flash® File
Format (SWF). For details, refer to the License Agreement and to those special terms and conditions.
The content of this guide is the property of Toon Boom Animation Inc. and is copyrighted.
Any reproduction in whole or in part is strictly prohibited.
Trademarks
Toon Boom® is a registered trademark and Storyboard Pro™ and the Toon Boom logo are trademarks of Toon
Boom Animation Inc. All other trademarks of the property of their respective owners.
Publication Date
1/6/2020
Copyright © 2016 Toon Boom Animation Inc., a Corus Entertainment Inc. company. All rights reserved.

2

Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 5.1 User Guide

Contents
Contents

3

Chapter 1: Storyboard Pro

14

Starting Toon Boom Storyboard Pro

15

Chapter 2: Projects

19

Creating Projects

21

Creating Projects from the Welcome Screen

22

Creating Projects from the File Menu

23

Creating Projects from Final Draft

25

Creating Projects from Harmony Scenes

29

Creating Custom Resolutions

30

Opening Projects

32

About Saving

34

Saving Projects

35

Saving Projects as a Single File36

About Project Optimization

38

Optimizing Projects

39

Optimizing Drawings

41

Optimization Best Practices

43
43

Plain Vector Versus Texture Brush

44

Bitmap Import Optimization

45

Flattening Drawings

46

About Project Properties

47

About Project Backup

48

Backing Up Projects

49

Restoring Backups

50

Chapter 3: Interface

51

Top Menu

51

Tools Toolbar

51

Storyboard Toolbar

52

Playback Toolbar

52

Thumbnails View

52

Stage View

52

Panel View

52

About Menus

53

3

Contents

About Views

54

Adding Views

56

Renaming a View

59

Closing Views

60

Moving Views

61

Resizing Views

62

Expanding or Collapsing Views

63

About Toolbars

64

Adding and Closing Toolbars

65

Moving Toolbars

66

Customizing Toolbars

67

About Workspaces

69

Loading Workspaces

71

Creating a Workspace

72

Renaming a Workspace73

Saving a Workspace

74

Deleting a Workspace

75

Showing and Hiding Workspaces

76

Reordering the Workspace List

77

Restoring the Default Workspace

78

Interface Navigation

78

Chapter 4: Storyboard Structure

81

About Scenes

83

Creating Scenes

84

Import Images as Scenes

86

Deleting Scenes

89

Renaming Scenes

90

Locking and Unlocking Names

92

Splitting Scenes

93

Selecting All Panels

95

Expanding and Collapsing Scenes

96

Working with a Collapsed Scene

97

About Panels

98

Creating Panels

99

Renaming Panels

101

Deleting Panels

104

Duplicating Panels

1064

Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 5.1 User Guide

Moving Panels

108

Customizing the Panel Colour

111

About Sequences

112

Creating Sequences

113

Renaming Sequences

115

Removing Sequences

117

Joining and Splitting Sequences

118

Selecting All Panels in a Sequence

119

About Acts

120

Enabling Acts

121

Starting New Acts

122

Joining Acts

123

Selecting All Panels in an Act

124

Regenerating Thumbnails

125

Chapter 5: Captions

127

Importing Scripts

129

Adding Captions

132

Renaming Captions

135

Deleting Captions

136

About Default Panel Captions

137

Saving the Caption Layout as Default

138

Expanding and Collapsing Captions

139

Hiding Captions

140

Adding Text to Captions

141

Formatting Caption Text

143

Searching Text in Captions

144

Updating Captions from CSV

146

Chapter 6: Layers

149

About Layer Types

151

Expanding and Collapsing Layers

152

Adding Layers

153

Selecting Layers

154

Renaming Layers

155

Deleting Layers

156

Copying Layers

157

Duplicating Layers

159

Reordering Layers

160

5

Contents

Grouping Layers

162

Showing and Hiding Layers

164

Locking and Unlocking Layers

166

Toggling Background Layers

167

Changing Layer Opacity

168

Merging Layers

170

Converting Layers

173

Blurring Layers

175

Changing the Resolution of Bitmap Layers

177

Setting a Layer Layout as Default

178

Importing Images as Layers

179

Setting Vectorization Options

180

Chapter 7: Drawing

183

About Drawing Tools

184

Vector Drawing

184

Bitmap Drawing

184

Drawing Tools

185

About the Brush Tool

186

Vector Brushes and Pencils

186

Textured Brushes

187

Brushes on Bitmap Layers

187

About Brush Modes

191

Auto Flatten Mode

191

Draw Behind Mode

191

Drawing with the Brush Tool

192

Using Vector Brush Presets

193

Using Bitmap Brush Presets

196

Using the Dynamic Brush199

Drawing with Textured Brushes

201

Drawing with Bitmap Brushes

205

About the Pencil Tool

208

About Pencil Modes

209

Draw Behind Mode

209

Auto Flatten Mode

209

Auto Close Gap Mode

210

Drawing with the Pencil Tool

211

Using Pencil Presets

213

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Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 5.1 User Guide

About the Rectangle, Ellipse and Line Tools

217

About the Rectangle, Ellipse and Line Modes

218

Draw Behind Mode

218

Snap Modes

218

Auto Fill Mode

219

Auto Flatten Mode

219

Auto Close Gap Mode

220

Drawing with the Rectangle, Ellipse and Line Tools
About the Eraser Tool

221
222

Erasing

223

Using Eraser Presets

224

About the Select Tool

225

About Select Modes

226

Lasso and Marquee Modes

226

Snap Modes

226

Select by Colour Mode

226

Select All Drawings in Scene

227

Selecting228

Rotating a Selection 90 Degrees

232

Flipping a Selection

233

Flattening a Selection

234Grouping Objects

235

Converting Strokes

236

Using the Select by Colour Tool

237

About the Cutter Tool

238

About Cutter Modes

239

Lasso and Marquee Modes

239

Tip Style Mode239

Use Mouse Gesture Mode

239

Antialiasing Mode

239

Cutting241

About the Contour Editor Tool

242

About Contour Editor Modes

243

Lasso and Marquee Modes

243

Snap to Contour Mode243

Reshaping with the Contour Editor Tool

244

Smoothing a Selection

247

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Contents

About the Perspective Tool

248

About the Perspective Modes

249

Lasso and Marquee Modes

249

Snap Modes

249

Using the Perspective Tool

250

About the Text Tool

251

Adding Text

252

Formatting Text

253

Resizing the Text Box

256

Breaking Text

257

About Tool Presets

258

Creating Tool Presets

259

Updating Tool Presets

261

Deleting Tool Presets

262

Importing and Exporting Tool Presets

263

Locking the Tool Preset Layer Selection

264

About Drawing Space Efficiency

265

Displaying the Grid

266

Using the Light Table

267

About the Onion Skin

268

Setting the Onion Skin

269

Flipping through Onion-skinned Drawings

271

Expanding the Onion Skin Preview

272

About Quick Swap Shortcut

273

Antialiasing OpenGL Lines

274

Changing the Drawing Tool Cursor

276

About Drawing Space Navigation

277

Zooming the Stage View

278

Panning the Stage View

279

Rotating the Stage View

280

Sharing Drawings

281

Chapter 8: Colour

283

About Colour Swatches

284

Changing the Current Colour

285

Adding Colour Swatches

288

Renaming Colour Swatches

289

Deleting Colour Swatches

2908Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 5.1 User Guide

Creating Gradients

291

Sharing Colour Palettes

292

About Colour Tools

293

About the Paint Tool

294

About Painting Modes

295

Painting

297

Using the Dropper Tool

299

Using the Edit Gradient - Texture Tool

301

Using the Close Gap Tool

303

Chapter 9: Libraries

305

About the Library Structure

306

Creating Libraries

307

Opening Libraries

308

Renaming Folders309

Closing Libraries and Deleting Folders

310

Refreshing Libraries

311

About Templates

312

Creating Templates

313

Deleting Templates

315

Importing Templates

316

Generating Thumbnails

318

Searching Libraries

320

About Importing Files

322

Importing Images

323

Importing Audio Files

324

Importing Flash Movies (SWF)

325

Importing Harmony Templates

326

Importing 3D Objects

327

Chapter 10: Timing

329

About the Panel Duration

330

Changing the Panel Duration

331

Setting the Panel's In and Out Point

333

Splitting a Panel at the Current Frame

335

Locking the Scene Duration

336

Selecting All Panels Forward

338

Playing Back the Animatic

339

Chapter 11: Staging

341

9

Contents

Adjusting the Pivot Point Layers

342

Resetting Transformations

345

About Staging in 3D Space

346

Converting Scenes to 3D

347

Resetting Scenes to 2D

348

Viewing Objects from the Top and Side

349

Positioning 2D Objects in 3D Space

350

Modifying 2D Objects in 3D Space

355

Chapter 12: 3D Objects

357

Determining the Scale Factor

358

About Pre-scaling 3D Objects

359

Importing 3D Objects

360

Replacing 3D Objects

362

Adding 3D Objects

363

Displaying 3D Objects

364

Navigating 3D Space

365

Navigating with the 3D Navigation Tools

366

Navigating with the 3D Flying Navigation Tool

367

Creating 2D Layers on Surface of 3D Objects

368

About 2D and 3D Object Interaction

369

About 3D Object Positioning

370

Rotating 3D Objects

373

Scaling 3D Objects

374

Maintaining the Size of Elements

375

Positioning 3D Nodes

376

Resetting a 3D Object's Position

378

Snapping to Surface or Ground379

Chapter 13: Motion

381

About the Animate Mode

381

Animating Layers

382

Animating Layers on the Layer Track

384

Animating the Camera

387

Animating 3D Objects

389

Animating 3D Nodes

390

Easing393

Copying and Pasting Keyframes

394

Spreading the Layer Motion

395

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Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 5.1 User Guide

Animation Functions

396

Animation Functions

396

Function types

397

Bezier Curves and Ease curves

398

Tweaking an Animation Path

399

Chapter 14: Camera

405

Positioning the Camera

406

Resetting the Camera

407

Copying and Pasting the Camera

408

About the Stage and Camera Views

411

About Camera Moves

413

Adding Keyframes

415

Deleting Keyframes

419

Animating Keyframes

420

Timing Keyframes

423

Snapping Keyframes and Sound Tracks

425

About Keyframe Sync Mode

426

Syncing Keyframes

427

Spreading Camera Motions Across Panels

428

About 3D Camera Moves

429

Animating the 3D Camera

431

Aligning 2D Layers with the Camera

434

About the Camera Path

436

Adding Control Points

438

Deleting Control Points

440

Adjusting the Curve of a Camera Movement

441

Chapter 15: Sound

443

About Audio Tracks

445

Adding Audio Tracks

446

Deleting AudioTracks

447

Muting Audio Tracks

448

Locking Audio Tracks

449

About Sound Clips

452

Importing Sound Clips

453

Deleting Sound Clips

455

Selecting All Sound Clips

456

Moving Sound Clips

458

11

Contents

Marking Sound Clips with Colours

459

Splitting a Sound Clip

460

Adjusting the Sound Length and Timing

461

Scrubbing Sound Clips

463

About Sound Display

464

Setting the Audio Track Height

465

Displaying Waveforms

466

Adjusting Volume Envelopes

467

Showing or Hiding the Sound Clip Name

469

Recording Sound Guides

470

Chapter 16: Transitions

473

Dissolve473

Edge Wipe

473

Clock Wipe

473

Slide

473

Adding Transitions

475

Deleting Transitions

476

Changing the Transition Type

477

Changing the Transition Duration

478

Chapter 17: Pitching the Storyboard

479

Accessing and Exiting the Pitch Mode Workspace

480

Displaying Captions

481

Customizing Captions

482

Navigating the Storyboard

483

Drawing Revisions

484

Recording Voice Annotations

486

Navigating the Storyboard

488

Chapter 18: Storyboard Supervision489

About Track Changes

490

Tracking Changes

491

Validating Changes

493

About Voice Annotations

495

Recording Voice Annotations

496

Playing Voice Annotations

497

Deleting Voice Annotations

498

Project Management

499

Splitting Storyboards

500

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Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 5.1 User Guide

Extracting Storyboards

501

Merging Storyboard Projects

502

Inserting Scenes

504

Merging and Replacing Scenes

505

Chapter 19: Exporting507

About File Naming Patterns

508

About Layer Export Settings

509

About Exporting to PDF

510

Setting Up the PDF Export

511

Exporting to PDF

514

Adding Security to a PDF

519

Creating Custom PDF Profiles

520

Adding Snapshot Markers

521

Deleting Snapshot Markers

523

About Exporting a Movie

524

Exporting a QuickTime Movie

525

Exporting a SWF Movie

528

Exporting an Image Sequence

531

Exporting an EDL, AAF or XML File

534

About Conformation

537

Exporting for Conformation

538

Exporting to Flix

543

Importing Animatics

544

Exporting the Current Image

546

Exporting to Bitmap

547

Exporting Layouts

549

Exporting to Toon Boom550

Exporting Soundtracks

553

Exporting CSV Files

555

Exporting FBX Files

557

Chapter 20: Scripting

559

Importing Scripts

560

Creating Scripts

561

Using an External Script Editor

564

Linking Scripts to Toolbar Buttons

565

13

Chapter 1: Storyboard Pro

Chapter 1: Storyboard Pro
Storyboard Pro is a complete storyboarding software for animated features and TV series, 2D/3D, live action
production, video games, or events with advanced features for all your project’s needs.
Whether you are planning an animation, a live action production or an event, Storyboard Pro takes care of yourentire storyboard and animatic project. From importing your script and images, drawing, editing captions, all theway to layer and camera movements and sound editing.
Set up your project planning in a true 3D space. With 3D model import, positioning of 2D assets within the 3D
space and impressive 3D camera movements.
Storyboard Pro features an extensive set of drawing tools and export options that range from PDF, images, movie
files and even third party editing software to fit all of your sharing and production needs.

14

Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 5.1 User Guide

Starting Toon Boom Storyboard Pro
T-SBFND-002-001
You can run Toon Boom Storyboard Pro on the Windows and Mac OS X operating systems. You will also needApple QuickTime Player to play back movies and Adobe Reader to display PDFs.

How to start Storyboard Pro
1. Double-click the Storyboard Proll

icon or do one of the following:

Windows: Select Start > Programs > Toon Boom Animation > Toon Boom Storyboard
Pro > Storyboard Pro.
Mac OS X: Select Applications > Toon Boom Storyboard Pro > Storyboard Pro.

Storyboard Pro opens. If this is the very first time you are starting Storyboard Pro, then the following screen isdisplayed. If you want to explore, go ahead and click one of the button. Otherwise, click Close.

15

Chapter 1: Storyboard Pro

A second Welcome screen displays.

How to install Apple QuickTime Playerl

Go to this link and follow the instructions:Windows: apple.com/quicktime/download/pc
Mac OS X: apple.com/quicktime/download/mac

16

Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 5.1 User Guide

How to install Adobe Readerl

Go to this link and follow the instructions:Windows: adobe.com/support/downloads/pc
Mac OS X: adobe.com/support/downloads/mac

17

Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 5.1 User Guide

18

Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 5.1 User Guide

Chapter 2: Projects
All projects created with Storyboard Pro are independent and local to the computer. There are a few different ways tocreate and open projects. You can create a project from the Welcome screen, File menu, Final Draft script, or Toon
Boom Harmony scenes.

A Storyboard Pro project is composed of several files. The drawings and colour palettes are not embedded in the
project. They are separate linked files. Therefore, if you want to archive or share a project, you require all the files
contained in the folder structure.

NOTE: You can save your project as an open directory or as a single file. To switch to a single file, see Saving
Projects as a Single File on page 36

Here is an example of the file structure contained in a scene. As you work and use more features, different folders
may appear in your structure.

19

Chapter 2: Projects

The Storyboard Pro project folder contains the following folders: frames, audio, elements, etc.
Folder/File

Contents

audio

Contains all imported audio files.

elements

Contains all the drawing files.

environments

Contains the exported palette files that were originally stored at theenvironment level in the Harmony Server database structure or the palettes in
a Harmony Stand Alone scene that will be imported later at the environment
level in Harmony Server. This is for compatibility with export to Toon Boom.

framesContains the final frames after a render if you are using the default settings ofthe Write node in the Node view.

jobs

Contains the exported palette files that were originally stored at theenvironment level in the Harmony Server database structure or the palettes in
a Harmony Stand Alone scene that will be imported later at the environment
level in Harmony Server. This is for compatibility with export to Toon Boom.

logs

Contains traces of operations and processes while working with Storyboard
Pro. This can be useful for debugging.

palette-library

Contains palettes files.

*.sboard

This is the main Storyboard Pro file. This is the file you must click on to launch
the software and load the project. This file links to all the other files in the
directory.

PALETTE_LIST

This is the list of all the different palettes in the project.

20

Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 5.1 User Guide

Creating Projects
When creating projects, you have the choice of using the Welcome screen or the File menu in Storyboard Pro. You
can also create a project from a Final Draft script or from Harmony scenes.

21

Chapter 2: Projects

Creating Projects

Creating Projects from the Welcome Screen
T-SBFND-002-003
You can create a project from the Welcome screen.

How to create a project from the Welcome screen
1. In the Project Name field, type the name of the project. This name will appear as the file name.
2. In the Project Directory field, specify the location of your new project.
3. In the Project Title field, type the name of the project title. It is a good idea to use the Project Name for the
Project Title. You can also type in the name of the Project Subtitle, but it is not mandatory. These titles willappear on the appropriate pages of PDF exports.
4. In the Camera Size menu, choose the project’s resolution—see Creating Custom Resolutions.

5. Click Create Project.

22

Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 5.1 User Guide

Creating Projects from the File Menu
T-SBFND-002-004
You can also use the File menu. If a project is already open and you want to create a new one, use the File menu.
Note that the content of the project directory will appear when you save the project for the first time.

How to create a project from the File menu
1. Do one of the following:lSelect File > New.

l

In the File toolbar, click the NewlPress Ctrl+N (Windows) or ⌘ +N (Mac OS X).

button.

The New Project dialog box opens.

23

Chapter 2: Projects

Creating Projects

2. In the Project Name field, type the name of the project. This name will appear as the file name.
3. In the Project Directory field, specify the location of your new project.
4. In the Project Title field, type the name of the project title. It is a good idea to use the Project Name for the
Project Title. You can also type in the name of the Project Subtitle, but it is not mandatory. These titles willappear on the appropriate pages of PDF exports.
5. In the Camera Size menu, choose the project’s resolution—see Creating Custom Resolutions.

6. Click Create Project.

24

Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 5.1 User Guide

Creating Projects from Final Draft
T-SBADV-001-001
Storyboarding and script writing go hand-in-hand. Storyboard Pro lets you use your Final Draft script to create a new
Storyboard Pro project. This feature is a time saver as it handles the creation of scenes and panels, as well as
inserting all the text in the proper captions automatically.
If you are working with version 7 of Final Draft, you must use Final Draft Tagger to generate the *.xml file needed touse this feature. After you have produced your export, follow the steps to create a project from a Final Draft script.

NOTE: Final Draft 8 uses a new file format, *.fdx, which can be imported directly into Storyboard Pro, as opposed tothe older *.fdr, which needs to be exported from Final Draft Tagger to generate an *.xml file.

How to create project from a Final Draft script
1. Select File > New From Final Draft Script.
The Import from Final Draft window opens.
2. Use the Browse
button to search for an *.fdx or *.xml file exported from Final Draft. After making a fileselection, the other options in the window become active.

25

Chapter 2: Projects

Creating Projects

3. Select a tag from the left column, then select an item from the Action menu.

4. For the selected tag, decide if you want to set the following options:llCombine Successive Elements: Combines the selected tag with an identical tag if it
occurs successively in the script. For example, you might choose to create a New Panel forevery Dialogue tag that appears in the Final Draft script. However, if there are three Dialogue tags in a row without a break due to an Action tag, then selecting this option places
these three lines of dialogue together in the same Panel.
Include Element Number When Available: In a Final Draft script, there are numbers along
the right and left margins of the document that indicate a change in scene. Select this option
to import these into your Storyboard Pro project.

26

Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 5.1 User Guide

5. From the Destination caption field menu, select the location in the Panel window in which you want place thetext associated with the selected tag.

In the example above, Storyboard Pro will take all the text associated with the Action tag in the Final Draft fileand put it in the Action Notes section in the Panel window for each new scene that it creates in this project.
From the Import from Final Draft dialog box, below is a list of some sample settings for the most common
tags:
ActionCombine sucDestination caption fieldcessive elements

ActionNew Panel

Action Notes

Character

None

Dialogue

Dialogue

None

Enabled

Dialogue

Scene Heading

New Shot

EnabledSlugging

27

Chapter 2: Projects

Creating Projects

Transition

New Transition

Notes

Parenthetical

None

None

Try different settings with your style of script and see what works best for you. Remember to selectthe Save as default rules option once you have your settings just right, so these settings are usedas the default the next time you create your Storyboard Pro project from a Final Draft script.
6. When you have finished setting up your import parameters, click Import.
7. Now, you will be asked to create your new project. You will be prompted to save changes to your current
scene, before it is closed and your new project, generated from your script, is opened.
For more information on creating a new Storyboard Pro project, see Creating Projects on page 21.
How to export a script as an XML
1. Start Final Draft Tagger.
2. Select File > Import Script or press Ctrl+I.
The Import dialog box opens.
3. In the browser, select your script file and click Open.
Your script appears in Final Draft Tagger.

4. Select File > Export to XML.
5. Close Final Draft Tagger and proceed to import the *.xml file as in the previous section.

28

Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 5.1 User Guide

Creating Projects from Harmony Scenes
You can create a project from Harmony scenes. Before you do this, in Harmony, you must mark the frames you
want to use as panels in your project. Frames must be marked in an annotation column called "EM". For eachmarked frame, a panel is created in Storyboard Pro. If you don't mark your frames, the first frame of each Harmony
scene will be used.
You must group all your different Harmony scenes in one folder. Storyboard Pro will create one scene per Harmony
scene. If your Harmony scene contains several EM markers in the annotation column, Storyboard Pro will create
multiple panels within the scene.
How to create a project from Harmony scenes
1. From the top menu, select File > New from Harmony Scenes.
The New Project dialog box opens.
2. In the Project Directory field, specify the location of your new project.

3. In the Project Name field, type the name of the project. This name will be used as the file name.
4. In the Project Title field, type the name of the project title. It can be a good idea to use the Project Name for
the Project Title.
You can also type in the name of the Project Subtitle, but it is not mandatory. These titles will appear on theappropriate pages of PDF renders.
5. In the Resolution section, choose the project’s resolution—see Creating Custom Resolutions.
6. Click Create.
The Select Harmony Scenes Directory window opens.
7. Select the folder you created that contains your multiple Harmony scenes; do not select the Harmony scenefolder directly. Click Select Folder.
The name of the folder of each scene file is used to name the scene that is created. Panels are created in theThumbnails and Timeline views.

29

Chapter 2: Projects

Creating Custom Resolutions

Creating Custom Resolutions
You can create a custom resolution from the Welcome screen or New Project window. Your new resolution willappear in the Camera Size menu of both the New Project window and Welcome screen.
If you no longer need a custom resolution, you can easily remove it. However, you cannot delete the factory
resolutions that come with Storyboard Pro.

How to create a custom resolution
1. In the Welcome screen or New Project window, click the Add

button to add a new resolution to the list.

The New Resolution box opens.

l

l

l

Resolution Name: Type a name for your new resolution.
Width/Height: Enter the resolution width or height in pixels. These two parameters arelinked; changing one changes the other.
Field of View: Set the field of view to use the horizontal or vertical resolution, or enter a custom field of view.

30

Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 5.1 User Guidel

Frame Rate: Type the scene’s frame rate per second.

How to delete a custom resolution
1. In the Welcome screen or New Project window, select a custom resolution from the Camera Size menu.

2. Click the Remove

button.

The selected custom resolution is deleted from the list.

31

Chapter 2: Projects

Opening Projects

Opening Projects
T-SBFND-002-006
Existing projects can be opened from the Welcome screen when you start Storyboard Pro. If you already have
Storyboard Pro open, you can open projects from the File menu.

How to open a project from the Welcome screen
1. Start Storyboard Pro.
2. In the Recent Projects section, do one of the following:lSelect a project from the list.

lClick Open Project and select a project (*.sboard file) from the browser that appears.

How to open a project from the File menu
1. Do one of the following:lSelect File > Open.

l

In the File toolbar, click the BrowselPress Ctrl+O (Windows) or ⌘ +O (Mac OS X).

The Open Project window opens.

32

button.

Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 5.1 User Guide

2. Locate and select an *.sboard file.
3. Click Open.

33

Chapter 2: Projects

About Saving

About Saving
It is important to regularly save your project. For more information about the structure of a saved project, see
Projects on page 19.
To save the current state of a project as a new one, you can use the Save As command. The Save As window
prompts you to give a new name and choose a different location to this project before saving it. This will create acomplete project directory for the new project.
You can also automatically save your work. Refer to the Preferences Guide to learn more about this function.
A Storyboard Pro project is composed of many small files. Each drawing in a project is a file, which may result inprojects containing over 10,000 files. This can quickly fill your storage solution with a high number of files,
straining the file system and backup process.
You can reduce the number of files and protect the integrity of projects by saving (packing) the project in a single
file. A packed project file is appended with the .sbpz extension.

NOTE: See Project Management on page 499 to learn more about splitting and merging projects.

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Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 5.1 User Guide

Saving Projects
You can save your projects as is or save them as a new copy.
How to save a projectlSelect File > Save.

l

Press Ctrl + S (Windows/Linux) or ⌘ + S (Mac OS X).

How to save a project as a copy (Save As)
1. Select File > Save As.
2. In the Save As dialog box, browse to the location of the new archive and give the copy of the project a newname.
3. Click Save.

35

Chapter 2: Projects

About Saving

Saving Projects as a Single File
A Storyboard Pro project is composed of many small files. Each drawing in a project is a file, which may result inprojects containing over 10,000 files. This can quickly fill your storage solution with a high number of files,
straining the file system and backup process.
You can reduce the number of files and protect the integrity of projects by saving (packing) the project in a single
file. A packed project file is appended with the .sbpz extension.
The location of your packed file (*.sbpz) does not have to be in the same place as your current project file. For
example, you can save the packed file on your company’s server and save the current version on your local
computer.
You can open a packed file in the usual way by using the File > Open command or by double clicking the file in the
Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac OS X). The packed file extracts to a temporary folder on your computer.
•

Windows: \Users\[username]\Documents\Toon Boom Animation\StoryboardPro Project Cache•

Mac OS X: /Users/[username]/Documents/Toon Boom Animation/StoryboardPro Project Cache

When opening a project in Storyboard Pro, you can select an .sbpz file (the packed project); this file will be
updated when you perform a Save and Pack. If you opened an .sboard project, you can perform a Save As to apacked format, after which that file (the packed/zipped one) will be updated by the Save and Pack.

NOTE:- Unpacked projects do not appear in the list of recent projects, so you don't accidentally open the project in thecache.
- Multiple users cannot open the same packed project at the same time.
- When working with a packed project and you have Storyboard Pro set to automatically save your project,
Autosave, it is saved to the project cache.

How to set your project to save as a single file
1. Do one of the following:lSelect Edit > Preferences (Windows) or Storyboard Pro > Preferences (Mac OS X).

lPress Ctrl+U (Windows) or ⌘ + , (Mac OS X).

2. Select the Project Settings tab.
3. Select the Save new projects in single file format (packed file) option and click OK.

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Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 5.1 User Guide

How to convert a standard Storyboard Pro project to a packed project
1. Select File > Save As.
The Save As window opens.

2. In the File Name field, give your packed file a name.
3. From the Save as Type list, select Storyboard Packed File (*.sbpz).

4. Click Save.
The project is saved and zipped to the location you specified.
How to save an unpacked project
1. Do one of the following:‣

Select File > Save to save the project to your local cache.

‣

Select File > Save and Pack to pack the project to the location you specified for your packed project.
The unpacked project is saved and packed to the original zipped project file.

NOTE: If the project already has a file, save the project locally using the Save command , then save to the zip fileusing the Save and Pack command.

37

Chapter 2: Projects

About Project Optimization

About Project Optimization
T-SBFND-002-007
If you are concerned with file size and speed, there are a few things you can do to optimize your project.

NOTE: Toon Boom Storyboard Pro has an optimized file structure that reduces the number of folders. For thisreason, once a project is saved in this version, it can no longer be opened in Storyboard Pro 2. However, Toon
Boom Storyboard Pro is fully backwards compatible and will open files created by older versions of Storyboard
Pro.

38

Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 5.1 User Guide

Optimizing Projects
T-SBFND-002-008
You can optimize projects by flattening all drawings in your project, removing unused files, and reducing the texture
size.

How to optimize your project
1. Select File > Optimize Project.
The Optimize project dialog box opens.

2. Select one or more of the following options:llRemove unused elements from the project: As you create a storyboard you will delete panels or layers, update drawings, unlink sounds, and so on. Some of these files are kept for
backup purposes, but they take up space and increase the size of your project on your hard
drive. This option removes these unwanted elements.
Flatten drawings in the project: Flattens all the brush or pencil line strokes of all the vector
drawings in your project. This means that all overlapping strokes will no longer be editable assingle strokes, but only as whole, drawn objects.

39Chapter 2: Projects

About Project Optimization

NOTE: Strokes drawn with different colours will not be flattened together.

lReduce texture resolution of all drawings in the project: Reduces the texture resolution
and consequently makes the project file size smaller. The resolution is set so it cannot go
below 72 dpi.

NOTE: This cannot be reversed once you have reduced the resolution. These operations cannot
be undone and will empty the undo list.

40

Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 5.1 User Guide

Optimizing Drawings
T-SBFND-002-009
When using any of the playback options in Storyboard Pro, the software must calculate the positioning of all the*.tvg (Toon Boom vector graphics) files. This is the file format created from all your drawing strokes. This calculation
tends to slow down the rate of playback. There is, however, a way to circumvent this problem.
There is a second file format, *.tvgo (Toon Boom vector graphic optimized), that has all the pixel position information
pre-calculated. Using these drawings should significantly speed up playback.

How to optimize playback and create optimized drawngs
1. Select Edit > Preferences.
The Preferences dialog box opens.
2. From the Advanced tab, under the Optimized Playback section, select the Use Optimized Drawings option.
3. Select the Asynchronous Drawing Loading option to optimize playback. There are cases in which, during
playback, the software may encounter a particularly texture-heavy or complex panel. When this happens,
and this option is deselected, there will be a pause in playback while the frame loads. If you select this option,then playback will continue and the drawings will load as soon as they are available. You may notice a short
blink while the drawing loads.
4. Select the Preload Drawings option to enhance playback further by loading drawings in memory before youreach them during playback. Storyboard Pro will determine which, between the two options, has more drawings to preload and use the appropriate option during playback.
lNumber of Frames to Preload: Storyboard Pro looks ahead for the number of frames, andchecks to see how many drawings are used. Each layer on each panel is a drawing. If you have
many short panels, then you will have more drawings than if you had one long panel.

41

Chapter 2: ProjectslAbout Project Optimization

Number of Panels to Preload: Storyboard Pro looks ahead for the specified number of panels to determine the number of drawings in those panels. Keep in mind that each layer oneach panel is a drawing. If you have long panels, then it will want to look ahead several panels, instead of the specified number of frames.

5. Click OK.
6. Select File > Create Optimized Drawings.

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Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 5.1 User Guide

Optimization Best Practices
T-SBFND-002-010
When working in Storyboard Pro, there are some best practices you should follow to keep the file size low andplayback speed fast.

43

Chapter 2: Projects

About Project Optimization

Plain Vector Versus Texture Brush
T-SBFND-002-011
When you draw on a layer, all the strokes that you create with the Brush tool are vector elements. There are twokinds of brushes:llPlain Brushes: By default, the Brush tool creates vector strokes filled with either a colour or a gradient.
Vector strokes use a very small amount of memory and can be used rapidly because they do not containany pixel information, only mathematical functions.
Texture Brushes: This type of brush also produces a vector contour for its strokes, but is filled with a bitmap texture. These textures allows you to produce drawings that have natural looking brush strokes that
resemble lines drawn using a crayon or airbrush.

Because you are using a bitmap image mapped inside vector strokes, texture brushes use much more memory
and processing time than brush strokes filled with colour. Therefore if you want to make your file size lighter anddrawing speed faster, use only regular brushes to draw scenes. If you choose to use texture brushes, is it
important to use a reasonable size bitmap for the texture brush.

NOTE: When you use a bitmap layer instead of a vector layer, individual vector strokes are not created. Instead,individual pixels are laid down, recording information about the RGBA of each pixel. Because of this, whenworking with lots of shading and lots of different textures or colours, the bitmap layer is actually more efficient than
the texture brush on the vector layer—see Drawing on page 183.

44

Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 5.1 User Guide

Bitmap Import Optimization
T-SBFND-002-012
Storyboard Pro allows you to create storyboards by importing scanned images or bitmaps drawn in anothersoftware. During the import process, images are vectorized and placed in a new scene in a vector bounding box as a
bitmap fill. The bitmap image’s resolution can affect your project’s file size and the speed at which Storyboard Pro
functions while handling your project. When importing bitmaps into a storyboard, there is rarely a need to use a highresolution as it will not increase the quality of your PDF or animatic. You should import bitmaps with a resolution
close to the project resolution. For example, in an NTSC project, using a bitmap with a 720 x 480 resolution or a 72
dpi quality will be fine.

45

Chapter 2: Projects

About Project Optimization

Flattening Drawings
T-SBFND-002-013
In Storyboard Pro, strokes inside a vector layer are independent. You can select a specific stroke and edit its
position, scale, rotation, skew, colour and so on, whenever you want. However, this flexibility increases theamount of memory and resources used, especially when you have a lot of strokes in your drawing (which
frequently happens when sketching).
You can flatten all drawings in at the same time. However, you can retain partial flexibility and still minimize filesize and resources needed by consciously flattening certain drawings as you draw, or even by selecting themafter you have drawn them. You can take all strokes of the same colour with overlapping areas on the same layer
and flatten them to create a single drawing with a vector contour.
When you use the Flatten option in the Tools menu, Storyboard Pro automatically crops all textures, reducing thedrawing size by removing the texture area which is not visible.
How to flatten strokes as you draw
1. From the Tools toolbar, select the Brushtool.

2. In the Tool Properties view, click the Auto-Flatten

button.

3. In the Stage view, sketch your first drawing.
The strokes are automatically flattened.
How to flatten an existing drawing
1. From the Tools toolbar, select the Selecttool.

2. In the Stage view, select a group of strokes.
l

If you do not select a group of strokes, the entire layer will be flattened.

l

You can select multiple layers, so they are flattened individually.

3. Select Tools > Flatten or press Alt+Shift+F.

46

Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 5.1 User Guide

About Project Properties
T-SBFND-002-014
When you created your new project, you chose the name and resolution. However, if you want to change these
initial settings later on, you can. All global project properties such as the resolution, project name, copyright, field
chart size, and frame rate are available in the Project Properties dialog box—see Project Properties Dialog Box.
How to access the project propertiesl

Select Storyboard > Properties.
The Project Properties dialog box opens.

47

Chapter 2: Projects

About Project Backup

About Project Backup
T-SBADV-001-003
As you work on your storyboard project, it is always a good idea to save continuously. At the end of each
workday, it is even better to back up your work. The difference between backing up and saving is that a backup is
a compressed version of your project. Backing up your work provides a safety net against corrupted files andallows you to have several versions of your project at different stages, in case you need to go back and work froman earlier point in the production.

48

Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 5.1 User Guide

Backing Up Projects
T-SBADV-001-004
The place where you save your backup file (*.sbbkp) does not necessarily have to be the same place where you
have your current project file saved. For example, you can save the backup on your company’s server, even though
the current version is saved somewhere on your computer.
How to back up the current version of your Storyboard Pro project
1. Select File > Backup Storyboard.
The Create Storyboard Backup window opens.
2. Browse for a location on your computer to save this backup file. You can also rename it with a date or version
number.
3. Click Save.
An *.sbbkp file is created and saved in the assigned location.

49

Chapter 2: Projects

About Project Backup

Restoring Backups
T-SBADV-001-005
At times, you may need to restore a backup of a project you are working on.
How to restore and open a backup file
1. Do one the following:‣

Select File > Restore and Open Backup. In the Open Storyboard Backup window that appears,
locate and select the *.sbbkp file.

‣

On your computer, go to the location where you saved the *.sbbkp file and double-click its icon. In thebrowser window, select a place to save the restored file.

2. The project opens in Storyboard Pro.

50

Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 5.1 User Guide

Chapter 3: Interface
T-SBFND-003-001
Understanding how to manage the Storyboard Pro interface helps you to work efficiently and organize yourworkspace conveniently. There are a many views and toolbars you can use for performing different operations. You
will probably have your own preferred way of working in the Storyboard Pro interface as well.
When you start Storyboard Pro for the first time, the default workspace is displayed. It contains all of the mainelements you need for storyboarding.

Top Menu
Located at the top of the Storyboard Pro interface, the top menu contains most of the commands. Depending on theview you are working in and the selected element, some commands are available and others not.

Tools Toolbar
The Tools toolbar contains all the main tools you need to work in Storyboard Pro. In the default workspace, thistoolbar located on the left-most side of the interface. A small triangle at the lower-right corner of a tool indicates

51

Chapter 3: Interface

additional tools under the main tool. To access these tools, hold down the left mouse button until the additional
tools appear, then select one.

Storyboard Toolbar
The Storyboard toolbar contains all of the basic commands related to adding and deleting panels, scenes, andtransitions, as well as switching between the 2D and 3D workspaces. In the default workspace, this toolbar islocated at the top of the interface.

Playback Toolbar
The Playback toolbar lets you play back your storyboard. When you create an animatic with transitions andsound, you can play it back in real time in the Stage view to check the timing. In the default workspace, thistoolbar is located at the top of the interface.

Thumbnails View
The Thumbnails View displays all the panels of your project in chronological order. You can use this view tonavigate through your storyboard, rearrange panels and scenes, and select the panel to display in the Stage view.
By default, it is not possible to draw in the Thumbnails view and there are no browsing buttons. But you canchange these settings in the Preferences dialog box.

Stage View
The Stage and Camera views are the centre of operations in Storyboard Pro. In these views, you can build, draw,
paint, animate the camera, create layers, and see your results.

Panel View
The Panel view displays the different captions related to the current panel, the in, out and duration, and lets you
play any voice annotations related to the panel.

NOTE: By default, when you modify the workspace, it is automatically saved. You can restore the default
workspaces by selecting Windows > Restore Default Workspace. You can prevent this behaviour by deselecting
the Save Workspace option in the Preferences dialog box—see General Preferences in the Preferences Guide.

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Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 5.1 User Guide

About Menus
In Storyboard Pro, you can access the commands from the following three types of menus:
Top Menu: Located at the top of the Storyboard Pro interface, the top menu contains most of the commands.
Depending on the view you are working in and the selected element, some commands are available and others not.
View Menus: Some views have their own menu containing commands specifically related to that view. To access aview menu, click the View Menu
button in the top-right corner of a view.

Contextual Menus: Each view has a contextual menu containing commands for recurring actions. To access acontextual meu, right-click (Windows) or Ctrl+click (Mac OS X) anywhere in a view.

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Chapter 3: Interface

About Views

About Views
T-SBFND-003-002
The Storyboard Pro user interface is comprised of different views, each one designed for a specific purpose. You
can modify the location and accessibility of the views by adding a new view as a tab or as a window. You canalso swap the view locations around, as well as do the following:l

Add a viewl

Tab a viewlDock a viewl

Undock a viewlRename a viewlClose a viewlMove a viewlResize a viewlCollapse a viewlExpand a view

For details about the views in Storyboard Pro, see Reference Guide.
Here is a complete list of the views available in Storyboard Pro.
l

3D Schematicl

CameralColourl

Function EditorlLayersl

Libraryl

Message Log

l

Panel

l

Panel PDF Optionsl

PDF ExportlPitch Model

Script Editor

l

Side

l

Stage

l

StoryboardlThumbnailslTimeline54

Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 5.1 User Guidel

Tool Properties

l

Top

55

Chapter 3: Interface

About Views

Adding Views
T-SBFND-003-002
Views contain specific groupings of features and can be positioned anywhere on your screen. You can tab, dock,and undock a view.

The Colour view is a bit different than other views in Storyboard Pro. By default, the Colour view is part of the Tool
Properties view, not a separate view on its own. If you have chosen to separate the two views and want toreintegrate them into one view, select Windows > Restore Default Workspace.

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Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 5.1 User Guide

How to add a view
1. Do one of the following:lSelect Windows and then select a view from the list.

l

In Panel view, click the View Menu

button and select a view from the list.

How to dock a viewlDrag the window’s tab onto the Panel view and drop it in the tab area.
The view is added to the Panel view.

How to undock a view
1. In the Panel view, select a view by clicking its tab.
2. Drag the selected view to a new location, moving away from the Panel view.
The view turns into a window.

57

Chapter 3: Interface

About Views

58

Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 5.1 User Guide

Renaming a View
T-SBFND-003-003
You can rename a view for convenience. When you do, the new name remains in effect as long as the view stays
open. Once you close and reopen the view, its name, as displayed on the tab, will revert to the default name.
How to rename a view
1. In the view to rename, click the View Menu

button.

2. Select Rename Tab from the list.
The Rename View Tab dialog box opens.

3. Type a new name for the tab you want to rename and click OK.

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Chapter 3: Interface

About Views

Closing Views
T-SBFND-003-003
If there are views in your workspace that you do not use, you can close them to streamline your space.
How to close a view
1. In the view to close, click the Close View

button.

2. If there are several tabs, press Shift and click the Close View

button.

All the tabs are closed at the same time.

NOTE: Don't forget, you can restore the default workspace at any time by selecting Windows > Restore Default
Layout.

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Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 5.1 User Guide

Moving Views
T-SBFND-003-004
You can move and group views, create floating windows, or dock them in their own individual areas.

NOTE: The Colour view is like other views, that is, you can dock and undock it. When you first open the Colour view,
it is docked. You can undock it so it becomes its own window which you can move around freely.

How to move a view
1. Select the tab of a view and drag it onto a view separator, top area, or onto another view’s tab.
2. When a rectangle outline appears showing an available location for the view (see 1, 2 and 3 below), release
the mouse button to drop the view into position.
The view becomes a tabbed window, a floating window, or a new docked window.

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Chapter 3: Interface

About Views

Resizing Views
T-SBFND-003-005
By resizing a view, you can customize your workspace. You can change the width and height of the views in theworkspace.
How to resize a view
1. Position your cursor at the edge of the view you want to resize.
2. When you see the Resizing cursor, drag the side of the window to the desired width or height.

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Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 5.1 User Guide

Expanding or Collapsing Views
T-SBFND-003-006
By temporarily expanding or collapsing a view, you can manipulate the workspace to suit your workflow. The
expanded or collapsed state of a view will be saved as part of the workspace modifications.
How to expand or collapse a view
1. On the edge of the view you want to hide, click the Expand/Collapse button.

The view is collapsed and only the Expand/Collapse button is visible.
2. Click the Expand/Collapse button to display the view again.

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Chapter 3: Interface

About Toolbars

About Toolbars
T-SBFND-003-007
The Storyboard Pro interface contains toolbars which lets you access many useful tools.
You can add, move and close toolbars, as well as customize them.
For details on each toolbar, refer to the Reference Guide.
These toolbars are available in Storyboard Pro.
l

CameralCoordinate

l

Edit

l

File

l

Layer

l

NavigationlOnion Skinl

PlaybacklScripting

l

Sound

l

Storyboard

l

View

l

Workspacel

Tool Presets

l

Tools

64

Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 5.1 User Guide

Adding and Closing Toolbars
T-SBFND-003-007
You can easily add a toolbar to your workspace or close one you don't use very often.

How to add a toolbar‣

Select Windows > Toolbars > the toolbar to add.

How to close a toolbar‣

Select Windows > Toolbars > the toolbar to close.

65

Chapter 3: Interface

About Toolbars

Moving Toolbars
T-SBFND-003-008
You can move toolbars and place them at the top of the interface or beside a view.
How to move a toolbar

1. Select the toolbar to move by clicking its anchor point and dragging it to a toolbar area at the top or side of
the interface.

As you drag the toolbar, a rectangle outline appears to indicate the available locations for the toolbar.
2. Release the toolbar to drop it into position.

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Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 5.1 User Guide

Customizing Toolbars
T-SBFND-003-009
Some of the toolbars can be customized with your favourite tools and options. You can also organize the toolbars tosuit your working preferences.
These are the toolbars that can be customized:
l

Layer

l

StoryboardlNavigation

l

Sound

l

Tools

The Tools toolbar can only be customized if the Flat Tools Toolbar preference is enabled. This preference allows you
to display all the tools instead of having some of them grouped as drop-downs.
How to customize a toolbar
1. Right-click (Windows) or Ctrl+click (Mac OS X) on any button in a toolbar and select Customize.
The Toolbar Manager dialog box opens.

2. Do any of the following:lll

Add a new icon to a toolbar: Select a tool/command from the Available Tools list and click
the Right
Arrow button.
Remove an icon from a toolbar: Select a tool/command in the Toolbar list and click the Left
Arrow button to remove it from the toolbar.
Reorder icons in a toolbar: Select a tool/command in the Toolbar list and click the Up
Down
Arrow buttons to reposition it.

67orChapter 3: Interface

About Toolbars

3. Click Apply to apply the changes without closing the Toolbar Manager dialog box or click OK to apply thechanges and close the window.
How to enable the Flat Tools Toolbar preference
1. Open the Preferences dialog box by do:lSelect File > Preferences (Windows) or Storyboard Pro > Preferences (Mac OS X).

lPress Ctrl+U (Windows) or ⌘ + , (Mac OS X).

2. Select the Global UI tab.
3. In the Toolbars section, select the Flat Tool Toolbar option.
4. Restart Storyboard Pro. Once the software is restarted, you can customize the Tools toolbar.

68Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 5.1 User Guide

About Workspaces
T-SBFND-003-010
The Storyboard Pro workspace is comprised of several views. You can customize your workspace to suit your work
style, save it as a new workspace, and load it from the Workspace toolbar.
The first time you open Storyboard Pro, the default Drawing workspace is loaded. There are a total of eight readymade workspaces.

Workspace

Icon

Description

Drawing

This workspace is designed to enable you to draw your storyboard efficiently. The main
space is the large Stage view and the Thumbnails view is at the bottom. This workspace
also gives you quick and easy access to all your tools, as well as the Panel and Storyboard views.

Timeline

This workspace is designed with the process of animatic creation in mind. The main spaceis the large Stage view and the Timeline view is at the bottom, where you can easily edit
the timing of panels, transitions and sounds. This workspace also gives you quick andeasy access to all your tools, as well as the Panel and Storyboard views.

Overview

This workspace is designed to provide an organized overview of your project. The main
space is the Thumbnails view where you can efficiently reorganize the order of yourpanels.

Horizontal

This workspace displays your project as a classic horizontal paper storyboard layout. The
main space displays three panels at a time, with the panel information shown below eachone.

VerticalThis workspace displays your project as a classic vertical paper storyboard layout. The
main space displays two panels at a time, with the panel information shown at the side of
each.

Pitch Mode

This workspace displays your project with a different set of views than the otherworkspaces. Access is only given to a certain number of features. This maximizes the69

Chapter 3: Interface

Workspace

About Workspaces

Icon

Description
viewing space to focus solely on the story being pitched.
The Pitch Mode workspace occupies the entire display screen. There are no toolbars or
top menu available.

PDF View

This workspace displays your project with the views required to quickly set up your PDF
export.

3D View

This workspace displays your project with the views appropriate for working with 3D
objects, including the Camera, Top, Timeline, and Layers views—see 3D Objects on page
357.

When you create or change any of the customer workspaces, the file are stored in a folder called Toon Boom
Storyboard Pro. You can copy this folder if you want to use the same workspaces on a different computer.
lWindows:ll

Mac OS X: On Mac OS X, the Library folder is a hidden folder. To display the display the folder, told down
the Alt key when displaying Finder's Go menu.
ll

C:\Users\[user_name]\AppData\Roaming\Toon Boom Animation\Toon Boom Storyboard
Pro \1200-layouts-xml/Users/[user_name]/Library/Preferences/Toon Boom Animation/Toon Boom Storyboard
Pro/1200-layouts-xml

Linux:l/home/[user_name]/Toon Boom Animation/Toon Boom Storyboard Pro /1200-layouts-xml/

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Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 5.1 User Guide

Loading Workspaces
T-SBFND-003-011
There are several ways to load a workspace in Storyboard Pro.
How to load a workspacel

From the View toolbar, click a workspace button.

l

Select Windows > Workspace > Workspace and then select a workspace.

l

Use the keyboard shortcuts 3 to 8 to open the corresponding workspaces. There is no keyboard shortcut for
the PDF View. You must use the button on the View toolbar.

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Chapter 3: Interface

About Workspaces

Creating a Workspace
Using the Workspace Manager, you can modify, create, delete, rename, and reorder workspaces. You can create
a new workspace from an existing one and modify it to suit your needs.
How to create a new workspace
1. Do one of the following:ll

Select Windows > Workspace > Workspace Manager.
Select Windows > Toolbars > Workspace and in the Workspace toolbar, click the Workspace
Managerbutton.

2. In the Available Workspaces list, select an existing workspace.

3. At the bottom of the Available Workspaces list, click the Add

button to add a workspace.

4. Select the new workspace you created, then click Rename and give it a new name.
5. Select the new workspace and click the Right Arrow

6. Click OK

72

button to send it to the Workspace toolbar.

Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 5.1 User Guide

Renaming a Workspace
You can rename an existing workspace in the Workspace Manager.
How to rename a workspace
1. Do one of the following:ll

Select Windows > Workspace > Workspace Manager.
Select Windows > Toolbars > Workspace and in the Workspace toolbar, click the Workspace Manager
button.

2. From the Available Workspaces column, select a workspace to rename.
3. Click the Rename button.
4. Type in a new name for the workspace.

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Chapter 3: Interface

About Workspaces

Saving a Workspace
Storyboard Pro automatically saves the changes made to a workspace. This means that when you resize, movearound, add or delete views, your workspace will be automatically saved in its current state.
You can save a workspace manually, or as a new version to avoid overwriting the current one.
How to save a workspace manuallyl

Select Windows > Workspace > Save Workspace.

How to save your workspace as a new version
1. Select Windows > Workspace > Save Workspace As.
The Save Workspace As dialog box opens.
2. Type in a name for the workspace.

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Deleting a Workspace
You can delete a workspace from your list using the Workspace Manager. Note that you cannot delete the default
worksapces.
How to delete a workspace
1. Do one of the following:ll

Select Windows > Workspace > Workspace Manager.
Select Windows > Toolbars > Workspace and in the Workspace toolbar, click the Workspace Manager
button.

2. From the Toolbar list on the right, select the workspace to delete and click the Left Arrowto the Available Workspaces list. This removes it from the Workspace toobar.

button to send it

3. From the Available Workspaces list on the left, select a workspace and click the Delete

button.

4. Click OK.

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About Workspaces

Showing and Hiding Workspaces
You can show and hide selected workspaces from the Workspace toolbar’s drop-down menu.
How to show a workspace
1. Do one of the following:ll

Select Windows > Workspace > Workspace Manager.
Select Windows > Toolbars > Workspace and in the Workspace toolbar, click the Workspace
Managerbutton.

2. In the Available Workspaces list, select the workspace to be displayed. Click the Right Arrowto send it to the Workspace toolbar.

button

How to hide a workspace
1. Do one of the following:ll

Select Windows > Workspace > Workspace Manager.
Select Windows > Toolbars > Workspace and in the Workspace toolbar, click the Workspace
Managerbutton.

2. In the Workspace Manager, select the workspace to be hidden. Click the Leftto the Available Workspaces list.

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Reordering the Workspace List
You can edit the order that the available workspaces are listed in the Workspace toolbar’s drop-down menu.
How to reorder the workspace list
1. Do one of the following:ll

Select Windows > Workspace > Workspace Manager.
Select Windows > Toolbars > Workspace and in the Workspace toolbar, click the Workspace Manager
button.

2. From the Toolbar list, select the workspace to be reordered and click the Up or Down Arrow buttons to moveit up or down.

77Chapter 3: Interface

About Workspaces

Restoring the Default Workspace
T-SBFND-003-012
You can restore the modified workspaces to their original default layout. This is particularly useful if you haveclosed several views or moved toolbars.
How to restore the default workspacel

Select Windows > Restore Default Workspace.

Interface Navigation
Toon Boom Storyboard Pro lets you zoom in, zoom out, rotate, pan and reset views for easy navigation of theinterface.
Command

ActionAccess Methods
View > Zoom In

Zoom In

Zooms in the view.

Press 2 or roll the mousewheel up.
View > Zoom Out

Zoom Out

Zooms out the view.

Press 1 or roll the mousewheel down.
Roll the middle mouse button
up or down.

Zoom In or Out

Zooms in or out of the view.

Pan

Moves parallel to the view.

Reset Pan

Resets the view’s pan to its default
position.

Hold down the Spacebar andthe middle mouse button
while dragging the mouse up
or down.
Hold down the Spacebar anddrag in the direction you wantto pan the view.
View > Reset Pan
Press Shift + N
View > Reset View

Reset View

Resets the view to its default position.

Press Shift + M

Reset View to Default Drawing Area

Resets the Stage view to show thedefault drawing area, which is thespace inside the default camera frame(before the camera is modified).

View > Reset Stage View
To > Default Drawing Area

Reset View to Current Panel

View > Reset Stage View
Resets the Stage view to show the curTo > Current Panel Overrent panel in its entirety.
view

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Resets the Stage view to show an
overview of the camera frames. If acamera movement was created in theselected panel, it will show the entire
space within the camera movement.
Reset View to Camera Overview

View > Reset Stage View
To > Camera Overview

NOTE: This option is only available
when the Point of View Mode is set
to the Scene or Panel Level.

Resets the Stage view to focus on thestarting camera position of the camera
movement on the current panel.
View > Reset Stage View
To > Start Camera Frame

Reset View to Start Camera
NOTE: This option is only available
when the Point of View Mode is set
to the Scene or Panel Level.

Resets the Stage view to focus on theending camera position of the camera
movement on the current panel.
View > Reset Stage View
To > End Camera Frame

Reset View to End Camera
NOTE: This option is only available
when the Point of View Mode is set
to the Scene or Panel Level.

Reset Rotation

Resets the view’s rotation to its default View > Reset Rotation
position.
Press Shift + X

Reset Zoom

Resets the view’s zoom to its default
position.

View > Reset Zoom
Press Shift+Z

Rotate 30 CW

Rotates the Camera view 30 degrees
clockwise, like an animation table.

View > Rotate View CW

Rotate 30 CCW

Rotates the Camera view 30 degrees
counter-clockwise, like an animationtable.

View > Rotate View CCW

Toggle Full ScreenLets you switch back and forth
between maximizing Storyboard Pro
on your screen and returning to thedefault size.

View > Toggle Full Screen
Ctrl+Alt+Shift+F (Windows)
or ⌘ +Alt+Shift+F (Mac OS
X)

Navigation Toolbar
Storyboards can easily become very extensive projects. The Navigation toolbar lets you quickly display the first andlast frame of a panel. These buttons grey out when the playhead is at the start or end of a panel.

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About Workspaces

To learn more about animatics and timing, see Motion on page 381.
How to access the Navigation toolbar‣

Select Windows > Toolbars > Navigation.
Icon

Tool Name

Description

First Frame

Displays the first frame of the layer animation.

Last Frame

Displays the last frame of the layer animation.

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Chapter 4: Storyboard Structure
T-SBFND-005-001
To build and organize your storyboard project, you will use panels, scenes, sequences, and acts. You have many
options to customize these project elements in order to keep things clear and organized.

Below are examples of panels, scenes, sequences and acts in the Thumbnails and Timeline views.

1. A panel represents an action. You can use multiple panels whenever you need more than one drawing toclearly express the acting within a scene. It is the white rectangle representing the camera view. By default
the current panel will be highlighted in red in the Thumbnails view.
2. A scene is composed of one or several panels. In animation, whenever the camera angle changes, you
should create a new scene. In live action, this is called a shot.In other words, if your action goes from a mid
shot to a close shot, each of these shot should be a different scene. By default, a grey rectangle connects thedifferent panels of a scene together.
3. A sequence is a series of scenes that should be grouped together. Usually, scenes are grouped together by
location. For example, all the scenes that are taking place in one location, should be in the same sequence81

Chapter 4: Storyboard Structure

and as soon as there is a change of location, it should be a new sequence. by default, a blue line connects
the different scenes of a sequence together.
4. An act is composed of one or several scenes and sequences. An act usually represents a story arc. It canbe a certain time lapse in the story. For example, all the scenes in the first half of a TV series are one act,
and the second act is after the commercial break. As for movies, live action, or even video games, there
could have several different story arcs. In Storyboard Pro, a purple flag shows the beginning of a new act.

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About Scenes
T-SBFND-005-002
In live-action productions, scene changes occur when the location of the action changes, such as from the bedroom
to the living room, from the living room to outside, from outside to across town. In traditional animation, every time apainted background has to be changed or the camera cuts, a scene change is required, even if the characters are in
the same location. For example, two characters could be talking face-to-face in a forest, however the trees behindeach character would be different as the shot cuts from one character to the other. Each shot would require a newscene. A sequence of these scenes taking place in the same location could be referred to as an act.
In Storyboard Pro, panels in the same scene are grouped together by a dark grey bounding box.
You can:lCreate new sceneslDelete sceneslRename sceneslLock and unlock scene and panel namesl

Split sceneslSelect all panels in a scene

83Chapter 4: Storyboard Structure

About Scenes

Creating Scenes
T-SBFND-005-003
When you create a new scene, it is usually added after a selected scene, but you can make the new scene
appear before it. You can also create a new scene from a series of selected panels within a scene and thenseparate them as a new one.
How to create a new scene
1. Do one of the following:l

In the Storyboard toolbar, click the Add Scenel

Select Storyboard > Create Scene.

button.

A new panel is created in the Timeline immediately after the current shot. The new panel is contained in a
separate grey box.

How to create a scene before the current scenelSelect Storyboard > New > New Scene Before.
A new scene containing a blank panel is added before the current scene.

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How to create a scene from a selection of panels
1. In the Thumbnails or Timeline view, select one or more consecutive panels.

2. Select Storyboard > New > New Scene from Selected Panels.

The selected panels are joined together within the scene.

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About Scenes

Import Images as Scenes
T-SBADV-008-001
You can import one or more images and have Storyboard Pro automatically create a new scene for each. This
useful when you have a series of bitmap images that you need to include, such as backgrounds or scanned
storyboards.
The supported image formats include: *.bmp, *.jpg, *.omf, *.opt, *.pal, *.png, *.psd, *.scan, *.sgi, *.tga, *.tif, *.tvg,
and *.yuv.
How to import images as scenes
1. Select File > Import > Images as Scenes.
The Choose Image Files browser opens.
2. Browse to the desired images, select one or more images, and click Open.
The images are imported and a new scene is created for one.

NOTE: By default, when importing images in Storyboard Pro, the images are vectorized in colour and imported invector layers. You can access more vectorization options by enabling the Display Vectorize Options Dialog
preferences—see Importing Images as Layers on page 179.

Automatic Insertion
When using the Import Images as Scenes function, you can save a little time by using the following naming
convention for your bitmap images when you scan. Having your bitmap images named in the following manner,
will allow acts, scenes, panels and layers to be created upon import into Storyboard Pro.
How to use Automatic Insertion
1. When scanning images, name them according to the following example:<name>-A#-S#-E#-P#-L<layer name>.<extension>
l

l

l

l

l

Name: This is the name of the project. This string will not be inserted into the Storyboard
Pro project, but it is mandatory.
A: Indicates the act the image will be placed in. Replace the # with the number of the act.
S: Indicates the first (or only) scene the image will be placed in. Replace the # with the number of the first scene this image will be used in.
E: (Optional attribute) Use this attribute along with the S attribute if you want the image to be
included in multiple scenes. Replace the # with the number of the last scene this image will
be used in.
P: (Optional attribute) This attribute is to indicate which panel the image will be placed in.
Replace the # with the number of the panel in the scene.

86Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 5.1 User Guidel

L: (Optional string) This string is to indicate the name of the layer where the image will beplaced. Replace the # with the number of the layer in the scene.

2. Select File > Import > Images as Scenes, and browse to the location on your computer where your images
are saved.

87Chapter 4: Storyboard Structure

About Scenes

The following are two examples of how the Automatic Insertion could be used:
How to use the Automatic Insertion
1. The drawings are scanned and named as such:‣

RocketRodeo-A1-S103-P1-LBackground.jpeg‣

RocketRodeo-A1-S103-P2-LBackground.jpeg‣

RocketRodeo-A1-S103-P3-LBackground.jpeg‣

RocketRodeo-A1-S104-P1-LCity.jpeg

2. Then, imported using the File > Import > Images as Scenes command, they are imported in the following
order in the Storyboard Pro project:

How to use the Automatic Insertion using the E parameter
1. A drawing is scanned and named like this: RocketRodeo-A1-S100-E102-P1-LBG.jpeg.
2. Then, imported using the File > Import > Images as Scenes command, the image is placed in act 1, in
scenes 5 through 7, on panel 1 on a layer called Background:88Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 5.1 User Guide

Deleting Scenes
T-SBFND-005-004
If you have one or more scenes that are no longer needed, you can easily remove them. When you delete a scene orinsert a new scene between two existing scenes, the numbering of the scenes will be out of order. By default, there
is no automatic renaming of scenes. You can change this in the Preferences dialog box—see Renaming Scenes on
page 90.

NOTE: The last scene in your project cannot be deleted. There must always be at least one scene in the project.

How to delete a scene
1. In the Thumbnails view, select a scene to delete. If it is composed of more than one panel, select them all.
You can also click the minus sign (-) in the upper-left corner of the scene to collapse it into one panel. This will
let you select all the panels with one click.

2. Select Edit > Delete Selected Panels/Transitions or press Delete.
The selected scene is deleted from your storyboard.

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About Scenes

Renaming Scenes
T-SBFND-005-005
When you start moving scenes and panels around, the Rename Scene dialog box automatically opens andprompts you to rename them every time. You can also rename selected scenes as needed, using the Rename
Scene command or the Panel view.

How to rename scenes with the Rename Scene command
1. In the Thumbnails view, select a scene to rename.
2. Select Storyboard > Rename Scene.
The Rename Scene dialog box opens.

3. In the New name field, type the new name for the selected scene. You can type either a number or a name.
4. Use the Renaming Rule for Subsequent Scene menu and determine if the next scenes should be
renamed. The Renumbered Scene Names section displays the current and new names for all the scenesthat will be affected by the renaming process.
lCurrent Scene Only:Renames only the selected scene.

lRenumber Scenes:Renumbers the current scene, as well as all the scenes that follow.

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Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 5.1 User Guidell

Renumber Selected Scenes: Renumbers the first selected scene of a multiselection, as well
as all the following scenes that are part of the selection.
Renumber Prefix Only: Renumbers the scenes' numerical prefixes beginning at the selectedscene. The new name must be a numerical value.

5. Select the Reset Panel Name option to reset all panel names according to the current panel time automaticincrement rule.
6. Select the Do not show this dialog automatically option to prevent it from automatically opening every time
you move scenes around.
How to rename a scene using the Panel view
1. In the Thumbnails view, select a scene to rename.
2. In the Panel view, type the new name or number for your scene in the Scene field.

3. Press Enter to validate the scene name or number.
If the name is invalid or already used by another scene, a warning message will appear. If this happens, use
the Rename command to rename all subsequent scenes.

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About Scenes

Locking and Unlocking Names
T-SBADV-004-012
It is possible to lock sequence, scene and panel names to prevent any unwanted modification.

NOTE: To type custom panel names, you must enable the Allow Custom Panel Names preferences—see Locking
and Unlocking Names on page 92Locking and Unlocking Names on page 92

How to lock scene and panel nameslSelect Storyboard > Lock Sequence, Scene and Panel Names.
The Scene and Panel fields become deactivated.

The Thumbnail view displays a locked icon in the header.

How to unlock scene and panel nameslSelect Storyboard > Unlock Sequence, Scene and Panel Names.
The names are unlocked and can be edited if necessary.

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Splitting Scenes
Using Storyboard Pro, you can split the current scene in two or break it into three parts.
When you split a scene, it is divided before the current panel by default.

NOTE: You can change this in your preferences so that when you split a scene, it is broken into three parts and theselected panel is isolated.

How to split the current scene
1. In the Thumbnails view, select a scene to split. The current scene must contain two or more panels. The split
will occur before the current panel.

2. Select Storyboard > Split Current Scene.
The scene is split into two scenes.

How to break the current scene
1. In the Preferences dialox box, select the General tab, and then select the Break Scene when performing
the “Split Current Scene” command option.

2. In the Thumbnails view, select a scene to break. The current scene must contain two or more panels.

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About Scenes

3. Select Storyboard > Split Current Scene.
The scene is divided in three.

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Selecting All Panels
T-SBADV-004-013
You can select all the panels in a scene, using the Select All Panels in Scene command.

NOTE: You can also double-click on a panel's header to select all panels in the scene.

How to select all the panels of a scene
1. In the Thumbnails or Timeline view, select one panel inside the scene you want to select all panels from.
2. Select Edit > Select All Panels in Scene.

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About Scenes

Expanding and Collapsing Scenes
T-SBADV-004-008
As you work on a storyboard, you may accumulate a large number of scenes composed of a tremendous numberof panels. You can collapse lengthy scenes into one panel to have more space in the Thumbnails view.

How to expand or collapse a scene‣

In the Thumbnails view, click the Expand/Collapse Scene button at the top-left of a scene composedof many panels.

One of the following happens:
The scene collapses, leaving only the first panel visible. The Expand/Collapse icon changes to a plus (+)
sign.
The scene expands to show all its panels. The Expand/Collapse icon change to a minus (-) sign.
How to collapse or expand all scenes‣

In the Thumbnails view, click the Expand/Collapse All Scenes button at the top-right.

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Working with a Collapsed Scene
When your scene is collapsed, you can still work in the Timeline view. However when you select a panel, the entire
scene is selected, not just one panel. This means that you cannot work only on a single panel in the Timeline view;
you must first expand the collapsed scene.

IMPORTANT: If you try to delete a panel in a collapsed scene, the entire scene will be deleted. You cannot delete asingle panel.

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About Panels

About Panels
T-SBFND-005-006
Your scenes (shots) should comprise as many panels as needed to show the actions taking place. With
Storyboard Pro, you can easily create many panels.
By default, you can find this information on the top of each panel:

You can:lCreate a panellDelete a panell

Rename panelslDuplicate a panellMove panelslCustomize the panel colour

98Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 5.1 User Guide

Creating Panels
T-SBFND-005-007
When you create a new panel, it is added after the current panel.However, you can create a new panel before thecurrent panel. You can also create a new panel that contains elements (layers) from another panel.
How to create a new panel
1. In the Thumbnails view, select the panel to which you want to add a panel.

2. Do one of the following:l

In the Storyboard toolbar, click the New Panell

Select Storyboard > New > New Panel.

lPress P.

button.

A new panel is added to the storyboard and is part of the same scene as the current panel.

How to create a new panel before a selected panel
1. In the Thumbnails view, select a panel.

2. Select Storyboard > New > New Panel Before.

99Chapter 4: Storyboard Structure

About Panels

A new panel is added before the selected panel and is inside the same scene.

How to use create a new panel that contain elements from another panel
1. In the Thumbnails view, select the panel that contains the elements you want duplicate into the new panel.
2. Do one of the following:lSelect Storyboard > Smart Add Panel.

l

In the Storyboard toolbar, click the Smart Add Panelbutton.

The Smart Add Panel dialog box opens.

3. Select the layers that contain elements you want to copy into the new panel.
4. Select the Add default layer if missing option to create the default layers in the new panel if they are notpart of the Smart Add Panel selection list.
A new panel is created next to the selected panel. All layers are copied into the new panel, but only thelayers you chose contain artwork.

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Renaming Panels
T-SBFND-005-009
You can rename panels one at a time using the Panel view or rename multiple panels using the Rename Panelcommand. But before you can rename panels, you must use the Preferences dialog box to enable the renaming ofpanel names.

How to enable the renaming of panels
1. Do one of the following:lSelect Edit > Preferences (Windows) or Storyboard Pro > Preferences (Mac OS X).

lPress Ctrl + U (Windows/Linux) or ⌘ + U (Mac OS X).

2. In the Preferences dialog box, select the Naming tab.
3. In the Panel section, select the Allow Custom Panel Names option.
How to rename a single panel
1. In the Thumbnails view, select a panel to rename.

2. In the Panel view, type a new name in the Panel field and press Enter.

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About Panels

The panel is renamed.

How to rename multiple panels
1. In the Thumbnails view, select a panel to rename.

2. Select Storyboard > Rename Panel.
The Rename Panel dialog box opens.
3. Type a new name in the New name field.
4. You can use the Renaming Rule for Subsequent Panel menu to determine if the next scenes should be
renamed:lCurrent Panel Only: Renames only the selected panel.

lRenumber Panels: Renumbers the current panel, as well as all panels that follow.

ll

Renumber Selected Panels: Renumbers the first selected panel of a multiselection, as
well as all following panels that are part of the multiselection.
Renumber Prefix Only: Renumbers the panels’ numerical prefixes beginning at the selected scene. The new name must be a numerical value.

The Renumbered Panel Names section displays a list of the panels that will be renamed, their old names
and the new names.

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About Panels

Deleting Panels
T-SBFND-005-008
If there are panels you no longer need, you can simply delete them. Note that it is impossible to have an empty
project as there is a minimum of one panel.

How to delete panels
1. In the Thumbnails view, select one or more panels to delete.

2. Do one of the following:l

In the Storyboard toolbar, click the Delete Selected PanelslSelect Edit > Delete Panel.

lPress Delete.

The selected panels are deleted from your storyboard.

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Chapter 4: Storyboard Structure

About Panels

Duplicating Panels
T-SBFND-005-010
You can duplicate panels when you need an exact copy of an existing one.

How to duplicate panels
1. In the Thumbnails view, select the panel or range of panels to duplicate.

2. Do one of the following:l

In the Storyboard toolbar, click the Duplicate Selected PanelslSelect Storyboard > Duplicate Selected Panels.

A copy of the previous panel is created.

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Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 5.1 User Guide

The duplicated panels are added at the end of the current scene. If the selection included panels fromdifferent scenes, new scenes are created for them.

107Chapter 4: Storyboard Structure

About Panels

Moving Panels
T-SBFND-005-011
You can easily move panels in the Thumbnails and Timeline views to reorder, separate, or join them. Joining
panels will make them part of the same scene.

You can reorder selected panels by dragging and dropping them where you see a straight blue line. You can drop
the panels between two scenes or in the middle of a scene. Dropping a panel in the middle of a scene will include
it in the scene; it will not split it.
If you select more than one panel to move, you can drag them by clicking the current panel in the selection.
Clicking any other panel in the selection will deselect the other panels.

You can remove selected panels from a scene. Just drag and drop the panels between two scenes when you see
a straight red line appear.

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You can join selected panels with another scene. Just drag the panel onto the edge of the scene you want it to attach
to, and drop it when you see a right-facing or left-facing bracket appear.

To reorder selected panels in the Timeline view, drag and drop them when you see a green bracket or green shape.

You can drag and drop a selection to remove it from a scene. Just drag the selection out and drop it between two
scenes when you see a rounded green rectangle shape appear.

How to drag and drop panels
1. In the Thumbnails or Timeline view, select one or more panels to move.

2. Click the header of the current panel and drag it to the new location.

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l

l

l

About Panels

When you move your cursor, a thumbnail with a number is displayed. The number represents the number of selected panels being moved.
In the Thumbnails view, a straight red line or a red bracket represents what the movement
will do.
In the Timeline view, a green bracket or a green shape represents what the movement will
do.

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Customizing the Panel Colour
T-SBADV-004-009
You can mark panels with a custom colour to quickly identify and manage them. You can also do this for audio
clips—see Sound on page 443.
How to customize a panel with colour
1. In the Timeline view, select the panel you want to mark with colour. You can also make a multiple selection.

2. Right-click on your selection and select one of the following option: Set Colour > Red, Orange, Yellow,
Green, Blue, Purple or Custom. Choosing custom, will open a Colour Picker dialog box, in which you canselect the colour of your choice.
The selected panel will change to the colour you have chosen.

How to reset the panel colour
1. In the Timeline view, select the panel you want to reset the colour to default. You can also make a multiple
selection.

2. Right-click on your selection and select Set Colour > Default Colour.
The selected panel colour will reset to the default colour.

NOTE: The default colour of panels is grey. However, you can change this value in the Preferences dialog box—see
Preferences on page 1.

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About Sequences

About Sequences
T-SBADV-004-014
A sequence is a particular section of the story composed by one or several scenes that has a unity in either timeor its location. Scenes that are contained in different sequences can have the same name. Like scenes, panels,
and acts, you can manipulate the sequences of your story while you are building your storyboard.

You can:lCreate a sequencelRemove all sequenceslRename a sequencelSplit and join sequencesl

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Creating Sequences
T-SBADV-004-015
By default, when you start building a storyboard, the scenes you create are not part of a sequence. If you want tostart adding sequences to your project, you must use the New Sequence button for every new scene beginning a
new sequence. This will add a new scene to your project and show the sequence markers in the Thumbnails andTimeline views.
You can also start adding sequences to your project at anytime, using the New Sequence from Selection command,and manipulate them using the different commands in the following topics.
By default, new storyboard projects are created without sequences. You can change this, so that new projects areautomatically created with a sequence.

NOTE: When you add a new scene using the New Sequence button or command for the first time in your project, allscenes before it will be combined as a sequence. For this reason, you should use the New Sequence button whenstarting the first scene of your second sequence.

How to create a new sequence
1. Do one of the following:‣ In the Storyboard toolbar, click the New Sequence

button.

‣ Select Storyboard > New > New Sequence.

A new scene is added to your project and is now the starting point of a new sequence. If this is the first
sequence you add to a project, all scenes prior to it will be combined as a sequence as well. The sequencemarkers will also become visible in both the Thumbnails and Timeline views.
How to create a new sequence from a selection
1. In the Thumbnails or Timeline view, select one or many scenes to combine as a sequence.

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About Sequences

2. Select Storyboard > New > New Sequence from Selection.
Your selection becomes a new sequence. If this is the first sequence added to your project, all scenes before or
next to it will be combined as sequences as well, and the sequence markers will be displayed in the Thumbnails
or Timeline views. If your selection was part of an existing sequence, it will be split accordingly.

NOTE: A single scene cannot be split into two or more different sequences, unless you split the scene first.

How to enable the Automatically Create New Sequence preference
1. Do one of the following:‣

Select Edit > Preferences (Windows) or Storyboard Pro > Preferences (Mac OS X).

‣

Press Ctrl+U (Windows) or ⌘ + , (Mac OS X).

2. In the Preferences dialog box, click the General tab.
3. In the General section, select the Automatically Create New Sequence option.

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Renaming Sequences
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Once you start adding sequences to your project, the Sequence field will become visible in the Panel view, allowing
you to view the selected sequence's name and edit it if needed.
You can rename a selected sequence using the Panel view or Rename Sequence command.
How to rename a sequence using the Panel view
1. In the Thumbnails view, select a sequence to rename.
2. In the Panel view, type the new name or number for the selected sequence in the Sequence field and press
Enter/Return.

How to rename sequences with the Rename Sequence command
1. In the Thumbnails view, select a sequence to rename.
2. Select Storyboard > Rename Sequence.
The Rename Sequence dialog box opens.

3. In the New name field, type the new name for the selected sequence. You can type either a number or aname. If you type a name or a number that is already used by another sequence, a warning message will

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About Sequences

appear.
4. You can use the Renaming Rule for Subsequent Sequence menu to determine how the next
sequences should be renamed. The Renumbered Sequence Names section displays the current and newnames for all the sequences that will be affected by the renaming process.
‣Current Sequence Only: Renames only the selected sequence.

‣

Renumber Sequences: Renumbers the current sequence, and the ones that follow.

‣

Renumber Selected Sequences: Renumbers the first selected sequence of a multiselection, as well
as all the following sequences that are part of the multiselection.

‣

Renumber Prefix Only: Renumbers renumbers the sequence numerical prefixes beginning at the
selected sequence. Note that the new name must be a numerical value.

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Removing Sequences
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The sequences in your project can all be removed at the same time.
How to remove all sequences from a projectlSelect Storyboard > Remove All Sequences from Project.
All sequences are removed from your project.

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About Sequences

Joining and Splitting Sequences
T-SBADV-004-018
Two sequences can be joined using the Join Selected Sequences command. A sequence can also be split in two.
How to join sequences
1. In the Thumbnails or Timeline view, select two consecutive sequences.

2. Select Storyboard > Join Selected Sequences.
The selected sequences are joined as one.

How to split a sequence
1. In the Thumbnails or Timeline view, select the scene before the sequence to be split.

2. Select Storyboard > Split Current Sequence.
The sequence is split in two and the Rename Sequence dialog box opens, prompting you to rename thesecond portion of the split sequence—see Joining and Splitting Sequences on page 118

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Selecting All Panels in a Sequence
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You can select all the panels of a sequence simultaneously.
How to select all the panels in a sequence
1. In the Thumbnails or Timeline view, select a panel in the sequence you want to select all panels from.
2. Select Edit > Select All Panels in Sequence.

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About Acts

About Acts
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An act is a particular section of the story delimited by a particular event or mood.
For example, a story could be constructed in three acts:l

Act 1: The initial situation, character introduction.

l

Act 2: The journey.

l

Act 3: The resolution.

Like scenes, panels and sequences, you can manipulate acts when building your storyboard. To add acts to yourstoryboard, you must first enable the option.
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Enabling Acts
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By default, the acts are disabled. You must enable them in the Preferences dialog box.
How to enable acts
1. Open the Preferences dialog box:lSelect Edit > Preferences (Windows) or Storyboard Pro> Preferences (Mac OS X).

lPress Ctrl+U (Windows) or ⌘ + , (Mac OS X).

2. In the Preferences dialog box, select the General tab.
3. In the General section, select the Enable Acts option.
A purple flag appears at the beginning of your project, indicating the act.

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About Acts

Starting New Acts
T-SBADV-004-022
Once you have enabled acts in your storyboard project, it indicates that your storyboard is composed of a single
long act. You must break it in several smaller acts. Before splitting a project into acts, you must to define thestarting panel for each act in your story.
How to start new acts
1. In the Thumbnails view, click the panel where you want to create a new act.

2. Do one of the following:‣

Select Storyboard > New > Start New Act.

‣

Right-click the selected panel and select Start New Act.

The Rename Scene dialog box is displayed.

3. Enter a name for the new act and click OK.
The act is divided in two at the point you selected.

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Joining Acts
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Once an act has been split, it is possible to join acts at any time.
How to join acts
1. In the Thumbnails view, select the last panel and first panel of the acts you want to join.
You can also join more than two sections by selecting the last panel of the first section until the first panel ofthe last section you want to join.

2. Do one of the following:lSelect Storyboard > Join Selected Actsl

Right-click the selected panel and select Join Selected Acts.

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Selecting All Panels in an Act

Selecting All Panels in an Act
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You can select all the panels of an act simultaneously.
How to select all panels in an act
1. In the Thumbnails or Timeline view, select a panel contained in the act in which you want to select all thepanels.
2. Select Edit > Select All Panels in Act.

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Regenerating Thumbnails
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You can get the most up-to-date thumbnails in the Thumbnails view. As you draw, a series of small images(thumbnails) is generated. These thumbnails are automatically refreshed based on the refresh duration you set in the
Preferences dialog box (Advanced tab, Delay Before Updating Thumbnails parameter).
You can choose update thumbnails immediately. This deletes all cached thumbnails in the Thumbnails and Timeline
views, and forces new thumbnails to be regenerated.
How to regenerate all thumbnails
1. Select File > Regenerate All Thumbnails.
2. In the dialog box that opens, click Yes.

IMPORTANT: This cannot be undone. All existing thumbnail images in the Library will be deleted.

All thumbnails are deleted and replaced with the regenerated ones.

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Chapter 5: Captions
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Captions are text fields you can edit to include special indications and notes specific to a panel in your storyboard.
These text indications can be dialogue, action notes, sound effects, and more. You can customize the captions toinclude any information realted to your project.

When you start your storyboard from a script, the caption fields are where you will break down the script to build thevarious scenes, panels, sequences, and acts of your project.
To add information to a particular panel, you will use the Panel view. This view displays the different captions related
to a panel, as well as other useful information.
The Panel view always shows the information and captions of the selected panel—see Panel View in the Reference
Guide.

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Importing Scripts
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A complete storyboard is not only made of drawings, but also dialogue, actions, and valuable indications. In
Storyboard Pro, you can easily import a script into your storyboard project to help edit captions.

If your script is in .txt or .rtf file format, you can import it into the Script caption field.
If a script was created with Final Draft, importing it into Storyboard Pro should be your next step. While importingyour Final Draft script, you will retain the rich text formatting.

NOTE: If you are working with Final Draft 8, Storyboard Pro can directly import the *.fdx project file. If you are working
with Final Draft 7 and earlier, you must export your project from Final Draft as an *.xml first, so you can import it in
Storyboard Pro—see How to export a script as an XML on page 28.

How to import a script using the Import Caption command
1. In the Storyboard view, click the Caption Menu

button and select Import Caption.

The Import Caption browser opens.
2. Select your .txt or .rtf file and click Open.
The script appears in the Script caption field.

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Importing Scripts

How to import a Final Draft script
1. In the Storyboard view, click the Caption Menu

button and select Import Final Draft Script.

The Select Final Draft browser opens.
2. Select your Final Draft *.fdx or *.xml file and click Open.
The script appears in the Script caption field with all notes and formatting intact.

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How to export a Final Draft version 7 script as an *.xml file
1. Start the Final Draft Tagger software.
2. Select File > Import Script, the keyboard shortcut is Ctrl+I (Windows) or ⌘ +I (Mac OS X).
The Import dialog box opens.
3. In the browser, select your script file and click Open.
Your script appears in Final Draft Tagger.

4. Select File > Export to XML.
5. Close the Final Draft Tagger application.

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Adding Captions

Adding Captions
In each panel, there are four caption fields: Dialogue, Action Notes, Slugging and Notes. If you need to enter more
information, you can add a new caption for your panels. The new caption will be available for every panel in yourstoryboard.
In the Storyboard view, by default, there is only one caption field which is called Script. If you need to, you can
add more captions to this view such as production notes. These captions are only for reference and will not beexported.
Just like in a traditional storyboard, you can add drawn indications to a panel’s caption. For this, you need to add a
Sketch caption to your panel.

NOTE: You cannot add a sketch caption to the Storyboard view.

How to add captions to a panel
1. In the Thumbnails view, select a panel.
2. Do one of the following:‣

In the Panel view, click a Caption Menu button‣

Select Caption > Add Caption to Panels.

and select Add Caption.

The Choose Field Name dialog box opens.
3. Type a name for your new Caption field. In the following example, the caption is named: SFX.
The new caption appears below the existing ones.

How to add captions in the Storyboard view
1. In the Storyboard view, do one of the following:‣

Click a Script Caption Menu buttonand select Add Caption.

‣

Select Caption > Add Caption to Storyboard.

The Choose Field Name dialog box opens.
2. Type a name for your new Caption field.

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The new caption appears below the Script caption. In the following example, the caption is named: Director
Notes.

How to add a sketch to a panel
1. In the Thumbnails view, select the panel to which you want to add a sketch.
2. Do one of the following:‣

In the Panel view, click a Caption Menu button‣

Select Caption > Add Sketch to Current Panel.

and select Add Sketch.

The Choose Field Name dialog box opens.
3. Type a name for the Sketch field.
The Sketch field appears below the existing captions for this panel only.

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Adding Captions

4. Once you added a Sketch caption field, you can use any drawing tool to sketch in it—see Drawing on page
183 and Colour on page 283.

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Renaming Captions
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If it is more convenient for you, you can rename the captions.
How to rename a caption
1. In the Panel or Storyboard view, do one of the following:lSelect Caption > Rename Caption and then select the caption to rename from the list.

l

In the caption to rename, click the Caption Menu button and select Rename Caption.

2. Type a new name for your caption field.

NOTE: After you have changed the names of the captions and you are certain you want to keep these names
throughout the project, you can set the new names as the default by selecting Caption > Save Captions Layout as
Default.

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Deleting Captions

Deleting Captions
How to delete captions
1. Display the Panel or Storyboard view, depending on whether it is a panel caption or storyboard caption you
want to delete.
2. In the Panel or Storyboard view, select a caption to delete. Click the Caption Menu
button and selectDelete Caption. You can also select Caption > Delete Caption > select a caption to delete from the list.
A warning message opens.

‣

If you are sure you want to delete the caption, click Yes.

‣

If you want to cancel the process, click No.

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About Default Panel Captions
T-SBFND-006-003

There are several fields which are collectively known as panel captions. Captions are a method by which you canorganize information in your project, and tie that information to a panel. They are fully customizable. These are thedefault names:lDialogue: Type or copy/paste dialogue from your script that occurs during this shot in the current panel.

lAction Notes: Type or copy/paste notes related to the action occurring in the panel.

ll

Slugging: Add notes referring to the timing of the storyboard. Slugging is the timing of the individual recordedlines of dialogue against the board.
Notes: Add anything relevant about the current panel or the shot it represents. For example, the crew working
on the shot, required props, ambient sounds, continuity notes or required equipment to complete the shot.

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Saving the Caption Layout as Default

Saving the Caption Layout as Default
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When you are satisfied with your current caption combination and layout, you can save it as the default caption
layout for any future Storyboard Pro projects. The next project you create will automatically have this layout by
default.
How to save the caption layout as defaultlSelect Caption > Save Captions Layout as Default.

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Expanding and Collapsing Captions
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When you have more than one caption field in a panel, you can expand or collapse them. Note that there must be
more than one caption field in a panel in order to do this.
How to expand and collapse captions
1. Display the Panel or Storyboard view.
2. Click theExpand and Collapse

button of the desired caption.

3. On the first click, the selected caption expands and the other ones collapse.

4. On the second click, the selected caption collapses and the other ones expand.

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Hiding Captions

Hiding Captions
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When there are captions you do not use regularly, you can hide them to streamline your workspace.
How to hide a caption in the Panel view
1. Select Caption > Show/Hide Captions.
The Show/Hide Captions dialog box opens.

2. Deselect the captions you want to hide. If you have added your own custom captions, they also appear in
the list. Any captions that you renamed appears as you renamed them.

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Adding Text to Captions
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There are several ways to add text to a Caption field, and editing it is very easy. The quickest and easiest way to
add text to the caption fields is to drag and drop it. For example, if you imported a script into the Script caption field of
the Storyboard view, you can select the text you need and drop it in the desired panel’s caption field.
If you did not import a script or if you want to add more text, you can simply type in the needed instructions andinformation into the caption field.

How to add text to a captionl

In the Panel view, click in a caption field and type the information, dialogue, or notes.

How to drag and drop text from an imported script
1. (Optional) Switch to the Vertical workspace by clicking the Vertical Workspace
Windows > Workspace > Workspace > Vertical.

button or selecting

2. In the Thumbnails view, select the panel to which you want to add text to a caption.
3. In the Storyboard view, click the Storyboard tab to switch to this view.
If the Storyboard view is not displayed in your workspace, select Windows > Storyboard.
4. In the Script caption field, select the text you want to move. Note that the text will be copied when dragged.

NOTE: You can drag and drop text from any caption field to another; it does not necessarily have to be141

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Adding Text to Captions

from the Script caption.

5. In the Script caption, drag the selected text and drop it in the destination caption of your panel.

6. Repeat this until you have copied all the necessary text into your project’s caption fields.
7. If you were using the Vertical workspace, select Windows > Restore Default Workspace.

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Formatting Caption Text
Once you have imported, dragged and dropped, or typed some text into your storyboard captions, you can use theText Formatting toolbar to enhance it.

How to apply Rich Text formatting to caption text
1. In the Panel or Storyboard view, click the Text Formatting

button of a caption.

2. In a caption, select the text to format.
3. Use the Text Formatting toolbar buttons and options to edit the text.
‣

Font Type: Choose the font type of your choice from this menu.

‣

Font Size: Change the size of the text using menu.

‣

Bold: Click the Bold

button to change the text to bold.

‣

Italic: Click the Italic

button to change your text to italic.

‣

Underline: Click the Underline

button to underline your text.

‣

Align Left: Click the Align Left

button to align your text to the left.

‣

Centre: Click the Centre‣

Align Right: Click the Align Right‣

Justify: Click the Justify‣

Colour: Click the Colour Swatch
for your text.

button to centre your text.
button to align your text to the right.

button to justify your text.
button to open the Select Colour dialog box and choose a new colour

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Searching Text in Captions

Searching Text in Captions
T-SBADV-004-004
You can search captions to find a specific part of your text. This can become very handy when you have a large
number of captions and text in your project.
How to search for text in captions
1. In the Panel or Storyboard view, select any caption field.
2. Do one of the following:‣

Click the Caption Menu

button and select Find Text in Captions.

‣

Select Caption > Find Text in Captions.

‣

Press Ctrl+Shift+F (Windows) or ⌘ +Shift+F (Mac OS X).

The Find Text in Captions dialog box opens.

3. Edit the search options:‣

In the Find field, type in the word you are looking for.

‣

Select the Case sensitive option to have the search consider the case of the word.

‣

Select Forward or Backward for the search direction.

4. Click Find.
The caption containing the first word fitting your search options is displayed in either the Storyboard or
Panel view, and the word is highlighted in blue. The Find Text in Captions dialog box displays information
about the caption in which the word was found.

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5. Click Find to display the next result.

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Updating Captions from CSV

Updating Captions from CSV
T-SBADV-004-005
In Storyboard Pro, you can efficiently update the caption text in your project. If you generate a *.csv sheet(comma separated values) from your project, you can update the file, then import it into Storyboard Pro. Doing so
will update all caption fields automatically. You must first generate the CSV from your current project.
How to generate a CSV from your current project
1. Make sure your caption fields are up to date, and save your project.
2. Select File > Export > CSV.
The Export to CSV dialog opens.

Once you have generated the CSV, you can update your spreadsheet if there are major changes, such as
the dialogue. Working this way allows you to import the updated CSV into Storyboard Pro to update all
caption fields.
How to use the Update Captions from CSV option
1. When you open the *.csv file in your spreadsheet application, select the field separator you used (i.e.: acomma).

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The heading of each column contains the name of the caption field. Use this to determine where to add yourcaption updates.
2. Find the captions you need to modify within the *.csv file. When you are finished, save and close your file.
3. Open the Storyboard Pro project you want to update.
4. Select File > Update Captions from CSV.
The Import CSV window opens.
5. Browse to the folder that contains your *.csv file, select it, and click Import.
6. In the Report section, notice which caption fields were updated.

Any captions you modify in the *.csv file are also updated in the caption fields of your Storyboard Pro
project.CSV files exported from Storyboard Pro are UTF-8. CSV files can be modified in Microsoft Excel if all
the characters are part of the Latin character set. If non-Latin characters are used, the CSV files can beedited using Open Office.CSV files exported from Storyboard Pro can be edited in either Microsoft Excel orOpen Office. Excel does not display non-English characters properly and will not recognize them whenimporting to Storyboard Pro.

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Chapter 6: Layers
T-SBFND-007-001
Storyboard Pro allows you to work with layers within the individual storyboard panels. Working with layers helps tokeep your artwork organized and permits advanced editing of individual components.

Working on multiple layers increases the reusability of your drawings as you move from shot- to-shot or scene-toscene. Each layer or part of a layer can be dragged from the selected shot into any other shot, reducing drawingtime.
The scene’s layers are superposed to form the final image.

When you import an image or draw in a panel, you are actually adding artwork to one of its layers. By default, eachpanel has two layers, a background (BG) and a foreground layer (A). As you add layers, they are automaticallyassigned subsequent letters in alphabetical order, but you can rename them. They are also placed on top of theselected layer or at the very top of other layers if there is no layer selected in the panel.

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Chapter 6: Layers

When you open a project, the Stage view is displayed by default; its tabs are always displayed, allowing you tonavigate between layers. If the Thumbnails view is large enough, layer tabs are displayed for each panel there as
well. By default, an empty layer will have the closed eyes icon to indicate that it is empty. When you start drawing
or paste anything on an empty layer, the eyes icon will open.

How to draw on a layer
1. Select a layer by clicking it.
The active layer is highlighted in blue.
2. From the Tools toolbar, choose a drawing tool and begin drawing in the Stage view.

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About Layer Types
T-SBFND-007-002
There are several types of layers available depending on the type of graphics and artwork you are aiming to achieve:
bitmap or vector.
Bitmap Layers: Allow you to use bitmap graphics which are made of pixels on a grid that resemble tiny dots, which
altogether make up the drawing you are creating or artwork you are importing. Bitmap graphics impart a more naturaland soft look to your work. The colour is defined on a pixel-by-pixel basis—see Changing the Resolution of Bitmap
Layers on page 177 and Layers on page 149.
Vector Layers: Allow you to create 2D graphics that are made of many individual, scalable objects. Each object iscreated by a mathematical equation rather than pixels, so they always display at the highest quality. Because they
are scalable, vector objects are resolution independent. You can increase and decrease the size of vector objects
and your lines remain crisp and sharp, which is ideal for cartoons! On vector layers, the colour is defined for thewhole stroke.
Vector objects consist of lines, curves, and shapes you can edit and transform using their control handles. Vector
graphics are not restricted to rectangular shapes like bitmap graphics. You can place vector objects over otherobjects, and the object below will show through.
3D Layers: Allow you to manipulate imported 3D objects (.fbx). After importing 3D object into the Library, you can
add it the Layers list to automatically create a 3D layer.
Group Layers: Allow to group multiple layers that can consist of vector, bitmap and 3D layers—see Grouping
Layers on page 162.

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Expanding and Collapsing Layers

Expanding and Collapsing Layers
There are several ways to display layers in Storyboard Pro: in the Stage view or Layers panel. In both, thumbnails
are displayed on each layer, so you can easily identify its contents.
How to view layers in the Stage view‣

In the Stage view, click the arrow button to expand the Layers list.

How to view layers in the Layers panel
1. Do one of the following:‣

In the upper-right corner of a view, click the Add View‣

Select Windows > Layers.

The Layers panel displays all the layers in the selected panel.

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Adding Layers
T-SBFND-007-003
You can add an unlimited number of layers to a panel.
How to add a layer to a panel
1. In the Thumbnails view, select the panel to which you want to add a new layer.
2. Do one of the following:ll

Select Layer > New > Vector Layer or New Bitmap Layer.
Click the Add Vector Layer
or Add Bitmap Layer
toolbar, Layers list in the Stage view, or Layers panel.

153

button in one of these areas: Layers

Chapter 6: Layers

Selecting Layers

Selecting Layers
T-SBFND-007-004
You can select any layer from the Stage view, Layers panel, or Thumbnails view. Selected layers turn blue.
How to select a layer
1. Do one of the following:lllStage view and Layers panel: Click the layer you want to select.
Thumbnails view: Click the layer tab of the layer you want to select. Arrows above andbelow the layer tabs indicate additional layers.
To select multiple layers, press Ctrl (Windows) or ⌘ (Mac OS X) and click each layer you
want to select. Also, press Shift and click one layer and then another to select a sequence oflayers.

How to select the next and previous layers
1. Select a layer.
2. From the top menu, select one of the following:llLayer > Select Next Layer to select the next layer up the layer stack, stopping at the top of
the stack.
Layer > Select Previous Layer to select the next layer down the layer stack, stopping at
the bottom of the stack.

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Renaming Layers
T-SBFND-007-006
When layers are named appropriately, you can work faster and keep track of all the layers.

How to rename a layer
1. Select the panel with the layer you want to rename.
2. Do one of the following:lSelect Layer > Rename Layers.

lRight-click the layer’s tab and select Rename Layer.

lDouble-click the layer tab.

3. In the Change Layer Name dialog box, type in a new name for the layer.

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Deleting Layers

Deleting Layers
T-SBFND-007-005
You can delete layers you no longer need. This keeps your project clean and tidy.
How to delete a layer from a panel
1. In the Thumbnails view, select a layer.
2. Do one of the following:lSelect Layer > Delete Layers.

lRight-click the layer and select Delete Layers.

l

In the Stage view, Layers view or Layers toolbar, click the Delete Selected Layers
ton.

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Copying Layers
You can reuse drawings from other panels throughout your storyboard. You can also modify drawing objects andtransformations after they have been copied to a new layer, instead of redrawing similar objects.
When you copy a layer, it is placed on the Clipboard, so you can paste it in many different locations if needed.
How to copy a layer to another panel by dragging
1. Click the tab of the layer you want to copy. Hold down Ctrl (Windows/Linux) or ⌘ (Mac OS X) and selectadditional layers if needed.
2. Drag the selected layer to the layer section of the destination panel. Drop the layers at a specific position toplace it in the desired layer order.

When you copy a layer, it retains its original layer name in the new panel. If a layer with the same namealready exists, then you will be prompted to give it a new name or overwrite the existing layer.
For example, if layer A is copied to a panel, where a layer A already exists, the copied layer will be named A_
1 by default. If it is copied into the panel a second time, the new layer will be named A_2.
How to copy a layer to another panel by using copy and paste
1. Select the layer you want to copy. Hold down Ctrl (Windows/Linux) or ⌘ (Mac OS X) and select additional
layers if needed.

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Copying Layers

2. Do one of the following:‣

Select Layer > Copy Layers. Select the destination panel, and from the top menu, select Layer >Paste Layers.

‣

Right-click the layer tab and select Copy Selected Layers. Select the destination panel, right-click
the layer tab and select Paste Layer.

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Duplicating Layers
Duplicating layers is a quick way to perform a quick copy and paste in one operation. Unlike copying a layer, you
cannot paste multiple copies of a layer on other panels. Duplicating layers is only available within one panel.
Duplicated layers retain their names and are appended with a number.
How to duplicate a layer
1. Select a layer and do one of the following:‣

Right-click the layer and select Duplicate Selected Layers.

‣

In the Stage view, Layers panel or Layers toolbar, click the Duplicate Selected Layer‣

Select Layer > Duplicate Layers.

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Chapter 6: Layers

Reordering Layers

Reordering Layers
Layers can be rearranged to bring them closer to the front or back in relation to the other layers in a panel. For
example, if you want to have a character move to the front of a shot, you can move the character layer above theothers. In Storyboard Pro, the layers at the top of the list are displayed above the other layers in the Stage view.
The layer order will be reflected in the final export.
There are several different ways to change the order of layers in a panel. You can reorder layers by selecting alayer and dragging it to a new location, or reorder layers through the Layers menu.
How to arrange a layer by dragging
1. Select a layer to move.
2. Drag the layer above or below other layers to change their display priority in the Stage view.
How to arrange a layer using the Layers menu
1. Select a layer to modify.
2. Select one of the following:‣

Layer > Arrange > Bring Layer to Front to move the selected layer in front of all other layers in thecurrent panel.

‣

Layer > Arrange > Bring Layer to Forward to move the selected layer up one spot in the current
panel.

‣

Layer > Arrange > Send Layer to Back to move the selected behind all other layers in the current
panel.

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Layer > Arrange > Bring Layer Backward to move the selected layer down one spot in the current
panel.

NOTE: If you changed the Z-depth, it supecedes the layer order.

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Grouping Layers

Grouping Layers
T-SBFND-007-007
Grouping layers helps organize your work and keeps your list of layers uncluttered. You can group selected layers
or create an empty group layer and add layers to it.

When you group selected layers, they become the sub-layers of the group layer. The first newly-created grouplayer is named Group. Subsequent group layers are appended with a number. For example, Group_1. The number
increments with each new group layer you create. The selected group layer is highlighted in blue and its sublayers are displayed below.
Within a group layer, you can create sub-groups to further streamline your work, and rename them to suit yourproject—see Renaming Layers on page 155. Grouped layers can also be animated.

How to group layers
1. Select two or more layers to group.
2. Do one of the following:162

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Click the Group Selected Layers
the Stage view, or Layers view.

button in one of these areas: Layers toolbar, Layers list inl

Right-click and select Group Selected Layers.

lSelect Layer > Group Selected Layers.

How to ungroup a group layer
1. Select a group layer.
2. Do one of the following:l

Right-click and select Ungroup Selected Layer.

lSelect Layer > Ungroup Selected Layer.

The selected group layer is ungrouped. The group layer disappears and its child layers are no longer grouped.
How to expand or collapse a group layer
1. Click the Expand/Collapse button on a group layer.

How to create an empty group layer
1. Select Layer > New > Group Layer.
A new, empty group layer is created in the list of layers and is highlighted in blue. The new layer is positioned
above the layer that was selected before you created the group layer.

How to add layers to an empty group layer
1. Select a layer.
2. Drag and drop it on a group layer.

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Showing and Hiding Layers

Showing and Hiding Layers
Working with many layers, it may be useful to hide certain layers.

You can also show or hide group layers. When you do so, all of its sub-layers are shown or hidden, and the stateof the Show/Hide icon on each sub-layer is respected. For example, if you hide a group layer that contains one
hidden layer and two visible layers, all of the layers in the group are hidden. When you show the group layer, it will
once again show one hidden and two visible layers because the visibility state of each layer is retained.

NOTE: When merging layers, hidden layers will be excluded and left unmerged.

How to view layers in the Stage view‣

In the Stage view, click the arrow button to expand the Layers list.

How to show or hide a layer
1. Do one of the following:‣

In the Stage or Layers view, select a layer.

‣

In the Thumbnails view, click the tab of a layer.

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2. Do one of the following:‣

Click the Show/Hide Layer

icon.

‣

Select Layer > Show/Hide Layers.

‣

Right-click and select Show/Hide Layers.

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Locking and Unlocking Layers

Locking and Unlocking Layers
You can lock a selected layer to protect any objects on it from being changed. Once locked, you can unlock thelayer to make changes to any objects on it.
How to lock or unlock a layer
1. Select a layer.
2. Do one of the following:‣

Click the Lock icon of a layer.

‣

Select Layer > Lock/Unlock Layers.

‣

In the Layer toolbar, click the Lock/Unlock Layers‣

Press Alt+L.

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Toggling Background Layers
Sometimes it is helpful not to have onion skinning applied to certain layers while working. You can set certain layers
as background elements, so they will not interfere with onion skinning—see About the Onion Skin on page 268.
How to set a layer as a background element
1. In the Onion Skinning toolbar, click the Onion Skinningbutton.

The Toggle Background Layer button appears on each layer.

2. To set a particular layer as a background element, do one of the following:‣

Click the Toggle Background Layer button.

‣

Select Layer > Toggle Background Layers.

The layer will not have onion skinning applied to it.

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Changing Layer Opacity

Changing Layer Opacity
T-SBFND-007-009
If necessary, you can modify the opacity of layers.

NOTE: Layer transparency is not supported when exporting to the Toon Boom and/or FBX formats.

How to change the layer opacity
1. Select the layer whose opacity you want to modify.
2. In the Stage or Layers view, do one of the following in the Opacity field:lType in a new opacity between 0 and 100.

l

Click in the Opacity field and use the up/down arrows on your keyboard to set the opacity.

The changes you make are reflected in the Stage view.

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How to modify the layer opacity in other wayslRight-click a layer and select Change Layer Opacity.

lSelect Layer > Change Layer Opacity.
In the Change Layer Opacity window that opens, enter a new opacity.

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Merging Layers

Merging Layers
T-SBFND-007-008
There are two ways to merge layers. You can merge layers quickly and simply using the Merge Layer command.
If all the layers are vector layers, the new layer is vector. If all the selected layers are bitmap, the resulting layer isbitmap. If there is a mix of vector and bitmap, you can decide if the resulting layer is vector or bitmap. The newly
merged layer is editable.

Using the Merge Layers dialog box gives you more control when merging layers. You can name the new layer,
specify whether it is a vector or bitmap layer, select source layers, and more.
After you have merged a layer, it is still possible to edit it. However, any previously defined motion in the source
layers will be lost. If you choose not to allow the layer to be edited, transform motion will be retained. For
example, if you are using a .swf file and want to edit its layer, the layer you select will be retained. The rest of thelayers will not be part of this layer.
How to quickly merge layers
1. Select the layers to merge.
2. Do one of the following:l

Right-click and select Merge Selected Layers.

lSelect Layer > Merge Selected Layers.

How to merge layers using the Merge Layers dialog box
1. Select the layers to merge.
2. Do one of the following:170

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Right-click and select Merge Layers.

lSelect Layer > Merge Layers.

The Merge Layers dialog box opens.

3. In the New Layer section, enter a name for the merged layer.
4. Select one of the following:ll

Vector Layer: Makes the merged layer a vector layer. If there were bitmap layers in your selection, they will be converted to vector. Proceed to step 5.
Bitmap Layer: Makes the merged layer a bitmap layer. If there were vector layers in your selection, they will be converted to bitmap.

5. If your merged layer is bitmap, set the Bitmap Canvas Size parameters. Adjust the Width, Height, or Resolution Factor. These three parameters are linked; changing one, changes the others. However, you canclick the Lock button to adjust each parameter separately.
6. (Optional) Select the Delete Source Layers option to remove the original layers that make up the mergedlayer. Select the source layers to delete.

7. Do one of the following:l

If you deleted the source layers, you can also select the Remove Invisible Layers option toremove hidden layers and click OK

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If you did not delete the source layer, click OK.

NOTE: To merge a hidden layer, you must first unhide any hidden layers.

NOTE: Layers containing 3D objects cannot be merged and will not appear in the Merge Layers dialog box.

How to edit a merged layer
1. Select a merged layer and do one of the folowing:l

Right-click and select Convert to Drawing.

lSelect Layer > Convert to Drawing.

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Converting Layers
If you started with one type of layer, such as vector, you can always switch it to use a bitmap layer and vice versa.

NOTE: When you convert from vector to bitmap, the vector data is lost, so if you convert back to vector, what you get
is a vector region with a bitmap inside of it

How to convert a layer
1. Select one or more layers to convert.
2. Do one of the following:‣

Right-click the selected layer and select Convert Vector Layer, Convert to Bitmap Layer or Convert
to Drawing Layer.

‣

Select Layer > Convert Vector Layer, Convert to Bitmap Layer or Convert to Drawing Layer.

The Choose Bitmap Layer Resolution dialog box opens.

3. Select a canvas size and pixel density for the new bitmap layer and click OK.
The following message appears.

4. Click OK.
The layer is converted as indicated by the layer colour and icon.

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Converting Layers

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Blurring Layers
If the layer you want to blur is on a vector layer, you must first convert it to a bitmap layer—see Converting Layers on
page 173.

How to blur a bitmap layer
1. Select the layer(s) to blur.
2. Do one of the following:‣

Right-click and select Blur Bitmap Layer.

‣

Select Layer > Blur Bitmap Layer.

The Blur Bitmap Layer dialog box opens.

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Blurring Layers

3. For the Blur Radius, enter a value from 0 to 100 to blur the contents of the layer.

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Changing the Resolution of Bitmap Layers
You can change the resolution of bitmap layers to better suit the needs of your project.
How to change the resolution of a bitmap layer
1. From the Layers view, select a bitmap layer whose resolution you want to change.
2. Do one of the following:‣

Right-click the layer and select Change Bitmap Layer.

‣

Select Layer > Change Bitmap Layer Resolution.

The Change Bitmap Layer Resolution dialog box opens. The current project resolution is displayed.

3. Adjust the Width, Height, or Resolution Factor. These three parameters are linked; changing one, changes
the others.
4. Select the Resample Bitmap option to change the resolution of the bitmap layer without changing the area itcovers.

NOTE: Resampling an image will degrade it to some extent. Resampling to a lower resolution makes the image
blocky and jagged. Resampling to a higher resolution may blur the image.

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Setting a Layer Layout as Default

Setting a Layer Layout as Default
Once you set up a layer layout in a panel, you can select that panel and save this layout as the default layout touse whenever a new panel is added.
How to set a layer layout as the default‣

Select the layer to use as the template and select Layer > Set Layer Layout as Default.

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Importing Images as Layers
T-SBADV-008-003
As you build your scene, you may want to use bitmap images for backgrounds and overlays. You may also want toimport an image as a reference for a vector drawing you want to create. With Storyboard Pro, you can import avariety of bitmap formats (TVG, OPT, PAL, SCAN, SGI, TGA, YUV, OMF, PSD, PNG, JPG, JPE or JPEG) which
you can combine with your vector-animated content to create rich and unique graphic styles. You can import a single
image (or multiple images located in the same folder) into a new layer.
You can vectorize images upon import. To display the Vectorization Parameter dialog box, see Setting Vectorization
Options on page 180.

IMPORTANT: Storyboard Pro does not support import of 8-bit CMYK or 16-bit RGB or CMYK format PSD files. You
can currently import only 8-bit RGBA format PSD files.

How to import images into the current panel
1. Select the panel to which you want to import the image(s).
2. Select File > Import > Images as Layers.
The Choose Image Files dialog box opens.
3. Select the image to import and click Open.

NOTE: To select multiple images, hold down Ctrl (Windows) or ⌘ (Mac OS X) as you click.

A layer is created in your panel, containing the imported image. If you selected more than one image, each
image will be imported in alphanumerical order on its own layer.
If you selected a *.psd image with multiple layers, a message will appear giving you the option to importeach layer separately.
lClick Yes to import each layer on its own layer in the panel.

l

Click No to create a layer behind the existing layers, containing the selected *.psd image.

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Setting Vectorization Options

Setting Vectorization Options
T-SBADV-008-004
By default, when you import an image into your project using either the Import Image as Layers or Import Images
as Scenes commands, the imported images will be vectorized in colour and fit the camera frame. The image
resulting from a colour vectorization will appear exactly as the original picture.
With the Storyboard Pro, more options are available which give you better control over the vectorization ofimported images. To access these options, you must first select the Display Vectorize Options Dialog option in
the Preferences dialog box.
How to set the vectorization options
1. Do one of the following:lSelect Edit > Preferences (Windows) or Storyboard Pro > Preferences (Mac OS X).

lPress Ctrl+U (Windows) or ⌘ + , (Mac OS X).

2. In the User Preferences dialog box, select the Import/Export tab.
3. Select the Display Vectorize Options Dialog option.

4. Select File > Import > Images as Layers.
5. In the browser that opens, select an image to import.
The Import Images dialog box opens.

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The preview area displays the original image on the left and the resulting image on the right. The preview of
the resulting image automatically updates each time you modify a parameter.

6. In the Import Options section, set the following parameters:

l

l

l

As Bitmap Layer: Preserves the exact look of the imported images and imports it in a bitmap
layer.
Colour to Vector Layer: Preserves the exact look of the imported images and imports it in avector layer.
Gray Scale to Vector Layer: Imports the selected images as a gray scale in a vector layer.

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l

l

l

l

Setting Vectorization Options

Black and White to Vector Layer: Imports the images as black line art. When you enable
this option, more options become available:
Threshold (%): Filters out noise in your images. Noise can be dirt or faint smudges on yourscanned images. For example, if your value is set to 70%, all colour values below 70% areconverted to white and ignored in the final image. If your value is set to 100%, only completely black lines will be kept.
Expand: Enter a value between 1 and 100 to thicken lines or the outer edges of the bitmap.
Use this option if your line art is too fine or pale so that their visibility is increased in the software.
Smooth: Enter a value between 1 and 5 to set the smoothness level. Greater smoothness
equals less jaggedness and imperfections, but at a greater loss to detail.

7. In the Resampling Options section, set the following parameters:llMaximum Size: Enter a specific maximum size for your imported image to be scaled down
to. The original ratio of the image will be preserved during the operation. You can see thefinal values resulting from the scaling process in the Scale Size fields. Note that you can not
use these fields to scale up an image.
Scaled Size: Displays the final size the image will be scaled after it is imported in your project.

8. Once you have set the vectorization options:ll

Saves as default: Saves the current settings. Every time you open this dialog box, the newdefault parameters will automatically be set. The import images commands will still use thisnew default even if you deselect the Display Vectorize Options Dialog preferences.
Do not show this dialog again: Deselects the Display Vectorize Options dialog option in
the Preferences dialog box directly from here.

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Chapter 7: Drawing
In Storyboard Pro, many powerful tools, views, and features are available for sketching and drawing with ease. This
chapter describes the main assets needed when drawing and animating, as well as tips on how to start and use
these tools efficiently.

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About Drawing Tools

About Drawing Tools
T-SBFND-008-001
The Tool Properties view displays the properties of the currently selected tool on the current layer you areworking. If you are editing a vector layer, then all of the tools are available to you. If you are drawing on a bitmap
layer, some tools are not available. When tools are not available, they are grayed out in the Tools toolbar.

Vector Drawing

Bitmap Drawing

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Drawing Tools
Depending on the type of layer you select, here are the drawing tools available:
Tool Name

Icon

Vector Layer

Bitmap Layer••

Cutter

••Select by Colour•

SelectContour Editor•

Perspective•

Edit Gradient/Texture

•

Brush

•

Pencil

•

Text

•

•

Eraser

•

•

Paint

•

•

Paint Unpainted••

Unpaint••

Close Gap

•

Line

•

•

•

Rectangle••

Ellipse

•

•

•

•

Dropper

NOTE: By default, the Tools toolbar is displayed vertically on the left side of the interface. For convenience, you candisplay the Tools toolbar horizontally—see Tools Toolbar on page 1.

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About Drawing Tools

About the Brush Tool

The Brush tool is used to draw and sketch on vector and bitmap layers.
The Brush tool is pressure sensitive and lets you create a contour shape with a thick and thin line effect, as if thedrawing was made with a brush.
If you want sketch a drawing using a semi-transparent colour to get a paper-like feel, then use the Brush tool as it
produces a more realistic and natural feel.

Vector Brushes and Pencils

Vector strokes produce files that are very light, and are ideal for long projects because you do not have tocompromise on efficiency during playback. Also, you can modify the shape of the lines after you draw them using
the Contour Editor or Perspective tool. The strokes are stored as separate lines until the drawing is flattened.
•

Advantage: File sizes are light.

•

Disadvantage: Cannot get natural media-style textured drawings.

•

Recommended Use: For clean drawings, sketchy vector drawings, drawings you want to reuse fromdifferent distances (close, mid, far).

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Textured Brushes

Textured brushes allow you to create lines that feel more like natural media, like working with a pencil on paper for
example. With this kind of stroke, you can still move the strokes around after you draw them. You cannot, use theContour Editor or Perspective tool on this kind of line.
•

Advantage: You can get a natural media feel, and still have the ability to modify the position of lines after you
draw them.

•

Disadvantage: File sizes can get heavy. Although some strokes can be flattened, they cannot be flattenedwhen you use different colours. Also, you can only have one colour/shade applied for the entire length of the
line.

•

Recommended Use: For textured drawings in which you can adjust the position of the lines later.

Brushes on Bitmap Layers

Bitmap layers allow you to create 2D graphics. The bitmap lines you create are composed of pixels on a grid that
resemble tiny dots, which altogether make up the drawing you are creating or artwork you are importing. Bitmap
graphics impart a more natural and soft look to your work. The colour is defined on a pixel-by-pixel basis.
Drawing on a bitmap layer is similar to drawing with a bitmap tool in Photoshop or Painter. You can select and movebitmap strokes. However, layering strokes on top of each other will merge (flatten) them. Instead of drawing lines,
you are laying down the individual pixels. This gives you finer control over the brush itself, as well as the shading andcolour of the drawing. However, the strokes cannot be edited with the Contour Editor or Perspective tool. It is more
efficient for storing texture information than a textured brush on a vector layer, so if you are creating drawings with a
lot of texture, this may be a better option.
•

Advantage: File sizes are not as heavy as when you use textured brushes on a vector layer, since eachstroke does not have to be remembered individually. Also, you have full artistic control over the style of thedrawing.

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About Drawing Tools•

Disadvantage: You cannot modify the lines after you draw them. Simply draw and erase, like you would
on paper. Also, it can be difficult to reuse the drawing at multiple distances.

•

Recommended Use: When creating drawings with a lot of texture, for a natural media feel. Particularly
when you want a wide variety in colour and shading, this is where you will see the real advantage.

Vector-to-bitmap conversion includes flattening individual drawings into a single image. Flattening means that it
will not be possible to select non-overlapping or overlapping elements as individual objects with the Select tool.
Instead, the selection of one drawing will initiate the selection of all elements, with a single vector frame
surrounding them.
Resampling is also triggered on bitmap layers with the use of a bitmap drawing tool. For example, if you draw theoutline of a circle, scale it down and then zoom into it, you will see tiny square pixels along the edge of the line. If
you then draw a line right next to it, you will notice two things: first that the square pixels of the new line aregigantic by comparison and that the pixels in the line of your circle suddenly become the same size. This isbecause the circle was resampled. It was not resampled when you scaled it down. It was resampled when you
used a bitmap drawing tool. It is resampled so that all the drawn objects are scaled to the same bitmap grid, inother words that their basic unit, the pixel, is the same size. The grid is defined by the bitmap layer's resolution.

Before you start drawing in bitmap, it is important to understand that your artwork will now be resolution
dependent. If you zoom in your scene, you artwork will be enlarged. It is important to plan ahead and decide howhigh of a resolution you need your artwork to be. If you plan to zoom in your scene, the smallest section of theimage that the camera will frame must be 100% the size of your scene resolution. For example, if your scene
resolution is set to 1920 x 1080 and you zoom- in 300% with your camera, then the resolution of the bitmap layer
also has to be set to 300%, otherwise its elements will look pixelated in the final render. It is important to change
the bitmap layer resolution before you start drawing.

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The bitmap resolution can be set at the scene level or drawing level. The setting at the scene level affects newly
created bitmap art layers.
Note that even if your drawing resolution is set to be very large, it doesn't mean that your file will be very heavy. It
depends on the amount of artwork you draw in it.

There is a function to Lets you change the resolution of bitmap art for individual drawings. You can reduce theresolution of your bitmap file as well as increase it. Be careful because enlarging the bitmap resolution on an existingdrawing will result in a loss of quality.Storyboard Pro will perform a pixel smoothing pass (resampling) and create
additional pixels to avoid losing too much quality, but only to a certain extent. This feature is very useful when you
need to have a full resolution of a bitmap image (such as imported bitmaps as .psd or .tga for the background) for
tracing to create a matte directly in Storyboard Pro.By default, Storyboard Pro creates small thumbnail images whenimported as bitmap in order to increase performance by using a small thumbnail image instead of using the originallarge size bitmap for animation work in Storyboard Pro. This will make difficult to view details or trace due to the low
resolution (blurry). This option temporary increases the resolution of bitmaps up to their original bitmap resolution to
make tracing easier.
For example, what if you used the default scene’s resolution for some bitmap art, but then discover you are zoomingin quite close? If you do not want to see the pixels appear too much when you are zoomed in, you can set the bitmap
resolution to 200% and the bitmap art will have a higher resolution with smaller pixels, but will NOT retain 100% of its
quality. You can use this function on multiple drawings using the Apply to All Drawings option. Changing this option
will affect existing and selected bitmap art layers.
You should avoid scaling up your bitmap strokes using the Select tool. If you do, keep in mind that when you
continue drawing, your image will be resampled and your new strokes will be scaled to the scene resolution.

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About Drawing Tools

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About Brush Modes
The Brush tool creates contour lines as you draw on vector layers, adding each brush line on top of the previous
ones. On bitmap layers, the Brush tool creates 2D graphics, laying down individual pixels.
When you select the Brush tool, the Tool Properties view displays the different Brush modes that control how thebrush line is drawn: Draw Behind and Auto Flatten. Click on the Brush Mode buttons to enable or disable thedifferent states.

Auto Flatten Mode
When drawing on vector layers, lines do not usually become one object. The Auto-Flatten mode automaticallymerges lines created with the existing ones into one single object as you draw.

When drawing on a bitmap layer, you are laying down the bare pixels, so they are always flattened. You can nolonger access the individual stroke after you draw it.

NOTE:
Using the Select tool, you can use select and remove a segment of flattened pencil lines. Overlapping pencil lines
drawn with the Auto-Flatten mode are essentially cut into segments by the overlap and can be treated as individual
lines.

Draw Behind Mode

When drawing on vector layers, the Draw Behind mode lets you paint behind existing art. By default, strokes appear
over your work until you release the tool. If you want a live preview of your stroke, activate the Realistic Preview
option by selecting View > Realistic Preview.

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About Drawing Tools

Drawing with the Brush Tool
T-SBFND-008-002
Once you start Storyboard Pro, you can start to draw in the currently selected panel and layer. But first, you must
decide on the style of drawing you are trying to achieve, and therefore, the type of layer you will be using: vector
or bitmap. Whichever you decide upon, the associated tools become available for that type of layer—see Layers
on page 149.
These are the general steps to start drawing in Storyboard Pro.
How to draw
1. In the Timeline or Thumbnails view, click a panel.

2. Select a vector or bitmap layer on which to draw—see Layers on page 149.
3. In the Tools toolbar, select the Brush

tool or press Alt+B—see About the Brush Tool on page 186.

4. In the Stage view, start drawing.
5. You can change the current colour by adjusting the sliders in the Colour view, or click a colour swatch touse that colour. To add colour swatches, see Adding Colour Swatches on page 288.

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Using Vector Brush Presets
A variety of brush styles are provided allowing you to create and save your own.This way you can create brushes
with precise sizes and parameters and save them so you can draw and design—see Drawing with Textured Brushes
on page 201.
There are several ways to display the available brushes: small or large thumbnails, or strokes.
You can delete the brushes you no longer use.
The Preview area lets you see a preview of the selected or customized stroke. You can click on the Show Extended
Properties arrow to display advanced customization parameters.

You can set the minimum and maximum sizes of your tool, which will produce the thick and thin effect on your line.
This works with the pressure sensitivity of a pen tablet.
Also, you can optimize the smoothness of the contour of lines. You can modify the central line smoothness of yourline using this option. This parameter smooths the initial movement of your line. Increasing the value will result in asmoother line with fewer less control points.
How to select a brush stylel

In the Tool Properties, select a brush style from the Presets section.
The Brush properties are displayed. What you see depends on whether you are drawing on a vector or bitmap
layer.

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About Drawing Tools

How to change the Presets displayl

In the Tool Properties view, click the Brushor Stroke View.

menu, and select Small Thumbnail, Large Thumbnail,How to rename a brush preset
1. In the Tool Properties view, select a brush to rename.
2. From the Brushmenu, select Rename Brush.

3. Type in a new name for the brush and click OK.
How to delete a brush presets
1. In the Tool Properties view, select a brush to delete.
2. Do one of the following:‣

Click the Delete Brush‣

From the Brushbutton.

menu, select Delete Brush.

How to adjust the size, smoothness and contour of lines
1. In the Tool Properties view, click the arrow button.
The Properties window of the current tool opens.

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2. Do the following:‣

Maximum Size: Defines the maximum width of the line.

‣

Minimum Size: Defines the minimum width of the line as a percentage of the maximum size.

‣

Smoothing: Defines the number of control points added to the centre line.

‣

Contour Smoothing: Defines the number of control points added to the contour boundaries (around theline).

Lower values mean that the line will appear as you draw it (with more control points along the centre line).
Higher values mean that the line will be smoothed out (removing control points from the centre line).

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About Drawing Tools

Using Bitmap Brush Presets
Creating bitmap brush presets is similar to vector brush presets—see Using Vector Brush Presets on page 193.
With bitmap brushes in Storyboard Pro, you can create an infinite range of fuzzy, textured and watercolour lines.
You can combine two different brush tips, with separate sets of parameters, with the Dual Tip feature. You canalso select a paper texture that will mimic the texture of the surface that is being painted on. Uses these features
separately or in combination to create distinct, natural-looking strokes.
How to create a bitmap brush preset
1. In the Tools toolbar, select the Brush

tool or press Alt + B.

2. In the Tool Properties view, select a brush and click the Arrow button to open the Bitmap Brush Properties
view.

3. In the Tip tab, select a brush tip.

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4. Click on the different tabs to access the options available for adjustment. You can use the brush stroke preview at the top to view all your adjustments in real time.
l

Tip tab: Make adjustments to size, brush tip angle, hardness and spacing.

lTransparency tab: Make adjustments to flow and opacity.

ll

Dual Tip tab: Select this option to enable the Dual Tip feature. Select a dual brush tip andmake adjustments to its size, brush tip angle, hardness and spacing.
Paper Texture tab: Select this option to enable the Paper Texture feature. Select a paper texture and make adjustments to its scale, alignment and additivity. To learn more about using
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Adding a Paper TexturelRenaming a Paper TexturelDeleting Paper Texturesl

Exporting Paper TextureslImporting Paper Texturesl

Changing the Paper Texture Display

5. When you are satisfied with the look of your bitmap brush, click the Add New Brush Preset
the top-right corner of the Bitmap Brush Properties window.

button at

6. In the New Preset dialog box that appears, enter the name for your brush preset.

7. Click OK.
If you continue to make adjustments to your new brush preset and want to save these changes, click theUpdate Preset
button. Otherwise, your modifications will only be saved until another brush preset or
drawing tool is selected.

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Using the Dynamic Brush
When creating drawings for a panel, there may be a specific object that is repeated many times to create a bigger
picture, such as a landscape. The object can be a blade of grass, tree, or rock. Instead of creating this drawing andthen copy/pasting it over and over again, you can create a pattern and assign it as its own brush.
You can create your pattern, select it, and add it to your brush styles using the Dynamic brush.
How to use the Dynamic brush
1. Use the Brush drawing tool to create a small drawing.

NOTE: If you are drawing on a vector layer, you may want to select Auto Flatten mode to help create a single object.

2. Use the Select tool to choose the parts of the drawing you want to use as the pattern.
3. In the Tool Properties view, click the New Dynamic Brushpattern.

button to use the current layer as a new brushIf you do not want to use the entire layer as the brush pattern, select the parts of the drawing you want to use
as the pattern. If you do this, you must reselect the Brush tool before you click the New Dynamic Brushbutton.
When you add the Dynamic Brush to your brush styles list, it is given a default name and a preview appears
in the Tool Properties view. You can use the Rename Brush button to give the Dynamic Brush a moremeaningful name.
4. Use the new Dynamic Brush to quickly repeat a pattern.

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How to create a Dynamic Brush with multiple drawings
1. Create drawings on the same layer of multiple panels or multiple layers of the same panel.

2. In the Thumbnails, Timeline, or Stage view, Shift+click to multiselect all the layers you want to use to create the Dynamic brush. If you are creating your brush with panels, Ctrl+Shift+click (Windows) or⌘ +Shift+click (Mac OS X)) the panels to use to create the Dynamic brush.
3. Select the Brush tool and click the Add Dynamic Brushbutton.

4. In the Tool Properties view, adjust the slider to see the properties of the Dynamic brush.
Your new Dynamic brush will contain all the selected drawings. When you use this brush, you will cycle
through the drawings.

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Drawing with Textured Brushes
In Storyboard Pro, you can draw with a textured line. When drawing on vector layers, textured lines are a mixed
bitmap image contained in a vector frame. This allows you to sketch as if you are drawing on paper. When drawing
on bitmap layers, there is no vector frame. There is only one big rectangular canvas that you are drawing on.

To create your own texture brush, you must prepare your tiled texture file in a third-party software, such as Adobe
Photoshop. If your image has transparency in it, it will be supported. The texture file must be either a .PSD or .TGA
file.

NOTE: It is recommended that you maintain your texture resolution between 100 x 100 pixels and 400 x 400 pixels.

How to draw with a textured brush
1. In the Tools toolbar, select the Brush

tool or press Alt+B.

2. In the Tool Properties view, select a brush and click the Arrow button to open the Brush Properties view.

3. In the Texture section, do one of the following:‣

On a bitmap layer, select the Tip tab and then select a texture.

‣

On a vector layer, select the Paper Texture option.

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4. Set the following parameters:‣

Hardness: The hardness value corresponds to the smoothness of the line edge. The lower the value,
the more blurry and smooth the line edge will be. The higher the value, the sharper the line edge will be.

‣(Vector layers) Maximum Opacity: This value corresponds to the transparency of the brush when thepressure is heavy. Values closer to 1 produce a more opaque line.

‣(Vector layers) Minimum Opacity: This value corresponds to the transparency of the brush when thepressure is very light. Values closer to 0 produce a more transparent line.

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‣

Select Texture: Lets you use and select a texture for your brush. The thumbnail displays the texture
currently in use. You can also browse for a texture file to import. Browsing for a texture file in a brushalready using texture will replace the file currently in use, although it will not replace the texture in the lines
already drawn.

‣

Texture Scale: Changes the size of the texture in the lines you draw. If you are using a plaid texture, thesquares will be larger if you increase the value and smaller if you decrease it.

5. Select the panel and layer on which you want to draw.
6. In the Stage view, start drawing.
How to create a texture brush
1. In the Tools toolbar, select the Brush

tool or press Alt+B.

2. In the Texture section, do one of the following:‣

On a bitmap layer, select the Tip tab and then select a texture.

‣

On a vector layer, select the Paper Texture option.

3. In the Texture section, select the Select Texture option.

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4. Click the Add

button and browse for a bitmap texture file.

5. In the Tool Properties view, click the New Brushbutton to add a new brush to your list.

The colour of your texture will not be used. Instead, the dark and light areas will be used to determine thealpha in your texture. The current colour swatch will be used in conjunction with the pattern and alpha inyour texture.
6. In the Stage view, draw some lines and adjust the parameters to fit the style you are looking for.

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Drawing with Bitmap Brushes
T-SBFND-008-004
Drawing on a bitmap layer is similar to drawing with a bitmap tool in Photoshop or Painter. You can select and movebitmap strokes. However, layering strokes on top of each other will merge (flatten) them. Instead of drawing lines,
you are laying down the individual pixels. This gives you finer control over the brush itself, as well as the shading andcolour of the drawing.

How to draw with bitmap brushes
1. In the Stage view, add a bitmap layer—see Adding Layers on page 153.
2. In the Tools toolbar, select the Brush

tool or press Alt + B.

The Tool Properties view, if it is open, displays the properties relevant to the bitmap Brush tool.

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3. In the Colour view at the bottom of the Tool Properties view, select a colour.
4. To switch the colour picker from HSV to RGB, in the Colour view menu, select RGB Sliders or HSV
Sliders.

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5. In the Stage view, start drawing.

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About the Pencil Tool
The Pencil tool is used to draw and sketch on vector layers.

Vector strokes produce files that are very light, and are ideal for long projects because you do not have tocompromise on efficiency during playback. Also, you can modify the shape of the lines after you draw them using
the Contour Editor or Perspective tool. The strokes are stored as separate lines until the drawing is flattened.
•

Advantage: File sizes are light.

•

Disadvantage: Cannot get natural media-style textured drawings.

•

Recommended Use: For clean drawings, sketchy vector drawings, drawings you want to reuse fromdifferent distances (close, mid, far).

The Pencil tools support pressure sensitivity, allowing you to create lines with variable thickness, producing
central vector lines of constant or variable width, making a clean line. This means that a pencil line’s control
points (used to deform its shape) are located along the length of the central spine. The Pencil tool is very usefulfor tracing, clean or final drawings.
You can customize pencils, controlling the line’s colour, size, smoothness, and the minimum and maximum
width.

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About Pencil Modes
The Pencil tool creates central lines as you draw on vector layers, adding each stroke on top of the previous ones.
When you select the Pencil tool, the Tool Properties view displays the different Pencil modes that control how the
pencil line is drawn.

Draw Behind Mode

When drawing on vector layers, the Draw Behind mode lets you paint behind existing art. By default, strokes appear
over your work until you release the tool. If you want a live preview of your stroke, activate the Realistic Preview
option by selecting View > Realistic Preview.

Auto Flatten Mode
When drawing on vector layers, lines do not usually become one object. The Auto-Flatten mode automaticallymerges lines created with the existing ones into one single object as you draw.

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When drawing on a bitmap layer, you are laying down the bare pixels, so they are always flattened. You can nolonger access the individual stroke after you draw it.

NOTE:
Using the Select tool, you can use select and remove a segment of flattened pencil lines. Overlapping pencil lines
drawn with the Auto-Flatten mode are essentially cut into segments by the overlap and can be treated as
individual lines.

Auto Close Gap Mode
When using the pencil tool, you can automatically close strokes with an invisible stroke.

It is recommended to keep this option enabled when drawing with the Pencil tool.

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Drawing with the Pencil Tool
T-SBFND-008-003
You can draw with the Pencil tool to create central vector lines.
How to draw with the Pencil tool
1. In the Thumbnails or Timeline view, select the panel on which you want to draw.

2. In the Camera, Stage, or Thumbnails view, select a vector layer to draw on.

3. In the Tools toolbar, select the Pencil

tool or press Alt+9.

4. You can change the current colour by adjusting the sliders in the Colour view, or click a swatch to use that colour. To add colour swatches—see Adding Colour Swatches on page 288.

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5. In the Stage view, start drawing.
ll

Hold Alt to draw a straight line.
Hold Ctrl (Windows) or z (Mac OS XMac OS X) to force a line to join the end and start andend of the stroke your shape while drawing.

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Using Pencil Presets
When you select the Pencil tool, its properties and options appear in the Tool Properties view. You can use theseproperties to change the size of the pencil line, define how the line size responds to pressure on the stylus, how theline acts in relation to other lines in the scene, and how to modify the line’s direction and size after it has been drawn.
The Preview area lets you see a preview of the selected or customized stroke. You can click on the Show Extended
Properties arrow to display advanced customization parameters.

You can set the minimum and maximum sizes of your tool, which will produce the thick and thin effect on your line.
This works with the pressure sensitivity of a pen tablet.
Also, you can optimize the smoothness of the contour of lines. You can modify the central line smoothness of yourline using this option. This parameter smooths the initial movement of your line. Increasing the value will result in asmoother line with fewer less control points.
There are several line shapes to choose from. You can select how the start, end, and joints in the pencil line aredrawn.
Using the Pencil tool, you can draw invisible lines. This can be useful to draw tones and highlights directly on thecharacter.

How to change the Presets displayl

In the Tool Properties view, click the Brush
Stroke View.

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How to select a pencil stylel

In the Tool Properties, select a pencil style from the Presets section.

How to add a pencil preset
1. Click the Add Brushbutton. The new pencil style appears in the list of presets.

How to rename a pencil preset
1. In the Tool Properties view, select a pencil to rename.
2. From the Brush menu, select Rename Brush.
3. Type in a new name for the pencil.
How to delete a pencil preset
1. In the Tool Properties view, select a pen to delete.
2. Do one of the following:‣

Click the Delete Brushbutton.

‣From the Brush menu, select Delete Brush.

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How to adjust the size, smoothness and contour of lines
1. In the Tool Properties view, click the arrow button.
The Properties window of the current tool opens.

2. Do the following:‣

Maximum Size: Defines the maximum width of the line.

‣

Minimum Size: Defines the minimum width of the line as a percentage of the maximum size.

‣

Smoothing: Defines the number of control points added to the centre line.

‣

Contour Smoothing: Defines the number of control points added to the contour boundaries (around theline).

Lower values mean that the line will appear as you draw it (with more control points along the centre line).
Higher values mean that the line will be smoothed out (removing control points from the centre line).
How to change the line shape
1. In the Pencil Properties window, click a line shape in the Shape section.

‣

Start: Make the beginning of the line round or flat.

‣

End: Make the end of the line round or flat.

‣

Join: Make joints round, mitred, or bevelled.

How to draw invisible lines
1. Select the panel and layer on which you want to draw.
2. In the Tools toolbar, select the Pencil

tool or press Alt+9.

3. Select View > Extras > Show Strokes or press K to see your strokes.

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4. In the Tool Properties view, set the size to 0. You can also adjust the smoothness.
5. In the Stage view, start drawing.
6. You can modify the stroke shape with the Contour Editor
page 242.

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About the Rectangle, Ellipse and Line Tools
The Shape tools are used to draw rectangles, ellipses and lines. You can use them on both vector and bitmap layers.
You can also easily reshape a square or circle into a much more complex drawing like these butterfly wings.

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About the Rectangle, Ellipse and Line Modes
When you select the Rectangle, Ellipse, Polyline or Line tool, the Tool Properties view displays the different
modes that control how the shape is drawn. Different modes are available depending on the selected tool andwhether the layer is vector or bitmap.

Draw Behind Mode

When drawing on vector layers, the Draw Behind mode lets you paint behind existing art. By default, strokes
appear over your work until you release the tool. If you want a live preview of your stroke, activate the Realistic
Preview option by selecting View > Realistic Preview.

Snap Modes
When drawing a shape, you can snap it to any line at which you begin drawing. This helps you set objects in yourdrawing with greater precision. You can also create objects that snap to an anchor point of an existing object inyour drawing.

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NOTE: When snapping and aligning objects, it is helpful to display the grid—see About Drawing Space Efficiency on
page 265.

How to snap to contours
1. In the Tool Properties view, click the Snap to Contour

button.

2. Position the pointer near the object to which you want to snap your new shape and begin drawing.
How to snap and align objects
1. In the Tool Properties view, click the Snap and Alignbutton.

2. Position the pointer near the anchor point of the object to which you want to snap your new shape and begin
drawing.

Auto Fill Mode
You can automatically fill a shape with a selected colour as you draw. By default the Shape tool creates the contourof an empty shape that you can later fill using the Paint tool.

How to automatically fill objects‣

In the Tool Properties view, click the Auto Fillbutton and begin drawing.

Auto Flatten Mode
When drawing on vector layers, lines do not usually become one object. The Auto-Flatten mode automaticallymerges lines created with the existing ones into one single object as you draw.

When drawing on a bitmap layer, you are laying down the bare pixels, so they are always flattened. You can nolonger access the individual stroke after you draw it.

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NOTE:
Using the Select tool, you can use select and remove a segment of flattened pencil lines. Overlapping pencil lines
drawn with the Auto-Flatten mode are essentially cut into segments by the overlap and can be treated as
individual lines.

Auto Close Gap Mode
When using the pencil tool, you can automatically close strokes with an invisible stroke.

It is recommended to keep this option enabled when drawing with the Pencil tool.

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Drawing with the Rectangle, Ellipse and Line Tools

To create shape presets or modify your tool style, see Using Pencil Presets on page 213.
How to draw with a shape tool
1. In the Timeline or Thumbnails view, select the panel and layer on which you want to draw.
2. In the Tools toolbar, select the Rectangle, Ellipse, or Linetool.

3. To automatically fill the shape, in the Tool Properties view, select the Auto Fill
4. In the Stage view, click and drag to draw the shape.

lHold down Shift to lock the rectangle or the ellipse ratio to 1:1.

l

Hold down Alt to draw the rectangle or ellipse from its centre.

lHold down Shift to snap the line every 15 degrees.

lHold down Alt to snap the start or end of the line to a nearby stroke.

5. Use the Contour Editor

tool to deform the shape and create your drawing.

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About the Eraser Tool
The Eraser tool is pressure sensitive, like the Brush tool, giving you more precision when erasing parts of adrawing. You can also use the Select tool to select drawing objects and delete them instead of erasing.

It is a good idea to create and save erasers with precise sizes and parameters to save time when drawing anddesigning. There are two icons located at the top-right corner of the Eraser properties window: New Brush
Preset is for creating a new preset and Update Preset is for updating the currently selected preset. Use themafter you have set all the parameters for the new eraser preset.

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ErasingWith the Eraser tool, you can erase parts of drawings.
How to erase with the Eraser tool
1. In the Thumbnails or Timeline view, select the panel where you want to erase.
2. In the Thumbnails or Stage view, select a layer.
3. In the Tools toolbar, select the Eraser

tool or press Alt+E.

4. In the Stage view, start erasing.

NOTE: When working in vector, you can also use the Select tool to select drawing objects and delete them instead oferasing.

NOTE: You can also use Cutter tool to select part of a drawing and then press Delete to erase.

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Using Eraser Presets
When you select the Eraser tool, its properties and style options appear in the Tool Properties view. The
properties available are different depending on whether you are drawing on a vector or bitmap layer.
The Preview area lets you see a preview of the selected or customized stroke. You can click on the Show
Extended Properties arrow to display advanced customization parameters.

The Eraser tool uses the same Brush presets as the Brush tool. Storyboard Pro provides a variety of eraser
presets, which you can create and save.It is a good idea to create and save eraser brushes with precise sizes
and parameters for drawing and design—see .

NOTE: If you are working on a vector layer, you can only have a solid eraser. When working on a bitmap layer,
you also have texture erasers available.

How to select an eraser style
1. In the Eraser Tool Properties, select an eraser preset from the Presets section.

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About the Select Tool
The Select tool lets you select strokes in the Stage view, and apply basic transformations such as repositioning,rotating, scaling or skewing, using the different handles of the bounding box.
When you use the Select tool and select an object such as a stroke or text, it properties are displays in the Tool
Properties view in the Panel view. For example, if you have pencil selected, the pencil section displays, or if you
have text selected, the text section displays.

NOTE: The Select tool, when used to scale, offset or rotate objects, retains your selection when switching layers or
panels.

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About Select Modes
When you use the Select tool, its properties and options appear in the Tool Properties view.

Lasso and Marquee Modes
When selecting a section of a drawing, you can use the Lasso to make a freehand selection or the Marquee tomake a rectangular selection.
In the tool properties, select Lassoor Marqueemode to change the selection style of the tool. Hold down
the Alt key to temporarily switch from the selected mode to the other.

Snap Modes
When drawing a shape, you can snap it to any line at which you begin drawing. This helps you set objects in yourdrawing with greater precision. You can also create objects that snap to an anchor point of an existing object inyour drawing.

NOTE: When snapping and aligning objects, it is helpful to display the grid—see About Drawing Space Efficiency
on page 265.

How to snap to contours
1. In the Tool Properties view, click the Snap to Contour

button.

2. Position the pointer near the object to which you want to snap your new shape and begin drawing.
How to snap and align objects
1. In the Tool Properties view, click the Snap and Alignbutton.

2. Position the pointer near the anchor point of the object to which you want to snap your new shape andbegin drawing.

Select by Colour Mode
You can rapidly select all drawing parts painted or drawn with the colour you click on in the Stage view.

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Select All Drawings in Scene
You can select all the drawings in a scene on all layers.

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Selecting
Before you can perform transformations such as a rotation, scale, skew or flip, you must select the objects using
the Select tool. Once selected, you can transform all the objects within the bounding box simultaneously. There
are various controls around the bounding box for you to manipulate a selection.
Some transformations are relative to the position of the pivot point, which you can temporarily reposition.

How to select objects
1. In the Timeline or Thumbnails view, select the panel and layer on which you want to select objects.
2. In the Tools toolbar, click the Selecttool or press Alt+S.

3. In the Stage view, select an object. To select all objects, press Ctrl+A (Windows) or ⌘ +A (Mac OS X ).
How to move objects
1. In the Stage view, select some objects. Position the cursor over a stroke and when you see the move
cursor appear, drag to move the selection to a new location.

NOTE: To make it easier to move selected objects without having to position the cursor over a
stroke, you can set the Select Tool Bounding Box is Movable option in the Preferences dialog box(Tools tab). This lets you place the cursor anywhere inside the bounding box and move its contents.
This option applies to these tools: Select , Select by Colour, and Cutter.

2. To nudge selected objects, use Arrow keys on your keyboard. To move objects in larger increments, press
Shift + Arrow keys.

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How to rotate, scale and skew objects
1. To rotate selected objects, position the cursor at any corner of the bounding box. When you see the rotate
cursor, drag to rotate. Press Shift as you drag to rotate in 15 degree increments.

2. To scale selected objects, position the cursor at any corner of the bounding box. When you see the scalecursor appear, drag to resize. Press Shift as you drag to maintain the aspect ratio.

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3. To skew selected objects, position the cursor on any side of the bounding box and drag to skew.

How to temporarily reposition the pivot point
1. In the Stage view, select one or more objects.
The pivot point appears in the middle of the bounding box.

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2. Drag the pivot point to a new position.
This becomes the new position of the pivot point for the current transformation and will remain there until you
make a new selection.

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Rotating a Selection 90 Degrees
Once you have selected drawing strokes from a drawing, you can rotate them by 90 degrees clockwise orcounterclockwise.

How to rotate an area
1. In the Tools toolbar, select the Selecttool.

2. In the Stage view, select the strokes to rotate.
3. In the Tool Properties view, select the Rotate 90° CWor Rotate 90° CCW
rotating areas at 90 degree increments by clicking the button again.

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Flipping a Selection
Once you have selected strokes from a drawing, you can flip them horizontally or vertically. If no strokes are
selected, the layer will be flipped. If you select more than one layer, they will all be flipped individually.

How to flip a selection
1. In the Tools toolbar, select the Selecttool.

2. In the Stage view, select the strokes to flip.
3. Do one of the following:l

In the tool properties, click the Flip HorizontallPress Alt + H to flip horizontally. Press Alt + V to flip vertically.

l

Select Tools > Transform > Flip Horizontal or Flip Vertical.

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Flattening a Selection

The Flatten operation is used to merge drawing objects and brush strokes into a single layer. If you draw newlines to fix a drawing or a line with many brush strokes, it can be useful to flatten them all into a single shape. Bydefault, lines are drawn one on top of each other, if you intend repainting the lines or modifying their shape, it will
be easier if they are flattened—see About Project Optimization on page 38.
If you have selected strokes while using the flatten command, only these strokes will be flattened. If no strokes
are selected, the entire current layer will be flattened. If you have selected multiple layers, they will all be flattened
individually.
How to flatten a selection
1. In the Tools toolbar, select the Selecttool.

2. In the Stage view, select the strokes to flatten.
3. Do one of the following:‣

In the tool properties, click the Flatten‣

Press Alt+Shift+F.

‣

Select Tools > Flatten.

button.

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Grouping Objects
By grouping objects together, you can reposition, scale and apply other transformations to multiple objects of adrawing. You can also ungroup a group of objects to fine-tune individual objects.

NOTE: You can only group objects on one vector layer, you cannot group objects from several layers. Also, you
cannot group objects on bitmap layers.

How to group or ungroup objects‣

Select object(s) in the Stage view, then select Edit > Group Drawing Selection or Ungroup Drawings.

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Converting Strokes
When drawing on vector layers, you may want to change brush strokes to pencil lines to convert contour strokes
into centre line pencil strokes.

NOTE: Any line thickness information is lost upon conversion from brush to pencil

At times, you may want to change pencil lines to brush strokes. This converts a centre line stroke to a contour
line stroke. Or you can convert strokes to pencil lines.

How to convert pencil lines to brush1. Select the strokes you want to convert.
2. Right-click and Convert > Pencil Lines to Brush Strokes.
How to convert brush to pencil lines
1. Select the strokes you want to convert.
2. Right-click and select Convert > Brush Strokes to Pencil Lines.

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Using the Select by Colour Tool
T-SBADV-005-017
The Select by Colour tool lets you quickly select all artwork painted or drawn with the selected colour. This makes it
easy to select artwork from a single layer that contains different colours and shades.
How to select by colour
1. In the Tools toolbar, click the Select by Colour

button.

2. In the Stage view, select a layer.
3. Click on a colour.
All artwork painted or drawn with the selected colour is selected.

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About the Cutter Tool
You can cut a drawing area on a bitmap or vector layer to move, copy, cut or delete it.

NOTE: When you use the Cutter tool on a bitmap layer, the drawing will be flattened automatically on the next
drawing operation after the cut.

To learn more about the Contour Editor properties, see Cutter Tool Properties on page 1.

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About Cutter Modes
When you use the Cutter tool, its properties and options appear in the Tool Properties view. The four Cutter modes
include: Lasso or Marquee, tip style, mouse gesture, and antialiasing.

Lasso and Marquee Modes
When selecting a section of a drawing, you can use the Lasso to make a freehand selection or the Marquee to makea rectangular selection.
In the tool properties, select Lassoor Marqueemode to change the selection style of the tool. Hold down the
Alt key to temporarily switch from the selected mode to the other.

Tip Style Mode
You can customize the tip of the line you cut pencil lines on a vector layer.
How to set the tip stylel

In the Cutter tool properties, click the Tip Stylebutton and select a style: Round, Flat or Bevel.

Use Mouse Gesture Mode
When using the Lasso
selection type, the Use Mouse Gesture
option lets you automatically delete any
extra sections of line in your artwork by simply dragging your mouse over it.

NOTE: For this operation to work, lines CANNOT be flattened.

Antialiasing Mode
When working with the Cutter tool on bitmap layers, you can turn antialiasing on or off. With antialiasing on, thejagged appearance of diagonal lines in bitmap images are smoothed.

NOTE: This option is not available on vector layers.

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How to turn on antialiasing
1. Select a bitmap layer.
2. In Cutter tool properties, click the Antialiasing

240

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Cutting
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The Cutter tool lets you cut a drawing to move, copy, or delete it.

How to cut drawings
1. In the Tools toolbar, select the Cutter

tool or press Alt + T.

2. In the Stage view, select an area to cut away.

l

To delete the selected area, press Delete.

l

To move the selection, drag it to a new area.

l

Use the bounding box controls to scale, skew, or rotate the cut piece.

To flip and rotate your selection, see Flipping a Selection on page 233 and Rotating a Selection 90 Degrees on page
232.

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About the Contour Editor Tool
The Contour Editor lets you reshape drawings. By displaying vector points around a shape and the central vector
points in a pencil line, you can pull or push on these points to adjust the brush’s line thickness. Points can beselected and deleted. Each point has two Bezier handles for correcting the curves between two points. You can
modify shapes by pulling and pushing directly on the segment between the points. You can use it to perfect acentral shape pencil line, a contour shape brush line, or even create an elaborate shape from a basic ellipse or
square.

To learn more about the Contour Editor properties, see Contour Editor Tool Properties on page 1.

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About Contour Editor Modes
When you select the Contour Editor tool, its properties and options appear in the Tool Properties view.

Lasso and Marquee Modes
When selecting a section of a drawing, you can use the Lasso to make a freehand selection or the Marquee to makea rectangular selection.
In the tool properties, select Lassoor Marqueemode to change the selection style of the tool. Hold down the
Alt key to temporarily switch from the selected mode to the other.

Snap to Contour Mode
The Snap to Contour option will snap the selected anchor point to any line you position it on.

The Snap to Contour option will snap the selected anchor point to any line you position it on.
How to snap two shapes together
1. In the Tools toolbar, select the Contour Editor

tool.

2. In the Contour Editor Tool Properties view, click the Snap to Contour

button.

3. In the Stage view, click an anchor point you want to snap to the other shape, drag it on top of the contour line
area and release it.

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Reshaping with the Contour Editor Tool
T-SBFND-008-006
The Contour Editor lets you reshape drawings. By displaying vector points around a shape and the central vector
points in a pencil line, you can pull or push on these points to adjust the brush’s line thickness. Points can beselected and deleted. Each point has two Bezier handles for correcting the curves between two points. You can
modify shapes by pulling and pushing directly on the segment between the points. You can use it to perfect acentral shape pencil line, a contour shape brush line, or even create an elaborate shape from a basic ellipse or
square.

How to reshape with the Contour Editor tool
1. In the Timeline or Thumbnails view, select the cell and layer into which you want to draw.
2. In the Tools toolbar, select a shape tool:.

3. In the Tool Properties view, click the Ellipse
size to 0.
4. In the Stage view, draw a circle.

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5. In the Tools toolbar, select the Contour Editor

tool.

6. In the Stage view, click the line to reshape it.

7. Select one or several points by clicking on them or circling around.

8. Press Delete to delete a selected point.
Press Ctrl (Windows/Linux) or ⌘ (Mac OS X)and click on the contour to add a new point to adjust thecontour.
9. To modify the shape, you can:llPull on the Bezier handle. Both point’s handles will move as one.

Hold down Alt and pull on one of the Bezier handles. The point’s handle will move independently from theother one.

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Move the selected points to a new area.

Pull directly on the line between two points. No selection is necessary. Holding down Shift will limit thecontour modification to the curve between the two first points.

l

If an anchor point has no visible Bezier handles, hold down the Alt key to display them.

lTo add control points, press Ctrl (Windows/Linux) or ⌘ (Mac OS X) and click the line.

l

To remove control points, select the control point and press Delete.

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Smoothing a Selection

The Smooth Selection operation is used to smooth out selected drawing strokes and remove extra points.
Smoothing is applied to the entire stroke.
Depending on how you draw your pencil line (changing the Smoothness or Contour Optimization), there may be few
or many control points on the centre line. Just as you can modify a brush line, you can modify the direction of a
pencil line using the Contour Editor to move its control points.

To learn how to create a pencil line with more or fewer control points, see Reshaping with the Contour Editor Tool on
page 244.
How to modify a pencil line using control points
1. Using thePencil tool, create a line that has control points along its centre line (adjust the Smoothness or
Contour Optimization to set the right number of control points).
2. From the Tools toolbar, select theContour Editor tool and select the pencil line.

The selected pencil line will display its centre line along and control points.
To add control points, press Ctrl and click to create control points.
3. Drag any of the control points along the centre line to change the shape.

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About the Perspective Tool

When drawing on vector layers, the Perspective tool is used to deform a drawing selection and alter its
perspective.

NOTE: This tool cannot be used on textured brush strokes or bitmap layers.

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About the Perspective Modes
When drawing on vector layers, selecting the Perspective tool displays its properties and options in the Tool
Properties view.

Lasso and Marquee Modes
When selecting a section of a drawing, you can use the Lasso to make a freehand selection or the Marquee to makea rectangular selection.
In the tool properties, select Lassoor Marqueemode to change the selection style of the tool. Hold down the
Alt key to temporarily switch from the selected mode to the other.

Snap Modes
When drawing a shape, you can snap it to any line at which you begin drawing. This helps you set objects in yourdrawing with greater precision. You can also create objects that snap to an anchor point of an existing object in yourdrawing.

NOTE: When snapping and aligning objects, it is helpful to display the grid—see About Drawing Space Efficiency on
page 265.

How to snap to contours
1. In the Tool Properties view, click the Snap to Contour

button.

2. Position the pointer near the object to which you want to snap your new shape and begin drawing.
How to snap and align objects
1. In the Tool Properties view, click the Snap and Alignbutton.

2. Position the pointer near the anchor point of the object to which you want to snap your new shape and begin
drawing.
How to snap to the grid
1. In the Tool Properties view, click the Snap to Gridbutton.

2. Position the pointer near the anchor point of the object to which you want to snap to the grid and move thepoint.

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Using the Perspective Tool
To flip and rotate your selection, see Flipping a Selection on page 233 and Rotating a Selection 90 Degrees on
page 232.
How to deform a drawing
1. In the Tools toolbar, select the Perspective

tool.

2. In the Stage view, select the drawing you want to deform.
3. Click and drag the different anchor points to deform the shape.

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About the Text Tool
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With the Text tool, you can type text in your project, using various fonts and text attributes. Text objects are part of adrawing, so you can manipulate them the same way. You can use the Text tools on both vector and bitmap layers.

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Adding Text
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Whenever needed, you can add text to panels.
How to add text to drawings
1. In the Tools toolbar, select the Text
select Tools > Text.

tool, press Ctrl+Shift+T (Windows) or ⌘ +Shift+T (Mac OS X) or

2. In the Timeline or Thumbnails view, select the panel and layer that contains the drawing on which you
want to add text.
3. In the Stage view, click the location at which you want to add text.

4. You can use the Text properties in the Tool Properties view to select the font, font size and format of thetext you will type—see Adding Text on page 252.
5. Type in the desired text.

6. Click outside the text box to exit the typing mode.
‣If you want to create another text object, click outside the currently active text box. You can always
return to edit the text by selecting the Text
tool and clicking in the text.

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Formatting Text
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Use the Text Tool Properties view to select the font type and other formatting options you want to apply to the text.

NOTE:
If the text is already written, use the Text tool to select the text you want to format.

Font TypeUse this drop-down menu to select the desired font, from the list of fonts available in your system.

Font Style
Use the Bold

and Italic

buttons to set the style for your text.

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Alignment
Use these buttons to align the paragraph.
Left

Right

CentredJustified

Font Size
Type the desired size for the text in this field. You can also use the up and down arrow buttons to set the desired
value.

Kerning
Use the kerning field to modify the spacing between letters and characters. You can select the Auto Kern option
to set the kerning automatically, based on the font’s predefined standard. A negative value decreases spacing
between each character creating a letter overlap and a positive value increases it.

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IndentEnter a value in the Indent field to increase or decrease the indentation on the first line of your text. A positive value
sets the first line of your paragraph farther to the right and a negative value sets it farther to the left.

Line Spacing
Enter a value in the Line Spacing field to decrease or increase the space between each line of text.

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Resizing the Text Box
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You can resize the text box by selecting your text box with the Text
left.

tool and moving the anchor point right orUsing the Select tool will distort and scale your text itself rather than changing the width and height of your text
box.

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Breaking Text
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Text contained in a text field is treated as a single drawing object. You can easily separate the text so that eachcharacter becomes an individual drawing object that you can select and modify independently.
How to break a text object
1. In the Tools toolbar, click the Selecttool or press Alt+S.

2. In the Stage View, select the text object you want to break.

3. Right-click the text and select Convert > Break ApartText Layers.

Each character is now surrounded by its own bounding box that you can modify, they remain text objects thatyou can edit.
4. If you want to convert your independent letter to a complete vector object that you can deform, using the
Select tool, select the letters to convert.
5. Right-click the text and select Convert > Break ApartText Layers to break the selection into a regular drawing object, with no more text attributes.

NOTE: After your text has been broken apart twice, into a regular drawing object, you can use all the drawing tools
such as the Eraser tool, on the drawing. Be aware that if you want to use the Perspective tool on the text, you should
create the text on a vector layer before breaking it apart twice; then you can use the Perspective tool on it.

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About Tool Presets
T-SBADV-005-006
Tool presets let you save a variety of settings and are very efficient for accessing the tools you use most often.
That way, the tool is already set with the desired properties, such as colour, line thickness, whether to enable
Draw Behind or Auto Flatten mode, and so on. You can create presets for these tools and many more: Brush,
Pencil, Eraser, Rectangle, Ellipse, and Line.
The difference between a tool preset and a brush preset is that when you save a tool preset, you have the optionof saving the colour and assigning a shortcut, which you cannot do with brush presets.
You can assign a keyboard shortcut to tool presets to quickly access them—see Shortcut Preferences in the
Preferences Guide.

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Creating Tool Presets
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To create a tool preset, you will need to select a tool, adjust the properties, and then create a tool preset for it. Onceyou have created a tool preset, you can make adjustments to fine-tune it, as well as create a keyboard shortcut for it.
All tool presets are displayed in the Tool Presets toolbar.
How to create a tool preset
1. In the Tools toolbar, select a tool, for example the Brush tool.
2. In the Panel view, use the Tool Properties view and/or the Brush Properties window to customize the tool.
3. To set a specific colour for your preset, in the Colour view, select the colour swatch to link to the tool.

NOTE: When using a tool preset in a scene that is not using the assigned colour swatch, a colour
recovery dialog box appears prompting you to add the colour to the scene.

4. In the Tool Presets toolbar, click the New Tool Preset

button.

5. In the New Preset dialog box, in the Name field, type a name for your new preset.

6. From the icon list, select an icon to quickly identify your preset or upload your own by clicking the File
ton.

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7. (Optional) From the Shortcut menu, set a keyboard shortcut to quickly access your preset. By default, theshortcuts are unassigned. To assign a keyboard shortcut, select Edit > Preferences > Shortcuts > Tool
Presets (Windows) or Storyboard Pro > Preferences > Shortcuts > Tool Presets (Mac OS X).
8. When you select an option, it will take effect when you use the tool preset. If an option is deselected, thenusing a tool preset will not override your current settings.
l

l

l

l

Colour: Saves the current colour into the tool preset.
Layer: Lets you select a drawing layer to be used on the current panel when the tool presetis clicked. When selecting the preset, if the assigned layer exists, it will be selected, if not, it
will be created. When changing panels, depending on your global navigation setting, it will
look for the layer. If it does not exist, the first layer will be selected. Select the Layer option,
assign a layer to the tool preset, and decide whether the layer is vector or bitmap.
Draw Behind: When this option is selected, saves the specified Draw Behind option to thetool preset. When deselected, the current Draw Behind status is unchanged when the tool
preset is clicked—see About Brush Modes on page 191.
Auto Flatten: When this option is selected, saves the specified Auto-Flatten state to thetool preset. When deselected, the current Auto-Flatten state is unchanged when the tool preset is clicked—see About Brush Modes on page 191.

9. Click OK.

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Updating Tool Presets
T-SBADV-005-008
As you work with a tool preset, you may need to fine-tune and update its parameters until it is exactly what you
want.
How to update a tool preset
1. In the Tool Properties view, update the tool settings.
2. In the Tool Presets toolbar, click the Manage Tool Presets

button.

3. In the Manage Tool Presets dialog box, select the tool preset from the list.
4. Update the additional parameters such as the icon, Colour, Layer and Draw Behind options.
5. Click Update.
6. Click OK.

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Deleting Tool Presets
T-SBADV-005-009
If you no longer need a tool preset, you can delete it.
How to delete a tool preset
1. In the Tool Presets toolbar, click the Manage Tool Presets

button.

2. From the list of tool presets on the left, select a preset to delete and click the Trash icon.

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Importing and Exporting Tool Presets
T-SBADV-005-010
If there are tool presets created by other Storyboard Pro artists you want to use, you can import them to use in yourprojects. You can also export your tool presets for other artists to use.
How to import a tool preset
1. In the Tool Presets toolbar, click the Manage Tool Presets

button.

The Manage Tool Presets dialog box opens.
2. Click Import.
3. In the Import Brush Presets window that opens, locate and select the preset(s) to import and click Open.

How to export a tool preset
1. In the Tool Presets toolbar, click the Manage Tool Presets

button.

The Manage Tool Presets dialog box opens.
2. Click Export.
3. In the Export Brush Presets window that opens, select the preset(s) to export and click Export.
4. Give the exported preset(s) a name and click Save.

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Locking the Tool Preset Layer Selection
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It is possible to assign a tool preset to a specific layer. When the preset is selected, it will verify if the layer exists.
If so, the layer will be selected and if not, it will be created.
When switching panels, by default Storyboard Prolooks for a layer with the same name as the one currently
selected. If it does not exist, the first layer will be selected. To prevent Storyboard Pro from selecting a random
layer, you can activate the Enable Brush Preset Layer Selection Lock option. This way, Storyboard Pro prevents
you from drawing in the next panel unless you create the missing layer. Click on the preset again to create themissing layer.
How to enable the Enable Brush Preset Layer Selection Lock option
1. Open the Preferences dialog box:lWindows: Select Edit > Preferences or press Ctrl+U.

l

Mac OS X: Select Storyboard Pro > Preferences or press⌘ + ,.

2. Select the General tab.
3. In the Layers section, select the Enable Brush Preset Layer Selection Lock option.

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About Drawing Space Efficiency
T-SBADV-005-001
Drawing can be time consuming and complicated if you don't take advantage of some of the time-saving features in
Storyboard Pro. It starts with turning on the grid to help you determine the size and placement of objects as you
draw. For your drawing tool, you can choose from a lasso or marquee type cursor.
With onion skinning, you can see the previous and next drawings, which is handy for referring to for the size, angle
and position of the drawing in the current panel.
The light table lets you preview the previous and subsequent active layers in light colours. This is really useful forseeing other layers when designing or cleaning up your storyboard.
You can also quickly swap between two drawing tools by using keyboard shortcuts.
Everything you draw in Storyboard Pro is vector-based. When you draw in the Drawing or Camera view, notice thatyour lines may appear jagged. This is caused by the fast real-time display called OpenGL. If you prefer to seesmooth lines as you draw, you can enable the antialiasing preference.

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Displaying the Grid
T-SBADV-005-002

Using a grid is useful when positioning or drawing objects and characters in a scene. You can use the Show Grid
option to display several different kinds of grids in the Stage or Camera views.
How to display the grid
1. Do one of the following:lClick the Gridbutton at the bottom of the Stage or Camera view.

lSelect View > Grid > Show Grid.

lPress Ctrl+G (Windows) or ⌘ +G (Mac OS X).

2. To choose a grid option, select View > Grid and one of the following options:Parameter

Description

Grid Outline Only

Displays only the contour of the grid.

Underlay

Displays the grid behind the drawing elements.

Overlay

Displays the grid over the drawing elements.

SquareDisplays a standard square grid.

12 Field Grid

Displays a 12 field size grid.

16 Field Grid

Displays a 16 field size grid.

World Grid

Displays a reference grid that remains the same size when you scale objects.
This is useful when creating elements in your drawing and you need a reference point.

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Using the Light Table
T-SBFND-008-005
The light table is used to preview the previous and subsequent active layers. It is useful to see the other layers when
designing or cleaning up your storyboard.

When the light table is activated, all layers apart from the currently selected one are shown in washed-out colours in
the Stage and Camera views and when using the layer tools.

How to turn on the light table
1. Select View > Light Table.
The drawings for the other layers are displayed as washed-out colours in the Stage view.

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About the Onion Skin
T-SBFND-008-013
With onion skinning, you can display the previous and next drawings and refer to them to determine the size,
angle or position of the drawing in the current panel.
You can display the drawings from previous panels in the current panel, so you can see where to place thedrawings for the next panel.
You can also display drawings from the next panels in the current panel, so you can see where to place thedrawings for the previous panel.

By default, previous drawings appear in a shade of red and next drawings are displayed in green. You can change
the display colours of onion skinned drawings in the Preferences dialog box (Colours tab).

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Setting the Onion Skin
T-SBFND-008-014
After enabling the Onion Skin, you can set the number of previous and next panels to view. You can set the onion
skin to display up to three panels.

How to enable the Onion Skin
1. Do one of the following:l

In the Onion Skin toolbar, click the Onion Skinl

Press Alt+O (Windows) or ⌘ +Alt+O (Mac OS X).

l

Select View > Onion Skin > Show Onion Skin.

button.

How to set the number of previous panels
1. In the Onion Skin toolbar, click the Show Previous button and select one of the following:l

No Previous PanelslPrevious PanellPrevious Two PanelslPrevious Three Panels

The previous panel(s) appear in the Stage view.

NOTE: You can also select View > Onion Skin to access these options.

How to set the number of next panels
1. In the Onion Skin toolbar, click the Show Next button and select one of the following:269

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No Next Panelsl

Next Drawingl

Next Two Panelsl

Next Three Panels

The next panel(s)appear in the Stage view.

NOTE: You can also select View > Onion Skin to access these options.

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Flipping through Onion-skinned Drawings
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With the flipbook, you can move quickly between onion-skinned drawings. This is an extremely useful and timesaving feature.
How to flip through onion-skinned drawings
1. In the Onion Skin toolbar, do one of the following:lDrag the flipbook slider to flip between the drawings you selected with the Onion Skin tool.

l

Click the Play button to automatically play the onion-skinned drawings as a flipbook.

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Expanding the Onion Skin Preview
You can expand the Onion Skin to show more than the default three previous and three next drawings. You cansee some or all of the 15 previous or next drawings. Once you set the number of drawings you want to see, it isused as the default when expanding the onion skin.You can set the default number of available Onion Skin levelsin the Preferences dialog box (Camera tab, Onion Skin and Light Table section).
How to view additional drawings
1. In the Onion Skin toolbar, click the Expand Onion Skin272

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About Quick Swap Shortcut
T-SBADV-005-003
Overriding one tool with another lets you increase productivity by rapidly switching between tools used for shorttasks and your previous tool. Most drawing tool shortcuts are accessed using the Alt key followed by another key,such as the Eraser tool which is accessed by pressing Alt + E.
For example, if you are drawing with the Brush tool and need to briefly switch to the Eraser before continuing, holddown the E key while you are erasing. When you are done, release the E key to return to the previous tool; in thiscase, the Brush tool. You can do the same for most drawing tools that have a shortcut composed of Alt followed byanother key.

For a list of keyboard shortcuts, refer to one of the following:•

Right-click on the Stage or Camera view to access the contextual menu.

•

From the top menu, select Tools.

•

Preferences dialog box, Shortcuts tab: Ctrl+U (Windows) or ⌘ + , (Mac OS X)•

Drawing Tools Shortcuts

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Antialiasing OpenGL Lines
T-SBADV-005-004
Everything you draw in Storyboard Pro is vector-based. When you draw in the Drawing or Camera view, noticethat your lines may appear jagged. This is caused by the fast real-time display called OpenGL. If you prefer to seesmooth lines as you draw, you can enable the antialiasing preference.

Full scene antialiasing is generated by your computer’s graphics card. This antialiasing will not only antialias yourdrawings, but all your different views in the interface. Full scene antialiasing is an option you can turn on or off; bydefault, it is disabled.
There is no need to modify your graphic card settings.

NOTE: Full Scene Antialiasing parameters are only valid while you work in your scene. The scene will berendered to 100% of its resolution regardless of your preference settings or graphic card panel.

How to customize the full scene antialiasing parameters

NOTE: You must restart Storyboard Pro after you change the parameters.

1. Do one of the following:lSelect Edit > Preferences (Windows) or Storyboard Pro > Preferences (Mac OS X).

lPress Ctrl + U (Windows/Linux) or ⌘ + U (Mac OS X).

The Preferences dialog box opens.
2. In the Advanced tab, select the Enable option in the Full Scene Antialiasing section.

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3. Number or samples: Enter the number of samples you want to be used for the antialiasing process. The
number of samples is basically equivalent to the amount of times a pixel will be enlarged to calculate the antialiasing. This technique is called supersampling. The higher the number of samples, the better the antialiasing quality will be, but the longer it will take to calculate.
4. Restart Storyboard Pro.

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Changing the Drawing Tool Cursor
T-SBADV-005-005
By default, the Brush tool cursor is displayed as a crosshair. You can change it to display the shape of the current
brush size.

How to change the Brush tool cursor
1. Open the Preferences dialog box:‣

Select Edit > Preferences (Windows) or Storyboard Pro> Preferences (Mac OS X).

‣

Press Ctrl+U (Windows) or ⌘ + , (Mac OS X).

2. Select the Tools tab.
3. In the Drawing section, select the Brush Size Cursor option.

4. Click OK.
The cursor displays the current brush size.

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About Drawing Space Navigation
When you are drawing in the Stage view, you can zoom, pan and rotate the view to make it easier to determine
where to place objects, determine the scale of objects, and when zooming out, get an overall view of the panel andits contents.

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Zooming the Stage View
Zooming in and out of the Stage view lets you see elements close up and far away.
How to zoom the Stage viewlll

From the Tools toolbar, select the Zoom
out.

tool. Click the Stage view to zoom in. Press [Alt] to zoom

Zoom In: Select View > Zoom In or press 2. When the Zoom In mode is selected, hold [Alt] as you click
to zoom out.
Zoom Out: Select View > Zoom Out or press 1.

How to reset zoomlSelect View > Reset Zoom or press Shift+Z.

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Panning the Stage View
Using the Hand tool, you can pan the Stage view.
How to pan the Stage view
1. Do one of the following:‣

In the Tools toolbar, click the Hand‣

Hold down the Spacebar.

‣

Select Tools > Hand.

tool.

2. In the Stage view, drag the cursor.
How to reset panlSelect View > Reset Pan or press Shift+N.

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Rotating the Stage View
You can rotate the Stage view in the same way as you would with an actual animation disc. You can also use themenu options to rotate the Stage view in 30 degree increments.

How to rotate the drawing space
1. Do one of the following:l

From the Tools toolbar, select the Rotate View tool.

l

Hold down Ctrl+Alt (Windows) or ⌘ +Alt (Mac OS X).

2. Drag the cursor in the Stage view to rotate the view.
How to rotate the drawing view in 30 degree incrementslSelect View > Rotate View CW (clockwise) or press V.

lSelect View > Rotate View CCW (counterclockwise) or press C.

How to reset rotationl

Select View > Reset Rotation or press Shift+X.

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Sharing Drawings
When there is a drawing that occurs across multiple panels, you can share (link) the drawing. This way, anychanges you make to one of the drawing affects all other instances, making it faster and more efficient whenmanaging and producing your storyboard.
Duplicating a panel that contains a shared drawing preserves the link.
When sharing is not needed, you can easily unlink an instance of a shared drawing from the other instances.
How to share a drawing
1. In the Drawing list, right-click the layer that contains the drawing to share.
2. Right-click and select Share Drawing.
The drawing is now available in the Shared Drawings folder of the Library view. In the Layers list, a starappears beside the name of the drawing to indicate that it is a shared drawing.
3. To use the shared drawing in another panel, drag it from the Share Drawings folder to the Layer list or Stageview.
How to unlink a shared drawing
1. Right-click the layer to unlink and select Unlink from Shared Drawing.
The layer is unlinked from the shared drawing and its instances.

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Chapter 8: Colour

With Storyboard Pro, you can add colour to your projects.

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About Colour Swatches

About Colour Swatches
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You can use two different types of colour swatches. You can paint drawings with vector swatches, which are thesolid and gradient colours.

You can paint your vector drawings with bitmap texture swatches. You can import textures and add them to yourpalette. Textures must be *.psd or *.tga files. Transparency is supported. Once you have painted with
textures, you can edit the gradient's position—see Using the Edit Gradient - Texture Tool on page 301.

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Changing the Current Colour
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There are several ways to modify the current colour. It can be modified directly in the Colour view using the sliders(HSV or RGB), or using the Colour Picker window.
How to change the current colour in the Colour view
1. In the Colour view, make sure the Colour area is expanded by clicking the Collapse/Expand arrow.
2. In the Colour view, drag the H,S,V sliders left or right to adjust the colour.
3. In the Opacity field, adjust the colour's alpha.
4. In the HSV/RGB menu, you can switch between HSV and RGB sliders.

How to change the current colour in the Colour Picker window
1. In the Colour view, make sure the Colour area is expanded by clicking the Collapse/Expand arrow.
2. Double-click on the current colour swatch.
The Colour Picker window opens.

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3. In the Colour Picker window, do one of the following to modify the current colour:lll

In the colour picking area, click to select a colour.
Type in the HSV or RGB values in the corresponding fields. Select the R,G,B or H,S,V
options to change the look of the colour picking area.

Drag the Dropper

to select any colour in the Storyboard Pro interface.

NOTE: When using the Dropper tool, the selected colour becomes the current colour, but is not
added to the colour swatches.

You can also click the Multi Wheel Mode button to open the Multiwheel Colour dialog box. This displays all
the picking area styles and a picking undo list. Click the Single Wheel Mode button return to the regular
Colour Picker window.

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4. Click the Shade Scale swatches to modify the shade of the selected colour.

5. Adjust the level of transparency with the Alpha slider, or type the value directly in the Alpha field.
6. Click the Add button to add the current selected colour to the Colour Storage Library, so you can quickly
access it later.

7. You can rename the colour swatch in the Colour Picker window or directly in the colour list by double-clicking
its name.

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Adding Colour Swatches
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You can create your own vector colour swatches and import bitmap textures to use as swatches in your palette.

NOTE: Once added, a colour swatch can no longer be modified. You must delete the swatch and add a new one.

How to add a vector colour swatch
1. In the Colour view, make sure the Colour area is expanded by clicking the Collapse/Expand arrow.
2. Using the Colour view sliders or the Colour Picker window, adjust the colour for the new swatch.
3. Click the Add Colour

button or select New Colour Swatch from the Colour Swatch menu.

How to create a bitmap texture swatch
1. In the Colour Swatch menu, select New Texture.

A browser window opens.
2. Browse for a PSD or TGA bitmap file created in a third party software and click Open.

A textured colour swatch is added to the swatch palette.

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Renaming Colour Swatches
If you plan on adding a lot of colour swatches to your palette, it is a good idea to organize them by naming andreordering them.
How to name a colour swatch
1. In the Colour Swatch menu, deselect the Swatch Mode option.
2. In the Colour list, double-click on a swatch name to rename it.

3. Once you are done renaming the swatch, press Enter/Return to validate the entry.
How to order swatches‣ In the Colour list, in Swatch mode or List mode, drag and drop the swatches to change the order.

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Deleting Colour Swatches
At any time, you can delete colour swatches that you are not using or not part of the colour palette you have inmind for a character or scene.
How to delete a colour swatch
1. In the Colour view, select a colour swatch to delete by clicking a swatch. To select multiple swatches,press Ctrl (Windows) or ⌘ (Mac OS X), and click the swatches to delete. To select multiple swatches in arange, press Shift, click the first swatch to delete and then click the last swatch.
2. Do one of the following:‣

Press Delete.

‣

From the Colour Swatch menu, select Delete Swatch.

‣

Click the Remove Colour

button.

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Creating Gradients
Vector drawings can be painted using linear and radial gradients. Once painted, you can modify the position of thegradient—see Using the Edit Gradient - Texture Tool on page 301.

How to create a gradient colour
1. In the Colour view, double-click the current colour swatch.
The Colour Picker window opens.
2. Select the Gradient option.

3. Select the Linear or Radial option.
4. In the color picking area, use the gradient arrows to modify the colours.

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Sharing Colour Palettes
Once you have established the colours to be used throughout your storyboard, you can save it as your default
colour palette for the project. You can also import and export colour palettes so that everyone on your team isusing the same colours.

NOTE: Toon Boom colour palettes are appended with a .plt extension.

How to save a default colour palette‣

In the Colour view, click the Colour Swatch menu and select Save as Default Palette.

How to export a colour palette
1. From the Colour Swatch menu, select Export Colours.
2. In the Export Colours window, give your palette a name and click Save.
How to import a colour palette
1. From the Colour Swatch menu, choose Import Colours.
2. In the Import Colours window, select a colour palette and click Open.

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About Colour Tools
The colour tools are available in the Tools toolbar. The Tool Properties view displays the properties of the currently
selected tool on the current layer you are working. If you are editing a vector layer, then all of the tools are available
to you. If you are drawing on a bitmap layer, some tools are not available.

NOTE: You can display the Tools toolbar horizontally (flat toolbar) if you find it more efficient for your workflow—see
Tools Toolbar in the Reference Guide.

Depending on the type of layer you select, here are the colour tools available:

Tool

Vector Layer

Bitmap Layer

Edit Gradient/Texture

•

•

Paint

•

•

Paint Unpainted••

Unpaint••

Close Gap•

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About the Paint Tool
The main tool you will use to paint your drawings is the Paint tool. The Paint tool can be used in several different
modes, and can be customized in the Tool Properties view.

The Paint tool only paints closed zones. If you have gaps in your lines, you must close them using either theBrush, Pencil, or Close Gap tools.
To learn more about the Contour Editor properties, see Paint, Paint Unpainted and Unpaint Tool Properties on
page 1.

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About Painting Modes
The Paint tool has three different modes: Paint, Paint Unpainted, and Unpaint.
You can also find these tools in the Tools toobar and in the Tools menu.

You can also enable the Auto Close Gap mode to automatically close open areas while painting.

Icon

Tool Name

Description

Lasso

A mode for making a rectangular selection.

MarqueeA mode for making a freehand selection.

Paint

A mode for painting everything the tool touches,
including empty and filled zones.

Paint Unpainted

A mode for painting only empty zones. Any line or filledzone will remain unchanged.

Unpaint

A mode for unpainting everything the tool touches,
including empty and filled zones.

Apply to Visible Drawings

Applies paint to several drawings on separate layers on
the current frame.

Auto Close Gap

The Automatic Close Gap option is used while painting
drawings with small gaps. Instead of having to close
them manually either with the Brush tool or Close Gap
tool, Storyboard Pro will analyse the drawing and close
the gaps while you paint according to the selected
mode.

Paint Tool Options

There are four modes available: No Close Gap, Close
Small Gap, Close Medium Gap, and Close Large Gap

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Bitmap Options
--

Alpha

--

Colour Tolerance--

Maximum Overlap
Antialiasing

Smooths lines as you cut drawings on bitmap layers.
When this option is deselected, the cut lines are jagged.

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Painting
T-SBFND-008-011

How to paint a drawing
1. Do one of the following:l

In the Tools toolbar, select the Paintl

Select Tools > Paint.

lPress Alt+I.

tool.

2. In the Tool Properties & Colour view, select a colour by clicking a colour swatch.

3. In the Stage view, start painting on your drawing by clicking the area to be painted. Note that the area to be
painted must be closed. You can either click to paint a zone or trace a lasso or marquee selection to paint several zones at the same time.

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Using the Dropper Tool

While working in the Stage view, you can use the Dropper tool to pick a colour from your drawing without going to the
Colour view. When picking a colour with the dropper, the colour is not added to the swatch list. It becomes thecurrent colour.
How to select a single colour in a drawing
1. Do one of the following:In the Tools toolbar, select the Dropper
Alt+D.

tool.Select Tools > Dropper.Press

2. In the Stage view, click the desired colour.
How to select a composite colour
1. Do one of the following:In the Tools toolbar, select the Dropper
Alt+D.

tool.Select Tools > Dropper.Press

When enabled, the dropper picks the RGBA values of all the layers combined. When disabled, the dropper
picks the RGBA value from just one layer at a time.
2. In the Tool Properties view, click the Sample All Layers

button.

3. In the Stage view, position the dropper tip over overlapping strokes and click to select the colour.
The new colour is displayed in the Colour view and becomes the current colour.

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How to select colours with or without transparency
1. Do one of the following:In the Tools toolbar, select the Dropper
Alt+D.

tool.Select Tools > Dropper.Press

2. In the Tool Properties view, do one of the following:‣

Click the Do Not Pick Transparency
value.

button to select colours at 100% opacity, ignoring the alpha‣Do not click the Do Not Pick Transparency
the stroke.

button to select colours and retain the alpha value of

3. In the Stage view, position the dropper tip over a stroke and click to select the colour.
The new colour is displayed in the Colour view and becomes the current colour.

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Using the Edit Gradient - Texture Tool

If you paint a zone with a gradient or texture colour, you can use the Edit Gradient/Texture tool to modify its positionin the zone. You can move, scale, rotate and skew. If you want to match the colour to the animation, set the firsttexture position and copy the Edit Gradient/Texture position. When moving to the next drawing, you can select thenext texture and paste the previous position to continue the modifications.
If you are painting a hand-drawn animation or if you want the Brush and Paint tool to use your gradient’s position,
angle and scale settings instead of the default ones, you can store your own settings and reuse them afterward.
This way of editing a texture using the Edit Gradient/Texture tool also works with pencil lines drawn with textured“brushes”. If you then paint your textured pencil line with a gradient, you can do so and then edit both elements
independently at the same time.
How to use Edit Gradient/Texture tool
1. In the Tools toolbar, select the Edit Gradient/Texture

tool or select Tools > Edit Gradient/Texture.

1. Click the Gradient or Texture zone to be modified. To modify several areas at once, hold down the Shift key andclick in the zones to be modified.

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2. Move the edit texture’s anchor points to the desired result.

‣

If the same modification needs to be applied to another gradient in another drawing or texture zone, you
can select the modified zone and select Edit > Copy. Select the zone to be modified in the otherdrawing and select Edit > Paste.

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Using the Close Gap Tool

When painting, you will notice that some of your drawing areas are not closed. To close the zone you can either draw
the missing line with the Brush or Pencil tool, but you can also close the gap with an invisible line. To do so, you will
use the Close Gap tool.
The Close Gap tool is used to close small gaps in a drawing. The Paint tool only paints closed areas. The Close Gap
tool will create a small, invisible stroke between the two closest points to close the colour zone. You do not need to
trace directly over the gap. You can draw it a few millimetres away and the Close Gap will automatically choose thetwo closest points and close the gap.
How to use the Close Gap tool
1. In the Tools toolbar, select the Close Gap

tool or select Tools > Close Gap.

‣

Click the Auto Flatten
button in the Tool Properties view if you want the stroke you will draw to be
flattened in your drawing instead of being on top.

‣

You can display the invisible lines with the Show Strokes option underView > Extras > Show Strokes orpress K.

‣If you do not display the strokes, a warning message dialog box will appear. Enabling the Don’t Show
This Message Again option prevents this Message from appearing.

2. In the Stage view, trace an invisible line near to the gap to be closed.
The gap automatically closes.

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Chapter 9: Libraries
T-SBADV-009-001
You can share and reuse any elements you create in Storyboard Pro using templates. Storyboard Pro has a library
where you can store several different elements such as characters, sets, props, layers and camera moves.
The Library view lets you reuse artwork and panels in other scenes and projects.
A library is a folder where you store your templates. You can access these folders from different projects. Using thelibrary is easy, just drag the content into the library to store your artwork and then drag it into your Camera, Timeline,or Thumbnails view where you want to reuse it. Organize your library using subfolders. You can keep several
different library folders on your hard drive or network.
A template is a copy (instance) of the artwork stored in the library which you can reuse in different scenes. Once a
template is stored in the library, you can access it from any project, as many times as needed.
When you import the template, a copy of the artwork is created in the project, but is not linked to the template in thelibrary. This mean you can modify the artwork inside the project without affecting the template it came from.

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About the Library Structure

About the Library Structure
T-SBADV-009-002
As you will probably create a large number of templates, they will need to be organized. You can create different
libraries and subfolders so you easily access your assets. For example, create a different library for each projectand divide it into several categories, such as:lCharacters

l

Props

l

BackgroundslPanelslSound clipsl

3D objects

You have the possibility to share your drawings across several panels throughout your storyboard. The drawings
that you share are automatically added to the Shared folder. From that folder, you have the possibility to drag yourdrawings back to your panels to reuse it. Shared drawings are linked. If you modify it in one place, it is modified
everywhere.

NOTE: When you import a 3D object, it is added automatically to the Library.

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Creating Libraries
T-SBADV-009-003
There are two ways to create Library folders.
lUsing Storyboard Pro’s interfacelDirectly through your operating system

To create a library using your operating system, create a new folder with a relevant name in the location where youwant the library to be stored. This can be opened in Storyboard Pro when you require it—see Creating Libraries on
page 307.
Template libraries need to be organized. You can create different subfolders on your hard drive or directly in the
Library view so that you can gain easy access to your assets.
How to create a library from Storyboard Pro
1. In the Library view, right-click in the Library List section and select Open Library.
The Browser window opens.
2. Browse for the location where you want to store your new library in your computer.
3. Click New Folder.
4. Name the new library with a relevant name and click Select Folder.
The new library appears in the Library List section.

How to create a folder
1. In the Library view’s left side, select the library folder in which you want to create subfolders.
2. Right-click on the selected library and select New Folder.
The new subfolder is added to the Library (although not immediately visible as it is collapsed in its parent
folder). Click the root library folder containing the new folder and then click the plus (+) sign to expand it. The
new subfolder appears.

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About the Library Structure

Opening Libraries
T-SBADV-009-004
You can open any folder on your hard drive or network as a library. Opening a library means linking the folder toyour Library view. You only need to open the library once. The library folder is available every time you open theapplication until you decide to close the library and unlink it.

NOTE: Opening a folder that contains image files will allow you to quickly import those images into Storyboard Pro
by dragging and dropping them into the Stage view.

How to open a library
1. In the Library view, right-click in the Library List section and select Open Library.
The Browser window opens.
2. Browse to the location of the library folder.
3. Select the folder and click OK.
The new library appears in the Library List section.

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Renaming Folders
T-SBADV-009-005
Once you add a folder, you can rename it. This also renames the folder on your hard drive.
How to rename a folder
1. In the Library view’s left side, select the folder to rename.

2. Right-click on the selected library and select Rename Folder.
3. Rename the selected folder.
4. Press Enter/Return to validate the operation.

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About the Library Structure

Closing Libraries and Deleting Folders
T-SBADV-009-006
You may not always require all of the library folders in the Library List. You can close the ones you do not need.
Closing it does not delete the folder, it only unlinks it from the Library view. If you want to reopen it later, you only
need to locate it on your hard drive or network and open it in the Library view.
You can delete a folder from the library if its contents are no longer needed.

IMPORTANT: ALL THE TEMPLATES CONTAINED IN THE FOLDER WILL BE DELETED FROM YOUR HARD
DRIVE. ONCE DELETED, THE DATA CAN NOT BE RETRIEVED. It is NOT the case when simply closing
libraries.

How to close a library
1. On the right side of the Library view, select a library folder to close.
2. In the Library View menu, select Folders > Close Library.
How to delete a folder
1. In the Library view’s left side, select the folder to delete.
2. Right-click the selected library and select Delete Folder or press Delete.
A warning dialog box opens.
llClick Yes to delete the folder. ALL THE TEMPLATES CONTAINED IN THE FOLDERWILL BE DELETED FROM YOUR HARD DRIVE. ONCE DELETED, THE DATA CANNOT BE RETRIEVED
Click No to cancel.

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Refreshing Libraries
T-SBADV-009-007
If you update the content of your libraries through your operating system, you must refresh the library folders in the
Library view.
How to refresh a libraryl

In the Library view’s left side, right-click and select Refresh or press [F5].

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About Templates

About Templates
T-SBADV-009-009
If you want to reuse artwork, layer, or camera motions from your project in the same or other projects, you need tocreate a template out of it. A template can be seen as a portable scene or package that you can drag inside yourproject.
A template is a copy (instance) of the artwork stored in the library which you can reuse in different scenes. Once a
template is stored in the library, you can access it from any project, as many times as needed.
When you import the template, a copy of the artwork is created in the project, but is not linked to the template in
the library. This mean you can modify the artwork inside the project without affecting the template it came from.

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Creating Templates
T-SBADV-009-010
You can create a template out of many assets in your project. You can create templates from the Camera,
Thumbnails or the Timeline view.
From the Stage view, you can create a template from a panel’s layer or a selection of layers. Note that if a motion
was created on the selected layer, it will be included in the template.
From the Thumbnails view, you can create a template from an entire panel. Note that if there is a layer or camera
motion in the selected panel, it will be included in the template.
From the Timeline view, you can create a template out of an entire panel or a sound clip. Note that if there is a layeror camera motion in the selected panel, it will be included in the template.
How to create a template from the Stage view
1. In the Library view, select a folder to store your template.
2. In the Stage view, select one or more layer tabs and drag them to the right side of the Library view.

3. In the Rename dialog box, rename the new template. If you want to rename a template after it is created,right-click it and select Rename.
How to create a template from the Thumbnails view
1. In the Library view, select a folder to store your template.
2. In the Thumbnails view, select a panel and drag it to the right side of the Library view.

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About Templates

3. In the Rename dialog box, rename the new template. If you want to rename a template after it is created,right-click it and select Rename.
How to create a template from the Timeline view
1. In the Library view, select a folder to store your template.
2. In the Timeline view, select a panel or sound clip and drag it to the right side of the Library view.

3. In the Rename dialog box, rename the new template.
If you want to rename a template after it is created, right-click it and select Rename.

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Deleting Templates
T-SBADV-009-011
To delete templates from your library, use the Library view. You can always undo the delete action if necessary.

IMPORTANT: DO NOT DELETE TEMPLATES USING THE OPERATING SYSTEM BECAUSE YOU WILL NOT BE
ABLE TO UNDO IT.

How to delete a template
1. In the Library view, select the template to delete.
2. Right-click and select Delete or press Delete.

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About Templates

Importing Templates
T-SBADV-009-012
There are several ways you can insert templates in your project. You can insert layer and panel template in theStage, Thumbnails and Timeline views.
How to import a template in the Stage view
1. In the Thumbnails view, select the panel in which you want to insert the template.
2. In the Library view, select the template you want to insert.
3. Drag the selected template to the Stage view.

If you drag a template of an entire panel into a selected panel, it will add all the contents of the template
into the existing selected panel.
How to importing a template in the Thumbnails view
1. In the Thumbnails view, select the panel in which you want to insert the template.
2. In the Library view, select the template you want to insert.
3. Drag the selected template to the selected panel in the Thumbnails view.

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How to import a template in the Timeline view
1. In the Timeline view, select the panel in which you want to insert the template.
2. In the Library view, select a template to insert.
3. Drag the selected template to the selected panel in the Timeline view.

If you are inserting a sound clip template, drag the template into a sound layer in the Timeline view.

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About Templates

Generating Thumbnails
T-SBADV-009-013
When you display thumbnails in the Library view, Storyboard Pro generates a series of small images (thumbnails)
for you. However, it is possible to generate template thumbnails manually.
By default the automatic option is enabled, which means the thumbnails in the Library view will be automaticallygenerated. You can disable this option to prevent the thumbnails from being automatically generated.
You can delete the thumbnails files from the Library view.
How to generate thumbnails
1. In the Library view’s right side, select a template.

2. Right-click and select Generate Thumbnails.

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How to disable the automatically Generate Thumbnails preference
1. Do one of the following:lSelect Edit > Preferences (Windows) or Storyboard Pro > Preferences (Mac OS X).

lPress Ctrl+U (Windows) or ⌘ + , (Mac OS X).

2. Select the General tab.
3. In the General section, select the Automatically Generate Thumbnails in Library option.

NOTE: When you deselect the Automatically Generate Thumbnails in Library option, you can manually generatethem.

How to delete thumbnailsl

In the Library view, right-click in the left section and select Delete Thumbnails.

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Searching Libraries

Searching Libraries
You can use the Quick Search field to rapidly locate a particular template using a keyword contained in thetemplate’s name.
How to search for a template
1. In the Quick Search
field, type a word or part of a word contained in the template’s name. You canselect a folder in the Library’s List to limit the search to this specific library.

2. Press Enter/Return to validate.
The first template found is selected and displayed along with the other templates contained in the same
folder.

3. Click the Right Arrowbutton to find the next template containing the keyword, or on the Left Arrowbutton to see the previous result.

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About Importing Files

About Importing Files
Using the Library view, you can import several types of files and store them in a library folder as a template. Onceyou have these new templates, you can use them throughout your storyboard projects just like the regular ones.
You can import all sorts of files using the Library view. You can import bitmaps as well as vector-based images,
audio files, Adobe Flash movie file (.swf), and templates (.tpl) files made in Harmony 9.2 or highe. This can be
useful for importing backgrounds created in Harmony directly into your storyboard.
You can alsoimport four types of 3D files. When you import a 3D model, it is automatically added to the Library in
the 3D Models folder according to its format.

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Importing Images
T-SBFND-008-012
You can import all sorts of image files and reuse them throughout your project as templates. You can import bitmap
as well as vector-based images, which can be really handy. The supported image formats include: .ai, .pdf, .tvg,.pal, .scan, .sgi, . tga, .yuv, .omf, .psd, .png, .jpg, .jpeg, .bmp and .tif.

How to import an image file
1. In the Library view, right-click a library folder and select Import Files.

The browser window opens.
2. Find and select an image file and click Open.
The selected file appears in the Library view as a .tpl file inside the selected library folder.

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About Importing Files

Importing Audio Files
You can import three types of audio files, which you can drag in the Timeline view when creating your animatic
project. The supported audio file formats are: .wav, .aif and .mp3.
How to import an audio file
1. In the Library view, right-click a library folder and select Import Files.
The browser window opens.
2. Find and select your audio file and click Open.
The selected audio appears in the Library view as a .tpl file inside the selected library folder.

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Importing Flash Movies (SWF)
You can import an Adobe Flash movie file (.swf) into the Library view. The movie file will become a single layer
template that contains the animation. Only the first 20 first frames of the animation will be imported in the template.
How to import an Adobe Flash movie file
1. In the Library view, right-click a library folder and select Import Files.
The browser window opens.
2. Find and select your Adobe Flash Move file (.swf) and click Open.
The selected .swf files appears in the Library view as a .tpl file inside the selected library folder.

NOTE: You can preview the animation contained in the new template by using the preview section of the Libraryview—see Library View in the Reference Guide.

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About Importing Files

Importing Harmony Templates
You can import template (.tpl) files made in Harmony 9.2 or higher into the Library. This can be useful for importing
backgrounds created in Harmony directly into your storyboard.

NOTE: Because Harmony is an animation software and Storyboard Pro is not, animated templates and templatesof rigged puppets created in Harmony may not import properly. Templates with multiple layers will retain their layer
structure, but cut-out puppets may be rendered as flat objects with stationary parts.

How to import a template created in Harmony
1. In the Library view, right-click on the left side of the Library view, under all the existing folders and selectOpen Library.
A browser window opens.
2. Search for the folder with the .tpl file to import. That folder is considered the “Library” that you choose to
open. Note that the .tpl file itself is also a folder. Select the Library folder and not the Template folder. For
example, the library may be the Toon Boom Stage Library (found in the My Documents folder on Windows)
and the name of the template inside Enchanted_Forest.tpl.
An orange book icon appears on the left side of the Library view with the name of the folder that you
selected.
3. Click the folder to display the templates on the right side of the Library view. The template thumbnails may
take a moment to generate.
If there were any subfolders in the root library folder, they will appear as grey books within the root library.
You may need to expand the root library to see them. Click on one of these grey book subfolders to display
its templates on the right side of the Library view.

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Importing 3D Objects
You can import four types of 3D files, which you can drag in the Timeline view when creating your animatic project.
The supported 3D file formats include: .osb, .3ds, .obj and .fbx. When you import a 3D model, it is automatically
added to the Library in the 3D Models folder according to its format. You can then reuse that 3D model easily withinyour project file.
In addition to importing 3D objects into the 3D Models folder in the Library view, you can also open a folder
containing 3D models as a library in the Library view. The models can then be dragged and dropped into the scene
directly from the Library and will be copied into the project’s local 3D Models folder so that the model can bereferenced in that project file.
How to import a 3D object
1. In the Library view, right-click on the 3D Models library folder, and select Import Files.
The browser window opens.
2. Locate the 3D file and click Open.

3. To consolidate the textures and convert your 3D model to FBX format select the Convert to FBX Format
option.
An FBX version of your 3D model is generated which stores the texture within the new FBX file. This will
prevent the link between the 3D model and its textures from breaking.
The 3D object is imported into the 3D Models folder of the Library view and labeled according to its format.
4. Drag the 3D object into the Stage view.
The 3D object appears in its original size and is located at the zero NS/EW/FB position. The 3D object
appears in all three view windows.

NOTE: When deleting a 3D model from the 3D Models folder of the Library, every instance of the model used in the
project will be deleted at once. A warning message will prompt you to confirm or cancel the action.

How to open a folder containing 3D models as a Library
1. In the Library view, right-click somewhere in the left side of the Library view, under all the existing folders, andselect Open Library.
A browser window opens.
2. From the browser window, search for the folder that contains the .osb, .3ds, .obj or .fbx files that you wish toimport. That folder is considered the “library” that you chose to open.

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About Importing Files

3. An orange book icon will appear in the left side of the Library view with the name of the folder that you
selected. Click on it to see the templates contained inside on the right side of the Library view. The template thumbnails may take a moment to generate.
If there were any other readable files in the same folder, such as .tga files used for the 3D objects texture,they may appear in the new library as well.
4. From the right side of the Library view, select the 3D model’s thumbnail and drag and drop it into your project, either in the Camera or Timeline view.
A copy of the model will be copied into the appropriate models folder in the root 3D Models folder of the
Library view. Although you can store 3D models in the Library view for easy accessibility, the project can
only reference models found in the 3D Model folder of the Library view.

NOTE: If your 3D template is animated, you can preview the animation by using the Preview section of the Libraryview—see Library View in the Reference Guide.

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Chapter 10: Timing
The Timeline view is where you assemble the timing of a scene’s visuals and sounds. You can add sound tracklayers, as well as edit audio files imported into the sound tracks. You can also add transitions and control the
playback of a selected panel or the entire storyboard from this view.
By default, timecode format is used to display the timing in the most accurate manner. The starting timecode of yourproject is set to 00:00:00.00. However, sometimes it may be best to use the number of frames as a timing value anda later timecode value as the start of your project. You can modify the format and default starting time code value via
the Preference dialog box.

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About the Panel Duration

About the Panel Duration
T-SBFND-009-001
When panels are initially created, their default length is 1 second, displayed in timecode format. When it comes toyour animatic, you will want to be more accurate. Modifying the duration of a particular panel is key when working
out timing. There are a few different ways to accomplish this.

In the Timeline view, it is easy to change the duration of a panel just by dragging to resize it. This way, you caneasily see the length of panels in relation to one another.

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Changing the Panel Duration
T-SBFND-009-002
There are two ways to resize a panel, depending on how you want the change to affect subsequent panels. You can
resize a panel in the Timeline view and shift all other panels down. This is handy when you are not concerned aboutmodifying the position of all subsequent panels. Or you can resize a panel while only affecting the next panel. This isuseful if you need to keep subsequent panels exactly where they are.
An accurate way of setting the duration of a panel is to use the Panel view, which will display, among other things,
the exact timecode information for the selected panel.

How to set the panel duration in the Panel view
1. In the Timeline or Thumbnails view, select a panel.
2. In the Duration field of the Panel view, lengthen or shorten the selected panel by using the up and downarrows or type in a value.

How to resize a panel in the Timeline view and shift all other panels down
1. Place the cursor over the end (right side) of a panel.
The resize icon displays.

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About the Panel Duration

2. Drag the edge of the panel left or right to set the desired length. Using this method, all subsequent panels
will be shifted along with the selected one.

While you drag, the new duration of the panel as well as the difference between the former duration aredisplayed in a black box for accuracy. This value can be displayed in either frames or timecode.
How to resize a panel while only affecting the next panel
1. Place the cursor over the end (right side) of a panel.
The resize icon displays.

2. Hold the Alt key, then drag the edge of the panel left or right to set the desired length. Only the panel directly after the selected panel will be changed.

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Setting the Panel's In and Out PointYou can adjust the duration and position of a panel by moving its in and out points to a specific frame determined by
the current position of the playhead.

NOTE: Note that the frame you specify must be contained within the current position of the panel you want to change
the in or out point of.

How to set a panel's in point to the current frame
1. In the Timeline view, position the red playhead where you want the panel to start.

2. Do one of the following:‣

Select Storyboard > Move Panel In to Current Frame.

‣

Right-click on the selected panel and select Move Panel In to Current Frame.
The selected panel's in point is pushed to the new position, resulting in the previous panel being extended
to this point.

How to set the panel's out point to the current frame
1. In the Timeline view, position the red playhead to where you want the panel to end.

2. Do one of the following:‣

Select Storyboard > Move Panel Out to Current Frame.

‣

Right-click on the selected panel and select Move Panel Out to Current Frame.
The selected panel's out point is pushed to the new position, shortening its duration.

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About the Panel Duration

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Splitting a Panel at the Current Frame
You can split your current panel into two pieces. Following this operation, you will have two identical panels
generated from the original. All elements, including layers, will be in both panels. Each panel’s length will be
determined by where you have the red playhead when you perform the operation.
How to split panel at current frame
1. In the Timeline view, position the red playhead to where you want the panel to be split.

2. Do one of the following to split the panel:‣

Select Storyboard > Split Panel At Current Frame.

‣

In the Timeline view, right-click in your selected panel and select Split Panel At Current Frame.

Your panel is split into two pieces, precisely where the red playhead is positioned.

NOTE: You may have to adjust any layer transformations you created before splitting the panels.

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About the Panel Duration

Locking the Scene Duration
You can lock the duration of all scenes in your project with the Lock Scene Duration command. This ensures thatthe length of every scene is preserved when adding, duplicating, or deleting panels.
How to lock the scene duration
1. Select Storyboard > Lock Scene Duration.

NOTE: You can add a custom keyboard shortcut to this option through the Preferences dialog box or use the Lock
Scene Duration
button in the Storyboard toolbar. You may need to add the button to the toolbar. Right-click
the toolbar area and select Customize.

2. Once your scene duration is locked:‣

Adding a panel using the New Panel or Smart Add Panel command reduces the size of the selected
panel to make room for the new one. If the selected panel's length is one frame, the panel length cannot
be reduced and therefore the new panel cannot be inserted in the scene.

‣

Deleting or cutting one or more panels causes the preceding panel's length to extend to fill the gap andpreserve the scene's duration. Cutting or deleting a scene or all the panels on a scene will not let you
preserve the scene's duration.

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Duplicating a single panel using the Duplicate Panel command reduce the length of the selected panel tomake room for the duplicated one. Duplicating multiple panels will not keep the scene's duration.

‣

Copying and pasting panels, adding a scene or a sequence, or deleting an entire scene will not preserve
scene duration.

‣

Manually changing the duration of a panel is still permitted and will modify the scene duration.

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Selecting All Panels Forward
By using a series of keyboard shortcuts, it is possible to select a panel and all the panels following. You can also
do this on the audio tracks—see Sound on page 443.
How to select all panels forward
1. In the Timeline view, select a panel.
2. Hold Ctrl+Alt+Shift (Windows) or ⌘ +Alt (Mac OS X) and click the panel again.
The selected panel and all the panels following it, up until the end of the storyboard project, are selected.

‣

If you drag the selection forward, the panel preceding the selection will be extended.

‣

If you drag the selection backward, the panel preceding the selection will be reduced until it reaches theminimum length allowed (one frame). Then the second panel preceding it will be reduced.

How to select all panels and all sound clips forward
1. In the Timeline view, press Ctrl+Alt+Shift (Windows) or ⌘ +Alt (Mac OS X) and click the panel from which
you want the selection to start.
The panel and all the panels following it, up until the end of the storyboard project, as well as all the soundclips in all audio tracks starting from the position of the play head are selected and can be moved together.

‣If you drag the selection forwards, the panel preceding the selection will be extended.

‣

If you drag the selection backwards, the panel preceding the selection will be reduced until it reaches
the minimum length allowed (one frame), then the second panel preceding it will be reduced.
Overlapping sound clips will be overwritten by the ones that are selected.

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Playing Back the Animatic
You can preview your project as an animatic in Storyboard Pro at any time during its development process. Using
the Playback toolbar, you can preview the visual content, including transformations and transitions, and have it
synchronized with sounds.
How to preview an animatic
1. In the Playback toolbar, click the Soundbutton.

If you want to see how the shots will look with dynamic camera movement, click the Camera Preview
button. You will need this option on to preview Camera moves and transitions. When you drag the red
playhead while Camera Preview is enabled, it will adjust the Stage view to match the point of view of thecamera.
2. In the Timeline or Thumbnails view, select the panel where you want the playback to begin.
3. In the Playback toolbar, click the Play Selectionor Play

4. To play your project in a continuous loop, click the Loopbuttons or press Shift+Enter.
button.

5. You may also scroll through the Timeline view by dragging the red playhead.
6. Select Play > Previous Frame or Next Frame to skip and play back one frame at a time. Or press comma (,)
and period (.).

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Chapter 11: Staging
Staging is all about placing elements in your scene.

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Adjusting the Pivot Point Layers

Adjusting the Pivot Point Layers
T-SBFND-009-009
If you plan to animate a layer, it is wise to first set its pivot point. If you do not intend to animate a layer, there is noneed to set the pivot.

How to set the pivot point of a layer
1. In the Timeline view, select the panel on which you want to animate a layer.
2. Do one of the following:l

From the Tools toolbar, click the Layer Transforml

Select Tools > Layer Transform.

tool.

3. In the Stage view, select a layer to animate.
The selected layer’s transformation controls and pivot point become visible. The pivot point is represented
by a blue circle at the centre of the camera frame.

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4. In the Stage view, drag the pivot point to new location.

The new location of the pivot point will now be used as the reference when transforming layers.
How to set the pivot point at the centre of a selection
1. In the Timeline view, select the panel containing the layer on which you want to set the pivot.
2. From the Tools toolbar or the Tools menu, select the First Frame Transformtool.

3. In the Stage view, select the layer with the pivot you want to set at the centre.
4. Do one of the following:ll

In the First Frame Transform Tool Properties view, click the Center Pivot on Selection
ton.
Select Layer > Pivot > Center Pivot on Selection.

The pivot position is reset to the centre of the selection.

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Adjusting the Pivot Point Layers

How to reset the pivot position
1. In the Timeline view, select the panel containing the layer on which you want to reset the pivot.
2. From the Tools toolbar or the Tools menu, select the First Frame Transformtool.

3. In the Stage view, select the layer with the pivot to reset.
4. Do one of the following:l

In the First Frame Transform Tool Properties view, click the Reset Pivotl

Select Layer > Pivot > Reset Pivot.

The pivot position is reset to the centre of the camera frame.

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Resetting Transformations
When you no longer need a layer's transformation, you can easily reset layers to their original position.
How to reset layer animation back to its default state
1. In the Timeline view, select a layer.
2. Do one of the following:‣

Select Layer > Reset Transform.

‣

Press Ctrl+R (Windows) or ⌘ +R (Mac OS X).

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About Staging in 3D Space

About Staging in 3D Space
Storyboard Pro adds a new dimension to the layout process by allowing you to plan your 2D scenes in a 3D
space. The 3D space is described in terms of three planes:•

EW: Maps the horizontal plane in terms of East and West, this is the X coordinate.

•

NS: Maps the vertical plane in terms of North and South, this is the Y coordinate.

•

FB: Maps the depth of the plane in terms of Front and Back, this is the Z coordinate.

When you add elements to a scene, they appear in layers in the initial position of zero fields NS, zero fields EW,
and zero fields FB within the 3D scene space. Before the 3D space feature, you could only change the layer
position—see .
But in 3D space, you can use the EW (X), NS (Y), and FB (Z) coordinates to place your elements at different
distances in depth from the camera and from each other, adding a three-dimensional effect to your twodimensional animation.

Once you place the elements in your scene, you can move, rotate, or scale your elements in 3D space.
Storyboard Pro automatically applies the changes to all of the contents in the element.
Where previously 2D objects could only be moved, rotated and animated on a 2D plane, now they too can be
manipulated in 3D space. This means that flat, 2D objects can move forward or backward along the Z-axis,
growing realistically bigger or smaller as they move towards or away from the camera. Features, such as Always
Face Camera, mask the paper thin edges of 2D objects for camera rotations around these objects.

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Converting Scenes to 3D
By default, newly created scenes are set to the 2D mode, so your project is not encumbered with unnecessary
features if you plan to work in 2D for more than a few scenes. You can convert a scene to 3D, so you can move androtate 2D and 3D layers in 3D space. This means that even if you do not have any 3D objects in your scene, you canstill move 2D objects along the Z-axis to create a multiplane effect. A 3D scene will also allow a camera to be moved
in 3D space using the Camera tool.

NOTE: Converting a scene to 3D applies only to the selected scene, not the entire project.

How to enable the 3D option
1. In the Thumbnails view, select the scene you want to convert to 3D.
2. Do one of the following:‣

In the Storyboard toolbar, click the Enable 3D

button.

‣Select Storyboard > Enable 3D for Current Scene.

NOTE: Selecting these options in the Preferences dialog box requires you to restart Storyboard Pro.

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About Staging in 3D SpaceResetting Scenes to 2D
Storyboard Pro lets you reset your scene to 2D. When you do so, the following happens:•

Imported 3D models are removed.

•

3D camera moves are removed.

•

2D layers that have been moved and rotated in 3D are be set back to 2D, removing those transformations.

How to reset a scene to 2D
1. Do one of the following:‣

In the Storyboard toolbar, click the Reset Scene to 2D‣

Select Storyboard > Reset Scene to 2D.

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Viewing Objects from the Top and SideThe Top and Side views are representations of your scene’s space viewed from the top and side. The views also
display the viewing area that the camera can see.
When you move an element along the Z-axis, notice that it seems the object becomes smaller or larger. This isbecause of the perspective effect. That is, the elements closer to the camera appear larger and elements that are
farther away, appear smaller. Because of this, you may need to resize elements once they are positioned.

The Stage view displays the north/south (NS), east/west (EW) and front/back (FB) offset positions, but you can use
the Side and Top views to reposition elements:l

Top View: Displays the EW and FB positions.

lSide View: Displays the NS and FB positions.

Changing an element’s position affects all of its contents.
Because these are 2D layers in your scene, they appear as lines in the Top and Side views (since you are viewing
them from their sides). When you import 3D objects, you will see the full 3D object in the Top and Side views.

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Positioning 2D Objects in 3D SpaceYou can manipulate a single 2D object in 3D space. You can also stagger multiple 2D objects along the Z-axis tomake a multiplane or rotate planes to build open-faced rooms.

How to position 2D objects in 3D space
1. In the Stage or Camera view, select a layer with a 2D object.

2. From the Tools toolbar, click the Layer Transformbutton.

Manipulators appear over the object layer’s pivot point.
3. Use the manipulators to manipulate your image in the following ways:‣

To squash and stretch your image vertically: Pull the green, square points located at the top andbottom of the manipulator circle.

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To squash and stretch the image horizontally: Pull the red, square points located on the right and left
sides of the manipulator circle.

‣

To scale the image proportionally: Hover anywhere over the box outside the manipulator circle until the
cursor turns into a white, double-headed arrow. Pull in any direction to scale the image up or down.

‣

To move the image vertically: Click the green, vertical arrow and pull it up or down.

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To move the image horizontally: Click the red, horizontal arrow and pull it left or right.

‣

To move the image backwards or forwards along the Z-axis: Go to either the Top or Side views
and use the blue arrow to pull the layer closer or farther from the static camera cone.

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To rotate the image on the X-axis: Hover over the vertical line (actually a ring) bisecting the manipulator
circle. The rotate X-axis cursor‣

appears. Pull up or down to rotate your object along this axis.

To rotate the image on the Y-axis: Hover over the horizontal line (actually a ring) bisecting themanipulator circle. The rotate Y-axis cursor
along this axis.

‣

appears. Pull towards the left or right to rotate your object

To rotate the image on the Z-axis: hover anywhere over the manipulator ring. The rotate Z-axis cursor
appears. Pull clockwise or counter clockwise to rotate the object.

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About Staging in 3D SpaceYou can perform any of these manipulations in combination. For example, after have rotated your 2D
object 45 degrees around the Y-axis, you can reposition it along the Z-axis.

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Modifying 2D Objects in 3D Space
Flat 2D objects integrated into your 3D scene may sometimes need to be edited, even after the camera has been
repositioned or rotated in 3D space. An edit usually requires redrawing and recolouring part of the object. However,after making several rotations or a movement in 3D space, the Stage view and the drawing layer of the 2D object
might no longer be parallel to one another. If this happens, you cannot draw on that layer. To make your edits, youmust use the Look At Selected feature.
How to use the Look at Selected feature
1. Select a layer by doing one of the following:‣Stage View: In the Layers section select a layer.

‣

Stage View: Use the Layer Transform‣

Thumbnails View: Click the scene's layer tab.

tool to select a layer.

2. In the Stage view status bar, click the Look At Selectedbutton.

The Drawing object layer is perpendicular to the Stage view, ready for drawing edits.

NOTE: You can use rotate the light table by pressing: Ctrl+Alt (Windows) or ⌘+Alt (Mac OS X).
You can rotate the Stage view by pressing V or C (Windows) or Shift+⌘ (Mac OS X).

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Chapter 12: 3D Objects
T-SBADV-010-001
Storyboard Pro brings your animation into the third dimension by letting you import 3D objects into your project. You
can place, manipulate, and modify 3D objects and add new depth to your storytelling.
When creating your storyboard, you can import four types of 3D files. The supported 3D file formats are: *.osb,*.3ds, *.obj and *.fbx. When you import a 3D model, it is automatically added to the Library in the 3D Models folder
according to its format. You can then reuse that 3D model easily within your project file.

NOTE: It is recommended to use the .fbx format as it allows the textures to be packaged with the model.

When you import a 3D model into your library, each time you drag it into your scene, it continues to refer to theoriginal model (it does not make a copy of the 3D model). The 3D Models library is also local to your project file, so
you must import your 3D models in each project file.

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Determining the Scale Factor

Determining the Scale Factor
T-SBADV-010-002
Before importing a 3D object, you must consider the scale factor to use. This will depend on the base units of themodelling program used to create the 3D object.
How to determine the scale factor
1. Create a unit cube in the source modeling program (a 1x1x1 cube).
2. Place the model in the scene.
3. Import the cube in Storyboard Pro, setting the scale factor to 1.0.
4. Verify the scaling to see if it is correct. If not, display the grid (Ctrl+G (Windows) or ⌘ +G (Mac OS X))andchange the scale factor so the cube fits correctly in the scene. The resulting scale factor will be the one touse when importing models created with that particular 3D modelling application.

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About Pre-scaling 3D Objects
T-SBADV-010-003
When importing a 3D object created in a 3D modeling application, such as Maya, Cinema4D, Blender or others, the3D object can appear much larger than the scene. To use the object, you would have to scale it manually, which is
cumbersome and prone to errors. This is because 3D modeling applications use different base units than Storyboard
Pro. For example, Maya works in centimeters and Blender works in meters. When a 3D model is saved, the baseunit is not necessarily included.
When importing the file, Storyboard Pro does not know which base unit was used. 3D objects will appear huge ortiny when placed in a scene.

By pre-scaling the 3D object before placing it in a scene, it should come in at the right size.
After pre-scaling and placing a 3D object in a scene:
l

l

l

l

l

It is still possible to change the scale factor of a object in the library even when an instance is already in thescene. Its scaling will be changed for each instance in the scene.
When exporting the project. the scale factor of the 3D object is retained.
The value you set will become the default Scale Factor used when you import subsequent 3D objects. If you
are importing a large number of 3D objects that were created with the same 3D software, it may be more efficient to set the Scale Factor in the Preferences dialog box. This way, the Scale Factor is set on a projectwide basis—see Project Setting Preferences in the Preferences Guide.
3D objects will scale according to the scale factor you set. However, its value will not appear in the transformation values. You can reset the transformation of the 3D object without affecting the scaling done by the
pre-scaling.
After you have imported a 3D object and placed it into a scene, the scale factor you set will not appear in thetransformation values. You can reset the transformation of the 3D object without affect the scaling done by
the pre-scaling.

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Importing 3D Objects

Importing 3D Objects
T-SBADV-010-004
You can import four types of 3D files, which you can drag in the Timeline view when creating your animatic
project. The supported 3D file formats include: .osb, .3ds, .obj and .fbx. When you import a 3D model, it isautomatically added to the Library in the 3D Models folder according to its format. You can then reuse that 3Dmodel easily within your project file.
In addition to importing 3D objects into the 3D Models folder in the Library view, you can also open a folder
containing 3D models as a library in the Library view. The models can then be dragged and dropped into the scene
directly from the Library and will be copied into the project’s local 3D Models folder so that the model can bereferenced in that project file.
How to import a 3D object
1. In the Library view, right-click on the 3D Models library folder, and select Import Files.
The browser window opens.
2. Locate the 3D file and click Open.

3. To consolidate the textures and convert your 3D model to FBX format select the Convert to FBX Format
option.
An FBX version of your 3D model is generated which stores the texture within the new FBX file. This will
prevent the link between the 3D model and its textures from breaking.
The 3D object is imported into the 3D Models folder of the Library view and labeled according to its format.
4. Drag the 3D object into the Stage view.
The 3D object appears in its original size and is located at the zero NS/EW/FB position. The 3D object
appears in all three view windows.

NOTE: When deleting a 3D model from the 3D Models folder of the Library, every instance of the model used in
the project will be deleted at once. A warning message will prompt you to confirm or cancel the action.

How to open a folder containing 3D models as a Library
1. In the Library view, right-click somewhere in the left side of the Library view, under all the existing folders,and select Open Library.
A browser window opens.

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2. From the browser window, search for the folder that contains the .osb, .3ds, .obj or .fbx files that you wish toimport. That folder is considered the “library” that you chose to open.
3. An orange book icon will appear in the left side of the Library view with the name of the folder that you selected. Click on it to see the templates contained inside on the right side of the Library view. The template thumbnails may take a moment to generate.
If there were any other readable files in the same folder, such as .tga files used for the 3D objects texture,they may appear in the new library as well.
4. From the right side of the Library view, select the 3D model’s thumbnail and drag and drop it into your project,either in the Camera or Timeline view.
A copy of the model will be copied into the appropriate models folder in the root 3D Models folder of the
Library view. Although you can store 3D models in the Library view for easy accessibility, the project can only
reference models found in the 3D Model folder of the Library view.

NOTE: If your 3D template is animated, you can preview the animation by using the Preview section of the Libraryview—see Library View in the Reference Guide.

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Replacing 3D Objects

Replacing 3D Objects
T-SBADV-010-005
Once you have imported a 3D model in the Library, you can easily replace it with a new one using the Replace 3D
Model command. This will update all instances of the model used in the project.
How to replace a 3D model
1. In the Library view, click the 3D Models folder to display its contents.
2. From the 3D Models folder, select the model you want to replace.
3. Right-click on the selected model and select Replace 3D Model.
A browser window opens.
4. In the browser, locate the 3D model file you want to replace and click Open.
The Rename Node dialog box opens.

lClick Yes to rename the model you are replacing.

lClick No to keep the existing model name.

lSelect the Don't show this message again option to prevent this dialog box from opening
again, and use the same behavior as you choose now for future use of the Replace 3D
Model command.

The 3D model is updated in the Library view and in your project.

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Adding 3D Objects
T-SBADV-010-006
Once you have a 3D object in your library, you can insert into a panel just like any other element: you drag it from the
Library view to a panel and position it in the scene.
Once you placed your 3D object in a panel, you can do any of the following:lMove, rotate, or transform your object.

lAnimate the 3D Object—see Animating 3D Objects on page 389.

l

Display the various layers of the 3D object.

How to insert a 3D object into a panel
1. In the Library view, open the 3D Models folder and then open the format folder that contains your 3D object.
2. Drag the 3D object into your panel, the Stage view, or Camera view window.
The object appears at its default size in the middle of the panel.
3. To place or modify the 3D object, use the Layer Transform

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Displaying 3D Objects

Displaying 3D Objects
T-SBADV-010-010
Each 3D object consists of multiple layers, which you can display in Storyboard Pro. It contains the following
layers:l

Washed: A lighter version of the 3D object.

l

Shaded: Graphics that add texture to the flat areas.

l

Flat: Flat areas to which textures will be applied.

lWireframe: Boundaries that define the edges of the object.

How to change the display of a 3D object
1. In the Thumbnails view, select the panel that contains a 3D object.
2. In the Stage or Layers view, select the layer that contains a 3D object.
3. Right-click and select one of the following:l

Shaded: The 3D object displays the textures that cover its wireframe.

lWashed: The 3D object is displayed with a washed-out appearance.

l

Flat: The 3D object displays the surfaces that cover its wireframe.

lWireframe: The 3D object displays the lines that define the area covered by the object.

lWireframe on Shaded: The 3D objects displays the textures with its wireframe on top.

lWireframe on Flat: The 3D objects displays the surface with its wireframe on top.

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Navigating 3D Space
When working in the Stage view, you can quickly navigate through a scene using the mouse buttons or
3D navigation tools.

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Displaying 3D Objects

Navigating with the 3D Navigation Tools
By using your left, middle, and right mouse buttons, you can rotate around in the Stage view, dolly on the Z axis,
and pan the X and Y axes. If you only have access to the left mouse button, such as when using a pen and tablet,
you can still navigate easily in 3D space.
To increase efficiency while working with the tools in Storyboard Pro, you can temporarily swap one tool for
another—see About Quick Swap Shortcut on page 273.
How to navigate 3D space using only the left mouse button
1. In the Stage view, do any of the following:l

Press Shift+Ctrl and left-click to rotate.

lPress Spacebar and left-click to pan.

lPress Spacebar+Alt and left-click to zoom out.

lPress Spacebar+Ctrl and left-click to zoom in.

How to navigate 3D space using the three mouse buttons
1. In the Stage view, hold down Shift+Ctrl and do any of the following:lLeft Mouse Button: Hold down the left mouse button and drag to rotate the view.

lMiddle Mouse Button: Hold down the middle mouse button and drag to pan along the X and Y axes.

lRight Mouse Button: Hold down the right mouse button and drag to dolly on the Z-axis.

l

Scroll Wheel: Roll the scroll wheel to dolly on the Z-axis.

How to navigate 3D space with the 3D Navigation tool
1. From the Tools toolbar, click the 3D Navigation

tool.

2. Do any of the following:l

Hold down the left mouse and drag to rotate the scene.

lHold down the middle mouse and drag to pan the scene.

lHold down the middle mouse button while pressing Spacebar and drag to dolly in the Z axis.

lRoll the scroll wheel to dolly on the Z-axis.

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Navigating with the 3D Flying Navigation Tool
You can get a first person perspective while navigating with the 3D Flying Navigation tool. By using your mousebuttons, mouse wheel, and arrow keys, you can move through 3D space interactively.
When the 3D Flying Navigation tool is active, the cursor (hand) is not visible. You can now navigate through ascene. When you move the mouse, the view rotates around the current view point (instead of around a fixed pivot).
You can move around in the scene by using the following:•

The mouse wheel controls the Z axis.

•

The Up/Down keys control the Z axis.

•

The Left/Right keys control the X axis.

•

The Pg Up/Pg Dn keys the Y axis.

You can deactivate the tool by clicking anywhere on the interface.

NOTE: When using the 3D Flying Navigation tool with a tablet, the cursor remains visible.

How to navigate with the 3D Flying Navigation tool
1. From the Tools toolbar, click the 3D Flying Navigation

tool or press Alt+W.

NOTE: You can also use the W key to temporarily override the selected tool.

2. To activate the tool, click on the Stage view.
The hand cursor disappears.
lllMove mouse to rotate the scene.
Roll the mouse wheel to move forwards or backwards. The more you roll the mouse wheel, the faster you navigate through the scene.
Press the arrow keys and PgUp/PgDn keys to move in all six directions. Press repeatedly to increase or
decrease speed.

4. To stop all motion, click anywhere on the interface.
The hand cursor reappears.

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Creating 2D Layers on Surface of 3D Objects

Creating 2D Layers on Surface of 3D Objects
T-SBADV-010-009
Working in the Camera view, you can create a new vector or bitmap layer on the surface of a 3D object. The newlayer will be positioned at the point in Z depth on which you clicked. It is positioned perpendicular to the camera so
you can start drawing.
How to create a 2D layer on the surface of a 3D object
1. In the Tools toolbar, click the Create Layer on Surface

button.

A red crosshair appears in the Stage view.

2. In the Tool Properties, select a layer type: Vector or Bitmap.
3. In the Stage view, move the crosshair around (without clicking the mouse button) to see where it is possible to create a 2D layer. You can also click and drag the crosshair to display the drawing grid. The size ofthe grid is constant. When it is farther from the camera, it appears smaller.

4. When you are satisfied with the position, release the mouse button.
A 2D layer is created and is positioned perpendicular to the camera.

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About 2D and 3D Object Interaction
T-SBADV-010-008
Now that you have a true three-dimensional space to work in, complete with matching three-dimensional objects,
you can create sophisticated storyboards that feature realistic interaction between 2D elements and 3D elements.
For example, if you had a character that wanted to hop into a 3D car, then you can use the First and Last Framefeatures to easily animate the following scene:l

The character walking towards the carlAnimating the car door node openingl

The character disappearing into the 3D car objectlAnimating the car door node closingl

The 3D car turning sideways and moving out of the frame

By harnessing the three-dimensional nature of the car, you do not need to create extra drawings to handle theanimation of doors opening and closing, or of the car rotating to drive down the street.
You can also use the three-dimensional nature of the objects and the scene space to allow characters to walk infront, walk behind, or even through objects without having to resize objects to create the illusion of distance. Bylaying these elements out in the three-dimensional space, they can physically walk around and through theseobjects, allowing you to create a more realistic storyboard that is closer to the final product.

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Chapter 12: 3D Objects

About 3D Object Positioning

About 3D Object Positioning
T-SBADV-010-011
When you import a 3D object into a panel, you can place it in the 3D space much just as you would a 2D element
by clicking directly on it and dragging it into place along the X, Y, and Z planes in the 3D space—see .
When you select a 3D object in a panel, a 3D transformation bounding box appears around the object. Thisbounding box allows you to transform the object in any of the following ways:lRotating the object on a pivot point.

lChanging the dimensions of the 3D object.

lModifying the individual nodes in the 3D object.

Once you place your 3D object in your panel, you can create some basic animation with it using the First and Last
Frame feature. Being able to animate your 3D object allows you to create interaction between 2D and 3D
elements.
The pivot point defines the size of the arc upon which you will apply the rotation to the 3D object. When the pivot
point is in the centre of the object, the object rotates upon itself. But when you place the pivot point on the outsideof the object, the object will rotate a larger axis with the pivot point at the centre.

Rotation along the X-axis(X-axis guideline is red)

Rotation along the Y-axis(Y-axis guideline is green)

Resizing the 3D object(Resize guideline is purple)

Rotation along the Z-axis(Z-axis guideline is blue)

In the above examples, the pivot point was moved to the side of the object for illustrative purposes. By default,
the pivot is positioned below the 3D object at its centre. Depending on the pivot point’s position, the object’s
rotation arc will change.

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When you import a 3D object, it appears in its initial size and dimensions. Using the control points on the boundingbox, you can change these dimensions of the object:lWidth (X-axis)lHeight (Y-axis)lLength (Z-axis)lOverall size (X, Y, Z axis in proportion)

Resizing along the Y-axis(Y-axis control point is green)

Resizing along the X-axis(X-axis control point is red)

Resizing along the Z-axis(Z-axis control point is blue)

Resizing the whole 3D object(Resize bounding box is purple)

3D objects often consist of multiple nodes or meshes that are combined to form the entire object. If you look at the
pickup truck examples in this chapter, you can see that it consists of:371

Chapter 12: 3D ObjectslA bodylFour wheelsl

Two wipers

About 3D Object Positioning

Just as you can transform the object as a whole, you can also apply transformations to the individual nodes of the
3D object.

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Rotating 3D Objects
T-SBADV-010-012
How to rotate a 3D element along a pivot point
1. Click the Layer Transformbutton and select an element from your scene in the Stage view.

A bounding box appears around the element and the layer appears highlighted in purple in the Top and Side
views.
2. Drag the pivot point to the location at which you want to base the rotation.

3. Using the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis guiding lines, change the Yaw, Pitch, and Roll of the object.
As you place the cursor on the guide lines, it will change to display with axis is being changed. Use the viewwindows to see how the object looks from the Camera, Top, and Side views.

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About 3D Object Positioning

Scaling 3D Objects
T-SBADV-010-013
How to rotate a 3D element along a pivot point
1. Click the Layer Transformbutton and select an element from the Stage view.

A bounding box appears around the element and the layer is highlighted in purple in the Top and Side
views.
2. Drag one of the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis control points to change any of the following dimensions:lWidth (X-axis)lHeight (Y-axis)lLength (Z-axis)lSize (X, Y, Z axes in proportion)

Use the views to see how the object looks from the Camera, Top, and Side views.

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Maintaining the Size of Elements
T-SBADV-010-014
When positioning elements, you can retain the visual scale of elements as you move them in the Z-axis in the Sideor Top views. As you move drawing layers on the Z-axis, they are scaled to preserve their size in the camera.
How to position an element in the Top and Side views
1. From the Tool toolbar, select the Maintain Size

tool.

2. In the Side or Top view, select a layer.
The selected layer is highlighted in pink.

3. Drag the layer to the correct depth position in the camera cone.
Your element aspect remains the same in the Camera view.

4. To scale the element up or down in relation to its distance to the camera, select the Layer Transformfrom the Tools toolbar.
5. In the Tool Properties view, make sure the Peg Selection Mode

tool

option is deselected.

The selected layer is highlighted in the camera cone.
6. In the Top view, drag the element sideways to position it horizontally. Hold Shift while dragging to make sure
it only moves along the X-axis.
7. In the Side view, drag the selected element up or down to position it vertically. Hold Shift while dragging to
make sure it only moves along the Y-axis.

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About 3D Object Positioning

Positioning 3D Nodes
T-SBADV-010-015
How to select individual nodes in the 3D object
1. Click the Layer Transformbutton and select an element from the Stage view.

A bounding box appears around the element and the layer is highlighted in purple in the Top and Side
views.
1. To select a node in the 3D object, select Windows > 3D Schematic.
The 3D Schematic view displays. You can change how the hierarchy appears in this view using thefollowing commands:lZoom In/Out: Increases (zoom in) or decreases (zoom out) the magnification. You can alsopress 1 to Zoom Out or press 2 to Zoom In.

lReset Zoom: Restores the magnification to its default setting.

lReset Pan: Resets the 3D node tree to its default position.

lReset view: Restores the 3D node tree to its default position and magnification.

You can reposition the 3D node tree in the view by pressing Spacebar and dragging the cursor inside the3D Schematic view.
2. Select one of the nodes of the 3D object.
The selected node appears highlighted in green and a bounding box appears.
3. You can also select the nodes using Ctrl+click (Windows) or ⌘ +click (Mac OS X). To select all thenodes, right-click the 3D Schematic view and select Select All.

By default, the basic node structure appears in the 3D Schematic view.

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NOTE: To show or hide a detailed hierarchy that composes the 3D element, right-click in the 3D Schematic view andselect or deselect Extended Display Mode.

4. Using the bounding box, you can make the following changes to the node:l

Its position in the 3D spacel

Its Yaw, Pitch, Roll rotation (use the pivot point to change the arc size)lIts dimensions along the X, Y, and Z-axis

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About 3D Object Positioning

Resetting a 3D Object's Position
T-SBADV-010-016
If you make changes to the 3D object, such as its dimensions, position, or rotation, and you want to revert back to
the object’s original settings, you do not need to delete the object and start over. You have couple of options:ll

You can use the Undo command to undo any of the changes you made to the object or in the panel since
the project was last saved.
You can use the Reset Transform command to revert to the object’s original settings (position and dimensions).

The Reset Transform command will only affect the selected element, reverting it back to its default dimensions,
position, and rotation for all the frames in the panel (First Frame and Last Frame).
When you import a 3D element that contains 3D nodes, all these nodes are in their default position andsize/proportion. You can make changes to these nodes, but if you want to reset a node to its default position(undoing all the changes you made), you can restore each node to its default settings.
How to revert the 3D object to its original state
1. Select the 3D object in your panel.
2. Select Layer > Reset Transform.
How to reset a 3D node
1. Select the node to restore by [Ctrl]+clicking the node in a view or by selecting it from the hierarchical position in the 3D Schematic view.
If you use the 3D Schematic view, you can select multiple nodes by [Ctrl]+clicking each one.
2. Select Layer > Reset Selected 3D Sub-Objects.
The selected nodes return to their default settings.

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Snapping to Surface or Ground
T-SBADV-010-017
When working in Storyboard Pro, you can snap a 2D layer or 3D object to the 3D surface directly below it. Contact
between the layer or 3D object is maintained with the surface no matter what changes you make to your selection.
This makes it much faster to block out shots and also works with 2D artwork.
When the layer or 3D object comes into contact with the surface, its pivot connects to the 3D surface directly below
it if you are moving the mouse. If your selection is a 2D layer, you can move it on the X and Z axes; the Y axis iscontrolled by Storyboard Pro allowing for quick placement around the ground plane. Also, the layer automaticallyrotates to be parallel to the surface, which is useful with 2D layers. In the Tool Properties view, you can disable therotation parameter if you do not want to the rotation to occur.
For both 2D layers and 3D objects, the angle is retained. If needed, you can change the rotation using the rotation
controls. When snapping a layer, its lowest point snaps to the 3D surface.

How to snap to a surface
1. Select the layer that contains the object with which you will snap to a surface.
2. In the Tools toolbar, Layer Transformbutton.

3. In the Tool Properties view, click the Snap to Surface

button.

The 3D navigation controls appear in the Camera and Stage views.

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About 3D Object Positioning

4. In the Tool Properties view, how you want to use the transform options in Layer Transform controls.

l

l

l

Translate: Activate this option to move the 3D object. Deactivate to keep the object inplace.
Rotate: Activate this option if you want the 3D object to change its angle to match that of
the 3D surface beneath it. Deactivate to keep the angle of the object.
Scale: Activate this option if you want to change the size of the 3D object. Deactivate tokeep the size of the object.

5. Position the cursor close to the centre pivot and when you see the Move Cursor
appear, click and dragthe 3D object to a new location. As you move, the object will rotate and scale (if you selected these
options in the Tool Properties), and adhere to the 3D surface underneath it.

6. Continue moving the object around until you are satisfied with its placement.
7. Deactivate the tool by clicking the Snap to Surface

button again.

How to snap to the ground
1. Select the layer that contains the object with which you will snap to the ground.
2. In the Tools toolbar, Layer Transformbutton.

3. In the Tool Properties view, click the Snap to Surface
The 3D object snaps to the 3D surface directly beneath it.

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Chapter 13: Motion
The camera and layers in your panels can be animated. This is helpful to test the potential animation of sceneelements. In Storyboard Pro, you can add keyframes to move a camera or layer to a specific position and keep
adding keyframes and moving the camera or layer until you are satisfied with the movement. When you play backthe panels, the layer moves from one position to the next.
By default, layers are not animated. To animate a layer, you will use the Layer Transform tool. Using the Layer
Transform tool on a layer that contains no animation will affect the panel's entire duration.

NOTE: When a layer is selected and the Layer Transform tool is active, the 3D path for the layer is displayed in theStage, Camera, Top and Side views.

As you animate the position of a drawing layer, a motion path is created which are trajectories. Using keyframes,
you can then record key positions along the trajectory. You can produce simple and advanced motions andtrajectories.

About the Animate Mode
The Animate mode records the position, rotation, scale, skew, etc. of objects as keyframes in the Timeline view.
Turn off the Animate mode to reposition objects for the entire scene. When the Animate mode is disabled,
keyframes are not created when an object's parameters change.
To animate a layer using multiple keyframes, you must first activate the Animate mode. You can modify the object in
the panel and Storyboard Pro will transform the object from one keyframe to the next at a speed defined by the
duration of the panel.

Deactivating the Animate mode clears all the keyframes and leaves the layer at the position of the current frame.

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Animating Layers

Animating Layers
T-SBFND-009-008
By default, layers are not animated. To animate a layer, begin by setting a keyframe on the desired position. You
can then use the Transform tool to move the layer and set as many keyframes as needed for your animation. You
can then edit the keyframes and timing using the layer track controls in the Timeline view.
If you decide to delete the keyframes from a layer, you can clear all of them by clicking the Animate button. Oncecleared the keyframes are cleared, the layer remains at the position of the current frame.
How to animate a layer
1. In the Timeline or Thumbnails view, select a panel.
2. In the Stage or Camera view, select a layer.
In the Stage view, the layer is highlighted in blue.
3. In the Timeline view, position the playhead on the starting position of your movement.
4. In the Tools toolbar, click the Layer Transform
era view.

button and position your drawing in the Stage or Cam-

5. Do one of the following:l

In the Stage or Camera view, click the layer's Animatel

In the Timeline view, click thel

In the Tool Properties view, click the Add Keyframe button

button.

button on the layer track.
.

The Animate button turns yellow and changes shape to indicate the presence of keyframes:
keyframe is created on the current position of the playhead.

.A

6. In the Timeline view, move the playhead to the next position where you want to add a keyframe.
7. In the Camera, Stage, Top or Side view, set the new position of the layer.

NOTE: You can also use the Coordinate toolbar to enter values for the translation, scale and rotation values of a
selected layer—see Coordinate Toolbar in the Reference Guide.

A keyframe is automatically created and the animation between both keyframes is set.
Once the Animate button
is on, any transformation applied to your layer with the Transform tool will
create a keyframe at the current frame on the Timeline.

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8. Keep setting keyframes in time and space until your animation is complete.
9. Click the Playbutton to see the animation of the layer.

The speed of the animation depends on the length of the panel, which is displayed in the Timeline view—see
About the Panel Duration on page 330.
How to clear all keyframes
1. Select a layer that contains animation. This is indicated by the yellow Animate icon.
2. Do one of the following:lClick the Animate

icon of the layer.

All keyframes are cleared and the layer remains at the position of the current frame.
lPress Ctrl+R (Windows) or ⌘ +R (Mac OS X) to clear all keyframes on the current layer.

All keyframes are cleared and the layer resets back to its original position.
The Animate icon on the layer turns grey to indicate that it no longer contains information.

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Animating Layers on the Layer Track

Animating Layers on the Layer Track
By default, layers are not animated. To animate a layer, begin by setting a keyframe on the desired position. You
can use the Transform tool to move the layer and set as many keyframes as needed for your animation then edit
the keyframes and timing with the Layer track in the Timeline view.

How to add a keyframe at the current frame
1. In the Timeline view, drag the red playhead to the frame on which you want add a keyframe.
2. In the Camera or Stage view, select the layer on which you want the keyframe applied.
3. Do one of the following:‣

In the Timeline view, click the plus

button on the Layer track.

‣

With the Layer Transform tool
view.

‣

In the Stage or Camera view, click the Animate button.

active, click the Add Keyframe

button from the tool properties

A keyframe is added in the Layer track at the exact position of the red playhead. The Animate button
turns yellow to indicate the presence of keyframes on your layer. Note that if you select a different layer orchange panels, you will no longer see the keyframes until the layer is selected again.
How to navigate between keyframes
1. Select the layer you want to see.
2. Do one of the following to navigate between keyframes within the same panel:‣

In the track controls of the layer track, click the Previous Keyframe‣With the Layer Transform tool
active, click the Previous Keyframe
button from the tool properties view.

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How to move a keyframe
1. In the layer track of the Timeline view, select a layer keyframe.
The keyframe turns blue.
2. Drag the keyframe left or right within the same panel.
How to copy and paste keyframes
1. In the layer track of the Timeline view, select a layer keyframe.
The keyframe turns blue.
2. Do one of the following:‣

Select Edit > Copy Layer Keyframe.

‣

Press Ctrl+C (Windows) or ⌘ +C (Mac OS X) .

3. Move the playhead to the position within the same panel where you want to paste the keyframe.
4. Do one of the following:‣

Select Edit > Paste Layer Keyframe‣

Press Ctrl+V (Windows) or ⌘ +V (Mac OS X).

A keyframe is pasted at the location of the playhead.
How to delete a keyframe
1. In the layer track of the Timeline view, select a layer keyframe.
The keyframe turns blue.
2. Do one of the following:‣

Press Delete.

‣

Select Edit > Delete.

‣

With the Layer Transform tool
view.

‣

In the track controls of the layer track, click the‣Press Ctrl+R (Windows) or ⌘ +R (Mac OS X) to remove all keyframes on the selected layer.

active, click the Delete Keyframe
button.

The keyframe is removed from the Timeline view.
How to reset a keyframe
1. In the layer track of the Timeline view, select a layer keyframe.
The keyframe turns blue.

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Animating Layers on the Layer Track

2. With the Layer Transform tool
active, place the playhead over the keyframe and click the Reset Keyframe
button from the tool properties view. You can affect several keyframes simultaneously if you
selected multiple keyframes prior to the operation.

NOTE: If you selected the Focus on Mouse Enter option in the Preferences dialog box, this maychange the options in the Edit menu to the ones of the selected view.

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Animating the Camera
Storyboard Pro contains a camera that can move along the X, Y, and Z axes. Having the camera move on the Z-axis
offers the possibility to create truck in and truck outs, as well as multiplane camera moves. The default camera
position is centred and backed up to 12 fields.

It is important to understand the coordinate values in Storyboard Pro, which is based on the origins of animation. In
traditional animation, a scene's size and camera motion are calculated in fields. A field has a 4:3 ratio and measures
0.5 inches (12.7 mm) in width. A specific grid has been created for this purpose known as a field chart. Storyboard
Pro uses this unit of measurement as its coordinate system.

A field chart uses the cardinal directions. The X axis is the east-west (left-right) direction, the Y axis is the northsouth (up-down) direction and the Z axis is the forward-backward direction.
The camera is treated the same way as any other element. You can use the same tools and selection modes tooffset or animate it, but the camera is a static object.
While making camera moves, you can use the Top, Side, and Camera views.
How to animate the camera
1. In the Timeline or Thumbnails view, select the panel with the layer you want to animate.
2. In the Timeline view, move the playhead to the frame on which you want the camera move to start.

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Animating the Camera

3. In the Stage or Camera view, select a layer to animate and click its Animate
4. In the Tools toolbar, click the Camera

button.

button.

5. In the Camera, Side or Top view, select the camera (the large V-shaped cone) and move it to the desired
position. In the Camera view, the camera is represented by a thin black, rectangular frame. You need toclick directly on one of the edges.

6. In the Tool Properties view, click the Add Keyframe

button.

7. In the Timeline view, move the playhead to the next frame and move the camera to its next position andset a keyframe.
A second keyframe appears and a line is created between the two frames to indicate that the subsequentmotion between the frames will be calculated and rendered by the program.
8. Repeat step 7 until your animation is complete.
9. Play backyour animation.

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Animating 3D Objects
Once you have imported 3D objects, you can animate them in Storyboard Pro.
How to animate a 3D element
1. From the Tools toolbar, click the Layer Transformbutton, select an element in the scene, and place it in
its initial state. You can also make a multiple selection to move multiple 3D layers at once.
2. Make any of the following changes to the object:‣

Position in 3D space‣

Yaw, pitch, roll rotation (use the pivot point to change the arc size)‣

Dimensions along the X, Y, and Z-axis

You can also make changes to the individual nodes that make up the object.
3. In the Layer Transform tool properties, click the Add Keyframe button

to set a keyframe.

4. Select the same element and place it in its next state. Keep setting keyframes until your animation is complete.
5. Click the Playbutton to see the animation of the element.

The speed of the animation depends on the length of the panel, which is displayed in the Timeline view—see
About the Panel Duration on page 330.

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Animating 3D Nodes
After adding 3D objects to a scene, you may want to animate a part of the object, called a sub-object. For
example, the doors of a spaceship can be animated to open.
You can only select sub-objects on one layer.

How to animate a sub-object
1. In the Stage or Camera view, select one or more sub-objects by doing the following:‣

In the Stage view: Use the Layer Transform
multiple sub-objects.

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In the 3D Schematic view: Select one or more nodes.

2. Right-click and select Separate Sub-Object.
The layer containing the 3D objects is duplicated. In this new layer, the selected sub-objects are displayed
and all others are hidden. In the original layer, the selected node(s) are hidden.
The new layer is grouped with the original layer.
Any transformation in the original layer is transferred to the parent group.

If you selected multiple nodes to separate, all the sub-nodes are visible on the newly-created layer.
3. To animate the sub-objects, use the Layer Transform

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Animating 3D Nodes

4. In the Layer Transform tool properties, click the Add Keyframe button

to set a keyframe.

5. Select the same element and place it in its next state. Keep setting keyframes until your animation is complete.
6. Click the Playbutton to see the animation of the element.

Refer to Animating 3D Objects on page 389.

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EasingFor effect, you can adjust your camera or layer movements so they ease in or ease out of the keyframes.
With the Camera or Layer Transform tool selected, the Ease In/ Ease Out parameters become available in the Tool
Properties view.

How to set ease in or ease out for a keyframe
1. In the Timeline view, select a keyframe.
2. From the Tools toolbar, select the Camera

tool or Layer Transformtool.

3. Do one of the following:‣

Ease In: In the Ease In section of the Tool Properties view, enter the duration of the ease in after the first
frame in which the gradual change in camera or layer movement begins. For example, if you want toslowly accelerate to the normal camera or layer speed from frame 1-10, enter a value of 10.

‣

Ease Out: In the Ease Out section of the Tool Properties view, enter the duration of the ease out after the
first frame in which the gradual change in camera or layer movement begins. Enter the number of frames
before the last frame in which the change in camera or layer movement is gradual.

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Copying and Pasting Keyframes

Copying and Pasting Keyframes
You can copy the position of the first frame and paste it on the last frame and vice versa–copy the position of thelast frame and paste it on the first frame.
How to copy the end position from the start position
1. In the Timeline view, select the panel that contains the start position to copy.
2. Select Layer > Copy Start Layer Position to End.
How to copy the start position from the end position
1. In the Timeline view, select the panel that contains the end position to copy.
2. Select Layer > Copy End Layer Position to Start.

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Spreading the Layer Motion
Within the same shot, you can spread the current layer motion across all panels or a specified number of panels after
the current panel.
A new layer will be added and the drawing will be duplicated for panels that do not have the same name in thedefined range.
How to spread the motion from one panel to more than one panel
1. In the Timeline view, select the layer with the motion you want to spread.
2. Do one of the following:‣

Select Layer > Spread Layer Motion.

‣

In the Layer toolbar, click the Spread Layer Motion
Layer toolbar by customizing it.
The Spread Layer Motion dialog box opens.

button. You may have to add this button to the

3. Do one of the following:ll

To spread layer motion over all panels in the same shot, select the All panels in the same
shot option.
To spread layer motion a specified number of panels after the current panel in the same shot,
select Next panel(s) and enter or select the number of adjacent panels.

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Animation Functions
Using the Layer Transform tool, the Timeline view as well as the parameters in the Tool Properties view, you cancontrol the position of each point in a layer, the position of each keyframe in time as well as the ease-in and theease-out of each movement. Layer animations are however composed of functions that can be customized invarious other ways. If you need to tweak the animation of a layer in specific ways, you may have to use theFunction Editor view.
The Function Editor view displays all the functions which, internally, compose the movement of the selected
layer or of the scene's camera. A function is simply a geometric (ie: position, size, angle) component of ananimation. When you add a keyframe to a layer or to the camera, a keyframe is created for each animation
function for that layer or camera, and that keyframe stores the value for that function at the current frame. Then,the value of the function for each frame between any two keyframes is calculated by Storyboard Pro.

Animation Functions
A layer or camera animation is composed of the following functions:lPath X, Y and Z: The position of the object on the x, y and z axes, relative to the centre of the stage. The
default value for these functions is 0.

NOTE: In 2D scenes, the Path Z function should always be 0, as it represents the distance of the layer
relative to the camera. Changing the value of this function while in a 2D scene will convert the scene to a
3D scene.

lPath Velo: This function is used to adjust the curve of the Path X, Y and Z functions between their keyframes.
The Path Velo is automatically generated by Storyboard Pro and has one keyframe for each keyframe on
the Path X, Y and Z functions. You cannot adjust the value of these keyframes, only the curve between
the keyframes. When you do so, the curve between the keyframes of the Path Velo function is applied to
the Path X, Y and Z functions. Basically, this allows you to adjust the ease of the object's movement on all
three axes simultaneously, using a single function.
In summary, you can edit the Path X, Y and Z function to adjust the position of the object on different
keyframes, and the Path Velo function to adjust the pace at which the object moves between keyframes.

NOTE: The value of this function always progresses from 0 to 1.

l

Scale X, Y and Z: The size of the object on the x, y and z axes relative to its original size. The default
value for these functions is 1.

NOTE: The Scale Z function only has a visible effect on 3D objects.

lAngle Z: The rotation angle of the object around the z-axis.

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Quaternion X, Y and Z: If you have rotated the object on any angle but the z-axis, a Quaternion (3D rotation)function is used to track and adjust its angle on each of the x, y and z axes.
Quaternion Velo: Like the path function, the Quaternion function uses a Velo function to determine the easeof the rotation between keyframes. The values of the keyframes in the Quaternion Velo function cannot be
adjusted, only the curve between its keyframes. This curve is applied to the Quaternion X, Y and Z functions,allowing you to adjust the ease of the object's rotation on all three axes simultaneously, using a single function.

Function types
The functions are of the following types:lEase: An ease function determines how the interpolation between each keyframe is timed based on thelength of the ease, in frames, before and after a keyframe. A function subjected to an ease-in will speed up forthe length of the ease-in, then continue at constant pace until it reaches the next keyframe. A function subjected to an ease-out will start out progressing at a constant pace, then start slowing down when the ease-out
begins.
Path Velo and Quaternion Velo functions are ease functions.

lBezier: A bezier function determines how the interpolation between each keyframe is timed based on Beziers that extend left and right of each keyframe, creating Bezier curves between keyframes.
Scale functions as well as Angle Z functions are Bezier functions.

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Coordinate: The X, Y or Z component of a 3D Path or 3D Quaternion functions. These functions do nothave Beziers nor ease. Their curve is determined by the Velo function to which they are associated(ie: Path Velo or Quaternion Velo).
For Path functions specifically, each keyframe can have a tension, continuity and bias setting which will
influence on how the trajectory of the animation path is curved between each keyframe.

Path X, Y and Z functions as well as Quaternion X, Y and Z functions are coordinate functions. However,
only Path functions have tension, continuity and bias parameters.

Bezier Curves and Ease curves
Bezier curves and Ease curves are very similar at first glance. Their differences are mostly conceptual,
The most noticeable difference between a Bezier and an ease function is that an ease function will cause a curveto occur only for the duration of an ease. So, with an ease function, the values between two keyframes can easein, then progress at a constant pace, then ease out. In contrast, in a Bezier function, the values between two
keyframes will either curve all throughout or, if the Bezier handles are in their neutral position, progress at aconstant pace all throughout.

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Tweaking an Animation Path
Using the Function Editor view, you can fine-tune the animation of a layer or camera movement in very specificways.
How to view a layer or the camera's function curves
1. In the Stage or Camera view, select a layer that contains animation. This is indicated by the yellow Animate
icon.
2. From the Tools toolbar, click one of the following:l

Layer Transforml

Camerabutton for layer animation.

button for camera animation.

NOTE: To switch between layer and camera functions, click the Show Camera Functions
button at thebottom of the Function Editor view. When the button is selected, camera functions are displayed in the graph,
When deselected, layer functions are displayed.

3. In the Tool Properties view, click the Function Editor view

button.

The Function Editor view is blank until you select the layer containing the functions you want to display.
4. In the list of functions, check the functions that you wish to edit, and uncheck the ones you want to leave
unchanged so that they do not clutter the graph view to the right.

You can change the colour of the function's representation in the graphic by double-clicking on the coloured square to theright of the function's name. This can help you identify the functions visually.

How to edit an Ease (Velocity) function
1. In the function editor view, identify which functions are the Velocity (Velo) functions. If necessary, uncheckall other functions in the functions list so that only the velocity function you want to edit to appear.
2. If your functions appear too big, too small or cropped out of the view, adjust the graph view by doing one of
the following:llClick on the Reset View
rently visible.

button to adjust the graph view to the size of the functions that are cur-

Click on the Reset View Verticallytically.

button if you only want the functions to fit within the view ver-399

Chapter 13: Motion

Animation FunctionslWhile holding Spacebar, click and drag on the graph to pan it.

lPress 1 to zoom in on the graph or 1 to zoom out of the graph.

3. Select one of the keyframes of one of the velocity function.
4. In the top of the function view, right of the Frame and Value fields, expand the extra parameters section. If
the arrow is pointing towards the right , click on it so that it points to the bottom.
The Left Angle, Left Ease Out
the Frame and Value fields.

, Right Angle

and Right Ease In

fields display at the right of

NOTE: Since extra parameters depend on the type of keyframe selected, if keyframes from several
different types of functions are selected at the same time, no extra parameters will be visible. To remedy
this, discard the selection by clicking anywhere inside the function graph, then click on the keyframe you
wish to select.

5. In the Left Ease Out

field, type in the amount of frames the ease-out before this keyframe should last.

6. In the Right Ease In

field, type in the amount of frames the ease-in after this keyframe should last.

7. By default, the angles of each ease is horizontal. You can adjust the Left Angle and the Right Angle if you
want the ease to be less abrupt or if you want to reverse the curve of the ease. To do this, do one of the following:llClick on one of the points left and right of the selected keyframe and drag it along the circle to adjust
the angle of the ease on that side of the keyframe.

Type in the desired angles in the Left Angle

and Right Angle

fields.

How to edit a Coordinate function
1. In the function editor view, identify which functions are the coordinate (Path X, Path Y and Path Z) functions. If necessary, uncheck all other functions in the functions list so that only they are visible.
2. If your functions appear too big, too small or cropped out of the view, adjust the graph view by doing one of
the following:lClick on the Reset View
rently visible.

button to adjust the graph view to the size of the functions that are cur-400

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Click on the Reset View Verticallytically.

button if you only want the functions to fit within the view ver-l

While holding Spacebar, click and drag on the graph to pan it.

lPress 1 to zoom in on the graph or 1 to zoom out of the graph.

3. Select one of the keyframes of one of the coordinate functions.
4. To adjust the value of the coordinate, click on the keyframe and drag it up or down, or type in a new value inthe Value field at the top.

5. To adjust the position of the keyframe in time, press and hold Alt, then click on the keyframe and drag it left or
right. This will adjust the position of the keyframe in time for all corresponding coordinate functions (X, Y, Z
and Velo).

6. In the top of the function view, right of the Frame and Value fields, expand the extra parameters section. If
the arrow is pointing towards the right , click on it so that it points to the bottom.
The Tension, Continuity

and Bias

fields display at the right of the Frame and Value fields.

NOTE: Since extra parameters depend on the type of keyframe selected, if keyframes from several different
types of functions are selected at the same time, no extra parameters will be visible. To remedy this, discard
the selection by clicking anywhere inside the function graph, then click on the keyframe you wish to select.

7. In the Tension
field, enter a value between -1 and 1. A positive tension will reduce the curve of the path
between keyframes. A negative tension will increase it.

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8. In the Continuity field, enter a value between -1 and 1. A positive continuity will cause the path to curve
beyond the trajectory between each keyframes. A negative continuity will have a reverse effect.

9. In the Bias field, enter a value between -1 and 1. A high bias will make the curve more straight before thekeyframe and more curved out after it. A negative bias will make the curve more curved out before the keyframe and more straight after it.

NOTE: Tension, Continuity and Bias settings are applied for all the functions in the same path (Path X,
Path Y and Path Z) simultaneously.

How to edit a Bezier function
1. In the function editor view, identify which functions are the coordinate (Path X, Path Y and Path Z) functions. If necessary, uncheck all other functions in the functions list so that only they are visible.
2. If your functions appear too big, too small or cropped out of the view, adjust the graph view by doing one of
the following:llClick on the Reset View
rently visible.

button to adjust the graph view to the size of the functions that are cur-

Click on the Reset View Verticallyvertically.

button if you only want the functions to fit within the viewlWhile holding Spacebar, click and drag on the graph to pan it.

lPress 1 to zoom in on the graph or 1 to zoom out of the graph.

3. Select one of the keyframes of one of the coordinate functions.
4. To adjust the value of the coordinate, click on the keyframe and drag it up or down, or type in a new value
in the Value field at the top.

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5. To adjust the position of the keyframe in time, press and hold Alt, then click on the keyframe and drag it left or
right. This will adjust the position of the keyframe in time for all corresponding coordinate functions (X, Y, Z
and Velo).

6. Do one of the following to adjust the point's Bezier handles:ll

Locate the yellow arrows pointing towards the left and towards the right of the keyframe. By default,
those arrows will be at the same position as the keyframe. You can click and drag on the left Bezier
handle to adjust the curve at the left of the function, or on the right Bezier handle to adjust the curve at
the right of the function.

In the top of the function view, right of the Frame and Value fields, expand the extra parameters section. If the arrow is pointing towards the right , click on it so that it points to the bottom. The Left Length, Left Angle, Right Length
and Right Angle
fields will appear at the right of the Frame
and Value fields. You can use these fields to adjust the angle and length of their respective Bezier
handles relative to the keyframes.

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NOTE: Since extra parameters depend on the type of keyframe selected, if keyframes from several
different types of functions are selected at the same time, no extra parameters will be visible. To
remedy this, discard the selection by clicking anywhere inside the function graph, then click on the
keyframe you wish to select.

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Chapter 14: Camera
T-SBFND-009-003
In the Stage view, the camera is displayed as a frame that matches the aspect ratio of your chosen resolution.

You can enhance your animatics by adding camera movements to the scenes. You can restrict camera movements to one
panel or spread it out across an entire scene/shot. An example of a camera movement would be if you wanted the camera
to go from a wide shot and then zoom in to a close up.
Camera movements are created in much the same way as setting the Static Camera frame, but you will work withkeyframes in the Timeline view to set the different camera positions over time. Once again you will use the Camera tool toanimate the camera.

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Positioning the Camera

Positioning the Camera
You can move the camera’s position using the Camera tool.
You can also set up the Static Camera position using the Camera tool properties—see Camera Tool Properties in
the Reference Guide.
How to position the Static Camera using the Camera tool
1. In the Timeline view, select a panel within the scene in which you want to adjust the camera.
2. In the Tools toolbar, select the Camera

tool.

The camera frame is displayed. It is represented by a black box. The default camera frame is set to 12
fields.
3. Do one of the following to modify the Static Camera:‣

To position the selected panel along the Z-axis to create a truck in or truck out movement, drag the topleft corner of the camera frame up or down when you see the Truckicon. To change the zoom
level, change the Focal Length field in the Tool Properties view.

‣

To rotate the Static Camera on the X and Y axes, drag when you see the Rotation
icon. Hold theShift key while rotating to restrict movement to the X or Y axis, depending on the axis on which you
started dragging.

‣

To rotate the Static Camera on the Z axis, position the cursor outside one of the corners of the camera
frame. When you see the Rotation
icon, drag to rotate.

‣

To move the centre pivot point, position your the cursor over the centre point and when you see thedragicon, drag to move in the X or Y axis. Hold down the Alt key when dragging the center point tomove it on the Z axis. The farther you drag the mouse, the faster the camera moves.

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Resetting the Camera
If necessary, you can remove all the keyframes in your scene, and revert back to the original Static Camera.
How to reset camera animation
1. In the Timeline view, select the scene on which you want to reset the camera animation.
2. Do one of the following:‣

Select the Camera

tool, and in the Tool Properties view, click the Reset Camera‣

Select Camera > Reset Camera.

button.

All camera keyframes for the selected scene are deleted and the scene’s Static Camera is reset.

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Copying and Pasting the Camera

Copying and Pasting the Camera
If you need to reuse a camera position, you can copy and paste it from one scene to another. It is not necessary
to have the Camera tool selected to do this.

How to copy and paste the camera position
1. In the Timeline view, select the scene that contains the Static Camera to copy.
2. Select Camera > Copy Camera from Selected Panels.

3. In the Timeline view, select the scene to which you want to paste the copied camera information.

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4. Select Camera > Paste and Fit Camera on Selected Panels.

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About the Stage and Camera Views
You can use the Stage view or the Camera view to place your camera.
In the Stage view, the perspective is from a fixed point in space, as if were standing on the stage looking at thevarious elements. As you add your keyframes and change the focus and rotation of the camera, you can see how
the camera changes over time.
If you switch to the Camera view to preview the scene, the perspective is from the camera lens, so you can see
exactly what the camera captures as it moves from one keyframe to another.

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About the Stage and Camera Views

Therefore, if you make changes to the camera position, especially if you change the camera’s focus, use theCamera view to preview the camera move accurately.

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About Camera Moves
T-SBFND-009-004
Camera keyframes enable you to modify the position of your camera and have it change over time. The camera
keyframes are coordinates indicating the position of your camera on a particular frame. In order to create any camera
movements, you must set at least two camera keyframes.
With Camera keyframes, you set the camera to go from one position in the frame to another, over a defined numberof frames. You can also to control the velocity at which the camera attains its final position.

Keyframes appear as grey diamonds or half diamonds in the Timeline view. The space between keyframes in theTimeline view represents the number of frames it takes for the camera to move from one keyframe to the next, which
determines the speed.
When a keyframe is selected in the Timeline view, it is displayed in blue. Camera keyframes are displayed in theTimeline view only, in a strip above the panel thumbnails. The first and last keyframes in a scene appear as half
diamonds, while any in between are displayed as full diamonds.

In the Timeline view, when the first keyframe of the panel is selected, the rectangle that defines the camera frame,along with a large X that quarters the camera frame, is highlighted in green. When the last keyframe is selected,
these elements appear in red. If you have any keyframe between the first and last selected, then these elements willappear in blue.

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These are the default camera keyframe colours. You can use the Preferences dialog box to choose your own
camera keyframe colours. When you do, the new colours will used in the Camera and Stage views, as well as in
the different export formats of your storyboard.
If you want to create a truck in or truck out (a move along the Z-axis), you can use the manipulators in the Top orSide views, (you can also click on the upper-left corner of the frame in the Camera view). If you select the arrow
pointing along the Z-axis and drag the manipulators from that arrow instead of from the centre point of themanipulator circle, your movements will be locked to that axis. This is useful if you do not want to accidentallydisplace the up and down or left and right position of your camera frame.
Remember that the light-blue arrows in the Camera view do not necessarily indicate backward and forward
movements. If your second camera frame appears larger or smaller than the initial camera frame position, then
you can be sure that a camera truck in or truck out was made.

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Adding Keyframes
In order to create any animated camera for a scene, you need at least two keyframes. Create these keyframes
before you change the position of the camera if you plan to move it.
How to add a keyframe at the current frame
1. In the Timeline view, drag the red playhead to the frame on which you want add a keyframe.
2. From the Tools toolbar, select the Camera

tool.

3. Do one of the following:lSelect Camera > Add Camera Keyframe at Current Frame.

l

In the Tool Properties view, click the Add Keyframe

button.

A keyframe is added in the Timeline view at the exact position of the red playhead.
How to add a keyframe at the beginning of the current panel
1. In the Timeline view, select the panel on which you want to add a keyframe.
2. Do one of the following:‣

In the Tools toolbar, click the Camera‣

Select Tools > Camera.

tool.

3. Do one of the following:‣

Select Camera > Add Camera Keyframe at Beginning of panel.

‣

In the Tool Properties view, click the Add Keyframe at Beginning of Current PanelIn the Timeline view, a keyframe is added at the beginning of the selected panel.

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How to add a keyframe at the end of the current panel
1. In the Timeline view, select the panel on which you want to add a keyframe.
2. Do one of the following:‣

In the Tools toolbar, click the Camera‣

Select Tools > Camera.

tool.

1. Do one of the following:‣

Select Camera > Add Camera Keyframe at End of panel.

‣

In the Tool Properties view, click the Add Keyframe at the End of Current Panel

A keyframe is added in the Timeline view, at the end of the current panel.
How to use the Copy and Paste commands to add keyframes
1. In the Timeline view, click to select a camera keyframe.
The keyframe turns blue.

2. In the Stage view, click the camera keyframe.

3. Do one of the following:

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Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 5.1 User Guide‣

Select Edit > Copy Camera Keyframes.

‣

Press Ctrl+C (Windows) or ⌘ +C (Mac OS X).

‣

Select the Camera
button.

tool. In the Tool Properties view click the Copy Camera from Selected Panels

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4. Move the playhead to the position within the same scene where you want to paste the keyframe.

5. Do one of the following:‣

Select Edit > Paste Camera Keyframes.

‣

Press Ctrl+V (Windows) or ⌘ +V (Mac OS X).

‣

Select the Camera
tool, and in the Tool Properties view, click the Paste and Fit Camera on
Selected Panels
button.

NOTE: You can copy/paste several keyframes simultaneously if you selected multiple keyframes before
performing the operation.

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Deleting Keyframes
When you no longer need keyframes, you can delete them from the Timeline view.
How to delete keyframes from the Timeline view
1. Select the keyframe(s) to delete.
2. Do one of the following:‣

Select Edit > Delete Selected Camera Keyframes.

‣

Select the Camera
button.

‣Press Delete.

tool, and in the Tool Properties view, click the Delete Selected Keyframe

How to delete a keyframe at the current frame
1. In the Timeline view, place the red playhead on the frame that contains the keyframe to delete.
2. Select Camera > Remove Camera Keyframe at Current Frame.

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Animating Keyframes
T-SBFND-009-005
The position of the camera keyframes is set in much the same way as the Static Camera, using the Camera toolin the Stage view. You must do this for every keyframe you created, so the camera moves from one keyframe to
the next when played back.

NOTE: This section shows you how to set up a 2D Camera movement. When using the Camera in 3D space, newmanipulators become available—see 3D Objects on page 357 to learn more about 3D camera moves and framing
your 3D scene.

NOTE: Enabling the Camera Label in the Stage view can be very helpful when manipulating
keyframes. You can do this via the Stage view status bar.

How to position camera keyframes in a 2D project
1. Do one of the following:l

From the Tools toolbar, select the CameralSelect Tools > Camera.

tool.

2. In the Stage view, select the camera keyframe to modify.
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Truck In, Truck Out: To position the selected keyframe along the Z axis, creating a truck in or
truck out movement, drag the top-left corner of the frame when you see the Truck
icon.

When you release the mouse, the keyframe is set, and blue arrows appear to indicate thedirection of the camera movement. In this case, it would be zooming out from position A toposition B.
l

Rotate: To rotate the selected keyframe, drag the top-left corner of the frame when you see the
Rotateicon.

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Move: To move the selected keyframe, drag the frame from the centre pivot point or theouter edge of the camera frame when you see the Drag
icon.

Nudge: You can also nudge the selected keyframe by pressing the arrow keys on your keyboard.

At this point, if you wanted to, you can select the B position keyframe and move it to a new location. Whenyou play back the scene, the camera will move from position A to B.

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Timing Keyframes
If you need to change the frame or timing of a keyframe in the Timeline view, there are a few different ways to do
this. Note that camera keyframes can only be moved to a new location within the same scene.
The following two methods are useful when you want to move a keyframe to a new location, or cut and paste a
keyframe.
To synchronize or snap the keyframes as you move them, see About Keyframe Sync Mode on page 426 andSnapping Keyframes and Sound Tracks on page 425.
How to drag camera keyframes to a new location in the Timeline view
1. In the Timeline view, select one or more keyframes.
The keyframe turns blue.
2. Drag the selected keyframe left or right to choose a new position in time. You can only drag it to a new location within the current scene.

While you drag the keyframe, its position relative to the scene is displayed in a black box. The number offrames is also displayed from the original position the new keyframe will be located.

How to using the Cut and Paste commands to move keyframes
1. In the Timeline view, select one or more keyframes.
The keyframe turns blue.

2. Select Edit > Cut Camera Keyframes or press Ctrl+X (Windows) or ⌘ +X (Mac OS X).
The keyframe is removed and copied to the Clipboard.

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3. Within the same scene, move the red playhead to the position on which you want to paste the keyframe.
4. Select Edit > Paste Camera Keyframes or press Ctrl+V (Windows) or ⌘ +V (Mac OS X)).

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Snapping Keyframes and Sound Tracks
If you turn on snapping, camera keyframes and sound tracks snap to the beginning and end of each panel, eachsound track, or the red playhead when dragging.
How to turn snapping on or off
1. Do one of the following:‣ At the bottom-left of the Timeline view, click the Snapping‣ Right-click the Timeline view and select Snapping.

NOTE: Snapping settings can be overridden by holding the Shift key.

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About Keyframe Sync Mode
When you change the duration of panels, add, delete or drag-and-drop scenes and panels, it affects theplacement of keyframes.
Setting the keyframe syncing to the None option will keep your keyframes exactly where they are when you
change the panel duration. You will lose keyframes not within the scene range.
Setting the keyframe syncing to the Relative to Panels option will reposition all the keyframes within the selected
panel, relative to where they were placed in the panel. When a panel is deleted, all keyframes within the deleted
panel will also be deleted.
Setting the keyframe syncing to the Relative to Scene option will reposition all the keyframes within the selectedscene, relative to where they were placed in the panel.

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Syncing Keyframes
There are three keyframe syncing options that affect keyframes when changing the duration of panels. Dependingon the option you set, the keyframes will be repositioned accordingly.
How to change keyframe syncing settings
Do one of the following:ll

Select Camera > Keyframe Sync Mode > None, Relative to Panel or Relative to Scene.
In the Timeline view, right-click the area with the camera keyframes and select Keyframes Sync Mode >None, Relative to Panel or Relative to Scene.

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Spreading Camera Motions Across Panels
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A camera movement is not restricted to a panel. Keyframes for a particular camera movement can span multiple
panels within the same scene.
How to spread a camera movement across multiple panels of a scene
1. In the Timeline view, select the panel that contains the camera movement you want to span over multiple
panels.

2. Select the keyframe you want to move to a new panel.
3. Drag the selected keyframe to another panel within the scene.

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About 3D Camera Moves
With your scene enabled for 3D, you can rotate your camera on all three axes in the Camera view, as well as in the
Top and Side views. As you pass your cursor over the camera manipulators, the cursor changes to indicate this axis
on which you will be performing the rotation. Think of the X, Y and Z axes as poles that you can clamp your camera
to in order to rotate on that pole or axis. For example, the Y-axis would be a pole that extends from north to south. If
you clamp your camera to that pole, your camera would actually move from side to side, or be rotating around thatvertical axis.
In the Camera view, hover the cursor over:•

The N and S points on the manipulator circle will bring up the X-axis cursor. This means that if you pull up
or down on these points, you will be rotating your camera on the X-axis, the axis that runs horizontally, orfrom east to west, in the Camera view.

•

The E and W points on the manipulator circle will bring up the Y-axis cursor. This means that if you pull
towards the left or right on these points, you will be rotating your camera on the Y-axis, the axis that runs
vertically, or from north to south, in the Camera view.

•

Anywhere but the points on the manipulator circle will bring up the generic rotation cursor
view, this cursor represents a rotation on the Z-axis.

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These cursors will obviously differ depending on which view you are in. For example, in the Top view, hovering
your cursor over the manipulator circle will bring up the Y-axis cursor instead of the generic rotation cursor. In the
Top and Side views, there are no points on the manipulator circle, but rather three rings that each control rotation
on one of the three axes. Two of these axes are seen as lines instead of rings from the perspective.

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Animating the 3D Camera
Not only can you move 2D and 3D objects in 3D space, but you can also move and animate your camera in this 3D
space as well. This makes for impressive animatics and is also a great way to show off imported 3D objects. If thefirst frame does not do justice to your 3D camera movement in a printed or PDF version of your storyboard, you can
add snapshots to better illustrate those wide sweeping, 3D camera movements.
How to animate the 3D camera
1. Be sure you are in the Camera view. You can also use the Top and Side views for further clarity if needed.
2. In the Tool Properties view, click the Add Keyframe
button. Even if the playhead is not at the start of thecurrently selected panel, a keyframe will be added to the first frame of that panel.

NOTE: If the Timeline view is not displayed, select Windows > Timeline.

3. In the Camera view, use the Camera
tool and adjust the camera manipulators to change the camera‘sposition and rotation—see About 3D Camera Moves on page 429.

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4. Do one of the following:‣

In the Timeline view, move the playhead to the frame on which where you want to place your final
camera position. In the Tool Properties panel, click the Add Keyframe
button to current frame.

‣

Click the Add Keyframe

button at the end of current panel.

A keyframe is added to the selected location.
5. In the Camera view, with the Camera
tool selected, use the camera manipulators to move the camera
into its final position. If you do not see any manipulators in the Camera view, your second keyframe might
not be selected in the Timeline view.

NOTE: If the playhead is not at the correct keyframe, in the Tool Properties panel, click the Go to Selected
Keyframe button to move your playhead there.

6. Continue to adjust your camera move until you are satisfied. In the Timeline view, use the red playhead to
scrub back and forth between keyframes to view the smooth, interpolated movement. Adjust the camera
position on the first or last frame or add more keyframes between the first and last keyframes.
From the Camera view Status Bar, use the Camera Mask
scene framing will look like.

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For information about the options available in the Camera tool’s Tool Properties, see About Camera Moves on page
413.

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Aligning 2D Layers with the Camera
While working with layers, you may want to align specific layers with the camera, so any time you adjust thecamera, the layer is always in full view. You can set a different alignment for each layer. The default behaviour isthat the camera is not aligned with layers.
How to align a layer with the camera
1. In the Layers view, select a layer to align with the camera.

2. From the Layer Alignment section, select one of the following:l

No Alignment: The layer is independent of the camera.
If the layer is set to No Alignment and you switch to Face Camera, the offset and scale is retained but
the rotation is removed.If the layer is set to No Alignment and you switch to Pin to Camera, all layertransformation is reset and animation is removed.
If the layer is set to No Alignment and you switch to Pin to Camera, all layer transformation is reset andanimation is removed.

lFace Camera: The layer is oriented to face the camera, so it rotates around its pivot point to always
face the camera, but does not move with the camera.
If the layer is set to Face Camera and you switch to Pin to Camera, all layer transformation is reset andanimation is removed.
If the layer is set to Face Camera and you switch to No Alignment, the offset and scaling are retained.
You should change the rotation keyframes so the layer faced the camera at the current frame.

l

Pin to Camera: The layer is oriented to the camera's perspective. Essentially the layer always
moves with the camera.
If a layer is set to Pin to Camera and you switch to No Alignment or Face Camera, the layer stays at its
position at the current frame.

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If a layer is set to Pin to Camera and set it back to No Alignment or Face Camera, the layertransformation is combined with the camera. The layer is left in place at the current frame.

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About the Camera Path
You can adjust the Tension, Bias, and Continuity parameters on keyframes and control points by selecting thepoint in the Timeline view and using the Keyframes and Control Points toolbar.
•

Continuity controls the smoothness of a transition between the segments joined by a point.

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Tension controls how sharply the path bends as it passes through a control point or keyframe.

•

Bias controls the slope of the path so that it flows towards one side of the motion point or the other.

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Adding Control Points
You can change the camera path from one keyframe to the next by adding control points to the trajectory.
How to add control points to a trajectory
1. In the Timeline view, select the scene on which you want to modify the camera trajectory.
2. From the Tools toolbar or the Tools menu, select the Camera

tool.

3. In the Stage view, place the cursor over the trajectory between two keyframes.

4. When you see this icon

, click and drag the trajectory to reshape it.

5. A control point is added when you let go of the mouse button.

Now, instead of the camera going from A to B in a linear fashion, there is a slight curve to the trajectory.

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6. Click the control point to move it and to reshape the trajectory if desired. You can also select the control pointin the Stage view, Top view or Side view and click Delete. You do not have to go to the Timeline.

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Deleting Control Points
Control points are visible in the Timeline, but you can only move them in the Stage view. To delete a control point,
you must go to the Timeline. A control pointed is represented by a small dot between keyframes.
How to delete a control point
1. In the Timeline view, select the control point which represented by a small dot between keyframes.
The control point turns blue.

2. Press Delete to remove the selected point.
The trajectory reverts to its original shape.

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Adjusting the Curve of a Camera Movement
When you animate a camera movement with more than two keyframes, the path of the camera follows a curve thattouches every keyframe in its animation. Using the Keyframes and Control Point toolbar, you can adjust how thepath curves before and after each keyframe in the camera's trajectory.
When a camera keyframe is selected, the Keyframes and Control Point toolbar gives you access to three settings
that can be applied to that keyframe. Each setting can have a value ranging from -1 to 1. When all fields are set totheir default value, 0, the curve is constant and even. Here is an example opf how each setting can affect thecamera path:lll

T (Tension): A positive tension will reduce the curve of the path between keyframes. A negative tension will
increase it.

C (Continuity): A positive continuity will cause the path to curve beyond the trajectory between each keyframes. A negative continuity will have a reverse effect.

B (Bias): A high bias will make the curve more straight before the keyframe and more curved out after it. A
negative bias will make the curve more curved out before the keyframe and more straight after it.

How to adjust the Continuity, Tension and Bias parameters of a keyframe or control point
1. Add the Keyframes and Control Points toolbar to your workspace by doing one of the following:ll

In the top menu, select Windows > Toolbars > Keyframes and Control Points.
Right-click on a toolbar or on the empty space around a toolbar and select Keyframes and Control
Points.

The Keyframes and Control Points toolbar appears

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2. In the Tools toolbar, select the Camera

tool.

3. In the Timeline view, select the keyframe or control point you want to adjust.
4. In the Keyframes and Control Points toolbar, enter values between -1 and 1 in the Continuity, Tension,
and Bias fields until the path before and after the selected keyframe is the way you want it to be.
How to set defaults for the Continuity, Tension and Bias parameters for keyframes and control points
1. Select Edit > Preferences (Windows) or Storyboard Pro > Preferences (Mac OS X).
The Preferences dialog box opens.
2. Select the Camera tab.
3. In the Keyframes and Controls Points section, enter the defaults for Tension, Continuity and Bias, basedon your preferred settings.

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Chapter 15: Sound
T-SBFND-009-010
When you decide that you want to add sound to your storyboard, you must first prepare the sound outside of
Storyboard Pro.
To work with sounds in Storyboard Pro, add one or more audio tracks into which you import the sound sequences.
You can then organize the sounds by placing them in audio tracks, mixing sound levels, and editing the part of thesound sequence you will use.
You can preview your panels with sound at any time by playing back an animatic of the current panel or the entire
storyboard using the controls in the Play toolbar.
To import sounds and view audio tracks, display the Timeline workspace.

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About Audio Tracks
You can create an audio track in which you can import one or more sounds. You can add an unlimited number oftracks to your project to help you organize your work. For instance, you can have a track for all dialogue or aseparate track for each character’s dialogue. You can create a track for ambient sound, music, or significant soundeffects.

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Adding Audio Tracks
You can add new audio tracks to your project. To do so, you must work in the Timeline view—see Importing Sound
Clips on page 453.
How to add an audio track
1. Do one of the following:lSelect Sound > New AudioTrack.

l

In the Timeline view, right-click the area below the thumbnails and select New AudioTrack.

l

In the Sound toolbar, click the New Audio Trackbutton.

Once you add a new audio track, you are ready to import a sound.

How to add an audio track
1. Do one of the following:lSelect Sound > New AudioTrack.

l

In the Timeline view, right-click the area below the thumbnails and select New AudioTrack.

l

In the Sound toolbar, click the New Audio Track

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Deleting AudioTracks
You can delete an audio track at any time. When you do so, all the sounds in the audio track are also deleted. You
must work in the Timeline view.
How to delete an audio track
1. In the Timeline view, select the audio track you want to delete.
2. Do one of the following:‣

Select Sound > Delete Current Audio Track.

‣

Right-click the audio track and selectDelete Current Audio Track.

‣

In the Sound toolbar, click the Delete Current Audio Track

The selected audio track is deleted from the Timeline view.

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Muting Audio Tracks
You can mute all or some of the audio tracks in your project. When all audio tracks are enabled, you can quickly
isolate one audio track by muting all the others at once.
How to turn the sound on or off for all audio tracks‣ In the Playback toolbar, click the Soundbutton to enable audio playback.

How to turn on the sound of selected audio tracks
1. In the selected audio track, click the Sound On/Off button to turn that track’s sound on or off.

How to mute all other audio tracks‣ When all audio tracks are enabled. Click the Sound button on the one audio track you want to leave on
while holding down the Alt key. All other audio tracks will be muted. Click again while holding the Alt key toturn them all back on.

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Locking Audio Tracks
T-SBFND-009-013
By default, an audio track follows the timing changes made to your project. This means that if you extend theduration of a panel, the audio track following this panel will move in consequently. However, you can lock an audio
track to prevent it from following the timing change. Locking a track will also prevent you from making unwantedchanges to the audio timing. Once it is locked, it is impossible to drag and modify the sound clips or import moresound into this track.

When your project's audio tracks are all unlocked, you can lock them all at the same time. When all audio tracks areunlocked, you can quickly decide to lock all but one.
How to lock an audio track
1. In the Timeline view, click the open lock icon of the audio track you want to lock.

The open lock icon changes to a closed lock icon and the audio track is locked.

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How to unlock a locked audio track
1. In the Timeline view, click the locked icon of the audio track you want to unlock.

The locked icon changes to an open lock icon and the audio track is unlocked.

How to lock all audio tracks
1. In the Timeline view, make sure that all audio tracks are unlocked, or else, the Lock All Audio Tracks command will be unavailable.
2. Select Sound > Lock All Audio Tracks.

NOTE: If an audio track is already locked, the Lock All Audio Tracks command will toggle to Unlock All Audio
Tracks.

How to unlock all audio tracks at once
1. In the Timeline view, make sure there is at least one locked audio track. Otherwise, the Unlock All Audio
Tracks command will be unavailable.
2. Select Sound > Unlock All Audio Tracks.
How to lock all other audio tracks
1. In the Timeline view, hold Alt and click the open lock icon of the audio track you want to remain unlocked.

All other audio tracks are locked.

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2. Click once more on the audio track's open lock icon while holding the Alt key to unlock all audio tracks.

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About Sound Clips

About Sound Clips
Once you have created audio tracks, you can now import sound clips. Sound clips are edited bits of sound which
are already edited and in digital format, ready for import.

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Importing Sound Clips
T-SBFND-009-011
You can import sound clips (.wav, .aif, .aiff, or .mp3) into an audio track at the first frame or at the current frame. If
the sound clip does not already exist in your project, Storyboard Pro copies the file from its present location to theaudio folder in your storyboard project folder. You must work in the Timeline view.MP3 files are not recommended forlong sequences because it is a compressed file format. For optimal results, use .wav or .aif sound files whenworking on a long sequence.
How to import a sound clip
1. In the Timeline view, select an audio track.
2. Do one of the following:lSelect File > Import Sounds.

l

Right-click the audio track and select Import Sound Clips.

lIn the Sound toolbar, click Import Sound Files

button.

The Import Sound Clips dialog box opens.

3. Select a sound clip to import by typing in the file path or using the Browse button to search for the file.
4. In the Target Sound Track section, specify whether you want to create an audio track and import the clip into
it or import the clip into the selected audio track.
5. In the Target Frame section, indicate the frame at which the sound will begin.
6. If you selected the Current Sound Track option, specify the Import Rule:ll

Overwrite Existing Sound Clips: By default, when you import a sound, it will replace sounds
that exist in the target frames.
Fill Next Available Frames: Imports the sound clip into the first available empty frames after
any existing sound selection.

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7. Select the Set as default and don’t show dialogue again option if you want to use the current settings
the next time you import sound and open a browse box to select a sound automatically.

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Deleting Sound Clips
How to delete a sound clip
1. In the Timeline view, select the clip you want to delete. You can create a multiselection to delete more than
one at the same time.
2. Do one of the following:‣

Right-click the sound clip and select Delete Selected Clips.

‣

In the Sound toolbar, click Delete Sound Clip‣

Press Delete.

button.

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Selecting All Sound Clips
By using a series of keyboard shortcuts, it is possible to select a sound clip and all the sound clips following it atonce. These options are also available on panels—see About the Panel Duration on page 330.
How to select all sound clips on a single sound track forward
1. In the Timeline view, hold Ctrl+Alt and click the sound clip from which you want the selection to start.
The sound clip and all the ones following it on the same audio track, up until the end of the storyboard
project, are selected.

How to select all sound clips on all audio tracks forward
1. In the Timeline view, hold Ctrl+Shift+Alt and click the sound clip from which you want the selection tostart.
The sound clip and all the sound clips following it on all audio tracks, up until the end of the storyboard
project, are selected.

How to select all panels and all sound clips forward
1. In the Timeline view, press Ctrl+Alt+Shift (Windows) or ⌘ +Alt (Mac OS X) and click the panel from which
you want the selection to start.
The panel and all the panels following it, up until the end of the storyboard project, as well as all the soundclips in all audio tracks starting from the position of the play head are selected and can be moved together.

‣If you drag the selection forwards, the panel preceding the selection will be extended.

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If you drag the selection backwards, the panel preceding the selection will be reduced until it reaches theminimum length allowed (one frame), then the second panel preceding it will be reduced. Overlapping
sound clips will be overwritten by the ones that are selected.

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Moving Sound Clips
You can move sound clips from the same audio track or different audio tracks at the same time.
How to move sound clips
1. In the Timeline view, draw a selection across the clips you want to select. You can also Shift+click to create a contiguous multiple selection or Ctrl+click (Windows) or ⌘+click (Mac OS X) to create a non-contiguous selection.

2. Drag the clips to the new position and release.

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Marking Sound Clips with Colours
Marking sound clips with a custom colour allows you manage them and quickly identify them. This option is alsoavailable for marking panels—see Storyboard Structure on page 81.
How to mark a sound clip with colour
1. In the Timeline view, select one or more sound clips. They can be on different audio tracks.

2. Right-click on the selection and select one of the following: Set Colour > Red, Orange, Yellow, Green,
Blue, Purple or Custom. If you choose custom, the Colour Picker dialog box opens from which you canselect a colour.
The selected sound clips change to the colour you chose.

How to reset the sound clip colour
1. In the Timeline view, select the sound clip you want to reset the colour to default. You can also make a multiple selection.
2. Right-click on the selection and select Set Colour > Default Colour.
The selected clip colour resets to the default colour.

NOTE: The default colour of sound clips is blue-green. However, you can change this in the Preferences dialog box.

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Splitting a Sound Clip
You can cut one clip into many pieces if you want to move parts of a sound to another location.
How to split a sound clip
1. Move the red playhead to the frame at which you want to begin the second sound clip that results from thesplit.

2. From the top menu, select Sound > Split Clip at Current Frame or right-click in the audio track area of
the Timeline view and select Split Clip at Current Frame.

The sound clip is split. You can move both parts independently.

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Adjusting the Sound Length and Timing
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Most of the editing must be done to your sound before it is imported into Storyboard Pro. There are however, a few
tools to help make minor adjustments.

You can snip the beginning and/or end of the sound clip.
You can play back the sound to hear the edited version of the clip. The original sound clip is not modified. You candrag the edges of the edited clip to expand it to its original length.

NOTE: Verify that sound is enabled and that the audio track you want to work with is not muted. You may find it easier
to edit sound when the waveform is visible.

How to adjust the length and timing of a sound clip
Do one of the following:lPosition your cursor at the starting edge of a clip. Drag to the right to shorten it at the desired timing. As you
drag, the timing is displayed.
The beginning of the original sound file is cut from playback.

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About Sound Clips

Position your cursor at the ending edge of a clip. Drag to the left to shorten it at the desired timing. As you
drag, the timing is displayed.
The end of the original sound file is cut from playback.

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Scrubbing Sound Clips
When scrubbing, the sound will play forward or backwards as you scrub through the Timeline view.
How to enable sound scrubbing
Do one of the following:l

At the bottom-right of the Timeline view, click the Sound ScrubbinglSelect Sound > Sound Scrubbing.

l

In the Timeline view, right-click and select Sound Scrubbing.

l

In the Sound toolbar, click the Sound Scrubbing

button.

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About Sound Display

About Sound Display
These are the different features that will help make things clear while working with sound.

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Setting the Audio Track Height
By default the size of the soundtracks is set to small, but you can modify the size of the different soundtracks ofyour project individually to increase or decrease their heights.
How to set the audio track size

‣ In the Timeline view, right-click a soundtrack and select Track Size > Mini, Small, Medium or Large.
The soundtrack is resized.

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Displaying Waveforms
How to display the sound clip's waveform
1. Do one of the following:‣

At the bottom of the Timeline view, click the Menu‣

From the top menu, select Sound > Show Waveform or right-click in the audio track area of theTimeline view and select Show Waveform.

‣

In the Sound toolbar, click the Show Waveform
button. By default, this toolbar only contains theessential options. You can add the Show Waveform option by right-clicking on the toolbar andselecting Customize.

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Adjusting Volume Envelopes
Once the waveform is displayed, you can also display the playback sound level for each sound clip.
How to display and adjust the volume levels of a sound clip
1. From the top menu, select Sound > Show Waveform.
2. To enable the Show Volume Envelope option, do one of the following:‣

At the bottom of the Timeline view, click the menu

button and select Show Volume.

‣

Select Sound > Show Volume Envelope‣

In the Timeline view, right-click in the audio track area and select Show Volume.

‣In the Sound toolbar, click the Show Volume Envelope
toolbar. Right-click the toolbar and select Customize.

button. You may need to add this button to the

A blue line, indicating the sound level, is displayed for each sound sequence.

3. Hold down the Alt key and click the line to add a new marker. A plus sign (+) on the cursor indicates that a
keyframe will be added. You can add an unlimited number of volume keyframes.

4. Drag an existing marker to adjust the volume at a specific frame. When you drag a volume keyframe, the current dB level is displayed.

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5. Hold the Alt key and click an existing volume keyframe to delete it. A minus sign (-) on the cursor indicatesthat the marker will be deleted.

The slope of the line indicates how quickly the sound changes from one level to another. If the slope is
steep, the change is abrupt. If the slope is less inclined, the volume changes at a more gradual rate.

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Showing or Hiding the Sound Clip Name
By default, the clip's file names are displayed on the audio blocks. However, you can hide the names if needed.

How to hide the name of each sound in the audio tracks
1. Do one of the following:‣

At the bottom of the Timeline view, click the menu

button and deselect Show Sound Clip Names.

‣

In the Timeline view, right-click and deselect Show Sound Clip Names.

2. To show the clips names again, re-enable the Show Sound Clip Names option.

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Recording Sound Guides

Recording Sound Guides
You can record sound directly from Storyboard Pro and insert it in the timeline.
How to record sound in Storyboard Pro
1. In the Timeline view, add a new audio track if needed.
2. Position the play head at the frame you want your recording to begin and select the audio track you want torecord your sound guide in.
3. Select File > Import > Record Sound.
The Record Sound dialog box opens.

4. In the Target Sound Track section:l

Select the New Sound Tracks option to create a new audio track for the recording.

lSelect the Current Sound Track option to record in the selected audio track.

5. In the Target Frame section:l

Select the First Frame option to start the recording on the first frame of the project.

l

Select the Current Frame option to start the recording on the current frame.

6. In the Import Rule section:ll

Select the Overwrite Existing Sound Clips option so that the resulting audio clip will beposition in its entire length, overwriting any existing clip positioned in its way.
Select the Fill Next Available Frames option so that the recording do not overwrite the position of existing audio clips that are on the same audio track.

7. In the Record Sound Clip section:lName the audio clip.

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Click the Record

button to start the recording.

l

Click the Stop

button to stop the recording.

l

Click the Playbutton to preview the recording.

8. Click OK.
The recording is imported in the selected audio track of your project.

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Chapter 16: Transitions
By default, transitions between scenes are defined as cuts; the action in the panel at the end of a shot finishes andimmediately displays the next scene. In Storyboard Pro, you can add one of two custom transitions between
scenes: Wipe or Dissolve.

Dissolve
The Dissolve transition is the typical cross-dissolve transition effect. The images gradually fade in and out to asmooth scene transition.

Edge Wipe
By default, the Edge Wipe will pass from one scene to the other with a wiping motion from left to right. It is possible
to customize the effect to change the direction of the wiping motion.

Clock Wipe
By default, the Clock wipe will pass from one scene to the other with a circular clockwise wiping motion. It is
possible to customize the direction of the wipe as well as the starting angle.

Slide
By default, the Slide transition will pass from one scene to the other by translating the next scene panel from theright side of the camera frame. It is possible to customize the angle and direction.

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Adding Transitions
A transition is inserted between scenes (shots).
How to add a transition
1. In the Timeline view, select the scene in which you want to add a transition.

2. Do one of the following:‣

From the Storyboard toolbar, click the New Transition‣

Select Storyboard > Add Transition.

‣

Right-click the scene thumbnails and select Add Transition.

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Deleting Transitions

Deleting Transitions
How to delete a transition
1. Select a transition to remove.
2. Do one of the following:‣

In the Storyboard toolbar, click the Delete Transition‣

Right-click the transition and select Delete Transition.

‣

Select Storyboard > Delete Transition.

‣

Press Delete.

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Changing the Transition TypeBy default, the transition is a dissolve, but you can easily change it to an edge or clock wipe by selecting thetransition, and either double-clicking it or changing it in the Panel view.
How to change the transition type
1. In the Timeline or Thumbnails view, select the transition.
2. Do one of the following:ll

In the Panel view, select Edge Wipe, Clock Wipe or Dissolve from the Type menu.

In the Timeline view, double-click the selected transition in the Timeline view to change the transition type
between Dissolve, Edge Wipe, and Clock Wipe.

How to change the starting angle of a Clock Wipe transition
1. In the Timeline or Thumbnails view, select the Clock Wipe transition.
2. In the Panel view, set the starting angle by doing one of the following:lClick the Direction knob.

lType in a value in the text field.

3. In the Direction menu, select the wipe direction: Clockwise or Counterclockwise.

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Changing the Transition Duration

Changing the Transition Duration
You can also use the Panel view to change the duration of the transition.
How to change the transition duration
1. In the Timeline view, select a transition.
2. Do one of the following:lPosition the cursor on the left or right side of the transition and drag to lengthen or shorten.

l

In the Panel view, use the duration field to set the desired value.

l

Select Storyboard > Change Transition Duration and enter a new duration in frames.

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Chapter 17: Pitching the Storyboard
Storyboard Pro has a Pitch Mode workspace that was is created specifically for pitching a storyboard or concept to agroup of people.
You can use the Pitch Mode workspace to add comments based on the given feedback. A special Comments layer
can automatically be added to your drawing for making notes and corrections.

NOTE: The Camera view displays your drawings, camera moves and transitions. You do not have access to yourlayer list in this mode. All layers that are enabled are shown.

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Accessing and Exiting the Pitch Mode Workspace

Accessing and Exiting the Pitch Mode Workspace
The Pitch Mode workspace can be accessed in the same way as other default workspaces, but you must exit themode in a different way.
You can easily exit by using the Exit Pitch Mode button at the bottom of the screen. This is useful when in fullscreen mode and you can no longer access the menus at the top of the interface.
How to access the Pitch Mode workspace
Do one of the following:l

From the View toolbar, click the Pitch Modebutton.

l

From the Workspace toolbar, select Pitch Mode.

l

Select Windows > Workspace > Workspace > Pitch Mode.

l

Press 8.

How to exit the Pitch Mode workspacel

In the Control Panel view, click the Exit Pitch Modebutton.

NOTE: To exit the workspace, you can also switch to another workspace using the top menu.

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Displaying Captions
As you play back your storyboard, your audience may want to see the dialogue or action notes as subtitles. For thatreason, the Pitch Mode workspace lets you select one of the caption fields available in your storyboard and display itat the bottom of the Camera view. By default, the Dialogue caption is selected.
In the Control Panel view, you will find a drop-down menu that will allow you to select the captions in yourstoryboard. Note that you cannot select a sketch caption. Only text captions can be selected.

If you want to make the selected caption field larger, you can hide the Caption tools area.
How to select a caption‣

From the Caption menu, select a caption to display below the Camera view.

How to hide the Caption Tools area‣

In the Caption Tools area, click the Arrow button to hide the settings.

How to show the Caption Tools area‣

Hover the cursor at the edge of the caption, when you see a splitter cursor, drag left to reveal the Caption
Tools area.

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Customizing Captions

Customizing Captions
By default, the selected caption field has a black background and a gray font. You can change the colours and thefont.

How to customize the look of captions
In the Caption Tools area, do any of the following:‣

Font: Click Font. In the Select Font dialog box, set the font parameters.

‣

Font Colour: Double-click the font colour swatch. In the Colour Picker window, select a new colour.

‣

Background Colour: Double-click the background colour swatch. In the Colour Picker window, selecta new colour.

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Navigating the Storyboard
Navigating through your storyboard lets you see how your project is progressing. You can scrub through a scene,
view a specific point in the scene, see it in slow motion, or check a particular section.
The slider lets you scrub through all the panels in a scene. You will see the camera motions and the transitions at the
speed you want by sliding left or right. Sliding left brings you to the beginning of the scene and sliding right brings you
to the end. Transitions, camera moves, and all panels will be displayed.
As you select or scrub through panels and scenes, the name and number of the current scene and panel are
displayed.

As you navigate through the panels of your storyboard by either using shortcuts, clicking on panels or using thenavigation buttons, you can automatically play the camera moves.

NOTE: When you select a panel that contains a camera move, it will automatically play. If you do not want to see thetransitions or camera motions, deselect the Camera Modebutton in the Control Panel view.

How to navigate through your storyboard
Do one of the following:l

Press A and Fl

Select panels in the Thumbnails viewl

Use the Previous Paneland Next Panelbuttons

How to automatically play camera moves‣

In the Control Panel, select the Auto-play Camera Moves option.

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Drawing Revisions

Drawing Revisions
When presenting a storyboard, you will most likely receive comments and feedback. The Pitch Mode workspace
allows you to easily draw comments and corrections over your panels.
In Pitch Mode, you do not have access to the drawing layers in your panels, so when you draw corrections on
your panel, a new Comments layer is automatically added for you on top of the panel. You can use this new
Comments layer the same way as any other drawing layer in your scene.
Adding comments and corrections in Pitch Mode is easy. As soon as you start drawing with the Brush tool, theComments layer is added.
If you no longer require a Comments layer, you can delete it while you are still in the Pitch Mode workspace.

NOTE:
In the Pitch Mode workspace, you can use the Onion Skin feature to see your previous and next panels—see About
the Onion Skin on page 268. To see the onion skinning, deselect the Camera Modebutton in the Control
Panel view.

How to add comments and corrections
1. In the Comments section of the Control Panel view, select the Brush

tool or press Alt+B.

2. Click a colour swatch to select a colour for your brush.
3. To change the colour, double-click the colour swatch to open the Select Colour dialog box. Select a newcolour—see Colour on page 283.

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4. Set the brush size and click OK.
5. In the Stage view, add your comments and corrections.
6. In the Camera view, draw your correction.

A Comments layer is added on top of your layers.
7. To access the Comments layer, click the Exit Pitch Modebutton.

The Pitch Mode workspace is closed.
How to erase a correction‣

In the Comments section of the Control Panel, click Eraser

tool or press Alt+E.

How to delete a comment‣

In the Comments section of the Control Panel, click the Erase Layer
The Comments layer is deleted. You cannot delete any other layers.

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Recording Voice Annotations

Recording Voice Annotations
Since the Pitch Mode workspace is all about reviewing and approving your storyboard, you can also record voice
annotations—see About Voice Annotations on page 495.
The Voice Annotation tools are not displayed by default. You must enable the sound tools in the Preferences
dialog box.
How to enable the sound tools
1. Do one of the following:‣

Select Edit > Preferences (Windows) or Storyboard Pro > Preferences (Mac OS X).

‣

Press Ctrl+U (Windows) or ⌘ + , (Mac OS X).

2. In the Preferences dialog box, select the Pitch Mode tab.
3. In the Control Panel section, select the Display Sound Tools option.

The voice annotation tools appear in the Control Panel.
How to record voice annotations
1. Verify that you have a working voice recording device and that it is correctly connected to your computer.
2. In the Thumbnails view, select the panel on which you want to record a voice annotation.
3. Display the Panel view.
l

If the Panel view is not part of your current workspace, select Windows > Panel.

4. In the Voice Annotations section, click the Record Voice Annotation
The Record a Voice Annotation dialog box opens.
lClick the Record

button to begin recording.

l

Click the Stop

button to stop the recording.

l

Click the Playbutton to preview your recording.

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NOTE: If you try to record your voice and the voice recording device is improperly connected or malfunctioning, awarning message will appear. If this happens, check the voice recording device.

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Navigating the Storyboard

Navigating the Storyboard
Navigating through your storyboard lets you see how your project is progressing. You can scrub through a scene,
view a specific point in the scene, see it in slow motion, or check a particular section.
The slider lets you scrub through all the panels in a scene. You will see the camera motions and the transitions at
the speed you want by sliding left or right. Sliding left brings you to the beginning of the scene and sliding rightbrings you to the end. Transitions, camera moves, and all panels will be displayed.
As you select or scrub through panels and scenes, the name and number of the current scene and panel are
displayed.

As you navigate through the panels of your storyboard by either using shortcuts, clicking on panels or using thenavigation buttons, you can automatically play the camera moves.

NOTE: When you select a panel that contains a camera move, it will automatically play. If you do not want to see
the transitions or camera motions, deselect the Camera Modebutton in the Control Panel view.

How to navigate through your storyboard
Do one of the following:l

Press A and Fl

Select panels in the Thumbnails viewl

Use the Previous Paneland Next Panelbuttons

How to automatically play camera moves‣

In the Control Panel, select the Auto-play Camera Moves option.

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Chapter 18: Storyboard Supervision
Storyboard Pro goes beyond the storyboard and animatic creation tasks by providing powerful tools for thesupervision of a storyboarding project.
Project managers, storyboard supervisors and artistic directors now have an efficient supervision tool to help themtrack the changes and communicate their feedback, corrections and such to the storyboard artists.

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About Track Changes

About Track Changes
T-SBADV-007-001
In Storyboard Pro, you can track changes in the storyboard’s panels. This allows the storyboard artist to integrate
any comments the supervisor has made, and the supervisor can easily track any changes and validate orcomment on them.
Modified panels are outlined in yellow. You also have the possibility to write revision notes about the changes.
This visual indicator allows the supervisor to rapidly locate any panels which have changed. A new temporary
caption field is added to the tracked panel's Panel view.

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Tracking Changes
T-SBADV-007-002
Storyboard Pro lets you automatically detect any changes in your project, and adds a visual indication in theThumbnails and Timeline views.
You can also track changes by date. If a storyboard becomes very large, it may be easier to track changes made ona specific date.
You can add notes to the Revision Notes caption. The caption only appears once the panel is marked as changed.
Note that the text you type here will also be displayed in the Track Changes dialog box during the validation
process—see Tracking Changes on page 491.

How to enable auto tracking
1. Select Storyboard > Track Changes > Auto Tracking Mode.
Once the Auto Tracking Mode is enabled and you edit a panel, a yellow rectangle appears around the panel in
the Thumbnails and Timeline views.
2. Edit your panels either by drawing or modifying caption text. If applicable, add comments in the
Revision Notes caption.
How to track changes by date
1. Select Storyboard > Track Changes > Track Changes by Date.
The Search by Date dialog box opens.

2. Use the From and To fields to define a particular time range in which to track changes. If you want to trackchanges done on one specific day, place that day’s date in both the From and To fields. Click the From buttonand select the first date. Only the dates at which a change occurred will be available. The other dates willappear dimmed.

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About Track Changes

3. Select the first date and click OK.
4. Repeat these steps to select the To date.

5. Once your dates are set, the information is updated.

The first line displays the number of panels found in the storyboard that have been modified during thedefined time range, and the panel that is currently selected.The second line displays information about thecurrently selected panel, such as which scene it is part of, the name of the panel, and the date it was lastmodified.
6. Use the Next and Previous buttons to jump from one modified panel to the next.
7. Use the menu in the bottom-left corner to modify the status of the selected panel.

l

l

l

Mark as Changed: Marks the currently selected panel as being edited on the current date;
this is the default option. Click the button to activate it.
Mark Scene as Changed: Marks the scene of the currently selected panel as being editedon the current date.
Mark All as Changed: Marks all the storyboard panels as being edited on the current date.

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Validating Changes
T-SBADV-007-003
When you use the Auto Tracking Mode feature, you can use the Validate Changes option to follow up on thesechanges.
How to validate changes
1. Select Storyboard > Track Changes > Validate Changes.
The Track Changes dialog box opens.

‣

Useful information is displayed on the top part of the dialog box:‣

The first line displays the number of panels found in the storyboard that were modified while the Auto
Tracking Mode was enabled, as well as which of the panels that fits the description is currently selected.

‣

The second line displays information about the currently selected panel, such as which scene it is part of,
the name of the panel, and the date it was modified.

2. Use the Notes field to enter text about the selected panel. This information will be available in the tracked
panel Panel view in the Revision caption. If notes were added in the Revision Notes caption field, they will be
displayed in the Revision Notes field of the Track Changes dialog box.

NOTE: This caption is temporary; it will be removed when the change is validated.

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About Track Changes

3. Use the Validate menu to select a validation option:‣

Validate: Validates the currently selected panel. This is the default option, simply click on the button toactivate it, there is no need to use the drop-down menu.

‣

Validate All: Validates all of the panels in the storyboard. Click on the arrow button to display the dropdown menu and activate the command.

‣

Validate Scene: Validates the scene that the currently selected panel is part of. Click on the arrow
button to display the drop-down menu and activate the command.

4. Use the Next and Previous buttons to navigate from one tracked panel to the other.

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About Voice Annotations
T-SBADV-007-004
In Storyboard Pro, you can provide the storyboard artists with voice annotations as well as written notes.
After the voice annotation has been recorded, the Voice Annotations section indicates the total number ofannotations, displaying the order of the current voice annotation in the sequence and the total number of voice
annotations associated with the panel. As you record voice annotations, they accumulate in sequence without being
overwritten. You can select and play back any of the annotations.

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About Voice Annotations

Recording Voice Annotations
T-SBADV-007-005
Recording a voice annotation is quite simple. All you need is a microphone correctly connected to your computerand Storyboard Pro.
How to record voice annotations
1. Verify that you have a working voice recording device and that it is correctly connected to your computer.
2. In the Thumbnails view, select the panel on which you want to record a voice annotation.
3. Display the Panel view.
l

If the Panel view is not part of your current workspace, select Windows > Panel.

4. In the Voice Annotations section, click the Record Voice Annotation

button.

The Record a Voice Annotation dialog box opens.
lClick the Record

button to begin recording.

l

Click the Stop

button to stop the recording.

l

Click the Playbutton to preview your recording.

NOTE: If you try to record your voice and the voice recording device is improperly connected or malfunctioning, awarning message will appear. If this happens, check the voice recording device.

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Playing Voice Annotations
T-SBADV-007-006
Once a voice annotation has been added to a panel, you can play it back using the playback controls.
How to listen to voice annotations
1. In the Thumbnails view, select the panel with the voice annotation which you want to listen to.
2. In the Panel view, do any of the following in the Voice Annotations section:lClick the Next Voice Annotation
and Previous Voice Annotation
buttons to select the
annotation you want to listen to. Use the order display in the Voice Annotation section to see
which annotation is selected.

lClick the Play Voice Annotation

button to play back the selected voice annotation.

lClick the Stop Voice Annotation

button to stop playback.

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About Voice Annotations

Deleting Voice Annotations
T-SBADV-007-007
When a voice annotation is no longer required, you can delete it.
How to delete a voice annotation
1. In the Thumbnails view, select the panel with the voice annotation you want to delete.
2. In the Panel view, do any of the following in the Voice Annotations section:llClick the Next Voice Annotation
and Previous Voice Annotation
buttons to selectthe annotation to delete. Use the order display in the Voice Annotation section to see whichannotation is selected.
Click the Delete Voice Annotation

button.

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Project Management
T-SBADV-002-001
To distribute work to different storyboard artists, it is necessary to split up a large storyboard into different files.
Once the work on all of the parts is completed, you must reassemble them into the same project to complete thestoryboard.
Once the various parts of your project are complete and you are ready to bring it all back into your master project,
you can easily merge and replace the changed scenes.

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Project Management

Splitting Storyboards
T-SBADV-002-002
Using the Split option, you can divide your storyboard into two parts. Each part can be saved as a different file.
You can choose to save either the first half of the project, the last half of the project, or both. You can also choose
to preserve the original project intact, or to remove the panels from the original project. The selected panel
determines the point of division.
How to split a storyboard project
1. In the Timeline, drag the red playhead to the panel where you want the split to take place.
2. Select File > Project Management > Split.

The Split Storyboard window opens.
3. Select one or both options:‣

Export before selected panel: Exports all panels before the selected panel into a new file.

‣

Export after selected panel: Exports all panels after the selected panel into a new file.

4. For one or both options:‣

Use the browse button to choose a location and create a file name.

‣

Select the Include selected panel option to include the selected panel in the export.

5. Select the Remove exported panelsfrom current project option to remove the panels you selected toexport from the current project. If you do not select this option, you will be left with an intact copy of yourstoryboard, along with one or both divisions as a new project file(s).

NOTE: If you chose to export both the panels before and after the selected panel along with this option, then onlya blank panel will be left in your current project.

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Extracting Storyboards
T-SBADV-002-003
You can divide a storyboard into several parts. Each export portion of the storyboard will be saved as a different file.
You can choose to save an intact copy of the entire storyboard or divide the project into separate files.
How to extract different scenes from your storyboard
1. Select File > Project Management > Extract.

The Extract Storyboard window opens.
2. From the Scenes section, select a scene or press Shift+click to include more than one scene.

NOTE: The number of panels in a scene is indicated under the Panels heading. These panels cannot be divided,and you cannot split a scene.

3. Click Extract Selected Scenes.
A browser window opens.
4. Choose a name and location for this new project file and click Save.
The project name and location appears under the Path heading in the Projects section.
5. To delete an extracted project, select it from the Projects section, and click Remove Selected Projects.
6. Select the Remove extracted scenes from current project option. This option determines if you will havean intact copy of the entire storyboard.

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Project Management

Merging Storyboard Projects
T-SBADV-002-004
After dividing your storyboard project by splitting or extracting it, you may need to reassemble all the files into asingle project file. By merging several projects into one, you can have one final Storyboard Pro project.
How to merge different storyboard files into a single project
1. Select File > Project Management > Merge.
The Merge Storyboard window opens.

2. Click Import Project.
3. In the browser window that opens, search for a Storyboard Pro project file that you want to merge with yourcurrent file and click Open.
The file name appears in the top section of the Merge Storyboard window.
4. Continue adding files until you have all the files you need.
5. Use the Move Up and Move Down buttons to reorganize the files into the order in which you want them tobe imported in relation to your current file.
6. Select any unwanted project file names and click Remove Project to delete them from the list.
7. In the Captions section, select a caption from under one of the project name headings and click Remove
Caption to keep them from being imported into the merged file.
Removal will be indicated by highlighting that caption in grey. If you change your mind about removing acaption, select that caption and click Add Caption to reinstate it.

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8. If you created new caption fields in your current project, the captions associated with certain panels in the project files that you intend to import and merge will not correspond. You may also have new dialogue or notesthat you would like to insert into the proper fields, but would like to keep the old information just to be safe.
Use the Move Up and Move Down buttons to move the caption text around. If you move a caption from acertain project to a blank row, a new field will be created for this text in the project’s panel window.
9. By default, scene numbers will be updated to avoid number conflicts, however, you can force the scene‘snumbering by selecting the Force scenes numbering option. If you do this, you must enter a number in theStart scene number field. This number will be assigned to the first scene in import project list section above.
10. Select the Use project name as scene‘s prefix option if you want the imported project’s name to remain on
all its scenes in the new merged file. The scene‘s new name will be its number in the merged file, prefixed by
the file it originated from.
11. Select the Create new soundtracks option if you want to have the sound element from each imported project appear in a separate soundtrack (row) in the Timeline. Otherwise, all the sound elements will appear in
the same soundtrack in the new merged project.

NOTE: This option is only available if you do not select the Force scenes numbering option.

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Project Management

Inserting Scenes
T-SBADV-002-005
After splitting your storyboard project, you may need to reintegrate the scenes from a separate project file. You
can do this by using the Insert option.
How to insert the scenes from a different project file into your current project
1. In your current project, in the Timeline view, move the red playhead to the point at which you want to insert
the new scenes, or simply click a scene to select the insertion point.
2. From the top menu, select File > Project Management > Insert.
The Open Storyboard Project window appears.
3. Search for the *.sboard file you are looking for and click Open.
All scenes from the selected project file appear after the red playhead in the Timeline.

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Merging and Replacing Scenes
T-SBADV-002-006
In order to merge and replace scenes, you must keep a copy of the master project intact.
What is the difference between merging and merging/replacing? When merging a project, two projects are combined
into one; each project appears sequentially in the Thumbnails and Timeline views. A merge and replace integrates
scene changes back into the master project. Any scenes that were changed are replaced with the new one. As an
option, you can keep a copy of the original files for verification purposes.

NOTE: When merging projects, the sounds in the master project will now move in order to sync with the panels.The
sounds will follow panels based on their name, therefore, it is important to lock scenes and panels names prior to
distributing the different scene's extracts, in order to preserve them.

How to merge and replace scenes
1. Open your master project.
2. Select File > Project Management > Merge and Replace.
The Advanced Merge Storyboard dialog box opens.

3. Click Import Project and locate the .sboard file you want to bring in.
4. In the top pane, select the project you want to merge/replace.

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Project Management

5. Use the Move Up and Move Down buttons to organize the projects.
6. In the Select Scenes to Merge section, select the individual scenes to merge/replace.
7. Select the Keep and move original scenes to the end option to retain a copy of the original scenes,
which are placed at the end of the master project. The name of the copy is prefixed sequentially by "1_orig"
followed by the original scene name.
8. Select the Respect locked audio tracks option to ensure that the locked audio tracks will not be synced
during the merge and replace. When deselected, audio tracks will be synched regardless if they were
locked or not.
9. Select the Import audio changes from source project to allow the modifications done in the audio to be
applied to the scenes that are replaced.

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Chapter 19: Exporting
Now that you have finished your storyboard or animatic, it is time to export it as images, PDF, or a movie file.
Depending on whether or not you plan to edit your movie in a third party software or export snapshots, Storyboard
Pro supports several export formats.

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About File Naming Patterns

About File Naming Patterns
T-SBADV-011-007
It is possible to define sequential file name patterns when exporting to a image sequence, bitmap, EDL and AAF(movie files).
For example: %4s.%2p.%3f.%4F.tga%4s => shot name on 4 chars (all export formats)%2p => panel name on 2 chars (all export formats)%3f => frame on 3 chars (Image Sequence and Bitmap)%4F => global frame on 4 chars (Image Sequence Only)
Where:% means it will be replaced by:s (shot name)p (panel number)f (local frame number in panel)
F (global frame number in timeline)
The number in-between represents the minimum length to display it. If the text value is shorter than this length, itwill be left-padded by 0 (zero).
For example:
If the frame number is 48, and the user specifies the following in file name:%1f = you will see "48" in file name.
%2f = you will see "48" in file name.
%3f = you will see "048" in file name.
%4f = you will see "0048" in file name.

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About Layer Export Settings
T-SBADV-011-001
When exporting your storyboard, you can set the export behaviour for each layer. This can be handy if you havereference layers that you do not necessarily want to see in your final export. You can set individual layer export
settings in the Layers panel.
How to change individual layer export behaviour
1. From the Thumbnails view, select the panel with the layers to export.
2. In the Layers view, select a layer.
3. Depending on your needs, select the options for the formats to be included with the layer. For example, if you
do not want a certain layer to appear when you export a movie, deselect the Movie option for that layer.

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About Exporting to PDF

About Exporting to PDF
T-SBADV-011-002
You can export your storyboard project as a PDF file which you can print or share electronically. This is where
you can set up your visuals to represent a classic storyboard on paper, or any other format you desire.
You can create your own custom PDF profiles. The information is stored in an XML file, pdfoptions.xml, that canbe found here:lWindows:ll

Mac OS X: On Mac OS X, the Library folder is a hidden folder. To display the display the folder, told down
the Alt key when displaying Finder's Go menu.
ll

C:\Users\[user_name]\AppData\Roaming\Toon Boom Animation\Toon Boom Storyboard
Pro \full-1400-pref\pdfoptions.xml/Users/[user_name]/Library/Preferences/Toon Boom Animation/Toon Boom Storyboard Pro
Premium/full-1400-pref/pdfoptions.xml

Linux:l/home/[user_name]/Toon Boom Animation/Toon Boom Storyboard Pro /full-1400-pref/pdfoptions.xml

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Setting Up the PDF Export
T-SBFND-010-002
You can set up the PDF export settings for a selected panel. This panel will be exported with all the others, but will
follow its own rules.

How to specify independent PDF options for selected panels
1. Display the Panel PDF Options view by doing one of the following:ll

In the Workspace toolbar, click the PDF View
space.

button to switch to the PDF View work-

Select Windows > Panel PDF Options to display the view in your current workspace.

2. In the Thumbnails view, select one or more panels.
3. In the Panel PDF Options, set the export options to apply to the selected panels:

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About Exporting to PDF

Parameter

Description

Options
Export to PDF

Exports the selected panel. This option is enabled by default. Deselectthis option if you do not want to export this particular panel.

Force New Page

Starts panel on a new page.

Full Page

Prints panel on a full page.

Image
Maximum Height for Full
Page

Lets you set the maximum image height for a full page panel. Applies tolandscape orientation only. 0 = No Limit.

ExpandDisplays camera motion (such as pan, tilt, or zoom) in the image acrossseveral panels.

Zoom Level (%)

Size, in percentage, that the panel will appear within its frame.

Caption & Sketch
Export All Captions

This option is enabled by default. All captions from this panel will be
exported to PDF. If you want to select specific captions to export,
deselect this option and use the Caption List option
to make your selections.

Caption List

This option is unavailable when the Export All Captions option is enabled.
When available, click the Browse button to open the List Picker for
selecting specific captions to export.

Spread Captions

Adapts the box to the text and spreads it across the next panel ifnecessary.
When this option is deselected, caption text is cut if it is too long or big forthe space available in the box.

Caption Font Scale(%)

Select the scale, in percentage, the text will appear in the captions of thispanel.

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Shrink Text to Fit

Shrinks captions if they do not fit in the panel.

Export Sketch

Exports the sketch caption field of this panel.

Preview

Creates a quick PDF of the page containing the selected panel(s), using
the current default PDF export profile for the other panels.

Restore All from Profile

Returns the options to the current default PDF export profile.

4. Click Preview to create a quick pdf preview of the page containing the selected panel(s), using the current
default pdf export profile for the other panels.
5. Click Restore All from Profile to reset the options to the current default pdf export profile.

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About Exporting to PDF

Exporting to PDF
T-SBFND-010-001
Using the PDF Export view, you can set up your PDF export and run an analysis on the result before printing it toa PDF file. This can be useful in preventing overset text resulting from the selected profile and PDF layout
options.

How to export a PDF
1. Select File > Export > PDF.
The Export to PDF window opens.

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2. In the Destination Path field, specify the location and name of the file.
3. In the PDF Export Parameters section, select a layout for the PDF file.
l

l

l

l

l

l

l

l

l

3 Panels Horizontal: This is a classic layout of a printed storyboard. It consists of three panels per page, including captions, in an horizontal arrangement.
3 Panels Vertical: This is a classic layout of a printed storyboard. It consists of three panels
per page, including captions, in a vertical arrangement.
Full Page: This layout consists of one large panel per page, including captions.
Overview 2x4 Panels: This layout consists of a total of eight panels per page, organized on
two rows of four, with captions in the middle.
Overview 4x3: This layout consists of a total of 12 panels per page, organized in three rows offour. No caption is included.
Typical Japanese Format: This layout consists of a total of five panels by page, aligned on
the left side of the page. Captions and duration are aligned in two consecutive rows on the rightside. Note that your PDF reader and system may require an additional font package in order todisplay the PDF file properly.
Alternate Vertical Layout: This layout consists of a total of 5 panels per page, aligned on theleft side of the page. Captions are organized on the right size of each panel. This export also
includes a cut and a duration column, and displays the duration of each scene at the beginningof every new one.
Overview 8x10: This layout consists of a total of 80 panels per page, organized in ten rows offour. No caption is included.
Alternate Japanese Layout: This layout consists of a total of 5 panels per page, aligned on
the left side of the page. This export includes vertical columns for the dialog, action, sluggin,515

Chapter 19: Exporting

About Exporting to PDF

notes, and time (duration) column which is displayed near the end of each scene (optionally).
The scene name appears near the top of the first panel of a scene. The caption titles appear
at the top and do not repeat at each panel. The total duration appears at the bottom of thepage.
4. To enable the security, see Adding Security to a PDF on page 519.
5. In the Export Range section, select whether to generate a file including the entire storyboard, specificshots, or the currently selected panel(s).
llAll: Exports the entire storyboard.
Selected Scenes: Select this option and click Select to open the Scenes Picker dialog box
in which you can select specific scenes to export. You can also select your scenes per
sequences if your project contains sequences.

l

Current Scene: Exports only the currently selected scene.

lCurrent Panel: Exports only the currently selected panel.

lTracked Panels: Exports panels are marked as tracked. The number of tracked panels willappear beside the option—see About Track Changes on page 490.

6. To view the file when it is ready, select the Open document after export option.
How to analyse and export with the PDF Export view
1. Done of the following:l

In the Workspace toolbar, click the PDF Viewl

Select Windows > PDF Export.

2. In the PDF Export view or window, do the following:

516

button.

Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 5.1 User Guidel

In the Profile section, use the drop-down menu to select a profile for your export. Click Edit tomodify the current options of the layout if needed—see Creating Custom PDF Profiles on page520.

3. Click the Expandllbutton to display the Export Range section:

By default, the export range is set to All, which means your entire storyboard project will be
exported.
Selected Scenes: Select this option and click Select to open the Scenes Picker dialog box inwhich you can select specific scenes to export.

lCurrent Scene: Exports only the currently selected scene to PDF.

l

Current Panel: Exports only the selected panels to PDF.

l

Tracked Panels: Exports panels that are marked as tracked. The number of tracked panels
will appear beside the option—see About Track Changes on page 490.

4. In the Analysis section:llClick Filters and select the issue types you want the analysis to display. Options include: Text
Overflow, Text Overlap, and Camera Pan issues.
Click Analyse to start the analysis of your PDF options.
If no issue is encountered, the list will remain empty and the word Done! will appear beside theAnalyse button.

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About Exporting to PDF

If issues are encountered, they will appear in the list area. The scene, panel, and page
numbers will be indicated, as well as a description of the problem found.
You can select an issue and click Ignore to remove it from the list as you verify the criticallevel these elements have on your PDF export.
In the Filters menu, you can show ignored issues by selecting the Show Ignored option.
Instead of being removed from the list, a red X will appear beside the issue.
You can reset an ignored issue by clicking Restore Ignored to remove the red X.
5. Click Preview to generate a PDF preview of the selected issue.
6. Click Export to export your PDF file.
The Export to PDF dialog box opens.
ll

In the Destination Path field, specify the location and name of the file that will contain the
PDF. Either type in the path directly or click the Browse button to display a window to selecta file. Refer to the Exporting to PDF on page 514 section to learn how to set up password protected security rules.
Select the Open document after export option to automatically open your PDF file when it
is ready.

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Adding Security to a PDF
T-SBADV-011-003
By giving your PDF file a password and restricting certain features, such as printing and editing, you can provide
document security to your digital storyboard. When files have restricted features, any tools and menu items related
to those features are not available.
How to protect a PDF
1. Select File > Export > PDF.
The Export to PDF window opens.
2. Set your PDF export options.
3. In the Document Security section, set up the protection:

l

l

l

l

Select the Need Password Protection option to add password protection to your PDF file.
In the Master Password field, type an administrator password. The owners of this password
will not be bound by the protection.
Enter the Master Password in the top Confirm field. Note that the password must be at least
6 characters long.
In the User Password field, type a user password. The owners of this password will be boundto the protection options you have defined. Enter the user password in the bottom Confirm
field. Note that the password must be at least 6 characters long.

lDefine the permissions you want to give users:lPrintable: Gives the user permission to print the storyboard.

l

l

l

l

Edit All: Gives users the following PDF permissions: Changing the Document, Document
Assembly, Filling of Form Fields, Signing and Creation of Template Pages.
Copy: Gives users the following PDF permissions: Content Copying and Content Copying forAccessibility.
Edit: Gives users the following PDF permissions: Commenting, Filing of Form Fields and Signing.
Select the Remember Protection Settings option to keep these settings as default.

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About Exporting to PDF

Creating Custom PDF Profiles
T-SBADV-011-004
When exporting your storyboard project to a PDF file, various page layouts are available depending on yourdocument standards. You can also define some preferences and create a personalized layout.
You can create your own custom PDF profiles. The information is stored in an XML file, pdfoptions.xml, that canbe found here:lWindows:ll

Mac OS X: On Mac OS X, the Library folder is a hidden folder. To display the display the folder, told down
the Alt key when displaying Finder's Go menu.
ll

C:\Users\[user_name]\AppData\Roaming\Toon Boom Animation\Toon Boom Storyboard
Pro \full-1400-pref\pdfoptions.xml/Users/[user_name]/Library/Preferences/Toon Boom Animation/Toon Boom Storyboard Pro
Premium/full-1400-pref/pdfoptions.xml

Linux:l/home/[user_name]/Toon Boom Animation/Toon Boom Storyboard Pro /full-1400-pref/pdfoptions.xml

How to create a custom PDF Profile
1. Select File > Export > PDF.
The Export to PDF dialog box opens.
2. In the PDF Export Parameters section, click one of the following buttons:l

New Profile: Creates a completely new layout.

lDuplicate Profile: Makes a copy of the selected layout from the list.

lEdit Profile: Lets you edit the selected layout from the list.

lDelete Profile: Deletes the selected layout from the list.

3. In the PDF Profile dialog box, adjust the parameters—see PDF Profile Dialog Box in the Reference Guide.

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Adding Snapshot Markers
T-SBFND-010-003
By default, only the first frame of each panel is visible in the PDF file you export. Sometimes, you may need todisplay a specific frame or several frames from a panel. For example, on a panel that has a layer or camera
movement. If you want to specify which frames in a panel will be visible in a PDF file, you must add snapshot
markers to the panels.
The adding of snapshots is especially useful when you make changes to the camera position in 3D space. If thecamera is not taking a shot that is representative of your scene at the beginning of the panel, you can select the
keyframe of the panel that has the camera in the right position before you take the snapshot. For more information on
viewing what the camera is capturing, see About Camera Moves on page 413.

How to add a snapshot marker to a panel
1. In the Timeline view, select the panel to which you want to add a snapshot marker.
2. Position the play head to the exact position where you want to add the snapshot.

3. Do one of the following:lSelect Storyboard > Add Snapshot.

lRight-click the panel and select Add Snapshot.

The Snapshot marker, a blue arrow, appears in the Timeline view.

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About Exporting to PDF

4. Repeat the previous steps to add additional snapshot markers to the panel.

5. To reposition snapshot markers, drag them along the Timeline.

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Deleting Snapshot Markers
You can remove snapshot markers from the currently selected panel.
How to delete a snapshot marker
1. In the Timeline view, position your cursor over the snapshot marker to delete.
A hand cursor appears over the snapshot marker.

2. Click to "grab" the marker and drag it outside of the panel in the Timeline view.

The snapshot marker is removed.

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About Exporting a Movie

About Exporting a Movie
Once you have created your storyboard and animatic, you can export it as a movie file to share and play backeasily for an efficient timing reference. You can export your movie file in different formats (QuickTime, SWF
movie (Flash), jpeg, targa) and as image sequences.
When QuickTime is your chosen export format, some of the QuickTime movie settings will be overridden by the
Storyboard Pro project or export settings.
The default codec when exporting to QuickTime is H.264 which is natively supported by Mac OS X.

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Exporting a QuickTime Movie
T-SBFND-010-004
Once you have created your storyboard and animatic, you can export it as a movie file to share and play back easily
for an efficient timing reference. You can export your movie file in different formats (QuickTime, SWF movie (Flash),jpeg, targa) and as image sequences.
How to export a QuickTime movie
1. Select File > Export > Movie.
The Export to Movie dialog box opens.

2. In the Destination Path, select a folder in which to save your movie. You can type in the exact path or use theBrowsebutton to browse to a specific folder on your system.
3. From the Export Movie Format panel:lll

From the Movie Format menu, select QuickTime Movie (*.mov).
From the Resolution menu, select the resolution: A quarter size, half size, or full size of the current storyboard resolution—see About Project Properties on page 47.
From the One Clip menu, select the Per Scene option if you want to create a single movie filefor each scene. Once this option is activated, the Include Transitions option becomes available. Select this option if you want transitions to be included in your movie files. If you prefer tohave one single clip for the entire project, select the Per Project option in the drop-down menu.

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About Exporting a Movie

When you add sequences to your projects, you can also select Per Sequence to create
one clip per sequence.
4. Click Movie Options to modify some of the QuickTime movie settings.

NOTE: Refer to the QuickTime documentation to learn more about these movie settings.

5. In the Export Range tab:Decide whether you want to export the entire project (All), a selected frame range, a selected scene, aselected panel, or tracked panels. If you decide on the latter, be sure to enter the frame range in the fields
provided. In the Scene Picker dialog box, you can select scenes by sequence if your project contains
sequences—see About Track Changes on page 490.
6. In the Burn-in tab:‣Print Time Code: Prints the project timecode on the video as an overlay on your video.

‣

Print Scene Names and Panel Numbers: Prints the scene names and panel numbers as an overlay
on your video.

‣

Print Additional Duration: Prints an additional duration on your video, defined by the Units andRepeat menu.

‣

Units: Displays additional duration information using Time Code or Frames units.

‣

Repeat: Displays additional duration information per panel, scene or sequence.

7. In the Camera Grids tab, do the following:526

Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 5.1 User Guide‣

Project Safety: Prints the safe area on your video.

‣

4:3 Safety: Prints the 4:3 safe area on each panel of your storyboard that has a camera movement.

‣

4:3 Reference: Prints the 4:3 area on each panel of your storyboard that has a camera movement.

8. Select the Open document/folder after export option to view the file when it is ready.

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About Exporting a Movie

Exporting a SWF Movie
Once you have completed your storyboard and animatic, you can export as a SWF (Flash) movie file which you
can share and play back to test its timing.
How to export a SWF Movie
1. Select File > Export > Movie.
The Export to Movie window opens.

2. In the Destination Path section, click the Browse
movie.

button and choose a folder in which to save your

3. From the Export Movie Format panel:‣

From the Movie Format menu, select Flash (*.swf).

‣

Select the Resolution from the drop-down menu. This will be a quarter size, half size, or full size of thecurrent storyboard resolution.

4. Click Options.
The Flash Export Settings dialog box opens.

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Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 5.1 User Guide‣

To protect your movie from being imported in another application, select the Protect from Import option.

‣

To get a lighter format, select the Compress Movie option. The movie may lose some quality, but in turncreate a lighter file.

‣

Select the quality of the video image with the JPEG Quality slider.

5. Click OK.
6. In the Export Range tab:Decide whether you want to export the entire project (All), a selected frame range, a selected scene, aselected panel, or tracked panels. If you decide on the latter, be sure to enter the frame range in the fields
provided. In the Scene Picker dialog box, you can select scenes by sequence if your project contains
sequences—see About Track Changes on page 490.
7. In the Burn-in tab:‣Print Time Code: Prints the project timecode on the video as an overlay on your video.

‣

Print Scene Names and Panel Numbers: Prints the scene names and panel numbers as an overlay on
your video.

‣

Print Additional Duration: Prints an additional duration on your video, defined by the Units and Repeat
menu.

‣

Units: Displays additional duration information using Time Code or Frames units.

‣

Repeat: Displays additional duration information per panel, scene or sequence.

8. In the Camera Grids tab, do the following:529

Chapter 19: Exporting

About Exporting a Movie‣

Project Safety: Prints the safe area on your video.

‣

4:3 Safety: Prints the 4:3 safe area on each panel of your storyboard that has a camera movement.

‣

4:3 Reference: Prints the 4:3 area on each panel of your storyboard that has a camera movement.

9. Select the Open document/folder after export option to view the file when it is ready.

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Exporting an Image Sequence
How to export an image sequence
1. Select File > Export > Movie.
The Export To Movie dialog box opens.

2. In the Destination Path section, click the Browse
sequence.

button and choose a folder in which to save your image

3. In the Export Movie Format section:‣

From the Movie Format menu, select Jpeg (*.jpg) or Targa (*.tga).

‣

From the Resolution menu, select a resolution.

4. In the Export Range tab:531

Chapter 19: Exporting

Exporting an Image Sequence

Decide whether you want to export the entire project (All), a selected frame range, a selected scene, aselected panel, or tracked panels. If you decide on the latter, be sure to enter the frame range in the fields
provided. In the Scene Picker dialog box, you can select scenes by sequence if your project contains
sequences—see About Track Changes on page 490.
5. In the Burn-in tab:‣Print Time Code: Prints the project timecode on the video as an overlay on your video.

‣

Print Scene Names and Panel Numbers: Prints the scene names and panel numbers as an overlay
on your video.

‣

Print Additional Duration: Prints an additional duration on your video, defined by the Units andRepeat menu.

‣

Units: Displays additional duration information using Time Code or Frames units.

‣

Repeat: Displays additional duration information per panel, scene or sequence.

6. In the Camera Grids tab, do the following:‣

Project Safety: Prints the safe area on your video.

‣

4:3 Safety: Prints the 4:3 safe area on each panel of your storyboard that has a camera movement.

‣

4:3 Reference: Prints the 4:3 area on each panel of your storyboard that has a camera movement.

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7. Select the Open document/folder after export option to view the file when it is ready.

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Exporting an EDL, AAF or XML File

Exporting an EDL, AAF or XML File
Once a storyboard is complete, you can send it to a Non-linear Editing (NLE) system to complete the animatic ina real editing suite with a direct return on TV or use it as a pre-editing map to replace the storyboard scenes withthe final materials (shot in live action or rendered from a 2D or 3D software).
It is possible to export your storyboard project and preserve the timing, motions, and sounds edited with
Storyboard Pro, directly to Apple Final Cut Pro using the EDL or XML formats or to Adobe Premiere, Avid Xpress,
or Sony Vegas using the AAF format.
How to export a storyboard to EDL or AAF or XML
1. Select File > Export > EDL/AAF/XML.
The Export to EDL/AAF/XML window opens.

2. In the Destination Path, select a folder in which to save your storyboard project. You can type in the exact
path or use the Browse
button to browse to a specific folder on your system. You should create afolder for your exported project since Storyboard Pro will generate several files during the export.
3. In the File Pattern field, you can set your own pattern which will be used to name the files created from theexport. Leave this field blank to use the default pattern. The following variables can be used to define thefile name pattern:‣%t = Project title‣%a = Act name (when acts are enabled)‣%q = Sequence name (when project contains sequences)534

Toon Boom Storyboard Pro 5.1 User Guide‣%s = Scene name‣%p = Panel name‣%l = Layer name (when exporting one image per layer)

You can add a number between the % sign and the letter of the variable to define a minimum number ofcharacters to use.
4. In Export Type, select the format in which to store the timing information (timecode for panels and audio
tracks). The format will be chosen depending on the destination application:•

Apple Final Cut Pro (FCP) EDL: In EDL, if you are using audio elements more than once inthe timeline, FCP will not be able to reconnect the media. AAF is supported in FCP with a plugin from Automatic Duck. Final Cut Pro also supports XML.

•

Adobe Premiere Pro AAF (Windows)•

EDL (Mac OS X): With EDL, media must be linked manually one by one. Premiere Pro on
Windows cannot open AAF files coming from Windows (and AAF is not supported on the Mac
OS X version of Premiere Pro).

•

Avid Xpress AAF

NOTE: If your editing system is not in the list, check its specifications to verify which format can be imported.

5. In the Options section:‣

Video Config.: The storyboard scenes are exported in QuickTime format. Click Video Config. to
configure the video settings (codecs, quality)—see About Exporting a Movie on page 524 to learn more
about the option available via the Video Config. button.Use the resolution menu to define the output
resolution since you might not always need to export the storyboard at full resolution (you can select Full,
Half or Quarter of a project’s resolution).

‣

One Movie Clip Per Panel: Exports more than one QuickTime movie clip per scene (which might
contain more than one panel) e.g. to obtain better granularity during editing since the storyboard will havesmaller movie clips.

‣

Generate Video Files: If you only need the EDL, AAF or XML files to be generated, deselect this option
so no video files are rendered.

‣

Copy Audio Files: By default, during the export to EDL/AAF, the original sound elements used are copied
to the same location as the QuickTime movie clip’s and the EDL or AAF file. If sound elements in thetimeline are used more than once, the elements are not duplicated. The EDL/AAF refers to the same
sound elements. You can deselect this option if needed.

1. In the Export Range tab:535

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Exporting an EDL, AAF or XML File

Decide whether you want to export the entire project (All), a selected frame range, a selected scene, aselected panel, or tracked panels. If you decide on the latter, be sure to enter the frame range in the fields
provided. In the Scene Picker dialog box, you can select scenes by sequence if your project contains
sequences—see About Track Changes on page 490.
2. In the Burn-in tab:‣Print Time Code: Prints the project timecode on the video as an overlay on your video.

‣

Print Scene Names and Panel Numbers: Prints the scene names and panel numbers as an overlay
on your video.

‣

Print Additional Duration: Prints an additional duration on your video, defined by the Units andRepeat menu.

‣

Units: Displays additional duration information using Time Code or Frames units.

‣

Repeat: Displays additional duration information per panel, scene or sequence.

3. In the Camera Grids tab, do the following:‣

Project Safety: Prints the safe area on your video.

‣

4:3 Safety: Prints the 4:3 safe area on each panel of your storyboard that has a camera movement.

‣

4:3 Reference: Prints the 4:3 area on each panel of your storyboard that has a camera movement.

4. Select the Open document/folder after export option to view the file when it is ready.

NOTE: Refer to the third party software’s user guide to learn how to import and use the EDL/AAF/XML file.

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About Conformation
In Storyboard Pro, you can export your storyboard project to Final Cut Pro, an Apple third party editing software, edit
it, and then import the changes back into your Storyboard Pro project using the conformation feature. The
conformation export will produce an XML file containing the entire animatic project structure, as well as images ofyour panels. You can then import it into Final Cut Pro and it will recreate the animatic.
You can also track the changes in your panels and export tracked panels only.

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About Conformation

Exporting for Conformation
When you are ready to export, decide if you will export the entire project, only the tracked panels or specificpanels. If you are exporting to Flix, you can automate the process by using scripts.
How to export an entire storyboard project
1. Select File > Conformation > Export Project.
The Export Project window opens.

2. In the Destination Path section, enter the name for the exported files and specify a folder.
3. In the Options section:‣

Export one image per layer: Keeps layers on separate images instead of flattening each panel’slayers into one flat image file.

‣

Always Nest Layers: Nests the scene's layers inside one single clip. When this option is deselected,
layers will not be nested into clips and will export as individual video tracks. This is true as long as apanel has either layer motion or a camera move, as it is not possible to export both without nesting. If apanel contains both motion on layers and a camera move, the panel will be nested into the V1 track.
option to nest your scene's layers inside one single clip. When this option is deselected, layers will not
be nested into clips and will export as individual video tracks. This is true as long as a panel has either

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layer motion or a camera move, as it is not possible to export both without nesting. If a panel contains
both motion on layers and a camera move, the panel will be nested into the V1 track.
‣

Export Camera Frame: Includes the camera frame’s black border.

‣

Maintain image size throughout scene: Prevents image files from being different sizes depending on
the camera frames and movements on each panel. To avoid the image from being pixelated when thecamera is zoomed in, the image must be rendered larger. The area where the camera is the most zoomed
in must be the same size as the project resolution. This means that the rest of the image has to beexported in proportion to the smallest area. Consider the following example:‣

Bitmap Format: Lets you select a bitmap image format:Targa (*.tga)Photoshop (*.psd)Portable Network
Graphics (*.png)Jpeg (*.jpg)•

Export markers at scene beginning: Places a chapter marker at the beginning of eachscene. These markers are used to find the in point of each scene when conforming from Final
Cut Pro to Harmony. The marker are named "Scene: NAME_OF_SCENE" and have a uniquescene ID and chapter marker as their comment.

•

Export Scenes Reference Track: Generates .png images with the scene named burned in.
When exporting to Final Cut Pro, this option must be enabled. The track will be used by
Harmony when conforming the XML from Final Cut Pro to find the scene in the XML.

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About Conformation

4. Select the additional information you want to overlay on the exported images. This information will be
added to each image and will be specific to the panel. Here are the choices:‣‣

Burn-In: Adds information specific about the panels and their position in the Timeline.
•

Print Time Code: Prints the project timecode on the images as an overlay
on your video.

•

Print Scene Names and Panel Numbers: Prints the scene names andpanel numbers as an overlay on your images.

•

Print Additional Duration: Prints an additional duration on your video,
defined by the Units and Repeat drop-down menu.

•

Units: Choose either you want the additional duration information to be
displayed using Time Code or Frames units.

•

Repeat: Choose either you want the additional duration information to be
the duration per Panel, per Scene or per Sequence.

Camera Grids: Adds boundaries to the images that indicate what the Camera includes
or excludes.
•

Project Safety: Prints the safe area on your video.

•

4:3 Safety: Prints the 4:3 safe area on each panel of your storyboard thathas a camera movement.

•

4:3 References: Prints the 4:3 area on each panel of your storyboard thathas a camera movement.

5. Select the Notify Flix option to so it will automatically update its asset database. Note that Flix must be
installed on your computer.
6. Select the Open folder after export option to open the folder where the files are stored when the export iscomplete.
How to export selected panels
1. In the Thumbnails view, select the panels you want to export to a third party software.
2. Select File > Conformation > Export Selected Panels.
The Export Selected Projects dialog box opens.

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3. Set your export options in the Export Project dialog box.
How to export tracked panels
1. Once you have tracked panels in your storyboard project, select File > Conformation > Export Tracked
Panels.
The Export Tracked Panels dialog box opens.

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2. Set your export options in the Export Tracked Panels dialog box.

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Exporting to Flix
There are three scripts for exporting to Flix with the touch of a button in the Scripting toolbar:•

TB_ExportAllPanelsToFlix: Exports all panels in your storyboard project to Flix.

•

TB_ExportSelectedPanelsToFlix: Exports selected panels in your storyboard project to Flix.

•

TB_ExportTrackedPanelsToFlix: Exports tracked panels in your storyboard project to Flix.

You can also use the TB_SetFilePathForExportToXML script to reset the path of the export.
To add scripts to the Scripting toolbar, see Linking Scripts to Toolbar Buttons on page 565.
For more information on scripting, see Scripting on page 559.

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About Conformation

Importing Animatics
Once you have imported your project’s conformation XML into Final Cut Pro and completed editing, you will needto export it once again as an XML file to bring it back into your Storyboard Pro project.

NOTE: Refer to your third party software’s documentation to learn how to export the animatic project in an XML fileformat.

IMPORTANT: You can only reimport a modified conformation XML file into the original project from which it was
first exported.

How to import an animatic
1. In your original storyboard project, select File > Conformation > Import Animatic Project.
The Import Project window opens.

2. Click the Browse

button and locate your XML file.

3. In the Options section, the Process Audio and Process Captions options are enabled by default, whichmeans that the audio tracks and captions will be conformed as well. Deselect these options if you do notwant to conform the audio or captions.
4. Click OK to return to the Import Project dialog box.
The Report section displays information relative to the conformation process. If an error happened during
the conformation process, this is also where the details relative to this error would appear.

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Exporting the Current Image

Exporting the Current Image
You can export the current visible frame to a .tga, .jpeg or PSD image. Note that a PSD file will keep each layer
separated and named as in the panel.

NOTE: No caption or camera frame will be exported in the image file.

How to export the current frame to .tga, .jpeg or .psd image
1. In the Thumbnails view, select the panel containing the image to export as a bitmap image file.

2. Select File > Export > Export Current Image.
The Export Current Image window opens.
3. Select the destination folder for the image.
4. Type a name for the image.
5. Select the desired type from the Save as type menu.
6. Click Save to begin the export.
The image inside the frame is exported as a bitmap image file.

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Exporting to Bitmap
T-SBADV-011-008
The Export Bitmap window lets you export a storyboard project to bitmap files in .psd, .tga or .jpg format. The
exported data includes a separate bitmap file for each panel in the storyboard.

NOTE: For .psd files, the transform and transition animations are not exported. However, camera moves are
rendered into an independent layer.

How to export a storyboard to a bitmap file
1. Select File > Export > Bitmap.
The Export to Bitmap dialog box opens.

2. In the Destination Path panel:llSpecify the name and location of the folder that will contain the storyboard’s assets.
In the File Pattern field, enter a prefix for the file names. If you leave this field blank, by default,
the resulting bitmap files will be named: storyboardname-shotnamepanelnumber.psd/tga/jpg.
Three Little Pigs-BrickHouse-1.psd/jpg/tga
Three Little Pigs-BrickHouse-2.psd/jpg/tga

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Exporting to Bitmap

Three Little Pigs-BrickHouse-3.psd/jpg/tga
3. In the Setup Bitmap Export Parameters panel:
l

l

l

l

l

l

l

l

l

l

In the Bitmap Format menu, set the bitmap files to be in .psd, .jpg or .tga format.
Resolution: Sets the resolution to be a quarter size, half size, or full size of the current storyboard resolution.
Image Zoom Level: Sets the magnification of the image. Enter a value between 0 and 400.
The default value is 85%.
Transparent Background: This option is only available when the Adobe Photoshop (.psd)
file format is selected. By default this option is enabled and will export your .psd file.
Export Camera Frame: Exports the camera frame black border in the image file.
Rectify Static Camera: When this option is enabled, if there is a rotation in the camera, thecamera frame will appear as straight and the image will be rotated instead. When disabled,
the camera frame appears as rotated and the image is straight.
Include Camera Path: Ensures that the camera paths and control points appear inside theimage. When this option is disabled, they might appear cropped if they exceed the camera
frames area.
Allow Camera Scaling: This option is enabled by default. This ensures that when a very
wide zoom camera movement is included in a panel, the image resulting from the export will
be bigger in relation to the camera scaling used. If you disable this option, the exported
image will not follow the camera scaling and export it to fit a normal camera frame.
Maintain Size Through Scene: Ensures that all images exported are the same size. If thisoption is disabled, it is possible that some images export to a bigger size, for example if
there is a traveling camera movement.
Export Camera Keyframes: Prints each camera keyframe on your images.

4. In the Export Range panel, decide if you want to export the entire storyboard, specific shots, or the last
panel you selected. You can enter a space between shot names or click Select to open the Scene Picker
dialog box. You can select scenes by sequence (if your project contains sequences). See About Track
Changes on page 490.
5. To view the location and contents of the exported folder when it is ready, select theOpen folder after export option.

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Exporting Layouts
T-SBADV-011-009

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Exporting to Toon Boom

Exporting to Toon Boom
Using Storyboard Pro, you can export your animatic as Harmony scene files. You can export the entire
storyboard project or a selection of scenes. When the export is ready, you can open it in the destination software.
When you first save this new scene, the exported file will be converted in the proper format depending on thesoftware you used.The following elements of your storyboard will be exported: layers, layer motion and camera
moves.

NOTE: Transitions and holds in the layer motions are not supported by the Export to Toon Boom option.

To learn more about the Layers view, see Layers on page 149.
How to export to Toon Boom
1. Select File > Export > Export to Toon Boom.
The Export to Toon Boom dialog box opens.

2. In the Destination Path, select a folder in which to save your storyboard project. You can type in the exact
path or use the Browse
button to browse to a specific folder on your system. You should create afolder for your exported project since Storyboard Pro will generate several files during the export.

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3. In the Scene Name Pattern field, you can set your own pattern which will be used to name the Harmony
scenes created from the export. Leave this field blank to use the default pattern. The following variables canbe used to define the scene name pattern:‣%t = Project title‣%a = Act name (when acts are enabled)‣%q = Sequence name (when project contains sequences)‣%s = Scene name

You can add a number between the % sign and the letter of the variable to define a minimum number ofcharacters to use. For example, if the scene is named 16 and the Scene Name Pattern value is MyProject_
sc%4s, the resulting export will be named: MyProject_sc0016.
4. In the Export Type section, select the Toon Boom animation software in which you want to export.

NOTE: To determine if your export will be created for Harmony Server or Harmony Stand Alone, in the Format menu,
select the Offline option for a stand alone export or To Database for a server format. Depending on the Harmony
version you have, select either 7.8 or 9.2 or higher.

5. Select one of the following options:‣

Rendered Animatic: Exports a storyboard to be rendered in bitmap images and exports toAnimate/Animate Pro/Harmony scene. For each scene in your storyboard, an Animate/Animate
Pro/Harmony scene will be created. Use this option if you have 3D content and want to export to
Animate, Animate Pro, or Harmony 9.2 and earlier. And also to export to Harmony if you have bitmap
drawing layers.
•

All Frames: Renders the full storyboard project.

•

One Frame Each: Renders only one frame for every chosen number of frames you
specify. For example, if you choose to render every 5 frames, then a new image will appear
every fifth frame, with each image being held for 5 frames to maintain the timing.

•

Resolution: Lets you select the render size of the project: Full size, half size or quarter
size.

•

Generate One Scene: Generates a scene by scene or by selected sequences andpanels.

•‣Per Scene: Generates the scene by shots.

‣

Per Selection: Generates the scene by selected panels.

‣

Per Sequence: Generates the scene by sequences. Note that this option
only appears when sequences are added in the project.

‣

Per Act: Generates the scene by act. Note that this option only appears
when the Enable Act option is selected.

Animatic on Top: If you generate scenes based on sequences or acts, this option
becomes available. When enabled, the animatic is rendered and placed as the top layer andcolumn in Harmony or Animate.

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Exporting to Toon Boom

Select Original Scene to export your storyboard in a project where the vector drawings, layers andcamera settings are kept as is. For each shot or scene in your storyboard, a Harmony/Animate scene
is created.
•

Nest Panels in Symbols: Upon export to Harmony or Animate, the panel's content will
be nested inside symbols. Instead of having several layers in your root timeline, you will
have a single one. You will need to enter the symbol to edit its content.

•

Add a Camera Reference Layer: Adds a layer containing the different camera frames
on top of the other layers to use as a reference in Harmony and Animate.

•

Apply Transformation on Drawings: Applies transformation on the first and last
position of each panel. The in-between animation will be lost.

6. If you selected Rendered Animatic as the Export Style, you can now select the additional information you
want to overlay on the exported images. This information is add to each image and is specific to the panel.
You have the following choices:‣

Export Range: Decide if you want to export the entire project (All), Selected Scenes, Current Scene,or the Current Act.

‣Sounds: Using the drop-down menu, choose how the soundtrack will be exported:

‣

‣

•

Keep Original Files: Keeps and uses all original sound files.

•

Process Soundtrack Individually: Creates one audio file per soundtrack.

•

Merge All Soundtracks: Creates a single audio file, gathering sounds from every
soundtrack of your storyboard.

Burn-In:•

Print Time Code: Prints the global timecode on each rendered image.

•Print Scene Names and Panel Numbers: Prints the scene names and panel numbers
for the current frame.

•

Print Additional Duration: Prints an additional duration on your video, defined by the
Units and Repeat menu.

Camera Grids: Adds boundaries to the images that indicate what the camera includes or excludes.
•

Project Safety: Prints the safe area on your video.

•

4:3 Safety: Prints the 4:3 safe area on each panel of your storyboard that has a camera
movement.

•

4:3 References: Prints the 4:3 area on each panel of your storyboard that has a camera
movement.

7. Select the Open document/folder after export option to view the file when it is ready.

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Exporting Soundtracks
In Storyboard Pro, you can export your project’s soundtrack to an audio .wav file. You can export the different
soundtracks as one audio file or export all soundtracks separately.
How to export a soundtrack
1. Select File > Export > Soundtrack.
The Export Soundtracks window opens.

2. From the Destination Path section, click the Browse
the exported soundtrack.

button. Select and name the folder in which to save

3. In the File Pattern field, you can set your own pattern name. The default File Pattern is %t-A%n.wav.
‣%t = Project title‣%n = Soundtrack number

For example, if you export separate soundtracks for a project named Rocket Rodeo, the resulting audio files
will be named: Rocket Rodeo-A1.wav, Rocket Rodeo-A2.wav, Rocket Rodeo-A3.wav and so on.
4. In the Options section, select the way you want the software to process your soundtracks:‣

Process Soundtracks Individually: Exports the different sound layers to be exported as individual
soundtracks.

‣

Merge All Soundtracks: Merges all the sound layers onto one single soundtrack.

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Exporting Soundtracks‣

Don't Break Sound: Exports the sound layers as one complete soundtrack. Depending on whether
you selected to export the sound layers individually or merged, one single soundtrack will be exported
or one soundtrack per layer will be exported.

‣

Break Sound Per Scene: Divides the soundtracks in sound files per scene. Depending on whether
you selected to export the sound layers individually or merged, one single soundtrack will be exported
per scene or one soundtrack per layer will be exported per scene.

‣

Break Sound Per Sequence: Divides the soundtracks in sound files per sequence. Depending onwhether you selected to export your sound layers individually or merged, one single soundtrack will be
exported per sequence or one soundtrack per layer will be exported per sequence.

‣

Break Sound Per Act: Divides the soundtracks into sound files per act. Depending on whether you
selected to export your sound layers individually or merged, one single soundtrack will be exported per
act or one soundtrack per layer will be exported per act.

5. In the Sound Settings section:‣

Sample Rate: Lets you select the Khz sample rate value. A higher value results in a better quality
sound but heavier file.

‣

Bit Depth: Sets the audio file bit depth to 8 or 16 bit. A higher bit value will result in a better quality
sound but heavier file.

‣

Channels: Lets you select the exported audio files channels to be either Mono or Stereo.

6. In the Export Range section:‣

All: Exports the entire storyboard’s soundtrack.

‣

Selected Scenes: Opens the Scenes Picker dialog box so you can select specific scenes in which toexport the soundtrack. In the Scene Picker dialog box, you can select your scenes by sequences ifyour project contains sequences.

‣

Current Scene: Exports only the currently selected scene’s soundtrack.

7. Select the Open folder after export option to have the system automatically open the folder containing
your exported audio files.

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Exporting CSV Files
T-SBADV-011-006
You can export the data in a storyboard project in comma separated value (*.csv) file format.
You can view this data in any application that supports comma separated value files, such as Microsoft Excel. If you
do not have Microsoft Excel installed, you can save the .csv file to your computer, and then open the file in anotherapplication.
How to export a storyboard to a CSV file
1. Select File > Export > CSV.
The Export to CSV dialog box opens.

2. In the Destination Path field, specify the location and name of the folder for the storyboard project data.
3. In the CSV Export Options section, do the following:lll

Encoding: Select the type of encoder to use for export.
Field Separator: Select the fields separator to use. Options include: Comma, Semicolon, Tabor Vertical bar (Pipe).
Select the types of data to export.

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Exporting CSV Files

NOTE: Refer to About Track Changes on page 490 to learn about Tracking Information.

4. In the Export Range panel, decide if you want to export the entire storyboard, specific shots, or the last
panel you selected. You can enter a space between shot names or click Select to open the Scene Picker
dialog box. You can select scenes by sequence (if your project contains sequences).
5. To view the CSV file directly in Microsoft Excel or other application that recognizes the CSV format, selectthe Open document/folder after export option.

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Exporting FBX Files
Exporting a storyboard project in FBX format allows you to store any motion data (from element motion or Camera
angles/zooms), as well as the 2D and 3D elements in your scene. Once exported to FBX, you can open thestoryboard elements in a third-party 3D application and continue to work on them. You would only export theseelements to FBX once you are finished with them in Storyboard Pro. Normally, you would not bring these elementsback into Storyboard Pro.
How to export an FBX file
1. Select File > Export > FBX.
The Export to FBX dialog box opens.

2. In the Destination Path section, click the Browse
sequence.

button and choose a folder in which to save your image

3. In the File Pattern field, type a name for the exported files.
4. To include the camera frame’s black border in the scene, select the Export Camera Frame option.
5. From the One Clip list, select one of the following:‣

Per Scene: Exports one clip per scene.

‣

Per Project: Exports one clip for the entire project.

‣

Per Sequence: Exports one clip per sequence. This option is available only if your project contains
sequences.

6. In the Export Range section, select how many scenes to include in the exported files:‣

All: Includes all the scenes in your project.

‣

Current Scene: Includes only the scene you selected when you opened this dialog box.

7. Click OK.
Your objects are saved as an FBX file in the folder you specified.
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Chapter 20: Scripting
Qt Script provides access to many of the functions supported in the Storyboard Pro interface. With Qt Script, you
can automate a number of Storyboard Pro functions to speed the completion of various repetitive tasks.
Qt Script is an object-oriented scripting language based on the ECMAScript standard, like JavaScript and JScript.
However, there are some differences that distinguish it from these scripting languages which are familiar to web
programmers.

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Importing Scripts

Importing Scripts
If there are scripts that are ready for you to use, you must first transfer the *.js files from the computer where
the scripts were created to the one you intend to use. Then you can use the Script Editor to import the *.js files
into Storyboard Pro.
When working with Storyboard Pro, scripts that you created while working on a scene or imported are available
for all other projects created on the same computer; there's no need for any kind of transfer or import. You can findyour custom, default, and imported scripts here:•

Windows: C:\Users\[user_name]\AppData\Roaming\Toon Boom Animation\Toon Boom Storyboard
Pro\1200-scripts•

Mac OS X: /Users/[user_name]/Library/Preferences/Toon Boom Animation/Toon Boom Storyboard
Pro/1200-scripts
On Mac OS X, the Library folder is a hidden folder. To display the display the folder, hold down the Alt key.

How to import scripts
1. Copy the *.js files you want to transfer onto a USB key, or use the transfer method of your choice.
2. Transfer and save the *.js files onto the computer you intend to use. Be sure to save them in a logical location. You can save them directly in the default locations indicated above, in which case they will automatically appear in the Script Editor. If you prefer not to mix them with the default scripts, save them to adifferent location.
3. In Storyboard Pro, start a new scene or open an existing one.
4. Add the Script Editor view to your workspace.
5. From the Script Editor menu, select File > Import Script.

6. Select the *.js file and click Open.
The script is imported and appears in the Files list of the Script Editor.

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Creating Scripts
Using the Script Editor, you can create Qt scripts for Storyboard Pro.
Your custom scripts and default scripts are stored here:•

Windows: C:\Users\[user_name]\AppData\Roaming\Toon Boom Animation\Toon Boom Storyboard
Pro\1200-scripts•

Mac OS X: /Users/[user_name]/Library/Preferences/Toon Boom Animation/Toon Boom Storyboard
Pro/1200-scripts
On Mac OS X, the Library folder is a hidden folder. To display the display the folder, hold down the Alt key.

For details about the scripting nodes, click the link below.
l

Storyboard Pro Script Interface Documentation

You can also find the help files in the Script Editor view. From the Script Editor menu, select Help > ScriptingInterface Documentation.
How to create a script
1. Select Windows > Script Editor.
The Script Editor view opens. A list of all the available JavaScript files is displayed.

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Chapter 20: Scripting

Creating Scripts

The New Script dialog box appears.

3. Enter a name and click OK.
The name of your script appears in the File column of the Script Editor view.

4. Click in the right side of the Script Editor and start writing your script. Try typing in the following script:
function projectQuery(){var storyboard = new StoryboardManager();
print("This project has " + storyboard.numberOfScenesInProject() + "scenes in the project");}

NOTE:
For a tutorial on coding in JavaScript, refer to docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/java
For a detailed Storyboard Pro script interface documentation, refer to Storyboard Pro Script Interface
Documentation
There are also help files in the Script Editor view. In the Script Editor menu, select Help > Scripting Interface
Documentation.

5. To check your syntax, click Verify.
A window opens with syntax information.

6. To test your script, select the script to run from the File column.
7. From the Script Editor menu, select Play/Debug > Run.

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A window opens to ask you for the target function to run. In the window, select the function you want toexecute.

NOTE:
To avoid selecting the function every time you want to run your script, you can set a target function. In the Script Editor
menu, select Play/Debug > Set Target. In the Function column, select a function and click OK.

‣

To stop the execution of your script, select Play/Debug > Stop from the Script Editor menu.

‣

You may receive the following message: Only functions that have been saved or are explicitly called will
be executed.
This usually occurs if you did not select the function you wanted to run from the File column before
running the script. When this happens, click Save and run your script again.

‣

You may also see the following message (in red) on the right side of the Script Editor:

This is because the Storyboard Pro jumped to the <<Sandbox>> item in the Function column. The<<Sandbox>> is provided to test scripts without saving them. Simply click on your newly created script
and run it again.

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Using an External Script Editor

Using an External Script Editor
If you are more comfortable editing your scripts using another editor, Storyboard Pro allows you to set an external
script editor and use that one instead.

NOTE:
If you do not set an external editor, on Windows and Mac OS X, when selecting the External Editor option, it will
launch the registered editor for JavaScript program (e.g. Visual Studio, XCode or Brackets).
Multiple files can be opened in the same editor instead of starting a different copy of the editor each time a *.js
script is selected.

How to set an external editor
1. From the Script Editor menu, select Editor > Set External Editor.
The Set External Editor window opens.

2. In the external editor, type or paste the complete path to the application, including its name and extension.
For example, if you want to set Adobe Dreamweaver as your external editor, a Windows path would look
like this:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Adobe Dreamweaver CS5\Dreamweaver.exe
On Mac OS X, simply specify the application name. If the application supports the Applescript OpenDocument protocol, it will open.
3. Click OK.
How to edit a script in an external editor
1. In the File list, select the script to edit.
2. From the Script Editor menu, select Editor > External Editor.
3. In the external editor that opens, edit the script and save the file.
4. In Storyboard Pro, refresh the Script Editor view by selecting another script and then selecting your edited
script again to see the modifications.

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Linking Scripts to Toolbar Buttons
You can add buttons to the Scripting toolbar so you can access them easily.
How to link a script to a toolbar button
1. In the Scripting toolbar, click the Manage Scripts

button.

The Scripts Manager dialog box opens and displays the available scripts.

2. In the Files list, select the JavaScript file containing the function you want to add to the toolbar.
3. In the Functions list, select the function to add to the toolbar.
4. Click the Right Arrowbutton to add the function to the In Toolbar list.

5. To load a custom icon, click Customize Icon and browser for a *.png, *.jpg or *.xpm file.
6. To customize the tooltip appearing in the Scripting toolbar, click Customize Tooltip and type in the new tooltip in the Function Tooltip window.

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Linking Scripts to Toolbar Buttons

7. Click OK.
How to execute a script
1. Once the script is added to the Scripting toolbar, you can press on the corresponding script button to
execute the action.
2. You can press the Esc key to interrupt the execution of a script.

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