Shot Generator Tutorial

1. How to use Shot Generator

What is it?

Shot Generator is a really easy to use scene editor. You can quickly add some characters, set up a camera, and insert a storyboard image. After you insert a few shots, you have a sequence of images. You can also go back and edit the scene if you want to change something. You can also set up pretty complicated shots with custom poses, custom models, and lighting.

Why use it?

First, you might want to use it if you can't draw. Once you get the hang of it, you can set up should really quickly. But even if you can draw, you might want to use it to do really quick layout using characters and poses. Then you can just draw over the top of it.

How does it work?

When you create a shot with shot generator, Storyboarder saves the Shot Generator information in that storyboard, so you can go back and edit it later. Each storyboard has it's own Shot Generator information, so if you change something in one shot, it will not be in another shot.

Future potential benefits:

In the future, there will be more benefits from using Shot Generator. For example, Storyboarder will output all of the top down camera diagrams for each shot. Storyboarder will also be able to tell you how many camera setups you have and how the actors and cameras are moving shot to shot.

1. Make a new shot in Storyboarder by pressing "N"
2. Open shot generator in the upper right hand side of the screen.
3. Click Add a character.
4. Click save to board.
5. Close shot generator and go back to Storyboarder.

2. Some high level notes

1. Keep it simple
2. Importance of play

3. User Interface

[ insert image ]

4. Keyboard Controls

Moving the camera around

W A S D R F

Z X

Also use the mouse to angle the camera in the main view.

Change Lens

[ ]

Copy an object

Command + D

5. Top down view

Move objects around by clicking and dragging them.

6. Objects and their properties

1. Camera
2. Object
3. Character
4. Light
5. Volume

properties

7. Scene properties

lighting

room

environment

8. Posing

Preset poses

1. Select a character.
2. Scroll down on the bottom left pane to "Pose".
3. Select a pose.

Manual Posing

1. Select a character.
2. Select a bone.
3. Scroll down on the bottom left pane to the QR code.
4. Open your camera app on your phone, point at the QR code and open the link.
5. On your phone, press and hold the main rotation button.
6. Rotate the phone, and the bone will rotate at the same time.
7. Let go of the button.

Saving a Preset

When you manually set a pose, just click the "+" button next to the pose to create a new pose. Name it whatever you want.

9. Rotating bones with your phone

This can be tricky. It takes some getting used to. Once you figure it out

10. Importing objects

11. Things you cant do (YET!!):

(updated for Storyboarder v. 1.17)

1. Undo / Redo (now possible)
2. Select multiple objects (now possible)
3. Copy and paste
4. Better way to select poses (pose capture possible using VR)
5. Camera position tools (now camera position panel in VR window)