Ted Mathot: Advice for Story Portfolios
In 2014 Pixar story supervisor Ted Mathot answered questions about story portfolios on the Story Advice Tumblr. Although the article is seven years old, it is still great advice if you are working on a story portfolio and wonder what kind of work you should include.
I would say just boards; although we look at reels occasionally, the lead artists are often pressed for time and don’t have the luxury of watching reels. We need to move at our own pace, so include only your best stuff and make an impact quickly. Camera instructions are ok if they’re simple, but your boards should tell the story visually.
Also, in terms of text, excessive dialogue on boards is not going to help you, as the reviewers simply don’t have time to read it. A few lines are ok, but for longer dialogue scenes, leave it out or choose sequences that highlight more visual storytelling.
How much focus should I put on backgrounds, I mean do more finished boards make a better impression, or does it really not matter and should I just focus on clarity and storytelling?
Backgrounds are important to ground the viewer as to where they are in physical space and are an important compositional element. Include them but don’t go overboard on detail. Clarity first.
“Finished” boards are a bit of a myth. Although we sometimes take boards to a more finished level, clarity and storytelling are ALWAYS the most important thing. I actually prefer boards that are looser and have good energy.
Nothing will make a better impression than when your boards are clear, well drawn, staged, and composed. A high level of finish doesn’t mean anything unless you have achieved the elements listed above.
Clean doesn’t necessarily mean clear.
Also would it be better to make a few samples with different styles or focus on one?
Yes. Working in different styles is a plus because all the directors have different ways in which they work, and many times artists need to mimic others’ styles in order for the production reels to be uniform.
How many pages of storyboards, or panels would be a good amount to include in a portfolio?
Keep it brief. 15-20 pages of boards is good… make sure that the boards read clearly at the size you choose to make them. 6- 9 panels per page preferably.
Again, remember the reviewer’s time is limited and we may have 20-25 other books to look at in an hour (and sometimes as little as 30 minutes). Include only your best work, make an impact quickly, and lead off with something strong.
Would it be good to include life drawing as well? (few or 10?)
Life drawing in the academic sense is not required, although we do like to see drawings FROM life (ie: in the airport, coffee shop, etc) especially if they define a character or tell a story. Communicative single image storytelling will put you ahead of the game.
We also really like to see personal work — something that you created yourself or experienced in your life. It demonstrates your ability and tells us more about you.
Would it be good to include comic pages?
Yes if they demonstrate good storytelling, composition, and draftsmanship. Again keep it brief — they should not be the main part of your portfolio. A couple of pages are ok.
Is there any sort of program in place to train storyboard artists up in house?
There is a story internship program every summer for students, including graduating seniors.
What would you suggest I work on if getting into story at pixar was my goal?
Personally I look for very good drawing skills and examples of boards that show knowledge of cinematic language (composition, cutting, staging, pacing, and visual storytelling) as well as your thought process (ie: roughs, thumbnails and visual “thinking”). I want to know if the artist can tell a story visually (whether it be in a series of boards, or even just one drawing). ie: You should be able to tell a story without words or dialogue.
All story leads look for different things, so while this is not universal, it will certainly help. The storyboards I react most strongly to from a drawing standpoint are ones that are loose but well drawn, clear, and easy to read and have good energy. I would also rather see personal work as opposed to production (TV) boards.
This is the basic list of criteria for story artists. Work on all of these!
- Knowledge of film, including film language, acting, movie craft (cutting, staging, composition), and animation.
- Knowledge of animation storyboarding is strongly preferred.
- Draftsmanship - appealing drawings are highly sought after (appeal can be loosely defined as clear, well-drawn, communicative expressions and gesture).
- Composition skills.
- Ability to create story ideas and options to story ideas.
- Ability to work collaboratively, create and change gears.
- Be well-rounded : be able to board action, humor, drama, and emotional scenes.
- Ted Mathot, story supervisor at Pixar
