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Toon Boom Certified Animation Courses

Course 2: Visual Storytelling

Course Introduction:

Explore the world of visual storytelling with our hands-on course, designed to teach you the fundamentals of crafting compelling storyboards using Storyboard Pro. Whether you’re an aspiring filmmaker, animator, or artist, this comprehensive course provides the essential skills to transform a simple script into an engaging visual narrative. From mastering camera angles and staging to creating animatics, this course provides a thorough introduction to the art of storyboarding.

This is a dynamic and creative course designed for those who love storytelling and are eager to explore the digital side of bringing stories to life. Whether you’re passionate about film, animation, or TV production, this course offers an immersive journey into the world of digital storyboarding using Storyboard Pro, the industry-standard tool for visual storytelling.

You’ll learn how to translate scripts into visual blueprints, learning key elements like camera usage, screen direction, composition, and timing. With hands-on guidance from our expert instructors, you’ll develop skills to create compelling storyboards and animatics—where your story begins to come alive with movement, sound, and rhythm.

By the end of this course, you’ll be equipped to bring your stories to life more effectively and efficiently, ready to create storyboards for a variety of visual media projects. Whether you’re new to storyboarding or looking to sharpen your digital skills, this course is your stepping-stone into the exciting world of visual storytelling.

Course Outline:

Participants will learn to plan and construct storyboards as well as animatics using the latest techniques available in Storyboard Pro, including the 3D environment and collaboration tools. This course is intended for artists who understand the fundamentals of storyboarding and are interested in taking the next steps to learn digital storyboarding techniques with Storyboard Pro to optimise their production.

Topics Covered Include:

• Getting Started with Storyboard Pro
• Software Setup
• Sketching a Panel
• Working with Panels & Scenes
• Best practices
• Working with Captions
• Creating a Basic Animatic
• Working with Sound
• Storyboarding in a 3D Environment
• Exporting a Storyboard
• Collaboration and Revisions

Course Format

• This class is an instructor-led, hands-on activity lab.

Objectives

• Optimise the tools and interface for efficient production
• Storyboard an episode or film
• Incorporate a 3D asset into the storyboard
• Create an animatic utilising timeline editing
• Collaborate with other storyboard artists, revisionists, and supervisors
• Track and approve changes
• Export a storyboard to various formats

A detailed course breakdown will be shared with those candidates who are selected for the course.

Certification

• A Toon Boom course certificate will be provided to participants who complete the program.
• Completion of this course qualifies participants for the official Toon Boom Storyboard Pro Software certification exam.

Dates: 17 – 29 May 2025 (2 weeks)

Hours
The course duration is 40 hours.
Broken into weeknights (3.5 hours evenings) and 7 hours on Saturdays.
Each session takes place from Saturday through Thursday.
Sunday to Thursday from 4:30 PM to 8:00 PM (including a 30-minute break)
Saturdays from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM (including a 1-hour lunch break)

Language: English

Group Size: 10 participants

Course Fee: 2,000 QAR per module

Four-Course Bundle: 7,000 QAR (submission deadline: 16 April 2025)

Selection Information and Eligibility

• To take this course, attendees should be familiar with storyboarding principles
• Open to citizens and residents of Qatar and the Gulf, aged 18 and older.
• The Doha Film Institute will not be responsible for the visa and travel procedures

Submission Deadline: 27 April 2025

Submission Requirements

Please send the following in Word or PDF format to animation@dohafilminstitute.com

1. Letter of motivation mentioning the title of the course you are applying to (up to one page)
2. Copy of Passport or ID
3. Contact information (email and phone number)
4. If available, an artist portfolio or CV
5. If available, any previous film or creative works (illustrations, animation, online portfolio, website etc.)

Selection Process

Candidates will be selected by the workshop mentor. Shortlisted candidates not selected for the lab will be placed on a waiting list in case of cancellations.

Instructor

Kim Bussiahn
Instructional Designer and Visual Storyteller

Kim Bussiahn is a passionate instructional designer and visual storyteller who empowers animators and studios to bring their creative visions to life. With over two decades of experience in animation and digital art, Kim has spent the last 12 years at the heart of Toon Boom, guiding artists on their creative journeys.

Her adventure began in the vibrant city of Johannesburg, South Africa, where she first immersed herself in the world of Toon Boom Harmony and Storyboard Pro while working on an international TV series. This hands-on experience ignited a passion for teaching and curriculum development, leading her to share her expertise with aspiring animators.

Today, as a valued member of Toon Boom’s Professional Services team, Kim’s influence spans the globe. She’s a master storyteller, weaving engaging narratives into her training programs and crafting interactive learning experiences that resonate with students worldwide. Whether she’s leading a workshop in a bustling studio or developing online courses that reach artists in remote corners of the world, Kim’s dedication to animation education shines through.

Kim’s deep understanding of both Harmony and Storyboard Pro, coupled with her talent for instructional design, allows her to create dynamic learning resources that cater to diverse learning styles. She’s a true champion of animation education, empowering artists of all levels to master the tools of their craft and unlock their creative potential.

Mentor

Stacey Eberschlag
Emmy Award-Winning Master Storyteller and Animation Maestro

Embark on a journey through the illustrious career of Stacey Eberschlag, an Emmy Award-winning animator and director hailing from Toronto, Ontario. With a rich tapestry of over 30 years in the animation industry, Stacey has become a beacon of creativity and expertise. His work has spanned an array of projects—from captivating animated series and feature films to innovative commercials and video games.

Stacey’s magic touch has been seen in his collaborations with industry giants such as Disney, Netflix, Warner Bros, Universal, and Nickelodeon. His remarkable contributions have shaped the narratives of beloved projects like ‘Thomas and Friends’, ‘Final Space’, and the revitalized ‘Animaniacs’.

But Stacey’s journey extends beyond the studio walls. Over the past 15 years, he has embraced the role of a global animation ambassador, living in Asia and Africa. As a certified Toon Boom instructor, he has illuminated the paths of numerous studios and aspiring animators, imparting wisdom in animation skills and techniques. His passion lies at the intersection of storytelling, animation, and rigging, where he consistently pushes the boundaries of what’s possible. This passion culminated in winning an Emmy Award with DQE Entertainment for ‘Tutenstein’, an animated series that breathes life into a 12-year-old mummy in a modern museum setting. Today, Stacey resides in Toronto with his wife and two children, continuing to inspire and lead in the world of animation.

About Toon Boom

For 30 years and counting, Toon Boom Animation has been the global leader in pre-production and 2D animation software, with clients in over 140 countries. The organisation has made its mark with products that include Harmony (end-to-end animation) and Storyboard Pro (storyboarding and layout), which continue to build upon their reputation for high-performance tools that push the limits of creativity. Producer (production management) and Harmony Gaming (drawing and animation tools for game development) are the most recent new products to join the line-up. Disney Television Animation, Atomic Cartoons, Bento Box, Fox Television Animation, Dog Head, Toei Animation, The SPA Studios, Xilam and Boulder Media are just a few examples of Toon Boom Animations’ high-profile clients. To learn more about Toon Boom, visit www.toonboom.com.

Presented in collaboration with the Qatar Museums Vocational School for Creative Industries

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