AnimSchool Blog

Welcome Eva Bruschi, Storyboard Artist for Sony Pictures Animation! Could you tell us about yourself, your career and how you became a Story Artist at Sony ?




Of course 🙂 My name is Eva and I’m Italian, born in Tuscany 34 years ago (almost 35) and about myself and how it all “started”, well, I remember that as a kid I was always ready to solve situations by drawing something, because I loved drawing and liked to help. 

One day – probably I was around 4-5 years old – my grandma needed celery and I drew a bunch of celery for her recipe. I though that was the same as having real celery for cooking, it was green and looked like celery so was enough for helping her. My mom was often missing the beach during winter time so one day I drew the sea, the sand, a blue stripe for the sky and the yellow sun, probably a crab walking and a boat floating far on the horizon, there certainly was even a seagull.. and then I gave her the drawing. “You can hear the waves if you get closer, mom, so now the beach is nearer and you shouldn’t miss it so much!”
The rest of the time I used to draw for myself (when everyone was done with my presents).
It’s really common among kids to give drawings as gifts thus I was perfectly acting as everyone, maybe I just kept doing it for a longer time than everyone.

I was actually always drawing, literally everywhere, the walls of my house were also filled with my drawings because my parents made the great mistake one day to say : “okay, you can draw on the walls but don’t go out of your bedroom space”. 
Didn’t work and I ended up covering the rest of the house.
C’mon. How can you resist to those big, white and empty walls?? My graffiti remained there for many years and as I grew up was nice to see the crazyness yet the truth that’s in kids drawings. 
I remember I loved to draw houses and gardens, well detailed gardens and animals. Cats and cows in particular. I remember while I was spending time with grandparents, my grandma used to tell me about her youth spent among the mountains, since she was Swiss. I often drew something out of those stories.. that’s probably where the many cows came from.. and probably even my first storyboards panels!! 😀 
I was also fascinated by bugs, so I used to often draw them. I knew them pretty well because for one birthday I received a microscope as a gift, so I soon became the nightmare for all the small creatures around in the back yard because I wanted to see if bees were wearing underpants. Anyway, looking in there, through the lens, was like looking through the window of another world, another dimension. 
I was drawing and drawing and drawing and I never could get enough of that! 
I drew until the end of secondary school, then thought I couldn’t survive nor pay for a rent with only drawing, so I followed a technical high school (and discovered photography, still another great passion of mine beside playing a bit on the guitar) and wanted to become a mechanic! But if there’s something in you that you really can’t hold, one time it comes out again, I promise.

So this happened. I was 23 and after I gave engineering a try at university,
I decided to attended an art school here in Italy. A 3-year animation course. School was pretty expensive for me so I was working while attending classes. I remember one day, during a workshop, an external teacher told me something like “hey you can’t do this as a job and still have another job to maintain you.
You should only draw, all day! You’re not gonna make it this way, you probably don’t want it for real, to become an artist and make a living out of it”. That was a terrible day, one of the worst for me, but I knew that from that moment on, I wanted to become good at drawing and a professional even more. 

After school – where they destroyed all my confidence in drawing and made me re-mold it – I started collaborating freelance with very talented people, mentors from whom to learn everyday, all the time, for Italian television series and features as story artist, but also as a 2d layout artist or 2d animation assistant. Especially in the beginning I had to take on everything that came by, not only storyboard work, because I needed a job and earn some money to keep living.
So without having the chance to choose the project I liked the most, I did learn much anyway.

At the end of 2014 I was contacted on LinkedIn (holy LinkedIn, get a LinkedIn profile guys and keep it updated!!!) and I was asked to help on a project as a freelance story artist (project was “High In The Clouds”). From that moment on, I have to say that my life has gone through many changes.
After that year and a half I spent boarding on that, I got to know many kind, professional and talented people who trusted me – and I guess that is the main point – and liked my work. So from one project to another, I luckily found myself working for Sony Pictures Animation. Ta-Daa!

What a beautiful story!
Can you tell us what a Storyboard Artist does?




Preproduction is where things get real for the first time and is great, to me, because you can play with a bunch of different aspects together. As a storyboard artist, you work in this phase and basically translate the script into drawings, so from words to images.
To do this, you need to know about acting, figure drawing, perspective, cinematography.. playing with lights in a scene is also really important if, for example, you’re showing a particular moment rich of emotion or a moment that someway has to be underlined. You have to understand what the script really says and have to start imagining what’s going on, then put it down on paper (or PS layers). This also includes other ideas (extra-script) that you came up with and that you will pitch later, like adding gags and reactions, giving it a certain energy that maybe not be described in the script. 
You also have to be extremely flexible, giving more (and more, and more, and more…) versions of the same sequence if required without getting crazy or depressed (just joking:). You have to take notes and modify what has to be changed. Be able to listen to directors and their ideas of the show and as said before, you have to be able to pitch your own ideas! 
Everything comes with time and experience (I’m talking to myself here!) and it’s not only about drawing, but also about patience and the willingness to do what’s best for the project.
So in the end, a story artist is in charge to give the first visual breath of life to a story, which as a thought to keep in mind, pays you back for all the sequences they cut you.

Can you use your own style of drawing or is there a certain in-house style of story boarding?




I’m quite free to use my own style in terms of drawing but of course you have to stay close to the models, their proportions on the screen and the right amount of energy to give to a scene that has to hook up to what’s before and after in the movie. What has helped me to get to know the style, if there’s any, was watching at other story artists work on the project. Comparing styles and ways of solving scenes is always a good thing that gives you the chance to get inspired and learn something.

Have you done 2D or 3D animations yourself? Or are you planning to make some? 


I did 2d animation especially when I was at the art school, but I find animation always fun to experiment. 
I need some free-time to animate tho, so it’s often hard to start something and finish it
But from time to time I try.

Looking for the best 3D Animation schools? For more information about AnimSchool and our online animation programs, visit us at www.animschool.com




Do you have any tips for applying for a job at a main studio, such as Sony Pictures? In respect of demo reel or presentation, where to present your work ( like a website or Social Media)?




You’ve got to prepare a good porfolio/demoreel for sure- first things you show should be your best, so that they want to see more – then distribute the other good things in the middle and at the end to maintain a high level of interest and attention. Then with your super product in your backpack, you should travel a bit around animation exhibitions all over Europe and USA (to mention two of the most relevant, Annecy and CTNExpo), and book an interview (or just wait in line for your turn) with your favorite studios who have a stand there. Even if nothing relevant happens from the first round (in terms of hiring), you surely got to know many incredible artists and you have a crazy experience to share.
I didn’t know anything about all this when I started, but it might be a tip. 
I think that having an account, a social platform or a website and keeping it updated, makes a big difference nowadays. Everyone can see your work this way (and maybe even wants to hire you!). This way you can get in touch with the best artists, knowing them for example from what they do and draw or paint in their spare time. 
You’re able to show what you’ve worked on. And it’s also a good way to compare your work to other artist’s work. 
It makes you improve your skills and motivates you to always do better. You can learn every day from each single artist. That’s what Instagram has given me and still does. 

Being part of a major production company, how does that affect your artistic creativity?




As an inspiration. To be at my best, all the time. Honestly, I’ve always tried to give all I’ve got in every work I’ve done. I always give all of my heart and use everything that I have learned to every new production I’ve joined. I think this has helped me a lot, because this way your attention goes to everything and this makes you improve. Doesn’t matter how big and famous the production you’re working for is, if you love what you’re doing you’ll always give all you’ve got. 
I’m really passionate about working for Sony Pictures Animation. 
It has happened in the past that I had to work with people that didn’t care that much. Nothing is more frustrating,  because we all know this is a job that you do out of  passion. As time goes by you learn to recognize those situations that require less heart, but it’s always a shame to give less, so if you can choose, choose what gives you good vibes and put all that you have into it!


Who do you work with when you work on a story? Directors, scenario writers, the animators,  layout artists etc.? 




As a freelance, I collaborate with the directors. 
I have meetings with them for assignments, notes and pitches.

Can you talk about the production you are currently working on?
“Spider-man: Into the Spider-verse”

I’m not allowed to show anything yet!  You have to sign an NDA so you won’t ruin the surprise 🙂
But you can check the trailer that’s on line, I promise the movie will be fantastic!!
I’ve  got pretty used to not being allowed to show my work. That’s probably why I post  my doodles on Instagram! 






Can you name a few people that have been a big inspiration to you?

Louie Del Carmen, Darren Webb, Normand Lemay.. 
And I could keep going with names, there’s plenty of awesome different artists around, of course not only story artists! But they’re always a big reference, especially if one day I feel not at my best to draw – and it does happen. But that day you have to keep working anyway, so I often go to their blogs/Instagram or whatever there’s on the internet and I stare a bit at the perfection of their art, I kinda treat my eyes. 
I could say they’re my happy place where I recharge! 
What inspires me is also an old sketch of a small town square with a fountain and some birds flying over. I remember it was hanging on my grandparents wall, in the hallway. I always asked for it when I was a kid, because I wanted to copy it. Black ink on white paper. So simple yet so strong. Never discovered the name of the artist. 
But I also get inspiration from people who are not in the industry of course. I usually get inspiration from everything that surrounds me. Drawing is important, but also what you do in your free time, the people you hang out with, the places you see.. all this have their weight on your work and sometimes it brings you a lot of unexpected cool solutions!

Have you been a teacher/ guest teacher or do you consider teaching one day (passing on your experience) ? And what other goals do you have in the animation business besides story artist ?




Never been a teacher. Who knows, maybe in the future? I’m pretty shy and everything intimidates me at first, especially because I’ve got a strong self criticism and I feel like I still have got a long way to go before I can give advise and speak some wise words!
The again it’s said that teaching gives you a lot, as a person and as an artist and I kinda believe that, so let’s see how things evolve!  
No other goals for now in the animation business. I mean, I’m a freelance so it’s a bit different working from home, than being in the studio where you can build your career. I can say I’ve always liked to work for music videos, creating a story out of a music track. You already have the timing and music gives you the inspiration, the path, so yeah, that would be interesting to do, directing and drawing for music videos! Here you have my goal 🙂

Thank you so much for your time and your joyful insights of being a storyboard artist, Eva. Finally, do you have some advise for us, students of Animschool?

Well…Don’t cook paper celery!! The green pastel has a terrible flavor. 😀
But seriously, I’ve learned not to be concerned of what I draw, as well as to throw my drawings away if they weren’t working. I learned the basics of anatomy then forgot them again to make room to learn other things (then luckily re-introduced them :D). 
I mean, I discovered that it doesn’t really matter if a character posture is not completely correct while you do storyboards. That will come with time and practice. Problem comes if you only focus on how much you don’t like the drawing and you get stuck there, and I share this because that was one of my main concerns when I started.

The important thing is to be simple, focusing on the acting, expression and attitude of your character, putting it in a clear scene with an interesting point of view and a nice light.
You’re already telling something if all these things are present in a panel, no matter if it’s a sphere on the ground smiling at a beautiful spring day. 

Thank you Eva, for an inspirational interview and good luck with working on your current project!

All drawings by Eva Bruschi

Looking for the best 3D Animation schools? For more information about AnimSchool and our online animation programs, visit us at www.animschool.com