The Home of the Creative Mind

Welcome to PooBahSpiel, the online voice and home of the creative mind of Mark Monlux, Illustrator Extraordinaire. Prepare yourself for an endless regaling of art directly from the hand of this stellar artist. And brace yourself against his mighty wind of pontification. Updates are kinda weekly and show daily sketches, current projects, and other really nifty stuff.

Monday, August 18, 2014

Tacoma Artist Initiative Project Part Two: Storyboards

My project for the Tacoma Artists Initiative Program is creating two public service announcements about copyright using whiteboard animation. As part of that assignment I’m sharing this process on both my blog and the Cartoonists’ League of Absurd Washingtonians website. The first step of the project was to write a script, then run it by a few consultants. Special thanks to Daniel Abraham. Step two of the project was creating the storyboards. Here you can see how the script is expanded with visual reference.


RSA © PSA #1

Sc#01
Audio:
:00-:03 sec. [Intro Music]
Your creative expression...
Visual:
Symbol: ©
Text: Copyright and You
Text: Defining Copyright Ownership

 Sc#02
Audio:
:03-:06 sec.
...can take many forms: writing, music, dance, sculpture, or visual art.
 Visual:
Items appear in following sequence: Book, Notes, Dancer, Bust, framed flower.

Sc#03
Audio:
:06-:07 sec.
Copyright protects your creative expression.
Visual:
Symbol: © is drawn in the middle of screen and then a wavy circle around the other images.

Sc#04
Audio:
:07-:10 sec.
Did you know that when you sell your original art you are not selling your copyright?
Visual:
Artist is selling original art to a buyer who’s hands we see reaching for it. One of the hands holds money. The artist holds a painting with a price tag on it with their right hand and holding onto their copyright with their left hand.

Sc#05
Audio:
:10-:18 sec.
Just as an author does not lose the rights to his story when he sells his books, neither does a painter lose the rights to their creative expression when they sell their original paintings.
Visual:
Erase part of the image - the painting - and draw a book in it’s place.

Sc#06
Audio:
:18-:23 sec.
When a person buys original art, they become a curator of that piece, but they do not have the right to license the art.
Visual:
Buyer hanging painting.

Sc#07
Audio:
:23-:26 sec.
Only you, as the creator, have the right to license your art.
Visual:
Back to image of Artist from Sc#4 minus the buyer, minus the pricetag on artwork, a larger grin is drawn onto the face.

Sc#08
Audio:
:26-:32 sec.
Even after the original art has found a new home, you have the right to license and profit from your creative expression in any way you see fit.
Visual:
Draw painting inside outline of house. Draw a simple figure with copyright symbol as it’s head. Draw arrow leading from figure to multiple copies of the painting.

Sc#09
Audio:
:32-:36 sec.
The only legal way others obtain permission to license your  work is in writing
Visual:
Text - in large cursive: John Hancock


Sc#10
Audio:
:36-:41 sec.
Providing provenance to your art is a great way to inform buyers of their role as custodian.
Visual:
Artist is giving art buyer a provenance.
Text: ‘Provenance’ with arrow point to scroll.

Sc#11
Audio:
:41-:47 sec.
It can confirm their obligation to keep the work safe from harm—and for you to have reasonable access to the original to make reproductions.
Visual:
Close up of the bottom of ‘Provenance’ where text appears.
Text: Keep safe from harm.

Sc#12
Audio:
:47-:50 sec.
This message sponsored by the Tacoma Artists Initiative, Story Lab at the Tacoma Public Art Library and these fine creators.
:50-1:00 sec.
End Music during credit run.
Credits.

*****
 RSA © PSA #2

Sc#01
Audio:
[Intro Music]
Your creative expression...
Visual:
Symbol: ©
Text: Copyight and You
Text: Having vs. Following

Sc#02
Audio:
...can take many forms: writing, music, dance, sculpture, or visual art.
Visual:
Items appear in following sequence: Book, Notes, Dancer, Bust, framed flower.

Sc#03
Audio:
Copyright protects your creative expression.
Visual:
Symbol: © is drawn in the middle of screen and then a wavy circle around the other images.

Sc#04
Audio:
But there is a difference between having copyright and registering your copyright.
Visual:
Fellow holding a copyright looking quizzical?

Sc#05
Audio:
And since it can significantly affect how well your artistic rights are protected, you should know about it.
Visual:
Text: Infringement & Theft
Fellow finds that a hand is trying to pull away his copyright.

Sc#06
Audio:
You have copyright the moment you physically create or record your expression.
[Sound FX: cash register drawer and ding.]
Visual:
Sequence of images being drawn: Flower in pot, frame around flower, copyright symbol, cash register frame, text: DING!

Sc#07
Audio:
But you need to register your copyright with the government before infringement to fully protect your work.
Visual:
Sequence of images being drawn: Fellow, drawing of flower, Uncle Sam.

Sc#08
Audio:
A registered copyright is your ticket into the courtroom.
Visual:
Sequence of images being drawn: copyright symbol, ticket frame, arrow, courthouse.


Sc#09
Audio:
It means that you can claim legal fees, which the court will award with a favorable judgment---and that the risk of paying for your lawyer as well as theirs can aid an early settlement. It also means that you can be awarded statutory damages for willful infringement.
Visual:
Sequence of images being drawn: copyright symbol wearing Uncle Sam hat, money bag #1, money bag #2, money bag #3

Sc#10
Audio:
Without a filed copyright you don’t qualify for any of that.
[Sound FX: repeated rubber-stamp thumps.]
Visual:
Erase Uncle Sam Hat on copyright symbol, Big NO circle with slash symbols descend/appear on money backs.

Sc#11
Audio:
So, remember to protect yourself and your creative endeavors.
Register your copyrights early, and often.
Visual:
Bring back fellow and Uncle Sam from Sc#07. Add to the image a shield with the copyright symbol on it.


Sc#12
Audio:
It’s easy. You can do it online at copyright.gov.
[Sound FX: Mouse Click]
Visual:
The arrow on screen is drawn last. FX of it clicking the screen.

Sc#13
Audio:
:47-:50 sec.
This message sponsored by the Tacoma Artists Initiative, Story Lab at the Tacoma Public Art Library and these fine creators.
:50-1:00 sec.
End Music during credit run.
Credits.

Step three of the process will be to digital capture of me drawing these images, have a musician write a jingle, record a voice actor reading the script, and then edit it all together into a video.