What to know before you join the course
Answers on who the course suits, what each module covers, how the exercises work and what you can realistically expect to be able to plan by the end.
Questions students ask first
These are the points beginners, journalists and communications staff raise most often before starting. If yours is missing, the contact page is the quickest way to ask us directly.
Do I need filming experience to start?
No. The course is written for beginners and early-career video makers, so nothing assumes you have run a shoot before. If you can write a short outline of a report or interview, you can begin with the first module and build from there at a steady pace.
What will I be able to do by the end?
You will be able to turn a written idea into a shot list, draw readable storyboards, outline an interview, compare locations and build a filming day schedule. These are planning skills. They help you arrive at a shoot prepared, but they do not replace practice behind a camera.
How are the lessons delivered?
Lessons are based in Stirling and run through guided exercises, with feedback from the instructors on the work you produce. Each module asks you to plan something real, such as a short report or interview, rather than only listen to explanations.
Do I have to be good at drawing?
Not at all. Storyboard Drawing Basics teaches simple framing, thumbnails and annotation using stick figures and boxes. The aim is a board any crew member can read, not a polished illustration, so plain and clear drawings are exactly what we encourage.
What equipment do I need to bring?
A notebook, pencils and a pen are enough for most exercises. Having a phone camera helps for location scouting practice, and a laptop is useful for the schedule module. You do not need professional cameras or lighting to take part.
Is the course only about interviews?
Interviews are one module, covering setup, question flow and cutaway ideas. The wider course also covers factual reports and short films, so the same planning methods apply whether you film a single conversation or a day across several sites.
Who teaches the modules?
Fiona MacAllister leads the storyboard and shot list modules, Callum Reid teaches locations and permissions, and Priya Sharma covers camera positions and lighting. Each of them works or has worked in the area they teach, and they give you feedback on your exercises.
Will I receive a certificate or qualification?
No. The course is a practical learning programme, not an accredited qualification, and we do not promise any certificate or career outcome. What you take away is a set of planning documents and methods you can reuse on your own projects.
How to get the most from the exercises
The exercises are built around one idea that you carry from the first module to the last. Choose a short factual subject you genuinely want to film, such as a local business, a community event or a conversation with someone who knows their subject well. Working on something real makes every planning decision concrete, because you can picture the place and the people involved.
Start each module by reading your own written idea again before you open any new material. Ask what a viewer needs to see, what you can only say in words and what you would be unable to film in the time you have. Those questions shape your shot list far more than any template, and they are the habit the instructors keep coming back to in feedback.
Keep your drawings small and quick. A storyboard thumbnail should take a minute, not an evening, and you will redraw many of them once you have thought about camera position or light. Annotate each frame with the shot size, movement and a few words on what happens, so that anyone reading the board understands your intention without you in the room.
When you reach locations and schedules, treat missing information as part of the work rather than a failure. A note saying that access is unconfirmed, or that the light changes after midday, is exactly the kind of detail a good plan records. Callum and Priya will ask about these gaps in feedback, and answering them is where much of the learning happens.
Finally, allow time between modules. The plan you make for interviews will look different once you have thought about cameras and lighting, and it is normal to go back and revise earlier sheets. By the end you should hold one connected set of documents: outline, boards, location shortlist, camera notes and a day schedule that fits together.
Talk through your project before you plan it
Send us a few lines about your subject, how many locations you expect and the length of video you have in mind, and we will point you to the modules that fit.
ContactGet in touch
Email: [email protected]