The Underlying Story by Mike Morris

Most boards look fine but feel flat. Mike fixes that. In this IAMAG talk he breaks down how to pull real conflict and emotion out of a script and put it on screen with clear staging, smart camera choices, and solid sequence construction. Less pretty drawings, more story that lands.

🎯 What you’ll learn

• How to read a script for subtext, motivation, and conflict
• How to build sequences with thumbnails that flow and read clearly
• How to use camera angles, framing, and cutting to build tension
• Professional storyboarding workflow from first read to revised boards
• How to stage story beats visually instead of literally illustrating dialogue

✅ Requirements

• Skills: Basic drawing ability, familiarity with film and animation terminology
• Tools: Toon Boom Storyboard Pro, drawing tablet and stylus

📝 Description

This is not a drawing class. It’s about thinking like a director. Mike walks through his approach to script translation — how to spot what a scene is really about under the dialogue, then make choices that support it. You’ll see how a working storyboard artist breaks down pages, finds the subtext, and decides what the audience needs to feel moment to moment.

From there it’s all practical. He covers thumbnailing as a thinking tool, not just roughs. Lots of small, fast options before you commit. Then he gets into cinematography — where to put the camera, when to hold wide, when to punch in, and how framing changes the power dynamic between characters. No theory fluff, just what works on a production schedule.

You also get to watch him work in Toon Boom Storyboard Pro. He takes a script excerpt and boards it out, talks through his decisions, throws out stuff that doesn’t serve the beat, and tightens the sequence construction until it plays. It’s the kind of process stuff you usually only pick up on the job.

🧑‍🎓 Who this course is for

• Storyboard artists who can draw but struggle to make scenes feel emotional and connected
• Animators, directors, and writers who want a practical system for turning scripts into watchable sequences

🧑‍🏫 About the Author

Mike Morris has spent 20+ years boarding, directing, and writing in TV animation. His credits include The Simpsons, DuckTales, and Disney+ shows, plus running his own shop, The Projectorium. He teaches from the boardroom, not the textbook — focused on story clarity, performance, and getting sequences approved.

🏁 Final Result

• A boarded sequence built from script analysis, with clear emotional intent, motivated camera work, and readable staging — ready to show as a storytelling sample.