Hello everyone,
We don’t have a page ready for today. So I thought I would tease you with a photo of page inks for the next month. :P
Seriously though… I am often asked how we collaborate on a project like this together when we are nations apart. So I thought I would show you our main communication tool outside of e-mail.
Googledocs. This is a shot of the script for next week’s page. You can see I lay everything out by page, panel, dialogue, and though this page isn’t a good example, panel description and sound effects.
My ‘Template’ is generally as follows:
Page ###
Any overreaching setting description here.
Panel #.
Descriptions or details specific to the panel.
Actions within panel.
DIALOGUE: …
FX: Click
I don’t tend to describe panel positions and frames as much as I used to. Rebecca and I have formed some sort of telepathic link, and just seem to know what each other like.
You can see to the right of the script, there is a comment section where we can leave notes. It’s a great way to hold a conversation about the panels, to make sure we are on the same wavelength in regards to how it should be portrayed.
Even further to the right, though it’s not in the screenshot… is a live chat! So if we are both in the file at the same time, we can converse about what I am trying on the spot.
Overall it’s a great communication tool, and I think we utilize it very well.
A short while after reading the script, Rebecca will send me a preliminary sketch and we will switch over to e-mail.
At this point, I either approve it for inking, or we discuss further on any changes that need to be made.
Communication is the biggest tool we have – even more so because we are so distant. I literally have a file with hundreds of e-mails between Rebecca and I.
From this step on, Rebecca inks and tones the pages with skill and magic. (I’m sure there is magic involved)!
You can see a preview of the inks above, but you’ll have to tune in next week to see how much that preliminary sketch will evolve.
Have a great weekend everyone!
Best wishes,
Savannah
