Shawna Mills on storyboarding on a 3D stage for Boom Tag X

What are some of your career highlights?

Shawna: Back in my hometown of NYC, I started doing freelance work on Disney shows like Randy Cunningham and HULK Agents of S.M.A.S.H. 

I officially got my start working in studio spaces when I moved to LA to work at Cartoon Network as a revisionist on Black Dynamite. My career went from there, as I immediately started work as a storyboard artist at major studios. Marvel, Sony, Nickelodeon, DreamWorks, and many smaller studios in between. Lucasfilm is where I learned to board in 3D space and hone my skills. 

I became a director at Nickelodeon Animation in 2023 on Fairly Odd Parents: A New Wish and started my own company where I direct and produce original multimedia properties, one of which won the California State Award of Excellence this year. I am currently producing my own story, Boom Tag X, through my company. 

What can audiences expect to see from your original series, Boom Tag X?

Shawna: Boom Tag X is a story following a mute boy who lives in a world where voices can split seas and carve mountains. He is an anomaly, which gives him no advantage in reaching his main goal: To restore his family's ice cream business to its former glory. In Boom's attempt to garner attention, he becomes the sole target of a TV game show, Deli's game of TAG. Boom must use the power of the voice in his heart to evade being tagged and uncover the host's sinister plans before ever returning to his simple life as an ice cream boy.

BTX is a multimedia IP of mine that revolves around a story about valuing your voice and truth despite a world that tries to drown it out of you. People can expect to see cool battles and a human story we can all relate to. 

Can you introduce us to some of the key characters in the series? 

Shawna: Boom is our main guy. He struggles to live up to his late family's legacy and often feels like he is drowned out by the world. He meets a girl, Reboot, who can hear his voice and thoughts. 

Reboot records sound found in the world to create beats, and she can somehow hear the voice of the "voiceless" Boom. Through Reboot's POV, Boom is realized to be very well-spoken, extremely blunt, and sometimes rude. Together, Boom and Reboot combine his lyrics and her beats to make musical attacks.

Could you share one particular tool or technique in Storyboard Pro and how that helped you create Boom Tag X?

Shawna: The 3D stage feature, which allows me to draw directly into the 3D space is one of my favorite tools. Top-view and side-view windows are a must in my everyday workspace default.

With these features, I can not only convey a clear depiction of the scene for the audience, but it also helps me shape the world I'm building and helps me truly understand the space I need to tell the story.

What has your experience been composing your own original series, compared with working on studio projects?

Shawna: My experience composing independently has been isolating but empowering. I have been working on this IP since 2014. It has morphed into so many shapes over the years. This current shape is its last. Writing the entire series story with some help from a friend. All that goes into merchandising, maintaining a business, and game development was done by me. With some help from my wife and a few sharks here and there, I was able to fine-tune the IP well enough to finally talk about it. 

Compared to studio projects, it's fulfilling in its own way and other ways, extremely so. It's all your own direction, and the thrill comes from being the one in control. However, the downside is that you often have to search for good feedback and gauge when feedback isn't warranted. I am someone who actively seeks feedback, and I had to sort through the lame feedback to not lose my own voice in the process. very tough.

What are some of your inspirations, both for Boomtag and as an animator as a whole?

Shawna: So Boom's lack of a voice represents my own experience as a black woman in America, where narratives are often placed on me as soon as I walk into the room. No matter how much I introduce myself and "say" who I am, the media will spread the narrative it wants to the world about who I am. That's what being drowned out by the world means to me. Like Boom, my heart's voice comes through my creations. 

Boom's sign language and ice cream bars hold his energy. The alignment here is the importance of what we do with our hands. Do we destroy, heal, or create? In short, Boom is a reflection of myself, just saying "screw everything and everyone who refuses to hear me. We aren't on the same frequency, and I'll create something especially for those who are on my frequency. My people will hear me and what I have to say. We can make some beautiful music together someday. 

So in short, my inspiration is my own approach to life and the good people I met along the way that truly opened up the world for me. That can apply to animation as a whole since I wouldn't have become a creator if I weren't shown the path. 

What is it about Storyboard Pro that suits your workflow?

Shawna: I enjoy combining 2D and 3D into my boards because it gives me such freedom to direct camera movement with so much accuracy. My boards can be rough, or I can get them as close to my finished vision as I want. It's one of my favorite programs since I can do so much.

Could you share a particular challenge that Storyboard Pro has helped you tackle?

Shawna: Okay, when I first started storyboarding for Lucasfilm, I had never boarded in 3D. In that production, I had to learn on the spot to maneuver 3D rigged models in 3D environments. The challenge was that I had to approach my scenes with Layout in mind. 

Toon Boon, fortunately, allowed me to manipulate the rigged models directly in Storyboard Pro, and its easy 3D features allowed me to create layouts of scenes and camera positions. Telling a clear story that the animation team never had to decipher was the point, and each scene was tight and to the point. 

Do you have any advice for storyboard artists on how to get the most out of Storyboard Pro?

Shawna: I'd say you should explore the tools and features. Take time out of your schedule to experiment with the tools and features that make you the most nervous. Nothing beats a "failure," but a "try".

What’s the plan for Boom Tag X and where do you hope to take the series from here?

Shawna: Well, I take time on each faction of the IP. I am currently focusing on game development, and I plan to start animating some of the first two episodes.

While I've largely worked on everything without raising funds, I'm pleased to say that my company is officially selling merch on Boomtagx.com and SodaMonkeyEnt.com. Support through donations directly on the Boomtagx.com website will go towards our game programmers as well.

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• Want to see more from Boom Tag X? You can watch the series and learn about the upcoming games on the project's website.
•  Interested in getting started on your own independent series? Artists can download a 14-day trial of Storyboard Pro.