The art and storytelling capabilities of cinematography encompass layout and previsualization: essential production strategies in contemporary animated and visual effects filmmaking. This course supports students working towards senior projects in developing the cinematographic language of their work. Students design shots through composing environmental sets, staging characters and setting camera angles, addressing the integration of digital, live action and hybrid scene elements such as drawn or stop motion animation. Shot sequences are developed into a layout reel, where character locomotion and rough poses are choreographed and timed. By the end of the course, students will be able to use cinematography and layout in order to tell their stories more effectively.