Recruiter's Glossary

Examples: Overlapping Action • Beat Boards • Exposure Sheets

Rule of Thirds

Term from Animation Storyboarding industry explained for recruiters

The Rule of Thirds is a basic guideline used in visual design and storyboarding that helps artists create balanced and engaging scenes. Think of it like dividing a screen or image into nine equal parts using two horizontal and two vertical lines, like a tic-tac-toe board. Important elements are then placed where these lines meet or along the lines themselves. This makes scenes more natural and visually appealing than simply centering everything. While it's called a "rule," it's more of a helpful starting point that artists can use or adjust as needed. Storyboard artists and animators use this concept to plan how characters and objects will be positioned in each scene.

Examples in Resumes

Applied Rule of Thirds to improve visual composition in animated scenes

Created storyboards following Rule of Thirds principles for feature animation projects

Trained junior artists in using Rule of Thirds for dynamic scene composition

Typical job title: "Storyboard Artists"

Also try searching for:

Animation Artist Storyboard Artist Layout Artist Visual Development Artist Background Artist Concept Artist Scene Planner

Where to Find Storyboard Artists

Professional Organizations

Online Communities

Job Resources

Example Interview Questions

Senior Level Questions

Q: How do you adapt the Rule of Thirds when working with different aspect ratios or unconventional frame compositions?

Expected Answer: A senior artist should explain how they adjust composition principles for different screen formats, mentioning experience with both traditional and streaming formats, and how they maintain visual balance while being flexible with the rules.

Q: How do you train junior artists to effectively use the Rule of Thirds while developing their own style?

Expected Answer: Should discuss mentoring approaches, explaining how they help junior artists understand basic principles while encouraging creativity and personal artistic development.

Mid Level Questions

Q: How do you use the Rule of Thirds to create dynamic action sequences?

Expected Answer: Should explain how they plan movement through frames while maintaining good composition, and how they use the rule to guide viewer attention through a sequence.

Q: Can you explain when it's appropriate to break the Rule of Thirds?

Expected Answer: Should demonstrate understanding that rules can be broken for artistic effect, with examples of when different compositions might better serve the story or emotional impact.

Junior Level Questions

Q: Can you explain the basic concept of the Rule of Thirds?

Expected Answer: Should be able to explain how to divide a frame into nine parts and identify the key points where lines intersect, showing basic understanding of balanced composition.

Q: How do you apply the Rule of Thirds when placing characters in a scene?

Expected Answer: Should demonstrate understanding of character placement, explaining how to position main characters near intersection points for better visual interest.