The Pitch - Initial Ideas

I have chosen to undertake the production of a short story. The main reason I have chosen this brief is because it gives me the opportunity to produce an animated sequence, and due to my interest in Anime, it is something i would like to have a go at myself. I've had a go at animation before, but this gives me the opportunity to try harder and gain something from it.
Before i can start production on the short story, i will need to do some initial research looking into some of the generic conventions and styles that are apparent in short stories, and more particularly animated short stories. I'll need to look into the different ways characters are introduced, if any, and also the different techniques used to forward the narrative.
I'll need to produce a detailed storyboard that will help me in the production stages. this storyboard will show camera angles, camera and protagonist movement, and also clip duration. I'll also need to come up with a good plot, that may or may not follow the typical conventions of short films.