How to create a storyboard
How to Make a Storyboard — Ultimate Guide & FREE Templates
- Choose your medium
- Determine your aspect ratio
- Create or import your images
- Use arrows for motion
- Add shot numbers and notes
- Share and present your work
The process of taking the vision in your head and turning it into images on screen usually begins with a storyboard. And this serves two functions — to refine your ideas on paper and to share these ideas with your film crew. Therefore, the more you understand how to make a storyboard, the more efficient they can be.
Before we go too much further, let's answer the question: What is a storyboard?
Storyboard definition
What is a storyboard?
A storyboard is a visual representation of a film sequence and breaks down the action into individual panels. It sketches out how a video sequence will unfold. And it functions as a trial-run for your finished film, video, or commercial, laid out in a comic book-like form.
- A linear sequence of drawings, reference images or photographs that represent each shot in a scene.
- Provides a visual guidance for look, feel and movement.
- Indicates the staging of actors and camera placement.
- May include dialogue and sound direction.
The storyboard is important on so many levels. For example, it is a presentation tool, indispensable for pitches. It is also a planning tool, critical for pre-visualizing your project. And it’s also collaboration catalyst that puts your team on the same page and gets everyone’s creative wheels spinning.
Ready to learn how to make a storyboard? Here’s your guide to writing a storyboard like a pro.
How to Create a Storyboard
1.
Choose your storyboard mediumBefore you start gathering images, drawing panels, hiring a storyboard artist, or doing any nuts-and-bolts illustration and pre-visualization work, you need to decide which medium to choose.
Basically, there are two options: the old-school method of drawing on paper and the more modern incarnation of using storyboarding software like StudioBinder's Storyboard Creator.
For the hand-drawn method, you can download our free storyboard template pack and then use our guide on how to use a storyboard template.
Free downloadable bonus
FREE Storyboard Template Downloads
If you prefer the old-school, pen and paper method of storyboarding, download our FREE printable templates. Included are 60+ files for Word, Illustrator, Photoshop, and PDFs. You can also choose various layouts between 2- and 16-panel sheets in landscape or portrait.
But how can you make a storyboard if you can't draw? Here are some alternative storyboarding methods for non-artists.
There's actually a way to combine the old and new methods by importing your hand-drawn boards into StudioBinder.
Here's our step-by-step guide on How to Use Storyboard Creator.
How to Make a Storyboard for a Movie2. Determine your aspect ratioEven if you think you know nothing about how to storyboard a video, you probably know that a lot of panels are involved.
But how big should those panels be? Believe it or not, storyboard dimensions are an essential decision to be made before beginning the process.
This is simply a matter of determining your aspect ratio — the size and shape of the frame of your camera. Not sure how to pick your aspect ratio? Check out the following video and for the general approach.
How to decide on the aspect ratio of your project
When using StudioBinder, you can preview the various industry-standard aspect ratios. This masks each image non-destructively, and you can adjust on-the-fly at any point.
Changing aspect ratio in StudioBinder
So even if your images don't exactly match the aspect ratio, you're fine. Just upload an image to preview the look of the frame. Pick the aspect ratio that works best for your project, and design your images for that size.
In the example below, click the image to toggle through the various aspect ratios. There you'll find the pop-out window in the upper left corner.
How to create a storyboard • Choose an aspect ratio
Aspect ratios do different things for different projects. Star Wars, The Shawshank Redemption, Pulp Fiction — their aspect ratios help define their worlds. Therefore, whatever aspect ratio you pick, you’ll want to design your images with that in mind.
How to Storyboard a Film3. Create or import your imagesIn this section, we get into the nitty-gritty. Once you’ve determined your aspect ratio, you’ll need to start creating or gathering images.
There are essentially two schools of thought. As mentioned earlier, you either go "old school" with pencil and paper or you go with digital storyboards.
You can take photos of your own, or use images from TV shows and movies as your visual references. As long as they clearly communicate your vision, there's no reason not to.
However, no matter the medium you choose, the content of your boards should be approached with the same level of purpose and detail. This is where storyboard composition comes into play.
For example, the most important objects are the actors. As such, you need to make sure that they are front and center.
Creating a Storyboard Starts with Subject
This is where all the creative and practical decisions can be made (and remade) without consequence. For example, choosing your shot sizes, your camera angles, or your camera movement can be worked out in advance, saving you time and creative energy when you're actually on set.
You'll find our complete playlist of videos on these various elements in our Shot List series on YouTube. Additionally, you can also read more about the do's and don'ts of storyboarding.
Movie Storyboard Movement4. Use arrows for motionIt can be difficult to represent a "motion picture" using a static image. However, there is one solution that is quite simple and clear — storyboard arrows. These arrows indicate motion on the screen, for either the camera or the character.
How to write a storyboard with arrows
Arrows show us where characters are going within the frame. For example, are they moving towards or away from the camera? Walking down the street?
Camera movement sets up how we see the action. Is it a close-up or a wide shot? Is it a static shot? Or a tracking shot following the main character? Here are some quick examples of how arrows are used to indicate a moving camera.
How to do a storyboard with camera movement
If you're using software like StudioBinder, you can select the various camera movements in the shot specs. When we add camera movement, we can also select shot size, shot type, and lens details as well.
Click the image below to explore the various shot specs:
How to storyboard a video • Customize shot specs
As you can see, using arrows to indicate motion is a rather intuitive process. For reference on how to make a storyboard with camera movement, you can use our Ultimate Guide to Camera Movement.
How to Make a Storyboard with Camera Movement •
Subscribe on YouTubeFor more, check out our other post on How to Storyboard Camera Movement.
How to Write a Storyboard Sequence5. Add shot numbers & notesWithout shot numbers, your crew and creative collaborators won’t understand references to specific shots.
When you're creating a storyboard manually, make sure to number every shot in the correct order.
For example, if you use more than one panel for the same shot, label them with letters as well. So if the first shot has three panels, you would label them “1A,” “1B,” and “1C." See the example below for what this looks like.
As mentioned, StudioBinder automatically adjusts and updates shot numbers. Drag-and-drop your image to a new spot in the sequence to make your labeling and organizing efficient.
Additionally, the other element to add is storyboard notes. This is any text added to the image to help clarify the action or fill in the gaps between panels.
Here's an example from Salt that provides an extra layer of detail and information. Moreover, these notes are especially useful in action scenes to help mark each action beat.
Notes and annotations help guide the story
With this process, convey the intention. Label clearly. Get in and out.
It’s pre-visualization, not production. Production comes soon.
It’s time to take your finished panels and distribute them to your team — your cinematographer, your Art Department, anyone who needs to know what you’re looking to capture.
If you’re pitching a video concept, now’s the time pull back the curtain on your boards and share them with clients.
Or if you took the “old school” route, there are a couple options for sharing and presenting your work. The first is to create a binder (probably multiples) that contains the full storyboard.
The second is to create a literal "story board" where many paper panels are displayed for presentation to a large group.
That being said, if you’re using cloud-based software, sharing is easy with just a few clicks.
Directors and 1st ADs may want edit access to elaborate on shot specs or logistics.
Others, like clients or executives, may want comment access to provide feedback.
Sharing and Collaborating in StudioBinder
How many frames do you want per row? There's no perfect answer. When you're working on an action scene like a car chase, it might be beneficial to have four frames per row t0 fit as much on a single page as possible.
Or if it's a slower-paced scene and you want the detail work to come across, two or three panels could do the trick.
Using StudioBinder, you can create a slideshow. This presents the board as a single panel at a time that you can advance when ready. That way, you don’t need to worry about video editing or making a flip book.
Activating Slideshow View in StudioBinder
Check out an example of a slideshow below. This is a portion of the opening sequence from Austin Powers in Goldmember. Click the image and then select the "Slideshow" view in the upper right corner. In doing so, you can flip between the images to get a sense of the scene:
How to storyboard a video • Play the slideshow
If you want to know how to write a storyboard as a motion sequence, you can string together your individual images as a video.
This is called an animatic and it is certainly a more evolved and polished way to present your boards.
For more presentation tips, read our post on How to Display Storyboards.
In conclusion, a storyboard is a communication tool. It exists to help turn your vision into a finished work. It’s there for you to share with others.
This process can seem like one of the most daunting challenges in filmmaking. But rather than look at it as a frightening task, remember that it’s meant to help make your project even better.
Up NextCreate a storyboard of your ownNow that you know how to make a storyboard, it's time to put all this practice into action. You've got a project burning a hole in your creative pocket. And you can even see how the scene plays out, shot by shot. Get started creating a visual representation of that vision and you'll be closer to seeing it come to life.
Up Next: StudioBinder's Storyboard Creator →
How to Storyboard: Step-by-Step Storyboarding Guide (2022 Edition)
Luke Leighfield, Content Writer
A storyboard is a visual representation of how a story will play out, scene by scene.
It’s made up of a chronological series of images, with accompanying notes.
A storyboard communicates a filmmaker's vision. It sets out how you want the final piece to flow - whether it's a feature film, a novel, presentation, short film, or marketing video - and simplifies the entire creative process. Storyboarding does more that summarize your plot's most relevant details. It's a process that gives you and your team members a project's tangible, visual flow when it's time to collaborate and make key creative decisions in the pre-production process. Although it takes time to make a storyboard, it'll save you time (and money) in the long run.
All great films start with a storyboard. Try the #1 Storyboard Software built for Filmmakers.
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How to make a storyboard in 4 steps
- Make a storyboard template online using storyboarding software. Or, you can even start with a piece of paper.
- Draw your storyboard frames, but keep it rough, simple and leave out intricate visual details.
- Edit your storyboard to flesh out your film's most important visual cues such as time of day for a scene, lighting, composition, and layering.
- Note camera movements for shots such as zooms, pans, tilts, dollies, trucks, and pedestals.
Read on the get more details about each step.
Step 1: Online vs Paper
Re-ordering frames in Boords. Tricky to do on paper.There are two schools of thought on how to storyboard. The first is to grab a piece of paper or a storyboard template and start sketching. The second is to use specialist storyboard software.
Both methods have their place. The advantage of a paper template is it's easily accessible and doesn't require a computer. The downside is it's tricky to make revisions. Moving frames around is nigh-on impossible, as is any kind of collaboration or sign-off. Needless to say, good online storyboard software makes the process a lot simpler.
Get your FREE Filmmaking Storyboard Template Bundle
Plan your film with 10 professionally designed storyboard templates as ready-to-use PDFs.
Step 2: Draw your storyboard frames
In brief, keep it rough. This isn't a work of art.
Sketching out your frames - a process known as 'scamping' - is where you turn a script from something written into something visual. It's no place for fancy special effects or a deeply specific level of detail. Scamping is rough, messy and raw – a storyboard in its essential form.
An example scamped storyboard frameScamping is rough, messy and raw – a storyboard in its essential form.
A scamped storyboard’s primary function is to help you make sense of the narrative. It helps you quickly come up with ideas and make changes, without being overly concerned about visual style. You don't need to be storyboard artist - stick figures or rough sketches will do the trick.
The scamping process is a powerful thinking tool.
Here are a few guidelines to bear in mind:
- Choose your aspect ratio. What will your storyboard be used for? Films are often shot in 16:9, whereas social media videos are often square or even 9:16 (i.e. Instagram stories). The aspect ratio will dictate how you frame your images, so get this nailed down early.
- Keep it rough. Scamps are, by definition, rough. They're for you, not the world to see. Don't get too precious.
- Keep it moving. Do parts of your script feel slow? Are there leaps in time or logic? Can some sections be removed entirely? Feed these ideas back into your script.
- Consider continuity. If your character is trudging through a muddy river in one shot, they’ll need to have dirty trousers in the next. Consider the chronological order of what you're writing.
Looking for storyboard inspiration? Check out our favorite storyboard examples.
Step 3: Edit your storyboard
Now that you've finalised your storyboard, it's the perfect time to consider subtler visual cues.
What mood do you want your piece to have, and how can you communicate it? Framing, color, and video transition effects are all great ways to amplify emotion that might be missing from the script. Here are a few things to consider:
Choose a time of day
Setting a scene during a particular time of day will evoke a feeling in your audience. Morning is more optimistic, whereas late evening can suggest urgency or suspense.
Do a silhouette check
Silhouetting a character can be a helpful way to see if your shots make sense. Look at your scenes without any detailed linework, and you'll quickly discover whether or not your action is understandable.
Don’t upstage your character
Adding in staging elements and color helps convey the mood you're after, but shouldn’t distract from the story. Character is king.
Ensure enough variety
Vary your shot types and camera angles. Too much of the same thing will quickly become dull and repetitive.
The image on the left shows a long shot, with the image on the right showing a close-up.
Think about layering
Layering is the process of setting up subjects within different layers of a frame. It helps to establish a sense of location, while also adding an element of depth to your images. Images often have a foreground, middle ground and background layer. Consider this example:
- Foreground (red): The area closest to the viewer.
- Middle ground (yellow): The area in the centre of a frame. It sits between the background and the foreground.
- Background (blue): The area furthest from the viewer, behind both the foreground and the middle ground.
All great films start with a storyboard. Try the #1 Storyboard Software built for Filmmakers.
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Step 4: Add camera movement
Incorporating a variety of camera movements into your shots is a great way to add interest to your finished production.
Here are some well-known camera moves to get you started:
- Zoom: Gives the impression of moving closer to or away from the subject.
- Pan: Panning involves moving the camera horizontally from one side to the other along a central axis.
- Tilt: The camera stays in a stationary position and focuses on upwards and downwards movements.
- Dolly: A track-mounted camera moves towards or away from a subject.
- Truck: Moves the entire camera along horizontally along a fixed path.
- Pedestal: The camera ascends or descends in relation to a subject in the shot.
Pro-tip: Boords lets you add pre-built camera move indicators to your storyboards in seconds:
Invest in storyboarding software to streamline your process
At Boords, we want to make it easy as possible for you to storyboard and start your next project. Whether you're writing or directing a feature film, a short, TV pilot or commercial, we design storyboarding tools with your user experience in mind.
See how easy it is to get started.
Check out our free storyboard templates and see how 100,000 creatives are already using Boords Storyboard Creator to bring their visions to life.
BONUS: Storyboarding glossary
Whether you’re just starting out with your first storyboard or you're a seasoned pro, there are some key storyboarding terms that you need to know. To help give your vocabulary a new lease of life, we’ve compiled an extensive list of the most common storyboarding terms that you’re likely to come across.
- Aspect ratio: The relationship between the width and the height of an image. In essence, it defines the shape of the image. Aspect ratios are written as two numbers with a colon (:) separating them. The first number represents the width of the image, while the second number refers to the height.
- Frame: A storyboard is divided into individual frames, which are represented as square or rectangular boxes. Each frame depicts a specific moment or event in the story.
Your storyboard can be made up of as many or as few frames as you like – just make sure to include enough frames to make it easy to follow the flow of actions throughout the story. - Shot: A shot is a series of continuous actions and is typically made up of a sequence of frames.The most basic shot-labelling option is in numerical order (i.e. 1, 2, 3, 4). In filmmaking, it’s common to see shots labelled in increments of 10 (i.e. 010, 020, 030, 040).
- Scamps: In its initial stage, a storyboard should be made up of rough sketches. The process of creating these sketches is called scamping.
- Script: Every good storyboard starts with a script. You’ll need to agree on a starting point before you make things visual.
- Shot list: A shot list is a checklist that describes each individual shot in detail. It outlines what exactly will happen in the scene and what is required for the scene to be a success.
- Voiceover: A voiceover is a person - not on screen - reading from a script. It communicates the narrative for a piece of moving image.
- Dialogue: Dialogue refers to a conversation that takes place between two or more characters in a story. It can help to convey information and reveal character traits, and is often used to help the viewer experience the action through the character’s eyes. Dialogue shows us what the character is feeling, rather than simply telling us.
- Style frame: A full-colour image that helps to establish the overall look of a piece of film or animation. A variety of different style frames are often produced.
- Sound effects: Artificial sounds which enhance the illusion of reality in the scene, e.g. car horns, birds singing or other subtle sounds in the background.
- Animatic: A series of images played in sequence, often with a soundtrack. In essence, it’s an animated storyboard.
Boords turns your storyboards into animatics automatically.
All great films start with a storyboard. Try the #1 Storyboard Software built for Filmmakers.
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How to storyboard a marketing video if you're not an artist
Like it or not, content marketing is embracing today's visual culture and moving towards video. According to HubSpot, 43% of people want to see more video content from marketers, and four times as many customers would rather watch a video about a product than read about it. Which, unfortunately, does not bode well for blog posts.
As written content becomes less effective over time, you're probably already thinking about creating video content as part of your marketing strategy. You might want to start making videos right away, but planning content first is invaluable in keeping the creative team on track. nine0004
Before you take your camera and head to the studio, make sure you have a storyboard (or storyboard).
What is a storyboard?
A storyboard is a series of sketches representing individual frames planned for a video, movie, or commercial. They often include guidance on camera angles, lighting, and transitions, as well as dialogue and other notes.
Just as all good writers start their articles with an outline, good marketers start their videos with storyboards. You've probably seen them being used in animated films. John Lasseter, Pixar's chief creative officer, calls them "the comic book version of the story." Here are some of the storyboards his team used to create Finding Nemo. nine0004
But I'm making a marketing video, you might object. Is this method really applicable in my case? While storyboards for promotional videos don't have to be as detailed as those used by major Hollywood studios, they are still required.
Why are storyboards important?
A storyboard helps you plan your video from start to finish.
What will be the lighting? How will the video flow? Do you want voiceover or dialogue? How do you want the viewer to feel? Storyboards allow you to collaborate with other team members to flesh out the overall vision of a video. nine0004
In many ways, a storyboard is like a dress rehearsal for a real video. A storyboard allows you to figure out potential roadblocks and identify any gaps in a video before you spend money to produce it. Working through these things in a timely manner helps ensure that the final product is exactly as you intended.
A storyboard allows you to direct the people who will bring your idea to life: film it and edit it into the final product. Make sure your marketing video is the way you want it to be. With a storyboard, you can show the client or production team exactly what you have in mind. No more verbose explanations. nine0004
Every successful marketing video follows this basic story structure:
- Introduction.
- Statement of the problem.
- Solution.
- Call to action.
The intro should grab the viewer's attention quickly. It should intrigue them and encourage them to keep watching. Strive to create a sense of necessity or mystery in the discovery.
Statement of the problem/problem describes the problem the viewer is facing. nine0004
Next, in the solutions part of the video, you will explain how your brand can solve this unique viewer problem.
You hooked the audience with an intriguing novelty. You then contacted them after realizing their problem. It's time to show viewers how your product can solve their specific problem. Here you will detail how people enjoy using this product and include explanatory screenshots.
Finally, money maker. A call to action is where you literally call an observer to action by filling out a lead form, visiting your website, or purchasing your product. nine0004
Make sure your brand name, website address, and CTA (call to action) are clearly marked on the last frame of your video and linger long enough for the viewer to perceive them.
8 Steps to Create a Storyboard for a Marketing Video
Now that you have an idea of what makes a video compelling, let's walk through the steps to create a storyboard. Following these steps will lead you to your ultimate goal: creating a marketing video that matches your vision. nine0004
- Set a clear timeline
Storyboarding is about structure. At this point, you want to figure out the sequence of events for your video. What you tell the viewer
Make sure you follow the order: introduction - problem description - solution - call to action.
- Identify key scenes
In addition to the final call to action, identify key points in your video. Maybe it's a close-up of your product's signature feature, a montage of customers using the product, or a grand opening. nine0004
Essentially, what scenes engage the viewer and move them to action?
- Decide how much detail to add to each scene.
Do you want a cleaner approach that focuses on cut animations or screenshots, or do you prefer a busier option when you see a salesperson using the platform in different scenes? Maybe you need a completely different concept.
Do not overload the viewer. Whichever route you take, make sure your product and main message doesn't get lost in the noise. nine0004
- Write your script
Whether you are using dialogue, voice-over, or a combination of the two, the script must highlight all of the spoken words for the video. At a later stage, you'll overdub the audio on the relevant sketches.
- Select a storyboard tool.
The good news is that you have a veritable smorgasbord of storyboard tools to choose from. You can go retro and use a pen, colored markers, or pencils and paper. Or you can upgrade to high tech:
- Presentation software such as Microsoft PowerPoint or Google Slides.
- Graphic design software such as Adobe Illustrator and Adobe InDesign.
- iPad software such as Adobe Photoshop Sketch (often a stylus is required).
- Storyboard software such as Amazon Storyteller or Storyboard That.
- Storyboard templates like this one for Google Slides or this one from Vidyard. nine0045
When setting up your storyboard template, make sure your thumbnails are roughly the same size as your video (ie Square, 4:3, 16:9).
- Draw sketches.
This is where you get to work and start sketching your scenes. Depending on artistic ability and bandwidth, you can draw fully formed characters and backgrounds, or use stick figures for people and simple geometric shapes for objects. nine0004
- Add detailed annotations to each scene.
The storyboard is a visual tool, but you need to add non-visual details to get the best result. Add dialogue and/or narration from the script to each thumbnail.
Add guidelines for the people who will be working on the video, such as desired lighting and camera angle. Number the thumbnails so they don't get confused.
- Add interruptions
In this context, cutouts are moments when the video zooms in to highlight the needed action.
Storyboard these sections, as well as any other details regarding the transitions or flow of your video.
Successful storyboards
The best marketing video cannot exist only in your head. To help others understand their own vision, you need storyboards. Define your narrative, sketch it out, and add dialogue and staging to your scenes. And then watch your video come to life! nine0004
5 services for creating storyboards
Storyboarding is one of the key stages in the production of any video, which is often underestimated. It helps to get an idea about the future video even before the shooting itself or rendering of full-fledged illustrations.
Most often, it includes schematic images of the main frames of the video, in addition to them, you can add scene descriptions, dialogues, or other fragments of the script. The storyboard also shows what plans will be used, how objects will move on the screen. The result is a static "draft" of the video, which allows you to conveniently coordinate and refine the details of the script before starting the next steps of production. nine0004
A competent storyboard is a guarantee that the expectation and reality for the client will coincide when the video is ready.
We described in detail how exactly the storyboard helps to save money (and with them the time and nerves of the customer) in a separate longread.
You can make a simple storyboard from ready-made illustrations in any graphic editor, for example, in Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and others. Here we will talk about specialized tools for creating storyboards and storyboards that can simplify your work. nine0004
Our personal favourite.
It is convenient to add captions to uploaded illustrations in separate fields with a description of what is happening in the frame and with characters' remarks or voice-over text. You can specify the duration of each scene, the final duration of the video will be calculated by Boards itself.
The easiest way to send a finished storyboard to a client is as a link that will open in any browser, there is also a PDF export function. Users can comment on illustrations just like in Google Docs, which is great for getting feedback and collaborating. Viewing a storyboard is possible in two modes: each frame separately or the entire collage with illustrations as a whole. nine0004
Subscription to the service is paid, plans differ only in the number of users, prices start at $ 12 per user.
Free software for Mac OS, Windows and Linux that allows you to draw illustrations with a set of 6 tools and create storyboards with captions, timing, action descriptions, dialogs and more. Bonus - sketches from Storyboarder can be further edited in Adobe Photoshop, and after saving the changes will appear in the program itself.
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StudioBinder is not limited to creating storyboards. Here is the compilation of call sheets, and storyboards, and shooting schedules, and joint work, and much more. Service for professionals, cheapest subscription plan $29/month. For storyboards, it makes sense to use StudioBinder if you are already running your projects in it.
Canva offers several templates for creating storyboards. They are not original, but you can work in them for free and from any device. You can insert pictures into the template and add captions describing the scenes. A bonus is the ability to share the layout for collaboration. nine0004
This service is different in that illustrations for storyboards can be created within Storyboard That itself, but not in the format of sketches drawn with brushes, as was the case in Storyboarder, but in the form of collages from ready-made elements. It turns out a constructor of characters and scenes - the process here resembles a computer game. There are both free and paid subscription formats.
