How to Storyboard in Flash

Create a storyboard in Flash by using the program's painting tools to draw the storyboard's panels, then using the program's keyframe animation tools to create movement underscoring your storyboard's message. Keyframes are the beginning and ending animation frames you draw so that Flash can fill in the in-between frames. Flash documentation refers to this fill-in process as "Tweening." You can use Tweening to animate changes in the storyboard panels' size, position and shape. This ability can potentially give viewers a much clearer idea of what the final animation sequence will look like.

Instructions

1. Click the tool palette icon shaped like a paintbrush to enter painting mode, then drag on the Stage to draw the imagery for the first panel in your storyboard.

2. Right click the frame number in the "Timeline" panel where you want the second panel to start and click "Insert blank keyframe."

3. Use step one's instructions to draw the second panel, and then use step two's instructions to create the keyframe for panel three.

4. Draw the remaining panels for your storyboard as instructed by steps one through three. This step completes an animation sequence composed of the panels in your storyboard. You'll now make the storyboard more engaging by moving the panels.

5. Right click any frame in the sequence of the first panel in the "Timeline" panel, then click "Create motion Tween." Click "OK" on the dialog box that appears.

6. Right click the last frame of the panel's sequence and click "Add keyframe," followed by clicking the "Position" item. This action tells Flash to add another keyframe to the sequence, which will allow you to make the panel move from one Stage location to another. Moving the panel lets you emphasize the action depicted in the panel. For example, if a panel shows that one character has suddenly pulled a gun on another character, you can move that panel quickly to suggest an explosive action about to occur.

7. Click the first frame of the panel's sequence to select that frame. Click on the Stage where the panel is located, and then drag the mouse to move the panel to a different Stage location. Flash will show a dotted green line indicating the panel will move when you play the animation.

8. Animate the remaining panels in your sketchbook using the instructions from steps five through seven. Click the ">" button at the button of the "Timeline" panel to view your animated storyboard.

References

• "Flash Professional CS5 Bible"; Todd Perkins; 2010
• "Exploring Storyboarding"; Wendy Tumminello; 2004