How to Write a Storyboard

A storyboard in the entertainment industry is simply a visual interpretation of the story being told. Many storyboards are textual, while others may include text, pictures and drawings.

Things You'll Need

• Large cork board
• Index Cards
• Push pins

Instructions

1. Purchase a cork board large enough to hold at least 10 index cards in a row. Some stories will have at least three rows of cards, while most will have four. Pick up a large supply of index cards and push pins at the same time.

2. Think of each row of index cards as an act in your story. Some stories are broken down into three acts, while most screenplay stories separate Act Two into two parts.

3. Write down any scenes on an index card that you know will be in your story. Give the scene a title or a slug line. Use a push pin to place the card in the appropriate act.

4. Look for missing gaps in your story once you have all of your scenes written down. This will immediately tell you where your plot holes are.

5. Begin writing your story, comic or screenplay when all of your scenes have been storyboarded.

Tips & Warnings

• If you’re writing a screenplay, use slug lines as your card title. This will give you a better understanding of locations that will be needed for your script.

• By using multicolored index cards it can be easier to follow your main and subplots. Alternately, you can use different colored pens for the same effect.

• Always feel free to move the scene cards around on the board for the best dramatic effect for your story.

• Pictures and drawings can add specific visuals for the scenes you want to write. Use a glue stick to add pictures to the index cards.