How to Create Storyboards
In the entertainment industry, production companies create storyboards during the pre-production stage. The director sits down with screenwriters and graphic artists to map out each scene in the film or television program. The storyboard is comparable to a comic strip, in that the shots or scenes are in sequential order, thus telling the story. A storyboard is a great way to flush out ideas before the crew is on set.
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Instructions
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Read through the first scene of your script. Close your eyes and visualize the scene.
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Take a piece of standard white paper and flip it horizontally. Draw a vertical line 2/3 of the way across the sheet.
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Draw the image that you want the camera to capture in the larger section of the paper. Draw alternatives, if you have different ideas for shots within your scene but draw one image per sheet of paper. This way you can mix them up and put them in order later. Separate the shots that don't make the cut into a separate folder in case you want to go back to them later.
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Check each shot against your location to make sure that the subjects and landscapes in your shots are attainable. Your budget plays a large roll in set and props.
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Review your shot diagrams and place them in order on a large table. Write the number of the shot as it appears in the film in the top right hand corner of the page.
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Write a description of the scene to the right of your diagram. Underneath jot down notes for your videographer, such as shot composition, exposure, camera movements and shot duration.
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Ask your production team to look over your storyboard and to offer suggestions. Finalize your storyboard with your crew before the actual filming or taping begins.
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Tips & Warnings
Try to stay as true to the storyboard as you can during taping to avoid time delays and overshooting.
Purchase a computer software such as StoryBoard Quick to create digital storyboards, if you're not comfortable drawing scenes.
Resources
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Comments
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hum3ngl
Jun 18, 2009
Thank you! Storyboarding can seem like such a daunting task, but with your advice I found it much easier to just power through my visualizations for each scene. And your recommendation of StoryBoard Quick was an absolute lifesaver. That program is really helpful and easy to use :)
