How to Make a Storyboard: Ultimate Step-by-Step Guide

Famed filmmakers throughout cinema history have made storyboards to plan out their shoots. Here’s a storyboard example for Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho:

Also referred to as the traditional storyboard, this type utilizes drawings created by a director, DP, or storyboard artist.

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. 

Digital storyboard

A thumbnail board is great for anyone who wants to quickly jot out how they see a sequence working, rather than focusing on individual smaller details for each shot. Thumbnail storyboards typically use smaller panels with rougher drawings and fewer text.

Animatic

An animatic is essentially an animated storyboard. In other words, it is a crudely animated version of your movie. This can give you a greater sense of how shots will be timed and cut together. There is a drawback, however: they take a lot more time to create, and can be too detailed, removing spontaneity from the later creative process.

Animatics are popular in animation. You can take a look at our template for animated storyboards:

The Storyboard ABC’s

6 Steps to make a storyboard

Building a storyboard should feel exciting – this is the sandbox where you can imagine how your project is going to look. Here’s a step-by-step guide using StudioBinder's storyboard creator.

Even though we're using a particular software, the process is universal — whether your working digitally or with good old pencil and paper.

Let's get 'boarding!

1. Decide on your presentation format

Before you start gathering images, drawing panels, hiring a storyboard artist, or doing any nuts-and-bolts illustration and pre-visualization work, you need to choose how you want to present your storyboards.

If you want to draw basic, straightforward sketches, you may want to create a board with twelve panels on a page. But if you want your illustrations to be detailed and complex, you may want larger frames, in which case you’ll only have a few panels per page.

The latter technique is typically the preferred option if you are planning on using your boards to pitch your project, since you can wow potential clients or investors with your visuals.

With StudioBinder, you can toggle between view types. This means that if you change your mind on your approach later, it’s no sweat. You can easily choose a different format.

Whether you prefer 4-column view...

...Or a one-column storyboard, you have the option.

2. Read the scene

It should come as no surprise that to make a good storyboard, you need to understand the scene you’re boarding. What is the core purpose of the sequence? What are you trying to get across? How is the plot moving forward, and how are characters affected?

All these considerations will inform your shot choices and camera movement.

StudioBinder does some of the script-to-storyboard work for you. An imported screenplay will automatically have each scene turned into a blank storyboard, allowing you to see exactly which board relates to which sequence.

You can get even more specific by tagging certain lines in the script to create associated panels. Now, you have direct reference and inspiration between the script and storyboard.

3. Create or find your images

Once you’ve determined the aspect ratio and other settings for your project, you’ll need to start creating or gathering images. 

Basically, there are two options. The first is the old-school method of drawing out each panel. How can you make a storyboard if you can't draw? Here are some alternative storyboarding methods for non-artists.

The second option is the more modern incarnation of using storyboarding software and sourcing pre-existing visuals. 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.

Regardless of your approach, StudioBinder lets you upload images easily from anywhere (even previous projects). You can use your webcam to capture hand-drawn panels. You can order your shots according to the narrative by simply clicking and dragging.

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.

Remember, with storyboards you can make creative and practical decisions 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. 

4. Include descriptions and annotations

Now it’s time to add descriptions and annotation that will ensure the intention of each panel is clear. This can include shot descriptions, special notes, and visual annotations.

6. Print

You’ve done all the hard work, so you’ll want to make sure you have your boards at your disposal on set. This means printing out hard copies to hand out to departments. This will ensure that everyone is on the same page.

StudioBinder’s customizable PDF generator allows you to print boards with professional presentation with added security. You can hide/include shot specs, determine your page layout, choose whether to have color, create front and back covers, add custom watermarks, and select headers and footers.