Story Boards

As storyboard is like a comic strip for your video. It contains both drawings, narration, camera directions and anything else a production crew needs to make your video.

The storyboard is a detailed description using both words and images of the final product.

The storyboard can contain information on graphics, video, sound, text, audience interaction, colour, fonts, type size, etc. In other words, everything necessary for crew members involved in production to do their jobs.

Some story boards can full colour works of art. They can also just be pencil illustrations. Ridley Scott who made such movies as Gladiator and Robin Hood, is famous or his Ridleygrams – quick drawings made right on the set to explore or revise camera movements and blocking. They have become art in their own right with some fetching up to $2000 a for a set.

It doesn't have to be a work of art. It needs to be detailed enough so each crew member knows what to do and they get a clear picture of what will be happening throughout the whole production.

A storyboard should include:

• A sketch or drawing of the screen, page, or frame.

• Placement, and size of graphics, if important.

• Actual text, if any, for each screen, page, or frame.*

• Colour, size, and type of font, if there is text.

• Narration, if any.*

• Animation, if any.

• Video, if any.

• Audio, if any.

• Audience interaction, if any.

• Anything else the production crew needs to know.

* Narration or text for individual story boards may be written on a separate sheet of paper, but

you must reference the corresponding storyboard number.

Production Storyboard Checklist

There is a storyboard for each page, scene, or frame.

Each storyboard frame or panel is numbered.

All relevant details – colour, graphics, sound, font, interactivity, visuals, shot type, camera angle etc – are indicated.

All text or narration is included and cross referenced with its corresponding storyboard number.

Each production team member has a copy or easy access to a copy of the storyboard

Remember: A production crew should be able to take your story board and make your production, so it looks just like you envisioned it.

You can make your own story template by using the table function in your word processor, fold your paper in 4 or 6 sections or just draw frames by hand.

SOME FINAL TIPS

• If you write, let it have imagery.

• If you draw, let it be legible.

• If you dream, let it be you!

Storyboard apps

If you want to use a computer generated story board. Here is a link to several storyboard apps. Some are free, others cost money.