What’s a Storyboard?
A storyboard is a sequence of visuals, including images, illustrations, and text, used to visualize the entire frame-by-frame structure of a motion picture. It is an important tool for video production as it enables creators to plan and organize their visual content in a clear and organized way.
Types of Storyboards
The form of storyboarding used these days is similar to the form used in the early 1930s when the Walt Disney studio first created it. This format has been used by millions of creators worldwide ever since.
While storyboards can be used for anything, it’s helpful to break them down into hypothetical categories to better understand their purpose and how they can aid in the creative process.
Video Production
A storyboard can be helpful for a creator to follow the plot and achieve the initial video concept more efficiently. It allows the creator to visualize the flow of the video, experiment with different shots and angles, and make necessary adjustments before actually shooting the video. This can save time and resources in the long run and ensure that the final product is as close to the creator’s vision as possible.
Filmmaking & Television
In film and TV production, a detailed storyboard is essential for achieving the initial video concept. The level of detail in the storyboard depends on the complexity of the plot and the length of the film. A long storyboard typically includes descriptions of what the actors are wearing, what they are doing, how they are doing it, and what is happening in the background. Even small details like the music playing or sudden weather changes are explained. Storyboards can also be used for planning photoshoots and fashion shows, helping to plan outfits, makeup, hairstyles, accessories, and equipment. While it may take some time, it can significantly increase the productivity of the shooting process. Even luxury fashion houses use storyboarding for their work, so it’s definitely worth a try.
Business
Storyboards are a useful tool not only for film and TV productions but also for creating commercials, product demos, and business presentations. They serve as a set of instructions for motion designers or voice actors and help to anticipate and address any issues before the actual production process begins.
In advertising, storyboards are essential for planning commercials and ensuring that every aspect of the shoot is accounted for. By visualizing the commercial through a storyboard, creators can ensure that every detail, from the script to the visuals, is aligned with the overall vision.
Similarly, storyboards are useful in planning product demos and business presentations. They allow creators to organize their ideas and present them in a clear, coherent manner. This way, the presentation can be tailored to the audience, and the creator can have more confidence in delivering a polished and effective message.
Social Media Content
Storyboards are also widely used in the creation of YouTube videos. Travel vloggers, for example, can create their content by either drawing a storyboard before their trip or by making one after capturing footage. By creating a storyboard before the journey, vloggers can focus on their experiences instead of chaotically filming everything. With a storyboard as a guide, they can film only the necessary parts for their video.
When editing captured footage, a storyboard is also helpful in organizing throw lines for further voiceover, applying visual and sound effects, and rearranging keyframes. Storyboarding is also useful for other content creators on platforms such as Instagram and TikTok, regardless of what they are filming and editing. It’s the most efficient way to plan and execute a video concept.
Animation & Cartoon Production
In the past, animators had to manually rotoscope thousands of illustrations to create cartoons. However, with the advancement of technology, digital illustration and storyboarding have made animation much easier and faster.
For larger-scale film productions, teams of people use storyboards to create comics-based movies, cartoons, and anime, often adapted from graphic novels. A screenwriter adapts the novel for the screen and passes the script to a storyboard artist, who draws keyframes and adds more details to the picture. Once the storyboard is complete, it is handed to an animator who puts all the frames together to create movement and turn it into an animated film. Then comes post-production, where each frame is carefully reviewed and polished to achieve maximum fidelity. Finally, translations and voiceovers are added before the premiere.
Everything Else
The term “Storyboard” has evolved to encompass a broader scope beyond its origins in the film industry. Its usefulness in organizing information in a systematic way extends to various fields. Employing a storyboard proves to be a beneficial technique for any type of data that requires a structured method.
Instructions
The production of instructional videos that demonstrate the proper use of various products commonly involves the use of storyboards. These storyboards comprise frames that often incorporate graphic elements and text. These frames are subsequently animated to produce an interactive instructional video.
Research
Data is often represented visually, for example, with the help of an infographic. To animate such static data, a graphic designer creates a storyboard with keyframes to explain all necessary details for a motion designer.
Experiments
Storyboarding is not limited to just scientific experiments. It can be utilized in a wide range of fields. Storyboards can effectively visualize dynamic data such as evolution processes, migrations, chemical reactions, cyclone movements, and military tactics. The application of storyboarding to various types of experiments enables the creation of informative and engaging representations of data.
Education
Storyboards are frequently employed in education as well. Teachers utilize storyboards to develop lesson plans and create exercises, while students may utilize basic storyboarding techniques for scientific or creative projects. The use of storyboarding in education promotes better understanding and retention of information as well as creativity and engagement among students.
Technology
Engineers sometimes employ storyboards to aid in the creation of software. When a flowchart is insufficient, storyboarding may assist in visualizing the user experience more effectively. This enables engineers to identify potential issues early on in the product development process, prevent these issues from occurring, and have more time to fix any bugs after the software is released. The use of storyboards in software development promotes efficiency and improves the overall quality of the product.
Storyboard & Mood-board
It is important to distinguish between a storyboard and a mood board in the world of graphic design. A mood board is a visual compilation of ideas designed to provoke a particular emotion or feeling. They are typically created as a source of inspiration or as a piece of statement art. Mood boards can be arranged in any manner, making them available in all possible forms.
In contrast, a storyboard is a sequential visual representation of information, comprised of frames. Unlike mood boards, storyboards serve a distinct purpose: they allow a creator to preview interactive media before it is made interactive. Depending on your aims, both visualization methods can be used in the creative process. It should be noted, however, that mood boards are primarily created for reference and inspiration rather than for conveying data or facts.