Free guide · Film, animation and Creative iMedia
How to make a storyboard
A storyboard plans a video, advert or animation one shot at a time, so the people who film and edit it know exactly what to do. This guide covers what goes in each frame, works through a real 30-second advert, and ends with a free printable template.
What is a storyboard for?
A storyboard is a sequence of numbered frames, one per shot, each with a sketch of what the camera sees and the details needed to film it. It lets a client agree the plan before anyone spends money on filming, and on the day it tells the crew what to shoot, how, and for how long, so nothing is missed and nothing has to be filmed twice.
The parts of a storyboard
Every frame carries the same set of details. Keeping them the same on every frame is what makes a storyboard easy to work from: the camera operator can look in the same place on each frame for the shot type, the editor for the timing and transition.
- Scene number
- Numbers the frames in order, so everyone can say “scene 4” and mean the same shot.
- Picture
- A quick drawing of what the camera sees: who is in shot, where they stand, what fills the frame. Stick figures are fine.
- Shot type
- How much of the subject is in frame: extreme close-up, close-up, mid shot, long shot, wide or establishing shot, two-shot, over-the-shoulder, point of view.
- Camera angle
- Where the camera sits compared with the subject: eye level, high angle, low angle, aerial (bird’s-eye) or Dutch (tilted).
- Camera movement
- What the camera does during the shot: static, pan, tilt, zoom, track, dolly, crane or handheld. Drawn as an arrow on the frame.
- Timing
- How long the shot lasts in seconds. The timings must add up to the length of the finished product.
- Transition
- How this shot changes into the next: cut, fade, dissolve or wipe.
- Sound
- Dialogue, voice-over, music and sound effects heard during the shot.
- Lighting
- Natural daylight, studio lights, a lamp, low-key and moody, bright and even.
- Location
- Where the shot is filmed, and the time of day if it matters.
- Equipment
- What the crew needs for the shot: a tripod, a dolly track, a drone, a clip-on microphone.
- Notes
- Anything else: what happens in the shot, what a character does, why the shot is there.
Not sure what a mid shot or a tilt looks like? The camera shots, angles and movements guide shows every one on the same scene.
A worked example: a 30-second advert
The brief: Hillside Juniors, a local football club, wants a 30-second advert for its summer camp, to run on social media and on the screens at the leisure centre. The audience is parents of children aged 7 to 12. The advert must feel fun and safe, show children playing and being coached, and end with the club's logo and the camp dates.
Here is the storyboard, six frames long. The arrows on frames 2 and 5 show the camera moving.
Scene 1
- Shot
- establishing shot
- Angle
- eye level
- Movement
- static
- Timing
- 4 seconds
- Transition
- fade in from black
- Sound
- Upbeat guitar music starts; birdsong
- Lighting
- Natural morning sunlight
- Location
- Hillside FC pitch, 9am
- Equipment
- Camera on a tripod
- Notes
- Sets the scene: a sunny pitch, children arriving
Scene 2
- Shot
- long shot
- Angle
- eye level
- Movement
- track right
- Timing
- 6 seconds
- Transition
- cut
- Sound
- Music continues; ball kick sound effect
- Lighting
- Natural sunlight
- Location
- Hillside FC pitch
- Equipment
- Camera on a dolly track
- Notes
- Camera keeps pace with Jay as he dribbles the ball
Scene 3
- Shot
- close-up
- Angle
- low angle
- Movement
- static
- Timing
- 3 seconds
- Transition
- cut
- Sound
- Crowd cheer sound effect
- Lighting
- Natural sunlight, sun behind the camera
- Location
- Hillside FC pitch, by the goal
- Equipment
- Camera on a low tripod
- Notes
- Low angle makes Jay look like a hero after scoring
Scene 4
- Shot
- two-shot
- Angle
- eye level
- Movement
- static
- Timing
- 6 seconds
- Transition
- cut
- Sound
- Coach: “Great pass, Mia!”; music quieter under the line
- Lighting
- Natural sunlight
- Location
- Hillside FC pitch, halfway line
- Equipment
- Camera on a tripod; clip-on microphone for the coach
- Notes
- Shows coaching is friendly and encouraging
Scene 5
- Shot
- wide shot
- Angle
- aerial
- Movement
- crane up
- Timing
- 5 seconds
- Transition
- dissolve
- Sound
- Music builds; children cheering
- Lighting
- Natural sunlight
- Location
- Centre circle of the pitch
- Equipment
- Drone with a licensed operator
- Notes
- Rises above the team to show the whole group celebrating
Scene 6
- Shot
- establishing shot
- Angle
- eye level
- Movement
- static
- Timing
- 6 seconds
- Transition
- fade to black
- Sound
- Voice-over: “Hillside Juniors summer camp. Book now.”
- Lighting
- Not filmed: a graphic
- Location
- Not filmed: added by the editor
- Equipment
- Editing software
- Notes
- End card: club logo and camp dates, on screen for 6 seconds so parents can read them
Running time: 4 + 6 + 3 + 6 + 5 + 6 = 30 seconds, exactly the length in the brief.
Why it works: it opens wide to set the scene, moves in closer as the story builds, uses a low-angle close-up to make the young player look like a hero, and saves the logo and dates for the last six seconds, which is what the client asked for. Every frame has the same ten details, so the camera operator and the editor never have to guess. Scene 6 is a graphic, so it says “not filmed” rather than leaving the camera rows blank.
How to make a storyboard, step by step
Step 1: Read the brief
Write down who the product is for, what it must do, and how long it must be. A 30-second advert needs about six to eight shots; a two-minute film might need twenty.Step 2: List the shots
Before you draw anything, write one line per shot in order: what the audience sees and why. Cut any shot that does not help the purpose.Step 3: Set up the template
Use one frame per shot, numbered in order, with the same rows under every frame: shot type, angle, movement, timing, transition, sound, lighting, location, equipment and notes.Step 4: Sketch each frame
Draw what the camera sees, not the whole scene. A close-up shows a face filling the frame; an establishing shot shows the whole place. Add an arrow for any camera movement.Step 5: Fill in the details
Complete every row on every frame. If a row really does not apply, say so (“static”, “no dialogue”) rather than leaving a gap, so the crew know it was decided.Step 6: Check the timing
Add up the seconds. If the total is longer or shorter than the brief, shorten or lengthen shots, or cut one, until it matches.Step 7: Read it as the crew
Read the storyboard as the camera operator, then as the editor. Could they film and cut every shot from it without asking you anything? Fix whatever they would have to ask.
Common mistakes
- Details on some frames but not others. If frame 1 has a shot type, every frame needs one. Gaps are the first thing a teacher or examiner notices.
- Timings that do not add up. Six shots of eight seconds is 48 seconds, not 30. Add them up before you finish.
- Drawing the whole scene in every frame. Draw what the camera sees. A close-up should be a face filling the frame, not a tiny person in a big field.
- Mixing up shot type and angle. “Close-up” is a shot type (how much is in frame); “low angle” is an angle (where the camera is). A frame needs both.
- Shots that cannot be filmed. A bird's-eye shot inside a small kitchen, or a drone shot with no licensed pilot. Plan shots the crew can actually get.
- Forgetting the brief. If the client wants the logo at the end, the last frame must show it, for long enough to read.
Revising for OCR Creative iMedia? The exam asks you to improve a storyboard for a named user, and is marked on how consistently you use these details. See how the R093 storyboard question is marked.
Free printable storyboard template
The template is one A4 landscape page with six numbered frames in 16:9, each with lines for the shot type, angle, movement, timing, transition, sound, lighting, location, equipment and notes, plus boxes for the title, the brief and the running time. It opens in your browser with no sign-in; print it, or save it as a PDF from the print dialogue.
Storyboard questions people ask
How many frames should a storyboard have?
One frame per shot. A 30-second advert usually has six to eight shots, a one-minute video ten to fifteen, and a short film many more. A school task usually asks for at least four to six frames; check the brief and make sure the timings add up to the required length.
What goes under each storyboard frame?
The same details under every frame: scene number, shot type, camera angle, camera movement, timing in seconds, the transition into the next shot, sound (dialogue, music, effects), lighting, location, any equipment needed, and short notes on what happens.
Do I need to be good at drawing to make a storyboard?
No. A storyboard is a plan, not a piece of art. Stick figures, simple shapes and arrows are enough, as long as the picture shows how big the subject is in frame and where things are. Storyboard Studio can also draw the frames for you from a set you build once.
What is the difference between a storyboard and a script?
A script sets out the words: dialogue, voice-over and stage directions. A storyboard plans the pictures: what each shot looks like and how it is filmed. A video with dialogue usually needs both; a podcast or radio advert needs only a script.
Who uses a storyboard?
The director plans the shoot with it, the camera operator films from it, the editor puts the shots in order and adds transitions from it, and the client approves it before any money is spent on filming.
Can I make a storyboard online for free?
Yes. Storyboard Studio on SubjectHub is free and needs no account: build each frame, choose the shot and angle, add the timings and details, and download a PDF. There is also a free printable template on this page if you prefer paper.