Storyboard Ideas, Examples, and Techniques Explained

Short Storyboard Ideas

Storyboard ideas for movies

Many directors and cinematographers will create storyboards to intricately plan out their film. A storyboard allows filmmakers to visualize how their movie will look before they set a foot on set. This is obviously useful for planning purposes, but also is effective for coming up with ideas, since you can see how each shot works with one another.

Here’s a storyboard template for film:

And to get the wheels turning, you can take a look at these storyboards from iconic movies and TV shows.

The Dark Knight Storyboard

Don’t get hung up on the intricacies of the drawing. Just make sure to show us what objects are in motion and where they are going. And remember: you can use arrows to storyboard camera movement as well. 

Casino Royale Storyboard

There are 85 shots in the first Casino Royale poker scene. Needless to say, that’s a lot. If you were storyboarding the scene, you wouldn’t need to storyboard every shot! You could, but you certainly wouldn’t need to.

Below is an example we made using StudioBinder's storyboard creator. Click the image to see the full storyboard.

So, if you were storyboarding a poker scene – naturally suited to dialogue – what would you do? Well, you might draw an establishing shot to show us where we are (note* this is only important when moving between locations). 

Parasite Storyboard

Some artists, like Bong Joon-ho for example, visualize every aspect of their production before arriving on set. Joon-ho created a shot-for-shot storyboard for his film Parasite, and fortunately for us, it’s available to read in book form. 

Joon-ho effectively wrote a screenplay in the margins of his storyboards. That’s insane. If you’re more of a visual storyteller, consider storyboarding your scenes with dialogue and descriptions in the margins.

Easy Storyboard Ideas

Ideas for animation storyboards

Animation storyboards typically require more detail than storyboards for live action movies. This is because each frame must be created by an animator, so they need a clear roadmap for what to draw. In the end, you’ll want your animation storyboard to have a template like this: 

Let’s look at how some animated films have approached boarding.

Adventure Time Storyboard

Adventure Time’s storyboards are incredibly detailed, including multiple frames for each shot. This gives animators a good idea of what they need to draw and how each drawing works on a larger scale. Note, too, that descriptions are utilized. This is common– sometimes your image can’t say it all, so you should feel free to add text when needed.

The Nightmare Before Christmas

The storyboard for The Nightmare Before Christmas, meanwhile, takes a different approach. Each drawing is much more detailed, but there are fewer of them, and no text. This board, then, is much more for inspiration and mood-setting than specific directions.

Storyboards for commercials

Commercial storyboard ideas

Storyboards aren’t just for movies. Commercials will often use storyboards just like a feature would– to plan out what each shot will look like. Sometimes, a commercial requires even more careful planning than a feature, since a client is involved and needs approval.

Here’s a template from Tostitos commercial for what a commercial storyboard should look like:

Tostitos

For food-oriented ads like this one for Tostitos, you’ll want to highlight the food. And that’s just what we see here. Each shot is a close up on a different Tostitos product, capped off with someone taking a bite. What more do you need to make someone want some chips and salsa?

Fitbit

This Fitbit board emphasizes activity. People are on the move. This encourages the viewer to associate Fitbits with an active lifestyle– exactly what the client would want. Notice how here the storyboard is using photos rather than drawings. For something like this which is client-facing, using stock photos is a great idea.

Music video boards

Storyboard ideas for music videos

Music videos are a highly visual medium. So it should come as no surprise that many music video directors will board out their ideas before they shoot the band. Here’s a template for what a music video storyboard might look like:

Eminem – “Not Afraid”

When we think of Eminem, we think of grittiness, and that’s what this storyboard is delivering. Grey, urban landscapes with the artist in the foreground. An Eminem music video doesn’t need much more than that.

Linkin Park – “Breaking the Habbit”

This storyboard is a great example of using a board to get a gig. The evocative and detailed drawings here wouldn’t be totally necessary for a feature, but because the filmmakers were trying to land the job, they went all out to impress the client. 

Storyboards have countless uses, and we’ve only just run through some of them. If you have a visual project that needs planning, consider the board. Better to be over-prepared than under.

Up Next

How to Make a Storyboard: Step by Step

Ready to make your own storyboard? Up next we break down how to make a storyboard with examples from Birdman, Star Wars, and more. By the end, you’ll know how to make a storyboard – oh, and there’s even a free template to get you started!

Up Next: Guide to Making a Storyboard →