Documentary Storyboard Template
Visualize a plan for your documentary
While documentaries are often spontaneous and unpredictable, storyboards help organize and refine the narrative flow.
This guide will use StudioBinder’s storyboard creator to illustrate each step. This process is universal and applicable whether you’re using sophisticated software or just a pen and paper.
Step 1
1. Decide your presentation format
Storyboard templates come in all shapes and sizes, with anything from two to twelve panels on a page. If you're just doing quick sketches, smaller frames work just fine, but if you're pitching to an audience, go for the bigger frames. Pick a format that fits your needs and what your documentary calls for.
How to do this in StudioBinder
- Switch between view types (from 1 - 4 columns).
- Hide or reveal shot specs (scene number, description, audio, video).
- Automatically fit your image to the aspect ratio.
Step 2
2. Read the script or treatment
Even without a script, a documentary can really benefit from having a clear vision for each scene. To keep things cohesive, it's important to nail down your main themes early on. This focus helps steer the story, even if you end up adding in some unexpected twists.
Think about what you want to achieve, the mood of the shoot, and the emotional tone you want to capture. Picture the different shots by visualizing the techniques behind each—like close-ups, wide angles, and camera movements—can tell your story better and make it more enjoyable for the audience.
How to do this in StudioBinder
- Import a script or treatment to automatically turn scenes into blank storyboards.
- Tag each line to create a new panel in the storyboard.
Step 3
3. Create or find images
Documentaries rely heavily on visual storytelling. Capturing powerful imagery that resonates emotionally with the audience is key. The storyboard should highlight these visual elements, ensuring they align with the documentary’s themes and messages.
Gather images that represent your scenes. You can draw sketches, hire artists, use photos with stand-ins, or find reference images online. Organize these images chronologically to reflect the scene’s progression. If reordering is needed, adjustments may require manual effort.
How to do this in StudioBinder
- Upload images anywhere, including previous projects.
- Use your webcam to capture hand-drawn frames.
- Reorder images by simply clicking and dragging frames.
Step 4
4. Add descriptions and annotations
Although documentaries thrive on spontaneity, planning potential camera angles, movements, and lighting scenarios can save time and enhance production quality. Highlighting diverse locations and conditions in the storyboard prepares the crew for varying shooting environments.
You can add include these details in directly on your storyboard by annotating, using arrows, and text boxes to illustrate specific info.
How to do this in StudioBinder
- Add scene descriptions, audio information like dialogue, and video information explaining the visuals like shot types and sizes.
- Create arrows, text and shapes to further clarify the direction of each image.
Step 5
5. Share and collaborate
Once completed, share your storyboard for feedback. A documentary is a team effort. Involving the crew and even the subjects in the storyboarding process can provide fresh insights and enrich the narrative.
How to do this in StudioBinder
- Share with a view-only link, and invite collaborators to work on this specific feature/page (not the entire project).
- Collaborate with clients and team members with the comment feature.
Step 6
6. Print the storyboard
Before shooting, print your storyboard for on-set reference. Hard copies serve as practical guides to ensure the shoot aligns with your documentary’s narrative.
How to do this in StudioBinder
- Generate storyboard PDFs for a professional presentation with added security.
Conclusion
Documentary storyboard complete
Storyboarding for documentaries requires an open mind. As filming progresses, new stories or angles may emerge. Filmmakers should view their storyboard as a living document, ready to adapt as the story develops.
This explainer video storyboard template is one of many storyboard templates you can use. Browse other storyboard templates on our Templates page.
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