14.03 Storyboards

It is a good idea to make simple storyboards for time based screen projects. Since animation and video shooting can be time consuming, it is best to know what you plan to film or animate before you start. This allows you to check if there is a variety of shot types in your storyboard or if the narrative flows well. It is a lot easier to change a sketch on a storyboard than to re-film or re-animate.

Animation Storyboards

For a 30 second animation you need a minimum of 15 storyboard panels if each panel represents 2 seconds of animation. The actual number needed will vary based on the type of narrative and project that is animated. Remember, when drawing a storyboard, change the camera angle and distance from the camera for each shot / scene / animation.

You can print out the template on this page.

To create storyboards for a planned animation project, write down the type of shot on each panel. Then write a brief description of what is happening. Think of each panel as representing 2-3 seconds of animation. Plan accordingly so you do not have too much action or too little action.