Knowing how to make a storyboard is essential in any audiovisual creation process, whether for film, animation or another project. This tool will allow you plan and visualize your story clearly and concisely, facilitating the coordination and execution of work.
Throughout this article you will discover what a storyboard is, how to apply it to your creations and what are the most efficient tools and resources to do so.
What is a storyboard?
A storyboard, also known as a storyboard, is a cset of illustrations arranged sequentially that represent the story you want to tell. It is a very efficient tool that, as a visual roadmap, allows artists to organize workflow, plan story narrative, and pre-visualize the project.
Storyboarding is increasingly used in the audiovisual world, especially in film, advertising, animation and television. His ability to facilitate communication between teams and the creation of stories has made him aA fundamental resource in audiovisual production.
Tools to create an effective storyboard
To know how to make a storyboard effectively, it is essential to know what tools can help you guide and reflect your story in a previous sketch. Before using a tool to create your storyboard you should make sure it includes:
- sequence of events: Each vignette and scene in the storyboard should show a key moment in the story, allowing the user to visualize the progression and sequence of events.
- Story flow: Check that each scene connects to the next and that the tools allow you to maintain a coherent and easy-to-follow flow of the story.
- Visual clarity: The tool must show the illustrations in a clear and detailed way, representing the context, actions and characters that appear in each sequence.
Easy-to-use tools
Today, there are numerous tools that allow you to create efficient storyboards, from advanced software to simpler templates. It is important that you know well the possibilities that each of them offers and choose the most appropriate tool to carry out your audiovisual project.
Some of the most used easy-to-use tool options are:
Storyboard That
An intuitive online tool that helps create storyboards quickly and easily.
Canva
It offers customizable templates that can be adapted to create storyboards. It is an easy and intuitive tool for simple and non-professional audiovisual projects.
Toon Boom Storyboard Pro
A professional software widely used in the animation and film industry. It facilitates the creation of very detailed and concise storyboards, facilitating the workflow between all the teams involved in large productions.
Templates and examples
Now that you know how to make a storyboard, it is important that you choose the template models that best suit your needs, thus optimizing and facilitating the storyboard design process. Some types of template:
Basic templates
These templates are simple and intuitive, ideal for beginners or small projects. Generally, they include a space for drawing the scene and another for notes or descriptions.
Detailed templates
These templates are designed for more complex projects and provide specific areas for different scene elements. They allow a complete description of the scene, including plans and camera planning.
Online storyboard templates
These templates are interactive and can be used on digital platforms. They allow users real-time collaboration and instant editing.
Custom Templates
These templates are designed specifically for the needs of a particular project. They are easily customizable and adjustable and allow you to add or remove specific details or sections.
Steps to follow to make a storyboard
To know how to make a storyboard and apply it to your audiovisual project, it is essential that you follow these steps:
1. Scene planning
It clearly defines where the action takes place, what happens in each scene and who participates. Consider the following aspects:
- Location: The place where each scene takes place.
- Action: The plot of each vignette.
- Characters: The characters involved and the actions carried out by each of them.
2. Initial sketch
Before digitizing your storyboard, make a quick sketch of each scene, focusing on key moments in the story.
3. Detail of the vignettes
Add details to your vignettes, making sure each scene accurately represents the action, characters, and setting.
4. Logical sequencing
Make sure that the vignettes are properly ordered and that they tell the story logically and coherently.
5. Check and adjustment
Review your storyboard with your team and make any adjustments that you think are appropriate and that can facilitate clarity and organization of the workflow.
6. Completion and presentation
Once the storyboard is complete, you must digitize it using specialized software or tool. This way, you will get a professional script to share with the rest of the team, plan your production and make your story a reality.
Now that you know how to make a storyboard, it's time to put it into practice and start creating your own stories!
If you want to specialize in creating storyboards and turn your ideas into real projects, the University School of Arts TAI offers you a master specialized in storyboarding.
Through practical and intensive training you will learn to use the most in-demand tools and software in the industry to create and bring your own ideas to life. You will be trained in a creative and multidisciplinary environment with the best active professionals.
