How To Make a Storyboard

Ingredients

• Several loose sheets of blank 11-by-17-inch paper
• A pencil
• A ruler
• And a shooting script
• Computer with layout program

Steps

1. Pick aspect ratio - Pick an aspect ratio for shooting. (27 sec. )
2. The aspect ratio is the physical proportion of the image you’re capturing, measured horizontally then vertically. Most television is 4:3 and film is typically 16:9. (31 sec. )
3. Multiply the ratio by ¼ inch - Multiply the dimensions of your aspect ratio by a ¼ inch. (41 sec. )
4. Draw frames - With a pencil and a ruler, draw out boxes, called frames, on 11-by-17-inch paper. They should match the dimensions from Step 2, and there should be at least four frames on each sheet of paper with a fair amount of space under each for script, directions, and notes. (48 sec. )
5. You can also draw these boxes using a computer layout program. (63 sec. )
6. Make enough sheets for the project - Reproduce as many storyboard sheets as you will need for your project. (69 sec. )
7. Start drawing - Using your script as a guide, start drawing. Use one frame for every cut, or in animation, one frame per specific gesture or motion. (74 sec. )
8. Add notes for scenes that require extra attention, such as pans, tilts, crane movements, or zooms. (84 sec. )
9. Draw important scenes first on separate sheets - Draw key scenes first on separate sheets, making it easier to rearrange them. (91 sec. )
10. Check your script - Continuously check your script. Rearrange parts of the storyboard as you go if you need to make edits. (97 sec. )
11. Show it off - Use your completed storyboard to show people how you envision your script coming to life. (104 sec. )
12. The storyboarding process was first developed by the Walt Disney Studios in the early 1930s. (110 sec. )