Storyboarding
For most creators, it is crucial to make a roadmap, or a plan, before producing a film or video. This plan can look different for each person, but one strategy that many artists use is called storyboarding.
The format and look of a storyboard can vary greatly, but the overall purpose is usually as follows:
to visually represent the film you want to make;
to consider how the beginning, middle, and end of the film will come together;
to decide what types of camera shots you need to get to make your vision come to life;
to brainstorm how your visuals, music, and words will come together to tell a story.
This short video produced by Animation with Bee gives a helpful overview of what storyboards are and why they are useful.
Storyboards can look different depending on how specific you want your plan to be, how detailed your drawings are, and how long your film will be. There is no “wrong" way to make one, as long as your storyboard helps you create a roadmap for your video! You can choose to include words or no words, and stick figures or realistic sketches. You may choose to jot notes about what types of shots you want for each scene (wide-angle, zoomed in, etc.) — or not! If you use the storyboard as a tool to help you make a plan, it can actually save you time in the overall creative process of producing a film.