Updated October 6th, 2026.
Before you can begin creating an animated film, you will need to start with a storyboard, which allows you to develop a conceptual visualization of what the final product will look like. By drafting each frame composition, you and the rest of the animating team can make edits and develop a cohesive strategy for finalizing the animated feature.
What Is Storyboarding?
Storyboarding is a critical part of the pre-production film process. Whether you are creating an animated feature or a live-action film, you will want to work with storyboard artists to create a frame-by-frame visualization of the film. At its core, storyboarding allows you to visualize the final concept and determine what changes need to be made before moving forward with the production.
According to Filmmaker Tools, pre-production storyboarding is the art of creating a shot-by-shot representation of the film, and it’s particularly important when developing an animated feature. By defining the frame composition and perfecting the character positioning during the storyboarding process, you will be able to streamline the process of producing the film.
The History of Storyboarding
The history of storyboarding began with a man and a mouse — which is where a lot of our modern animated history begins. The modern art of storyboarding was developed by Walt Disney in the 1930s, when animated features were first being created. The first feature-length film to use animation storyboarding was Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
While animation was the first type of film to use storyboarding, it soon became clear that these techniques were useful in live-action films as well. It’s believed that Gone With the Wind was the first live-action film to rely on storyboarding.
Traditionally, storyboarding was completed with pencil and paper, but today, most storyboard artists use storyboard templates and digital storyboarding tools to complete their scene layout.
How Does the Storyboarding Process Work?
The storyboarding process starts with a solid understanding of the film’s script. As the Daisie Blog notes, the key steps are choosing your materials (traditional or digital), selecting a layout that fits the screen format, and breaking the script down into its pivotal moments before any sequential art begins.
Key Steps in Creating a Storyboard
The key steps in the storyboarding process include:
- Choosing your storyboard materials – As you are choosing materials, you will want to focus on function and efficiency rather than artistic medium. Storyboards are designed to be a rough sketch or outline of the film’s frames. You may prefer to work with traditional materials, such as pencil and paper, or digital storyboarding tools.
- Selecting a storyboard layout – Depending on the film you are working on, you may opt for a typical comic-strip style storyboard template, or you may prefer to work with a template that accommodates the wide panels of a film screen.
- Breaking down your script into key moments – This is where your familiarity with the script comes into play. Your storyboard should rely heavily on the script to identify pivotal moments in the film.
Tools of the Trade
Plenty of storyboard artists have their own set of tools that they prefer to work with. Some choose to stick with the storyboarding basics and rely only on pencil and paper to do the job. Others prefer advanced technology and find themselves exploring different digital storyboarding tools.
Some of the most common tools of the trade include:
- Adobe Photoshop
- StoryBoard Artist Studio
- Autodesk Sketchbook
- Pencil and paper
What Are the Components of a Storyboard?
Regardless of your approach to storyboarding, you will find that there are several key components that should be incorporated into any storyboard.
The key components of an effective storyboard include:
- Illustrations – The images in a storyboard allow you to visualize the story and convey your intention to others on the film team.
- Scene descriptions – These captions provide additional context to the illustration, filling in key details that will help bring the film to life.
- Shot sequences – The shot sequences show how the story will move forward.
- Timing – The storyboard should include the amount of time for each frame, as this will allow animators or filmmakers to carry out your vision.
- Notes and annotations – These components are critical to the rest of the production team, as they allow them to better develop the film.
Visual Storytelling Techniques
Visual storytelling rests at the heart of storyboarding. These visual storytelling techniques can help you create a more effective and impactful storyboard:
- Show emotion through your illustrations, rather than try to explain how the character in the shot might be feeling.
- Get creative when it comes to perspective. Showing the shot from a different angle can invoke a different range of emotions in the viewer.
- Prioritize sequential art. Creating a flow that aligns with the script will allow the filmmakers to create a cohesive and powerful film.
Annotating Your Storyboard
Annotating your storyboard allows you to include notes and feedback from other members of the production team, including the director or producer. Effective notes and annotations will provide further clarification, which can allow the production team to work better together as they finalize the film.
How Does Storyboarding Differ Across Mediums?
The purpose of storyboarding stays consistent across mediums, but the approach shifts. In film and television, storyboards map out camera angles, character positions, and scene transitions from the script. In animation and gaming, they also support narrative development and, especially in games, help improve user experience and overall functionality.
Film and Television
Film and television storyboarding is a form of sequential art, with the primary purpose being to outline the sequence of events based on the script. Through storyboarding, directors and other members of the production team can identify the best camera angles, character positions, frame composition and scene transitions to bring the script to life.
Animation and Gaming
In the world of animation and gaming, storyboarding serves a slightly different purpose. Not only does it help with narrative development, but it is also used to improve the user experience. This is particularly true in gaming, when storyboarding can play a pivotal role in improving the overall functionality of a game.
What Are the Challenges of Storyboarding?
Because storyboarding happens early in pre-production, artists face several common challenges: creating clear illustrations that match the team’s vision, keeping the flow consistent across the board, and staying on deadline. Artists must also adapt to the differing styles of the many directors they work with over a career.
Common Obstacles and Solutions
A few of the most common challenges in storyboarding include:
- Creating clear illustrations that align with the team’s vision for the film. To overcome this, try to start the process with a rough sketch. Know that your storyboard doesn’t have to be perfect, and you can always work on improving it throughout the process.
- Keeping the flow consistent throughout the entire storyboard. Some storyboard artists find that creating color sketches helps them to improve overall flow and consistency.
- Staying on deadline. It’s easy to get caught up in the details, but that can result in costly delays. When it comes to storyboarding, remember that functionality is more important than aesthetic.
Adapting to Various Directorial Styles
Storyboard artists often work with many different directors and production teams over the course of their career. What works well for one director may not work for another, so it can be difficult to adapt to various directorial styles. However, learning to accept constructive feedback and modify your approach to storyboarding based on the individual director will help you to become more resilient in this dynamic industry.
What Are Best Practices for Storyboarding?
Best practices for storyboarding center on efficient visual storytelling: understand how the job works (artists are often paid by the frame), prioritize bringing the script to life over polished illustrations, experiment with camera angles, add details that spark the imagination, and stay receptive to feedback. Guidance from experienced mentors accelerates growth.
From Novice to Expert
You can quickly become an expert storyboard artist by:
- Knowing how the job works. Storyboard artists get paid by the frame, so it is best to learn to work quickly and efficiently.
- Prioritizing visual storytelling. It’s less about the illustrations themselves and more about how you can bring the script to life.
- Playing with camera angles in your storyboard. Your sketches should offer more than one perspective.
- Adding details to inspire the imagination. These details can add a lot of context to the film.
- Remaining receptive to feedback. Being able to adapt and be a team player will help you progress in your career as a storyboard artist.
Learning From the Masters
Experienced storyboard artists can provide you with expert guidance along the way. Many novice artists find that they benefit immensely from mentors, particularly those who have worked in the film industry for several years.
What Is the Future of Storyboarding?
The future of storyboarding is being reshaped by technology, with digital tools steadily replacing traditional pencil-and-paper methods. Emerging trends include data-driven storyboarding and mobile apps for remote collaboration, while virtual reality, augmented reality, and machine learning let artists visualize and test their boards in immersive environments.
Emerging Trends and Technologies
Some of the emerging trends and technologies shaping the art of storyboarding include:
- Data-driven storyboarding – More and more storyboard artists are relying on market research and data harvesting to create more refined storyboards.
- Mobile storyboarding – An increasing number of film teams are working with mobile storyboarding apps, which allow everyone to collaborate remotely on the film.
The Role of VR and AR in Storyboarding
Virtual reality, augmented reality and machine learning will undoubtedly have a significant impact on the art of storyboarding soon. These impressive technologies now allow artists to visualize their storyboards in an immersive environment and test out their theories prior to moving forward with production.
Learn the Best Visual Storytelling Techniques at Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design
At Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design, we offer both in-person and online animation degree programs. Our Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2D Animation and Bachelor of Fine Arts in 3D Animation programs will not only teach you how to make a storyboard, but will also provide you with the skills needed to develop visual continuity in all of your animated works.
Request more information about our online degree programs today.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is storyboarding?
Storyboarding is the practice of creating a shot-by-shot visual representation of a film before production begins. It lets a filmmaker and team see a conceptual version of the final product, frame by frame, so they can make edits and agree on a cohesive strategy before committing to full production. By defining frame composition and character positioning early, storyboarding streamlines the work that follows. It is a core part of pre-production for both animated and live-action projects.
What are the steps to create a storyboard?
The process generally starts with a solid understanding of the script, since the storyboard depends on it to identify the pivotal moments. From there, the key steps include choosing your materials with an emphasis on function over artistic polish, selecting a layout that fits the project (a comic-strip style template or one built for wide film panels), and breaking the script down into its key moments. The storyboard itself is meant to be a rough outline rather than finished art, so efficiency matters more than visual refinement.
What are the essential components of a storyboard?
An effective storyboard brings together several elements. Illustrations visualize the story and communicate intent to the rest of the team. Scene descriptions act as captions that fill in details the images alone cannot. Shot sequences show how the story moves forward from frame to frame. Timing indicates how long each frame should last, which animators and filmmakers rely on to execute the vision. Finally, notes and annotations give the production team the added context and feedback they need to collaborate effectively.
What tools do storyboard artists use?
Storyboard artists work with a mix of traditional and digital tools depending on personal preference and project needs. Some rely only on the basics of pencil and paper, valuing speed and simplicity. Others prefer digital software, with common choices including Adobe Photoshop, StoryBoard Artist Studio, and Autodesk Sketchbook. Because the goal is a functional outline rather than polished artwork, the right tool is whichever lets the artist work quickly and communicate clearly with the team.
How is storyboarding different for animation versus live-action film?
The core purpose stays the same across mediums, but the emphasis shifts. In film and television, storyboarding is used mainly to outline the sequence of events from the script, helping the team plan camera angles, character positions, frame composition, and scene transitions. In animation and gaming, storyboarding supports narrative development but also serves the user experience, which is especially important in games where it can shape a title’s overall functionality. The underlying discipline of sequential visual storytelling carries across all of them.
What skills make a good storyboard artist?
Strong storyboard artists prioritize visual storytelling over polished illustration, focusing on how well the frames bring the script to life rather than how refined the drawings look. Working quickly and efficiently matters, since storyboard artists are often paid by the frame. Playing with camera angles and perspective adds emotional range, and small details help inspire the imagination of the wider team. Perhaps most important is receptiveness to feedback and the flexibility to adapt to different directors, since collaboration and resilience drive long-term career growth.
Who invented storyboarding?
The modern practice of storyboarding is credited to Walt Disney’s studio in the 1930s, during the early era of animated features. The first feature-length film to use animation storyboarding was Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The technique proved so useful that it soon crossed over into live-action filmmaking, with Gone with the Wind believed to be the first live-action film to rely on it. Storyboarding was traditionally done with pencil and paper, though most artists now use digital tools.
