A sequence of drawings visualizing each shot of a film—like a comic of the planned film.
Technical Details
Professional storyboards use standardized panel sizes of 3x2 inches (7.6x5.1 cm) for hand drawings or 1920x1080 pixels for digital versions. Each panel includes image composition, camera movements (coded with arrows), dialogue text, and timing information in frames or seconds. Modern digital storyboards in software like Toon Boom Storyboard Pro or Photoshop enable animatics with a playback rate of 12-24 fps. The industry standard for printed versions is 6-12 panels per A4 page, with aspect ratio markings for various cinema formats.
History & Development
Webb Smith developed the first systematic storyboards at Disney in 1933 for "Three Little Pigs." Alfred Hitchcock perfected the technique in the 1940s, pre-visualizing every shot of "North by Northwest" (1959) – a total of 1,200 panels. Ridley Scott established photographic storyboards in the 1970s using Polaroid cameras. Since 2000, digital storyboards with 3D previs integration have dominated, with software like FrameForge or Shot Designer simulating camera optics and lens distortion.
Practical Application in Film
Steven Spielberg used over 2,000 storyboard panels for "Raiders of the Lost Ark" (1981), which accurately pre-visualized 85% of the final shots. Action and VFX-heavy productions like Marvel films create 8,000-12,000 digital panels per film. The storyboard process shortens shooting times by an average of 15-20% because camera setups are defined in advance. Animatics with sound and timing reduce post-production iterations by up to 30%. Complex sequences are often transferred directly from storyboards to 3D previs today.
Comparison & Alternatives
Shot lists offer only textual descriptions without visual reference, whereas storyboards define image composition and staging. Animatics expand storyboards with motion and timing but require 3-5 times longer creation time. 3D previs is increasingly replacing traditional storyboards in VFX-heavy productions but costs €500-€1,000 per visualized film minute, compared to €50-€150 for drawn storyboards. Virtual production with LED volumes makes storyboards partially obsolete, as sets can be adjusted in real-time.