Storyboarding for Beginners: A Step-by-Step Guide

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If you have a passion for visual storytelling, then this Storyboarding for Beginners guide is a must-read. It is a comprehensive step-by-step process, where you will learn how to create a storyboard that will make you proud.

What is storyboarding?

Storyboarding is a way of planning and organizing a story visually before it is brought to life. It involves creating a series of drawings or sketches that show the key scenes, characters, and actions of the story. It can be thought of as a comic strip that helps to outline the flow and sequence of a story. People use storyboarding in filmmaking, animation, video games, video production, and ads.

Elements of Storyboarding

Frames: Frames are like small boxes where you draw or put your pictures. Each frame shows a different part of the story. Make sure you have enough frames to show all the important moments.

Images or Sketches: Inside each frame, you draw or put pictures that show what happens in the story. These can be simple drawings that represent the characters, objects, and places. They help everyone understand how the final project will look.

Shot Descriptions: Next to each frame, you write a short description of what the shot should look like. This helps explain the camera angle, movement, and important details. It guides the team in capturing the shot correctly.

Dialogue or Action Notes: Sometimes, you write words in the frames to show what the characters say or do. These notes give instructions for character movements, facial expressions, or important lines of dialogue.

Annotations: Annotations are extra notes or arrows that you add to the frames. They explain more details or give instructions. They can show camera positions, transitions between shots, or anything important to highlight.

Sequence and Order: Storyboards are put in order, like a storybook. The frames follow the flow of the story in a logical way. This helps the story make sense and keeps it interesting.

Timing and Pacing: Storyboards can also show the timing and speed of the story. You can add notes or numbers to the frames to show how long each shot or scene should be. This helps give an idea of the story’s pace.

Types of Storyboards

There are different types of storyboards that can be used for different projects. Here are a few common types:

Thumbnail Storyboards: These are quick, simple sketches that show the main parts of each scene. They’re used in the early planning stages to explore different ideas and compositions.

Linear Storyboards: Linear storyboards follow the order of the story, showing how each scene connects to the next. They help create a clear and smooth flow of the story.

Vertical Storyboards: These kinds of storyboards are arranged up and down and are good for stories with things like tall buildings or waterfalls. They help show movement and height in the story.

Horizontal Storyboards: Horizontal storyboards are arranged left to right and work well for stories with wide landscapes or horizontal movements. They show the story’s horizontal elements better.

Digital Storyboards: These are made using computer software or digital tools. They give more options for adding images, text, or even motion and sound effects. Digital storyboards are easy to collaborate on and share.

Animatic Storyboards: These combine pictures with audio elements like dialogue, sound effects, or music. They help show the timing and pace of the story, like a simplified version of the final project. Animatics are useful for planning animated or motion-based projects.

How to Create a Storyboard

You may be wondering whether you need to have super drawing skills in order to create a good storyboard. Well, not necessarily. While artistic talent can certainly enhance the visual appeal of your storyboard, the primary goal of storyboarding is to communicate and plan the sequence of a story effectively. Even with the use of stick figures and sketches, your plan can be communicated easily to your teammates. So, with that said, let’s proceed with this simplified how-to guide to help you learn storyboarding.

Step 1: Define Your Story

The first step in creating a storyboard is to figure out what your story is all about. You need to understand the main idea, what happens in the story, and the important things you want to show in your storyboard. To define your story, think about these things:

Plot and Structure: Decide on the main theme or message of your story. Plan out the important events, problems, and solutions that will happen. Think about how the story will flow and any exciting surprises or changes that will make it interesting.

Example: Imagine you’re making a game about saving a polluted river. Your story could be about a young hero who goes on an adventure to clean up the river. They will face challenges and learn important lessons along the way.

Characters: Create the characters who will be in your story. Think about their roles, personalities, and why they are important. Imagine how they will interact with each other and how they will affect the story.

Example: In the game about the polluted river, you might have a brave main character, a wise mentor who helps them, and bad guys who are causing the pollution.

Setting and Atmosphere: Imagine where your story takes place. It could be in a futuristic city, a magical forest, or a different time period. Think about the mood and feelings you want people to have when they play or read your story.

Example: In the game, the story could happen in a beautiful natural environment that has been ruined by pollution. You want people to feel the importance of fixing the damage and making the place healthy again.

Objectives and Themes: Decide what the players or readers should try to achieve in your interactive content. Think about the important messages or lessons you want to teach them.

Example: In the game, the objective is to clean up the polluted river by completing tasks and solving puzzles. The game will teach players about taking care of the environment, working together, and how individual actions can make a difference.

Step 2. Divide the Story into Scenes

Start by breaking the story into different parts called scenes. Think of scenes like puzzle pieces that fit together to create the whole story. Each scene represents a specific time and place where important events happen. Identify the key moments and actions that take place in each scene. This helps you organise the story and understand how it unfolds. When you divide the story into scenes, you can focus on the important events and make sure they are captured in your storyboard. It’s like putting the story into smaller chunks, making it easier to plan and visualise.

Step 3: Create a Rough Sketch

Once you have your story planned out, it’s time to make a rough sketch of what your interactive content will look like. This means creating simple drawings that show the important scenes and actions in your story. To create a rough sketch, follow these steps:

Get the Basic Layout: Start by drawing a basic layout of the scenes in your story. Think about the different places and situations that are important to show. You don’t need to worry about making it perfect yet, just focus on getting the main idea across.

Example: In our game about saving the polluted river, you might draw the first scene where the main character sees the polluted river for the first time. You can show the river, some garbage, and maybe the character’s surprised expression.

Use Simple Shapes and Stick Figures: Don’t worry about drawing fancy or detailed pictures at this stage. Instead, use simple shapes like circles, squares, and triangles to represent objects and characters. You can even use stick figures to show people.

Example: In our game, you can use a rectangle to represent the polluted river, squares for buildings or trees, and stick figures to show the main character and other people.

Show the Actions: Think about the important actions or events that happen in each scene. Draw arrows or lines to show how the characters move or interact with objects. This will help you understand the flow of the story and how things should happen.

Example: In our game, you can draw an arrow to show how the main character walks towards the river, and another arrow to show them picking up trash. These arrows help show the actions and how the story progresses.

Remember, the goal of creating a rough sketch is to get a basic idea of how your interactive content will look. It doesn’t have to be perfect or detailed at this stage. The rough sketches will serve as a guide for creating more detailed artwork later on.

Step 4: Add Details

Once you have your rough sketch, it’s time to take it to the next level by adding more details. This step involves enhancing your sketches, deciding on camera angles and shots, and incorporating helpful notes into your storyboard. Here are the important aspects to consider:

Refine and Enhance Sketches: Take a closer look at your rough sketches and focus on refining them with more intricate details. This means adding specific features to characters, objects, and the environment. Consider facial expressions, clothing details, and textures to bring your drawings to life.

Example: In our game about the polluted river, you can add more facial expressions to the main character, like showing determination or concern. You can also add texture to the garbage in the river, making it look crumpled or dirty.

Decide on the angles of your cameras and the shots: Think about how you want to capture each scene in your storyboard. Choose angles and shots that enhance the storytelling and engage the players. You can also decide on close-ups, wide shots, aspect ratios, camera movement, or unique perspectives to create visual interest.

Example: In our game, you might decide to use a close-up shot of the main character’s face when they make a significant discovery about pollution. Alternatively, you can use a wide shot to show the entire polluted river, emphasizing the scale of the problem.

Include Helpful Notes in the Storyboard: Utilize notes in your storyboard to remind yourself and others about important details that may not be easily conveyed through the drawings alone. These notes can cover various elements such as lighting, sound effects, or music choices.

Example: You can add notes in your storyboard to specify that a particular scene should have dramatic lighting to enhance the suspenseful mood. Or you can include a note suggesting the use of water sound effects to create a more realistic experience for the players.

Step 5. Arrange the Frames

Take the frames you’ve drawn and put them in the right order, just like how they happen in the story. This helps create a smooth flow, so the viewer can follow the story easily. Imagine it like a puzzle where you arrange the pieces in the correct order. By organising the frames in the right sequence, you make sure that the story makes sense and that everything happens in the right order. It’s like putting the scenes of a movie in the correct sequence, so it tells the story in a way that makes sense to the audience.

Step 6. Review and Refine

Take a step back and carefully examine your storyboard to make sure it tells the story clearly. Look at each frame and think about whether it effectively communicates what you want to say. Check if the visuals and descriptions are easy to understand and if they capture the right emotions and actions. If you find any areas that need improvement, make changes to the drawings or descriptions to make them clearer and more engaging. This step is important because it helps you make sure your storyboard is the best it can be before moving forward.

Step 7. Share and Collaborate

Once you have created your storyboard, it’s important to share it with the other people working on the project, like directors, designers, or teammates. Sharing your storyboard means letting them see it and getting their feedback. This collaboration helps you work together as a team to make improvements and make sure everyone is on the same page. By listening to their ideas and suggestions, you can make your storyboard even better. Collaboration allows you to combine different perspectives and expertise, leading to a stronger and more effective final project. Remember, teamwork and communication are key to creating a successful storyboard and bringing your story to life.

Storyboarding Tools and Techniques

If you’re new to storyboarding, you might be wondering what tools and techniques you’ll need to get started. In this section, we’ll cover some of the most popular traditional and digital tools, as well as some techniques that can help you create effective storyboards.

Traditional Storyboarding Tools

Traditional storyboarding tools are those that are used on paper or other physical materials. Some of the most common tools include:

Pencils and erasers: These are the basic tools you’ll need to sketch out your storyboard frames. As a storyboard artist, use any type of pencil you prefer, but a soft lead (such as a 2B or 4B) will make it easier to create dark lines and shading. This is the perfect tool when it comes to how to make a storyboard on paper.

Storyboard panels: These are specially designed pads of paper that have pre-printed storyboard frames on each page. They come in a variety of sizes and formats, so you can choose the one that works best for your project.

Post-it notes: If you prefer a more flexible approach, you can use Post-it notes to create your storyboard frames. This allows you to easily rearrange and adjust your frames as you go.

Digital Storyboarding Tools

Digital storyboarding online tools are those that are used on a computer or other digital device. Some of the most popular tools include:

Storyboarding software:

There are a variety of software programs available that are specifically designed for storyboarding. Two of the most popular ones are Boords and “Storyboard That”.

Boords: Boords is a popular online storyboard software that simplifies the process of creating and sharing storyboards. It offers a user-friendly interface and a range of features designed specifically for storyboarding. Here are some key highlights of Boords:

  • Easy-to-use Interface: Boords provides a simple and intuitive interface that allows users to quickly create and edit storyboards. Its drag-and-drop functionality makes it easy to arrange scenes and add images or illustrations.
  • Collaborative Workflow: Boords supports collaboration by enabling multiple team members to work on the same storyboard simultaneously.
  • Export and Sharing Options: Boords allows you to export your storyboard as a storyboarding PDF or as individual image files.

Storyboard That: Storyboard That offers a wide range of customizable characters, props, and scenes, allowing users to create visually appealing storyboards. Here are some key features of Storyboard That:

  • Vast Library of Assets: Storyboard That provides a vast library of pre-designed characters, props, and backgrounds that users can easily customize and incorporate into their storyboards.
  • Flexible Layouts and Panels: Users have the flexibility to customize the layout of their storyboard frames, adjusting the number of panels per page and their size.
  • Text and Speech Bubble Options: Storyboard That offers various text and speech bubble options, allowing users to add dialogue, captions, and descriptions to their frames.

Drawing tablets:

If you prefer to draw your storyboard frames by hand but want to do so digitally, you can use a drawing tablet. These devices allow you to draw directly onto a digital surface using a stylus and often include pressure sensitivity and other advanced features.

Storyboarding Techniques

In addition to the tools you use, there are also some techniques that can help you create effective storyboards. Here are a few to consider:

Thumbnail sketches: Before you start creating your storyboard frames in detail, it can be helpful to create small thumbnail sketches of each shot. This allows you to quickly experiment with different compositions and camera angles before committing to a full drawing.

Shot lists: Creating a shot list can help you stay organized and ensure that you capture all the shots you need for your project. This list should include details such as the shot type (wide, medium, close-up, etc.), camera angle, and any other important information.

Reference images: If you’re struggling to visualize a particular shot, it can be helpful to find reference images online or in books. This can give you a better sense of the composition and lighting you want to achieve. Overall, there are a variety of tools and techniques you can use to create effective storyboards. Whether you prefer traditional or digital tools, or a combination of both, the most important thing is to find a method that works for you and allows you to bring your creative vision to life.

According to Videomaker, a good storyboard allows you to show your clients or team exactly what you have in mind for a particular scene, and it can help you identify any potential problems before you start shooting. So, investing time in creating a good storyboard can save you time and money in the long run.

Congratulations! You’ve learned the basics of storyboarding. Storyboarding is a valuable tool for aspiring storytellers and creative minds. It helps you bring your ideas to life by planning, visualising, and communicating them effectively before starting the final project. Whether it’s for film production, animation, advertising, or any visual storytelling, storyboarding sets the foundation for success. In addition, storyboarding teaches you to break down complex stories into manageable scenes, ensuring a smooth flow between frames. With sketches, images, and notes, you can express emotions, actions, and narrative arcs in a clear and captivating way. Understanding the story deeply and applying composition, clarity, and continuity principles brings your storyboard to life. Using tools like paper and pencil, digital software, or collages, storyboarding becomes accessible and versatile. You can improve your storyboard through feedback and collaboration, continuously refining it to match your vision. Sharing a storyboard template as a PDF enables the creative team to work together seamlessly and understand the project’s direction. Storyboarding is not just a planning tool; it’s a path to success in visual storytelling. Follow the step-by-step process and embrace principles of clarity, composition, and storytelling techniques to unlock your imagination and captivate audiences with your narratives.

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PDF Storyboard Templates

Ideal if you want to print your templates and sketch your storyboard by hand. Ready to go beyond PDF templates? Check out our online storyboard creator .

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Photoshop Storyboard Templates

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Microsoft Word Storyboard Templates

Choose your perfect Docx Storyboard Template using our preview tool, or download them all in one bundle.

Powerpoint Storyboard Templates

If you need to include a storyboard in your powerpoint presentation, you're in the right place. Just choose from one of the templates below.

Animation Storyboard Templates

Storyboarding is a critical part of the animation process, so start yourself off on the right foot with a rock-solid template. If you're looking to brush up on your storyboarding fundamentals, read our guide on how to make a storyboard .

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Download a ready-to-print storyboard template and start putting your ideas down on paper! Looking for some pointers on creating a storyboard? Check out our guide to camera angles .

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Storyboard Templates with Unique Designs, Download for Free

Updated on: 5 January 2023

Students love lessons with graphic organizers , and when the graphic organizer in question is a storyboard, they love it even more! They are naturally attracted to storyboards  because they love drawing things. But they also help students organize their ideas and present them in an orderly manner. We added some colorful and eye-catching storyboard examples for students and kids to help you along the way.

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SpongeBob Squarepants Missing Identity Storyboard

Storyboard template to translate an idea into a visual story, storyboard template for students, woodcutter and his axe storyboard template, a completed storyboard template.

Below is an already completed storyboard for kids. You can use it as a template and change the images and text. With our import features and integrated Google images search, creating a graphic rich storyboard is very easy and won’t take a long time.

Mickey the Mouse Storyboard

Storyboard Templates as PDF Downloads

We added some beautifully designed graphics rich storyboard examples for students here. But we understand that sometimes you just want to download a blank template and get it printed. That is why we have added two print-ready storyboard templates as PDF downloads. They are in A4 portrait and A4 landscape formats so no need of adjustments from your end. Right click on the link and choose “Save Link as..” to save it in your preferred location.

Storyboard Template ( A4 Landscape ) – PDF

Storyboard Template (A4 Portrait) – PDF

Colorful Storyboard Templates

Colors and fancy arrows make your storyboard attractive and encourage kids to contribute more. Below is a blank storyboard template that will help the kids start instantly. Prefer another color for your storyboard? With our 2-click styling function, it takes only seconds to change the colors.

Colorful Storyboard Templates

Storyboard Templates with Attractive Images

A storyboard has two basic things; an area for visuals and some text lines to explain the visuals. A word document with boxes and lines will do the trick, but what it won’t do is, delight and excite students. That’s one reason why we added graphics to some of our storyboard templates. Also, the visual aids are in different sizes and shapes. No two visuals carry the same details, with Creately you can change the sizes to exactly fit your visual.

Storyboard template with graphics and different size visual boxes

Storyboard Template With a Difference

Storyboards are about organizing ideas and presenting them in an orderly manner. It doesn’t always have to be arrows pointing to boxes. So we came up with some unique storyboard layouts of our own. We sincerely hope you would love them.

Storyboard template with a unique layout

Who doesn’t love SpongeBob SquarePants? This SpongeBob SquarePants’ storyboard template gives a brief summary of the episode where SpongeBob almost loses his mind over losing his identity tag. A storyboard like this is great to have by your side when you are relating a story to your students. It will help them follow the sequence of the story easily while enjoying it at the same time.

SpongeBob Squarepants Missing Identity Storyboard

The best way to make sure that your students understood the lesson you just taught them is to get them to express the ideas they have about the topic. What better way to encourage them to express their ideas than to get the kids to translate the ideas into a visual story in a sequence .  A storyboard template like this is a great way to get them to be more excited about being expressive.

Storyboard templates to translate an idea

Here is a simple storyboard template that you can use with your students. You can use this to test their knowledge on the lessons you taught them by getting them to visually express their ideas. Or you can also simply incorporate this in a little fun activity where you can encourage your students to tell a story. They all love telling stories!

Storyboard template for students

Kids love to listen to stories just as much as they love to tell them. This storyboard for kids relates the story of the woodcutter and his axe. Using the Creately editor you can quickly change the images and the text and use the template to relate any other story you or your students like.

Woodcutter and His Axe Storyboard Template

Shown above are some of the storyboard templates available at Creately . Visit our diagram community to check out more Storyboard examples .

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We have over 3,000 ready-to-use and creative free online lesson plans and activities! Created by teachers, our resources are aligned with Common Core standards and are guaranteed to bring out the best in your students, and give you a treasure trove of new ideas to choose from. We have free lesson plans for teachers that are fun for all grade levels: elementary students, middle school lesson plans, lesson plans for high school, and lesson plan resources for teachers.

Storyboard That provides access to simple one-step-prep materials for interactive activities and other types of classroom activities! All you have to do is copy the activities that you would like to use, and they will be saved directly to your teacher dashboard. From there, you can use the directions, templates, and examples as is, or customize the lessons to meet your specific needs and ideas. We have meaningful lesson plans for all subjects including math, science, current events in today's world, vocabulary, technology, social studies, reading, writing, and so much more. Educators can also choose from social emotional activities and lessons that build community and are relevant in classrooms today.

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How to Get Started with Storyboarding in the Classroom

If you’re new to storyboarding or looking for fresh ideas on using storyboards in your classroom, we’ve got you covered! Explore our teacher resources page for lesson plans, tips, and tricks on getting started. We have a library of free printable templates and all the materials needed that you can use with your students. And don’t forget to check out the search function for even more great ideas!

Great lessons start with great lesson plans. That’s why we have put together this bank of teacher-submitted, classroom-tested lesson plans for you to use in your own class. If you’re looking for lessons by grade level or subject, you can find them all at Storyboard That.

Lesson Plan Ideas

Science Lesson Plans: From cells to the solar system, our science lesson plans will have your students engaged and excited to learn about the world around them.

Social Studies Lesson Plans: Take your students on a journey through time with these social studies lesson plans. From Ancient Greece to the American Revolution, there’s something for everyone.

English Lesson Plans: Whether you’re looking for ESL lesson plans or literature lesson plans, there’s something for everyone. These English lesson plans will help your students improve their writing, reading, and speaking skills.

Lesson plan ideas can be whatever you make of them and what the curriculum requires you to teach. You can use the free printable lesson plans to organize your lessons in a way that works best for you. The printable lesson plans can be used in several ways:

  • To keep track of what you have taught and when you have taught it.
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  • To share with other teachers or homeschooling parents who might be looking for assistance with their teaching.

Lesson Plan Examples

Want to see what a lesson plan looks like? Check out our lesson plan examples below.

Science Lesson Plan Example: This science lesson plan example template can be used by teachers to create their own science lesson plans. This template includes various activities and strategies for teaching the scientific methods, properties of matter, and states of matter.

Social Studies Lesson Plan Example: This World Geography Projects social studies lesson plan example template can be used as a starting off point for teachers to create their own social studies lesson plans for anywhere. This guide includes many activities and strategies for teaching world history, geography, and cultures. All activities can be copied and changed to fit the needs of your lesson.

English Lesson Plan Example: This Novel Study English lesson plan example template can be used by teachers to create their own English lesson plans. This template includes different activities and strategies for teaching grammar, writing, and literature.

The fun lesson plans for elementary students are awesome to keep the children engaged and excited about learning. The printable lesson plans work great for in-person and online teaching too.

Lesson Plans for Elementary School

Free online lesson plans can be used to teach elementary students. The lesson plans for elementary school are specifically designed to meet the needs of elementary-aged children. The lessons can be used in various ways to learn in a different format than the students usually do on a day-to-day basis.

The lesson plans for elementary school are available in various subjects, including:

  • Historical Fiction
  • Fables, Fairytales, & Fantasy

Middle School Lesson Plans

Middle school students need to be taught slightly differently compared with younger elementary students. The middle school lesson plans are designed around teaching this age group. The focus is on using more interactive activities, classroom activities, games, and hands-on experiences.

The lessons are still divided into subjects, such as:

  • Historical Fiction/Memoir
  • Fantasy, Science Fiction, Epic Poetry
  • Short Stories
  • Poems, Speeches, and Letters

These are free printable lesson plans templates that are relevant to and designed to benefit the age group learning from them. The lesson plan resources for teachers allow you to plan lessons that increase the children’s comprehension of the information and save teachers lots of time as most of the hard-planning work has already been done for you. Teachers’ lesson plans can be used as they are or easily customized to fit the needs of your students.

Lesson Plans for High School

High school lesson plans are a little different from the other types of lessons. The high school lesson plans are geared more towards preparing students for college and careers.

The lessons focus on skills that will be needed in the real world, such as:

  • Writing Emails
  • Complex Literature
  • High School Projects
  • Foreign Languages
  • Social Media

Interactive activities are still used, but the focus is more on in-depth discussions, projects, and writing assignments. The high school lesson plans are available in various subjects, too.

Why Is Storyboarding So Important for Young People?

Storyboarding is a fantastic way to enhance student creativity and critical thinking when it comes to sharing the stories they want to tell. It’s also a great activity for kids for building teamwork and collaboration skills! When students storyboard, they are planning and visually organizing their thoughts. This process helps them better understand the story they want to tell and identify any gaps in their understanding.

It allows them to see the story from different perspectives, which can help them find new ways to solve problems or approach challenges. In addition, storyboarding is a great way to encourage students to work together. When students collaboratively plan and organize their stories, they learn how to communicate effectively with one another and compromise when necessary.

Using Storyboard That’s Educational Activities for Students

All of our activities and lesson plans for elementary school, middle, and high school include basic directions, a blank template, and a completed example that teachers can choose to show or not to show their students. Many of our activities have pre-made rubrics that teachers can use as a guide for grading their students’ storyboards. We also provide additional lesson plan ideas, teacher lesson plans, and lesson plans examples. Everything can be customized to fit your ideas and desired objectives, as well as the unique needs of your students.

How To Copy an Activity

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Not ready to assign the activity just yet? Simply click the blue “Hide Assignment” button, making it easy to use at a later date.

By clicking the green “View As Student” tab, you can see the assignment exactly how your students will see it. You can also click the “View Student Work” tab to watch your students work in real time!

Frequently Asked Questions about Free Lesson Plans and Activities

What are free lesson plans and activities.

Storyboard That’s free lesson plans are written by former classroom teachers. They include activities that are aligned with the Common Core standards, and also come with a template, instructions, and a rubric.

What are health and wellness lesson plans?

Health and wellness lesson plans consist of lessons and activities relating to bullying, peer pressure, self esteem, goal setting, decision making, relationships, and other areas of social emotional learning.

How do I find free lesson plans and activities?

To search on Storyboard That, simply type what you are looking for in the search bar. Additionally, you can browse our lesson plans that are arranged by grade level and subject area.

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  • ​Education Edition
  • ​Assignments

Storyboard That integrates directly with Google Classroom! This mean you can share your Storyboard That assignment right to your Google classes with just a click of a button. 😁

How to Share Your Assignment to Google Classroom

  • Log in to your Storyboard That account and create an assignment . You can also share a pre-existing assignment, just skip to the next step.
  • On the Edit Assignment tab, click the Share to Google Classroom button.

Share to Google Classroom button

  • A window will pop up with your Google Classroom classes. Select the class(es) you want to share the assignment to and click the Post Assignment button when done.

That's it! Your students will receive an email notifying them of the new assignment.

See it in action 👇

How Will Students Access the Assignment

  • Students will open the notification email to view the assignment details and click Open to access the assignment link.
  • Click the link to view the assignment and instructions. This will log the students into their Storyboard That accounts.
  • Once logged in, students will see the assignment instructions, any templates included with the assignment, and can click the Start Assignment button to open the Storyboard Creator and start working!

See the process here 👇

How did we do?

Related articles.

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46 Storyboard Examples from popular films (with FREE Storyboard Templates) - StudioBinder

46 Storyboard Examples from Movies, Animation, and Games (with FREE Storyboard Templates)

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  • Ultimate Guide to Storyboard Composition
  • Best Storyboard Examples
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  • Create Your Storyboard Here →

A storyboard is a graphic layout that sequences illustrations and images with the purpose of visually telling a story. Filmmakers and video creators use storyboards to transfer ideas from thier mind to the screen. Creating an effective story board takes skill, but you can learn from storyboard examples to gain some pro tips.

Take a look at these fantastic professional storyboard examples. These verified storyboards were released by the DGA, and they include storyboard examples from Harry Potter, Star Wars, Inception, Gladiator, Jurassic Park, Moulin Rouge , and many other great films.

Storyboard Examples

  • Sci-Fi Movie Storyboards
  • Drama Movie Storyboards
  • Musical Movie Storyboards
  • Horror Movie Storyboards
  • Fantasy Movie Storyboards
  • Television Show Storyboards
  • Animation Storyboards
  • Video Game Storyboards

Science Fiction Storyboard Examples

Storyboards from sci-fi movies, movie story board examples.

Scene: Infirmary Scene

Ridley Scott did not draw stick figures here, and while he probably picked up some pretty slick storyboarding skills when he attended the Royal College of Art, it doesn’t mean you should throw in the towel or that you can’t achieve similar results from following his example.  

Film Storyboard Examples - Movie Storyboard Sample - Ridley Scott - Alien - StudioBinder

Story boards by Ridley Scott for Ridley Scott’s  •   Alien

Note: “Action inside the egg is beautiful.”

Alien  •   Infirmary Scene

"It’s got a wonderful defense mechanism... molecular acid storyboards."

Movie Storyboard Examples

2. pacific rim.

Not a lot of wide shots in these storyboards. Going from control room to outside takes careful planning. There is a distinct Japanese/Anime vibe.

Very cool how the negative space works as light in this storyboard. Check out the entire story board with the shot specs and play the storyboard in slideshow mode, take a look below:

Websites to Find Storyboard Artist Pacific Rim Storyboard StudioBinder Storyboarding Software

Click to view the Pacific Rim storyboard

And here's the actual scene from the film:

Pacific Rim   •  Final Monster Battle

"We can clear a path… for the storyboard."

3. Jurassic Park

Scene: Raptor Attack Scene

The notes help lead you into each new shot. Multiple slides (or cells) for can be used for a single shot, especially if you plan to linger a bit.

Storyboard Examples - Storyboard Ideas - Film Storyboad Template - Storyboard Format -Jurassic Park Storyboard - StudioBinder

Storyboards by David Lowery for Steven Spielberg's  •   Jurassic Park

Note: “Foot toward camera and…”

Jurassic Park  •  Raptor Attack Scene

"Ah, ah, ah, you didn’t say the magic word (it’s storyboard)."

4.  Star Wars: A New Hope

Scene: A Galaxy Far, Far Away

George Lucas did a storyboard for the title sequence. C3PO looks really different in these. Tougher. Lucas knew how he wanted that final shot.

Storyboard Examples for Film - Storyboard Ideas - George Lucas - Star Wars A New Hope - StudioBinder

Storyboards by George Lucas for  •   Star Wars: A New Hope

A ton of specific visual goals in this storyboard made it to the screen.

That’s No Moon  •  Star Wars: A New Hope

"I am fluent in over six million forms of communication… including storyboards."

5. Transformers

Scene: Blackout’s Rampage

I quickly notice thoughtful sketches of the production design. See how the artists visualize destruction? Blocking of the confused soldiers is very interesting, along with being a really pretty story board example.

Film Storyboard Examples - Ed Natividad - Michael Bay - Transformers - StudioBinder

Storyboards by Ed Natividad for Michael Bay’s  •   Transformers

Definitely story boards for a Michael Bay film.

Transformers   •  Blackout’s Rampage

"Autobots; assemble... a scene with a storyboard."

6. Inception

Scene: Hallway Fight Scene

How would you draw a rotating room?  The ceiling fan helps you stay oriented. See how the room is drawn the same across multiple slides?

Film Storyboard Examples - Gabriel Hardman - Inception - Christopher Nolan - Storyboard Ideas - StudioBinder

Storyboards by Gabriel Hardman for Christopher Nolan’s  •   Inception

Note: The scene numbers added by the storyboard artists. 

Inception   •  Hallway Fight Scene

"Never recreate storyboards from memory… always create new ones."

7. Edge of Tomorrow

Scene: Cage Drops In Scene

This storyboard shows a scene where Cage drops from the ship into battle. Where so many other films try to make everything look heroic, this film does a great job of showing how random battle can be. 

Storyboard Examples - Edge of tomorrow Storyboard - StudioBinder

Edge of Tomorrow  •  Storyboard Example

We get camera movement and an indication that this shot was meant to be continued across multiple storyboard slides. 

First Battle Scene

"There is no courage without fear... and a detailed storyboard."

If you want to see the storyboard process for another academy award winning film, check out our article on How To Master A Storyboard Like Jordan Peele: Get Out , which gives you a step-by-step workflow for creating a storyboard that perfectly communicates your visual goals.

How to Master A Storyboard Like Jordan Peele: Get Out  •   Subscribe on YouTube

Storyboards are super helpful not only for communicating goals to others, but analyzing your own decisions as well. You can even see the cuts from one shot to another, and how they play alongside each other.

Filmmaking is all about maximizing your creative output, and story boards are super helpful for placing yourself in a creative place, and helping you filter out good ideas and bad ones as well.

Plus, they’re fun mementos that you can show to your family and friends, or even frame and hang up on your wall. You’ll thank yourself later for stretching your creativity legs, and storyboarding your ideas.

RELATED POSTS

  • The Best Storyboard Software to Try →
  • How to Make a Storyboard with StudioBinder →
  • Storyboard That vs. StudioBinder Storyboards →

Drama STORYBOARD EXAMPLES

Storyboards from drama movies, 8. there will be blood  .

Scene: Oil Derrick Scene

The filmmakers are thinking about the background imagery a lot, and that plays on the screen as well. Lots of shot to reverse-shot. 

How to Make an Animatic There Will Be Blood Animatic StudioBinder Shot Listing Software

Storyboards by P.K. MacCarthy  •   Click here to view There Will Be Blood's storyboard

Notice the little note on the storyboard that says "how close can we get?"

Take a look at what this storyboard example became:

There Will Be Blood  •  Oil Derrick Scene

"Abandon your boy, but... never abandon the storyboard."

9. Gladiator

Scene: Battle Tigers

There is a clear chain of events in these storyboards? Intelligent camera placement leads to depth and layers. 

Click to view the full storyboard below:

Storyboard Examples Gladiator Storyboard StudioBinder Storyboarding Software

Click to view the Gladiator storyboard

Storyboarding these scenes beforehand is much cheaper than practicing with real life tigers. Less fun though. 

Now, let's see how this storyboard example transferred to the screen:

Gladiator   •  Battle Tigers

"We’ve got a better chance of survival if we storyboard together..."

10. Tomorrow Never Dies

Scene: Banner Escape

You should always storyboard stunts for extra safety. It will help your coordinators too. Wardrobe decided to change both costumes.

Film Storyboard Examples - Movie Storyboard Sample - Martin Asbury - Roger Spottiswoode - Tomorrow Never Dies - StudioBinder

Storyboards by Martin Asbury for Roger Spottiswoode's  •   Tomorrow Never Dies

Defacing the villain is a nice touch in the script.

Tomorrow Never Dies   •  Banner Escape

"The name’s Board… Storyboard."

11. Raiders of the Lost Ark

Scene: The Opening of the Ark

How does the color help tell the story, or communicate goals? Great use of shading. Do you think this storyboard helped them light the scene?

Film Storyboard Examples - Movie Storyboard Sample - Film Storyboard Templates - Ed Verreaux - Steven Spielberg - Raiders of the Lost Ark - StudioBinder

Storyboards by Ed Verreaux for Steven Spielberg's  •   Raiders of the Lost Ark

What’s different in the actual scene?

Raiders of the Lost Ark  •   The Opening of the Ark

"Storyboards… why’d it have to be storyboards?"

12. Forrest Gump

Scene: Meet President Johnson

Zemeckis combined custom footage with old newsreel footage. Covering the scene in close-ups helped them shroud inconsistencies.

Here's what the storyboard would look like, frame-by-frame:

Storyboard Examples Forrest Gump Storyboard StudioBinder Storyboarding Software

Storyboards by Chris Bonura  •   Click to view the entire Forest Gump storyboard

So how are comedic storyboard samples different?

How did this scene look in the actual film?

Forrest Gump   •  Meet President Johnson

"Storyboards are the fruit of the sea."

13. Gone with the Wind

Scene: Fleeing Atlanta

Did the colors in the storyboard help for the lighting schemes later? Shot notes help us understand the action. Lots of depth in slide three.

Movie Storyboard Examples for Film - William Cameron Menzies - Victor Fleming - Gone With the Wind - StudioBinder

Storyboards by William Cameron Menzies for  •   Gone With the Wind

Big wide end slide shows how you can vary your slide size.

Gone With the Wind  •   Fleeing Atlanta

"As god as my witness… I’ll never forget to storyboard again."

14. Apocalypse Now

Scene: Ride of the Valkyries

The focus seems to be how to shoot the air cavalry. Notice the carnage behind Col. Kilgore. Do these helicopters look heroic? Evil? Neutral?

Film Storyboard Examples - Movie Storyboard Sample - Francis Ford Coppola - Apocalypse Now - StudioBinder

Storyboards by Alex Tavoularis for  •   Apocalypse Now

Storyboards help when you have limited time up in a helicopter.

Apocalypse Now   •  Ride of the Valkyries

"I love the smell of storyboards in the morning. They smell like... victory."

Scene: Muhammad Ali vs. Ernie Terrell

Directional arrows show where punches come from. Important to replicate actual fight. Big wide establishing shot of arena creates scope.

Here's what the storyboard would actually look like:

Storyboard Examples Ali Storyboard StudioBinder Storyboarding Software

Storyboards by Tim Burgard  •   Click to view the Ali storyboard

Now let's see how this translated to the final cut:

Ali  •  Muhammad Ali vs. Ernie Terrell

16. spartacus.

Scene: Battle Plans

How many battle scenes took cues from Spartacus? Slide dedicated to arrows mid-flight. Lots of color in these is storyboard samples.

Film Storyboard Examples - Movie Storyboard Sample - Stanley Kubrick - Spartacus - StudioBinder

Storyboards by Saul Bass for Stanley Kubrick’s  •   Spartacus

Interesting composition and angle choice.

Spartacus  •   Trailer

17. the towering inferno.

Scene: Elevator Rescue Scene

Lots of high angles in this storyboard. How good is the smoke continuity? Big action scenes need a lot of planning.  

Film Storyboard Examples - Movie Storyboard Sample - Joseph Musso - John Guillermin - The Towering Inferno - StudioBinder

 Storyboards by Joseph Musso for  •   The Towering Inferno

This is a scene with stunts, special effects, and a difficult location.

The Towering Inferno  •   Elevator Rescue Scene

18. no country for old men.

Scene: Street Shootout Scene

The Coen Brothers are known to storyboard their entire film before they ever begin principal photography. When you consider how precise the cinematography is in the best Coen Brothers movies , it makes sense.

storyboard assignment pdf

No Country for Old Men Storyboard Example

Film terms are used like "pull" and "push" which really help to make these storyboard examples come to life on the page. 

No Country for Old Men  •  Street Shootout Scene

"Don't worry, I ain't gonna hurt ya... I just need a storyboard."

Scene: Rooftop Scene

This storyboard shows a scene where Salt is hanging from a rope and eventually lets go. Notice how the storyboard artist understand composition and how to create background imagery. 

Storyboard Example - Salt Storyboard - Tim Burgard - StudioBinder

Salt Storyboard Example by Tim Burgard

There are references to a pan with the rope swing as well. 

Salt  •  Trailer

"We've got a defector... he brought storyboards"

20. Interview with the Vampire

Scene: Ending Scene

This storyboard shows the final scene where Lestat bites Mallory in the final scene of the film. 

Storyboard Examples - Interview with the Vampire Storyboard - StudioBinder

Interview with the Vampire Storyboard Example

Notice how the pacing of the scene is referenced in the notes. The scene plays out a bit differently, which may have been done on purpose or maybe the shot didn't work out as planned. 

Final Scene of  •  Interview with the Vampire

"I'm going to give you the storyboard example... I never had."

Related Posts

  • StudioBinder’s Storyboard Creator →
  • The Best Storyboard Software to Use →
  • How to Make a Storyboard in 9 Steps →

Musical Storyboard Examples

Storyboards from musical movies, 21. austin powers 3.

Scene: Opening

When you're shooting a scene that involves so many stunts and visual effect component, it's super important to have it all storyboarded down to a tee.

What is a Storyboard Austin Powers Storyboard Example StudioBinder Storyboarding Software

Click to view the Austin Power 3 storyboard

Jay Roach had only eight hours to shoot the opening sequence, and you can see that it did not stop him from nailing down that task.

Storyboarding the Austin Powers 3 Opening Scene  •   Subscribe on YouTube

"Well, no offense, Sir Stevie but you've got to have mojo storyboard, baby. Yeah."

22. Moulin Rouge

Scene: Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend

The use of directional arrows keeps us oriented. POV shot of Sabine reaching out is one slide that jumps out to me. Close-ups to wide shots.

Storyboard Examples for Film - Storyboard Ideas - David Russell - Moulin Rouge Storyboard - StudioBinder

Storyboards by David Russell for Baz Luhrmann’s  Moulin Rouge

Baz Luhrmann uses lots of angle changes in this scene, and you can see the complicated edit visualized during the storyboard process. 

Moulin Rouge   •  Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend

"I’ve arranged a meeting with you and a storyboard… totawwy awone..."

23. The Sound of Music

Scene: Do-Re-Mi

Lots of symmetry in these shots. A ton of complicated choreography. Great depth in many of the slides due to creative blocking.

Storyboard Examples for Film - Storyboard Ideas - Maurice Zuberano - Robert Wise - The Sound of Music - StudioBinder

Storyboards by Maurice Zuberano for  The Sound of Music

There is a fantasy element to how much ground they cover.

The Sound of Music  •  Do-Re-Mi

24. west side story.

Scene: When You’re a Jet

Notice the map slide? See how the big street signs were imagined here. What does the detour sign pointing in the opposite direction say to you?

Film Storyboard Examples - Movie Storyboard Sample - West Side Story - StudioBinder

Storyboards by Saul Bass for Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins’  West Side Story

Simple but still super intricate.

West Side Story  •  When You’re A Jet

Horror storyboard examples, storyboards from horror movies, 25. get out.

Scene: Sunken Place Scene

This storyboard shows a scene where Chris falls into the sunken place after being hypnotized by Missy Armitage.

Storyboard Example - Get Out Storyboard 2 - Eric Yamamoto - StudioBinder

Get Out Sunken Place Storyboard Example by Eric Yamamoto

Here's a continuation of this storyboard:

Storyboard Example - Get Out Storyboard - Eric Yamamoto - StudioBinder

Get Out Sunken Place #2 Storyboard Example by Eric Yamamoto

"Sink through the storyboard."

Scene: Trouble in the Shower

Knife shot is exactly the same in the film. Look at the intended close-up of her mouth when she’s stabbed. Sex, comfort, and murder collide.  

What is a Storyboard Psycho Shower Scene StudioBinder Shot Listing Software

Click to view Psycho storyboard

Happy face in the first few slides. Huge tonal shift in this scene.

Psycho   •  Trouble in the Shower

"Well, a boy’s best friend is his storyboard."

27. The Birds

Scene: Playground Scene

This storyboard example shows the birds gathering on the school playground while the children are inside the school.

Storyboard Examples - The Birds Storyboard - StudioBinder

The Birds  •  Storyboard Example

This scene plays out differently in the actual film, but the overall purpose of the storyboard is still very much present. 

Children Get Attacked By Birds

"Alright children now put your storyboards away."

Fantasy STORYBOARD EXAMPLES

Storyboards from fantasy movies, 28. spider-man 2.

Scene: Train Battle

This storyboard looks like a comic book…Spidey is losing, then winning. Lots of directional arrows.

Storyboard Examples - Chris Buchinsky - Sam Raimi - Spider-Man 2 - StudioBinder

Storyboards by Chris Buchinsky for Sam Raimi’s  Spider-Man 2

We need at least three more Spider-Man reboots!

Spider-Man 2   •  Train Battle

I'd do another pithy storyboard puns but Spider-Man is never sarcastic....

Scene: Decapitation Scene

This storyboard shows the scene where Logan decapitates Jackson. This is a really detailed storyboard example by a very talented artist. 

Storyboard Examples - Logan Storyboard - Mark Vena - StudioBinder

Logan Storyboard by Mark Vena

There were a lot of brutal scenes all throughout Logan, and the storyboard artist's job is to capture the emotion in the sketch. 

Logan  •  Trailer

"Charles the world isn't the same anymore... except for storyboards. "

30. Ant-Man

Scene: Ant Rescue Scene

Notice how storyboard artist Steven Markowski uses lines around the face to signal a surprised emotion from Scott Lang. 

Storyboard Examples - Ant Man Storyboard - Steven Markowski - StudioBinder

Ant-Man Storyboard by Steven Markowski

You can imagine how important storyboards are when blending live action footage with computer graphics like in Ant-Man . 

Ant Man  •  Rescue Scene

"No car, we've got wings... and storyboards."

31. Iron Man

Scene: Pepper Catches Tony Scene

This storyboard example shows a scene in Iron Man where Pepper catches Tony attempting to remove his suit after his first mission.

Storyboard Example - Ironman Storyboard - David Duncan - StudioBinder

Iron Man Storyboard Example by David Duncan

The team had obviously already cast Robert Downey Jr. at this point in the process, and storyboard artist David Duncan uses a similar technique to show emotion and surprise. 

Pepper Catches Tony

"Ok, let's be honest... these storyboard pun quotes keep getting better."

32. Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix

Scene: Battle at the Department of Mysteries

Directional arrows help keep us organized. High angle shot when they enter the Department. Slide two illustrates confusion.

Storyboard Examples - Jim Cornish - David Yates - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - StudioBinder

Storyboards by Jim Cornish for David Yates’  Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Notice how it’s a point of view shot when Harry casts a spell.

Battle at the Department of Mysteries  •  Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

"I must not tell lies… I must make storyboards."

33. Percy Jackson

Scene: Medusa Scene

This storyboard example shows the scene where Percy Jackson must confront the Gorgon, Medusa. Notice they're sized for "anamorphic." 

Storyboard Example - Percy Jackson Storyboard - Tim Burgard - StudioBinder

Percy Jackson Storyboard by Tim Burgard

The storyboard example has sound effects are added as well as detailed shot descriptions that help tell the story through visuals.

Percy Jackson  •  Medusa Scene

"Ssssneek a peek... at some storyboard examplesssss."

Television STORYBOARD EXAMPLES

Storyboards from tv shows, television storyboard examples, 34. game of thrones.

Scene: Daenerys Targaryen Give Birth Scene

This storyboard shows a scene where Daenerys gives birth to three dragons which works out perfectly for everyone in the last season.

Storyboard Examples - Game of Thornes Storyboard - StudioBinder

Daenerys Gives Birth Storyboard Example

It's interesting to see the difference between TV storyboards and movie storyboards, and to see the final result. 

Dragon Birth Scene

"I won't watch you burn. However, I will watch you storyboard."

TV Storyboard Examples

35. buffy the vampire slayer.

Scene: Mouth of Hell

Parallel action occurs on the same storyboard. More depth with the wider shots. Storyboards are great for any effects-heavy TV show or film.

Film Storyboard Examples - Movie Storyboard Sample - Charles Ratteray - Joss Whedon - Buffy the Vampire Slayer - StudioBinder

Storyboards by Charles Ratteray for Joss Whedon’s  Buffy the Vampire Slayer

You can start to see why Whedon was called on to direct The Avengers .

36. Westworld

Scene: Reckoning

Similar to the storyboard example above, you can show parallel action on a single storyboard. Notice how important the arrows are in this storyboard and how they inform the order of the edits. 

Storyboard Examples - Westworld - Dan Caplan - StudioBinder-min

Westworld Season 2 Storyboard Example by Dan Caplan

Here is the trailer from season 2 of Westworld :

Westworld  •  Season 2 Trailer

"The violent delight have violent storyboards"

Animation STORYBOARD EXAMPLES

Storyboards from animation, animation storyboard examples, 37. kung fu panda.

Scene: Training Scene

This storyboard shows a scene where Po attempts Kung Fu training.

Storyboard Example - Kung Fu Panda Storyboard - Angelo Libutti - StudioBinder

Kung Fu Panda Storyboard Example by Angelo Libutti

Because this is an animation storyboard the images you see in this example are the actual building blocks for the final image.  

Training Scene

"Don't worry master... I'll never give up storyboarding."

Scene: Opening Scene

This storyboard shows the opening scene in Up, which from my understanding is super uplifting and not painful at all. 

Storyboard Examples - Up Storyboard - StudioBinder

Up  •  Storyboard Example

Again, because this storyboard was made for an animated feature film you can see how closely the storyboard example is the final product. 

Opening Scene from  •  Up

"Don't you know this is an exclusive club? Only storyboards get in here."

40. Tom and Jerry

Scene: Orphan Episode

Here you can see some of the earliest animation storyboard examples from an episode of Tom and Jerry. 

Storyboard Examples - Tom and Jerry Storyboard - StudioBinder

Tom and Jerry  •  Storyboard Example

Each action is succinctly described for the final animation. 

Tom and Jerry  •  Orphan Episode

"This episode may not have aged well... but the storyboard did."

41. Summer Camp Island

Scene: Witch Episode

This storyboard shows an important moment in the show where the youngsters realize their camp counselors are witches. How fun!

Storyboard Examples - Summer Camp Storyboard - StudioBinder

Summer Camp Island  •  Storyboard Example

Check out the scene below to see how the storyboard lead to thew final scene, and how closely they resembles each other. 

Summer Camp Island  •  Episode

"We're about to make a bunch of pot holders... and storyboards"

Scene: Series Intro

This storyboard shows the introduction sequence for the Batman animated series. Seeing these slides brings back sweet memories. 

Storyboard Examples Batman Storyboard StudioBinder Storyboarding Software

Click to view the Batman storyboard

There is no better clarification on how useful storyboards can be when you see one from an animated film or television show. Animators often understand visual literacy better than many film directors. 

Storyboard Examples - Batman Storyboard - StudioBinder

Batman Animated  •  Storyboard Example

Check out the batman intro sequence below:

Batman Animated  •  Intro Sequence

"Alfred... I need more storyboard examples."

43. Adventure Time

Scene: Tree Trunks Alien Scene 

This storyboard example from the animated show Adventure Time shows how you can add dialogue and  stage direction to your animated storyboards to make them as specific as needed. 

Storyboard Examples - Adventure Time Storyboard - StudioBinder

Adventure Time  •  Storyboard Example

See how this storyboard translates on screen. 

Alien Scene in  •  Adventure Time

"Oh... it's you... storyboard."

Video Game STORYBOARD EXAMPLES

Storyboards from video games, video game storyboard examples, 44. super mario odyssey.

Scene: Game Intro Scene 

This storyboard example shows the intro scene for the video game, Super Mario Odyssey, which allows you to play the game either as Mario... or as Mario's hat, which is exactly as fun as it sounds. 

Storyboard Examples - Super Mario Odyssey Storyboard - StudioBinder

Super Mario Odyssey Video Game  •  Storyboard Example

Storyboards can be used for film, television, animation, and video games because they are the perfect tool for communicating visual goals. 

Super Mario Odyssey  •  Intro

"It'sa meee... a-storyboard! Okie dokie!"

45. Gears of War

Scene: Mad World Trailer

This storyboard example shows the trailer for Gears of War. This trailer featured the song "Mad World", and helped create a successful launch for the series. The games are great, but no doubt the trailer helped a lot. 

Storyboard Examples - Gears of War - Dwayne Turner - StudioBinder-min

Gears of War  •  Storyboard Example by Dwayne Turner

Check out the trailer to see how the storyboard translated on screen:

Gears of War  •  "Mad World" Trailer

"I'll take those storyboards!"

46. Major League Baseball

Scene: PS3 Move Trailer

This storyboard example shows the trailer for Major League Baseball for the Playstation 3. This storyboard was created to show how the PS move system could mentally transport players onto the field. 

Storyboard Examples - MLB PS3 - Dwayne Turner - StudioBinder-min

Major League Baseball  •  Storyboard Example by Dwayne Turner

"Baseball is 90% mental and the other half is storyboards"

ABOUT THESE  STORYBOARD EXAMPLES

Storyboards force creative filmmaking.

Ever had a great idea for a shot or perhaps an entire scene? Everything is visualized perfectly in your mind, but will it make it to the screen?

What you need is a storyboard. Storyboards are what professional filmmakers and production companies use to clearly communicate visual ideas with their team. Cavemen used storyboards. The Ancient Egyptians used storyboards.

Bottom line:   Storyboards work.

While some of the reasons storyboards work so well may seem painfully obvious, there are more nuanced rationales that many novice (and professional) filmmakers tend to overlook.

You may not have a huge budget, so naturally, you think you’re limited. That line of thinking can be harmful to your project because what you’re actually doing is limiting your creativity, which in turn limits the effectiveness of your vision, which in turns limits your project.

Don’t waste valuable energy thinking about limitations. Take that energy and create storyboard ideas for your scene. Make sure to spend some time sketching out your storyboard ideas, even if they're just as samples. You’ll often hear the suggestion to:

“Draw your storyboard ideas with stick figures if you’re not an artist.”

I strongly disagree.

I firmly believe that you should take your time drawing an ugly storyboard because then you’re forced to draw an ugly background, an ugly foreground, ugly characters, and thoughtful shot compositions.

Suddenly, new storyboard ideas are popping into your head:

  • Maybe a special easter egg hidden in the background of a shot.
  • Or perfect symmetry for a specific point in the story.
  • Perhaps a match cut from one image to another.

These are great cinematic goals, and they’re often the product of storyboarding. Tim Burton movies and Wes Anderson films come to mind when I think about precise shot composition and unique production design .

They put imagery on the screen that you won’t find anywhere in the existing world. They had their departments build, scout, and piece together a world that, at one point, only existed in their minds.

How do you think they communicated their visions? Their teams used storyboards to act as examples for their vision. Learn as much as you can from these movie storyboard examples and see how you can take your dream from your head to the big screen.

STORYBOARDING WITH STUDIOBINDER

Create the perfect storyboard.

When you study professional storyboards like these, you quickly begin to understand how much effort goes into the planning stages of a film.

Successful projects use the pre-production phase to the fullest. When you create a tangible plan for your production, you will limit possible miscommunications, and maximize creative output from your team.

If you use storyboarding software like StudioBinder , you can show how each scene will play out, and keep your entire plan organized in a single digitally accessible place.

Music Video Storyboard with StudioBinder  •   Subscribe on YouTube

Your entire production team can collaborate from anywhere at anytime. Instead of wasting hours playing phone tag with assistants or scheduling late night conference calls because of time zone differences.

Make a Storyboard in StudioBinder

Now that you’ve seen some of the greatest storyboard examples of all time, you can begin to storyboard your own projects like an Academy Award Winner... though its an honor just to be nominated. 

You can use one of our 60+ FREE storyboard templates or build and share your storyboards through the cloud with StudioBinder's storyboarding and pre-production software. 

Up Next: Build a Storyboard →

Showcase your vision with elegant shot lists and storyboards..

Create robust and customizable shot lists. Upload images to make storyboards and slideshows.

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IMAGES

  1. 8+ Storyboard Template Free Word, PDF, PSD Formats

    storyboard assignment pdf

  2. 8+ Storyboard Template Free Word, PDF, PSD Formats

    storyboard assignment pdf

  3. FREE Storyboard Template PDF

    storyboard assignment pdf

  4. FREE 35+ Storyboard Samples in PDF

    storyboard assignment pdf

  5. Storyboard Template 8 Boxes Pdf

    storyboard assignment pdf

  6. 17+ Storyboard Templates in PDF

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VIDEO

  1. Storyboard Animatic (Assignment)

  2. The Hungry Sea

  3. BA579 Week 6 Assignment 2 Storyboard v3

  4. Week 6_Assignment 1_Business Model Storyboard_BA579_Team6

  5. The Green Planet: Storyboard Assignment

  6. Creating and grading a Storyboard That assignment in Schoology

COMMENTS

  1. PDF Assignment 2 Create a Storyboard

    Assignment 2 Create a Storyboard DESCRIPTION: Create a storyboard for the project "My Story About Me". Your storyboard is one of your primary and essential tools for producing any interactive project. With it, you map out your original ideas for communication to your viewers, and plan the best way to communicate your message.

  2. PDF Introduction to Storyboarding

    Introducing Storyboarding to Your Students. Create a storyboard of your favorite nursery rhyme (ie. "Little Miss Muffet"; "Baa, Baa Black Sheep"; "Humpty Dumpty"; etc.). Take 15 minutes to create your storyboard, and then we'll share. Urbana: National Council Of Teachers Of English, 2007.

  3. Free and Printable Storyboard Templates

    3 Ways to Use Storyboard Templates Add to an Assignment. ... From here you can print, download as a PDF, attach it to an assignment and use it digitally, and more! Featured Storyboard Templates. Ancient Civilizations Social Pyramid Template Copy Template. Copy Template.

  4. Download FREE Storyboard Template PDF [Modern Storyboard Pack]

    A storyboard template or storyboarding software can make the process of assembling and sharing a storyboard much easier. Preview and download 60+ free storyboard templates, ideal for video, film, TV, animation or simply pitching a story. Available for Photoshop, Powerpoint, Word, or as a PDF. Storyboard Quick Links:

  5. PDF Assignment 4 Storyboarding

    Assignment 4 -moving to digital platform. •For Thursday, February 20 at 11pm. -Move as much as you can of your Fall semester proposal into a storyboard -Add updated title, research question, literature synthesis matrix etc. -Add illustrations, examples of what your outcomes will look like -Make a five-minute presentation of what is ...

  6. How to Make a Storyboard

    FREE Storyboard Template Downloads. If you prefer the old-school, pen and paper method of storyboarding, download our FREE printable templates. Included are 60+ files for Word, Illustrator, Photoshop, and PDFs. You can also choose various layouts between 2- and 16-panel sheets in landscape or portrait. GET THE PDF.

  7. 60+ FREE Storyboard Templates & Creator (PDF, PSD, PPT, DOCX)

    A storyboard template or storyboarding software is designed to make the process of assembling and sharing professional story boards much easier. Preview and download 60+ free storyboard templates, ideal for video, film, TV, animation or simply pitching a story. The story board templates are available as PDF, PSD, Word or PPT. Quick Links.

  8. PDF Storyboard

    In this project assignment, you and your team will create storyboards. Your group will need to agree on a goal that your project will help people achieve. In selecting a goal, build on the needs you discovered through the needfinding assignments. Every team-member (except team leader) needs to create their own storyboard. Each storyboard should ...

  9. PDF CTAN 220 Introduction to Storyboarding

    Assignment Submission Policy Assignments in the form of various storyboard exercises will be given during each class, sometimes creating a "workshop" environment in where the instructor will devote time for individul instruction and answering questions. The beginning of each class will be a group critique of the previous class assignment.

  10. Storyboarding for Beginners: A Step-by-Step Guide

    Sharing a storyboard template as a PDF enables the creative team to work together seamlessly and understand the project's direction. Storyboarding is not just a planning tool; it's a path to success in visual storytelling. Follow the step-by-step process and embrace principles of clarity, composition, and storytelling techniques to unlock ...

  11. PDF 2.2 storyboard assignment

    Name: Notes: Notes: Notes: Notes: Title: 2.2_storyboard_assignment Created Date: 7/18/2018 12:26:09 PM

  12. 40+ FREE storyboard templates (PDF, PSD, Word & PPT)

    Preview and download free, professionally designed storyboard templates, ideal for animation, film, video or simply telling a story. Available for Photoshop, Powerpoint, Word, or as a PDF. Find Your Perfect Storyboard Template

  13. PDF Create An Assignment

    "My Assignments" heading. Step 2: Title Your Assignment You can change this title later. Click "Next". Step 3: Write the Instructions You can change your instructions later. Click "Next". Step 4: Select a Starting Template No storyboards yet? Click "Next". When you have storyboards, you will be able to add one as a template to ...

  14. Storyboard Examples for Students

    Create and use a storyboard for school projects and assignments with a step-by-step storyboard example and free templates. ... These free PDF storyboard resources illustrate different approaches to storyboarding. Use the Adobe printables guide if you need help with accessing or printing the storyboard templates.

  15. Beautiful Storyboard Examples for Students, for Kids and ...

    Storyboard Templates as PDF Downloads. We added some beautifully designed graphics rich storyboard examples for students here. But we understand that sometimes you just want to download a blank template and get it printed. That is why we have added two print-ready storyboard templates as PDF downloads. They are in A4 portrait and A4 landscape ...

  16. Free Lesson Plans and Activities

    Explore our standards-based teacher lesson plans and activities for all subjects and classroom levels! We have over 3,000 ready-to-use and creative free online lesson plans and activities! Created by teachers, our resources are aligned with Common Core standards and are guaranteed to bring out the best in your students, and give you a treasure ...

  17. Annotated-SF Storyboard Q

    Storyboard Assignment. D 2 6. The shapes help the reader to understand how the story is going. They can quickly find important parts, decision-making, and the start and end. This is used so that the reader can better understand the relationship between all the parts in the flowchart and make everything clean and easily understandable. D27.

  18. PDF Storyboard Assignment

    Storyboard Assignment . Storyboards are like comic strips without words. Each scene is shown separately in the order in which it happens. Make a storyboard of 4 to 8 scenes showing a family leaving their country arriving in Canada and going through the steps of becoming Canadian citizens.

  19. How to Share an Assignment to Google Classroom

    Click the link to view the assignment and instructions. This will log the students into their Storyboard That accounts. Once logged in, students will see the assignment instructions, any templates included with the assignment, and can click the Start Assignment button to open the Storyboard Creator and start working! See the process here 👇

  20. FREE Storyboard Template PDF

    Storyboard Template Maker. Open the free storyboard template PDF online and add speech bubbles, text, images, or stick figures with a click of a button. Download in PDF or image format. Customize & Print. Our storyboard template maker enables you to create free storyboard templates within minutes in the format that best meets your needs.

  21. STORYBOARD ASSIGNMENT 2 .pdf

    STORYBOARD ASSIGNMENT Instructions: Create a storyboard illustrating what types of shots, in sequence, you are using for your commercial. Include any expression or action you visually want to see in the commercial you have written. A storyboard is basically a blueprint of what your movie/video will look like, it will serve as your guide when filming.

  22. 46 Best Movie Storyboard Examples (with Free Storyboard Templates)

    Movie Storyboard Examples. 4. Star Wars: A New Hope. Scene: A Galaxy Far, Far Away. George Lucas did a storyboard for the title sequence. C3PO looks really different in these. Tougher. Lucas knew how he wanted that final shot.

  23. APS Project Part 1 Storyboard Assignment Rubric.pdf

    GaVS Project Part 1 Storyboard Assignment # Rubric Y/N APS Project Part 1 Storyboard Assignment 1 One PDF created from your work on the template paper(s) or your own paper (must include area for text for action and dialogue (as appropriate) uploaded as. Ex: ProjectP1StoryBoard.pdf where "T" stands for theuse of a template for the storyboard. Note that the name is in camelCase and is shortened ...

  24. PDF texas4-h.tamu.edu

    Storyboard is an Invitational contest for Senior 4-H members. Senior age 4-H members in grades 9,10,11 and 12 as of September 1, 2023. Senior 4-H members do ... All entries must be saved as a PDF, jpeg,jpg or png. 2. Category: Does notmeet category criteria, rules, or guidelines.