| A storyboard is a visual plan that outlines scenes, character actions, and timing before production begins. The storyboarding process follows a clear step-by-step guide: write the script, sketch key frames, arrange them in sequence, and refine details. This workflow saves time, reduces mistakes, and ensures the team shares the same vision. Reviewing storyboard examples shows how animators turn concepts into structured visuals that guide the entire animation project from start to finish. |
A storyboard is a series of sketches that help plan out a scene in a motion picture or animated video. It’s basically a blueprint for a video before the video is created. Storyboards are mainly used in the film and animation industries, which include advertising. Turning video storyboards from video is one of the most crucial steps in explainer video production.
Whether you’re creating an animated explainer, storyboards bridge the gap between your concept and the final video. They serve as a visual roadmap, making sure that the entire production team, from scriptwriters to animators, works in sync.
Without a storyboard, the process can become confusing, costly, and time-consuming. In this guide, we’ll walk through what an explainer video storyboard is, why it matters, and how to create one step by step, so you can transform your ideas into compelling visual stories.
Storyboarding became a common process in filmmaking, dating back in the era of silent films.
Walt Disney made it a common practice to use storyboards for the entire animated feature film, and pioneered a lot of the methods and procedures used widely today.
It’s a common misconception that storyboards are not used in live theater, but the truth is that thespians and playwrights have been utilizing storyboards since the late 1800s to help plan out the placement of the actors, stage setups and scene props.
Animation storyboards involve a huge amount of time-consuming work.
So it’s best practice to have a storyboard to help plan things before the animation work begins.
Storyboards help map out the composition of shots, and the placement of the elements/characters and plan out the camera movements and perspectives.
This is true even in animation where a traditional camera isn’t used, to help the animators compose their scenes.
The art style of storyboards is usually quite rough and basic, looking more like rudimentary sketches rather than finished art since the emphasis is on the composition and placement of elements.
In explainer videos, storyboards are especially important because they simplify complex ideas. By visualizing concepts before production begins, you reduce the chances of misinterpretation and align the entire team with a shared creative vision.
Learning how to storyboard a video doesn’t require you to be a professional artist. The key is to focus on clarity rather than perfection. Here’s a simple process:
Your storyboards begin with a solid script. This script serves as a backbone of your video, ensuring the story flows logically and smoothly from start to finish. Start from detecting the key points that you want to cover; whether it is a product feature, a testimonial or an explainer video.
Once you've identified the main idea, expand it into a full script that includes narrations, dialogues, and supporting text. Keep in mind the length of the video, as scripts that are too long may lose viewers attention. The script should not just tell the story but also establish the tone, pace and emotional appeal of the video.
Your script acts as the foundation of the storyboard, but instead of visualizing it as one continuous narrative, you should break it down into smaller, digestible parts. Each scene should capture a single message, action, or key moment.
For example, if your script has a character entering a room, the first scene might show the door opening, and the next might capture their reaction upon entering. This step ensures clarity in storytelling and avoids overloading a single frame with too much information.
Once the scenes are divided, start sketching visuals to represent each frame. Don’t worry about artistic perfection; even stick figures, arrows, and rough shapes work well. The goal is to map out where characters stand, how they move, and what the viewer’s perspective will be.
For instance, arrows can show the direction of movement, while a simple outline can mark the camera’s focus, whether it’s a close-up, wide shot, or over-the-shoulder view. This helps in pre-visualizing how the video will look before actual production begins.
Visual sketches often need supporting details to avoid confusion. Beneath each frame, write notes explaining what is happening, including audio cues like dialogue, sound effects, or background music.
Mention transitions such as fade-ins, jump cuts, or pans, along with any important emphasis on tone, mood, or timing. These notes act as instructions for both animators and editors, ensuring that the entire creative team is aligned with the intended vision.
Once the storyboard is complete, it’s important to step back and analyze the flow. Share it with your team or client to gather feedback. Ask whether the sequence makes sense, if the transitions feel natural, and whether the intended message is clear.
This review stage is crucial because it helps you identify gaps, redundancies, or confusing elements early, before investing time and resources into production. Refine the frames until everyone is confident that the storyboard represents the final vision.
This step-by-step process makes sure your storyboard is both practical and aligned with your vision. Storyboarding a video is all about turning ideas into a clear visual plan. With simple sketches, notes, and scene breakdowns, you create a guide that keeps production smooth, saves time, and ensures your story connects with the audience.
Here at Broadcast2World, when we work with a new client, we start with a call where we get to really understand what their needs are.
Our clients use their videos on everything from their landing pages, in social media, for internal employee training videos, and even as online ads.
Before an explainer video comes to life, it begins with a storyboard. Many top production studios make storyboarding an integral part of their process, ensuring that every frame aligns with the script and brand message.
These companies don’t just draw sketches, they create visual roadmaps that guide the entire video production. Here are five trusted companies that specialize in turning explainer video scripts into clear and effective storyboards.
Broadcast2World (B2W) is a leading video production company known for its focus on storytelling and storyboarding for video production. Their team carefully converts scripts into detailed explainer video storyboards, ensuring every scene matches the brand’s message and tone.
B2W emphasizes collaboration during the storyboard stage, giving clients clear visual previews before animation begins. This process reduces revisions, saves time, and helps create videos that are both engaging and impactful.
Demo Duck is a Chicago-based studio that creates explainer videos for businesses of all sizes. Creating video storyboards plays a central role in their process, where they break scripts into clear frames that highlight characters, actions, and transitions. By focusing on visuals before moving into production, Demo Duck helps clients avoid confusion and ensures that the final video captures their message effectively.
Yum Yum Videos is a globally recognized explainer video company that builds projects from concept to completion. Their animated video storyboard process is designed to give clients full control over how their story unfolds visually.
Each storyboard frame includes illustrations, cues, and notes that align with the script, making it easy to picture the final animation. This attention to detail ensures their storyboards for animation videos are not just creative but also strategically aligned with business goals.
Explainify takes a simplified approach to storytelling, with explainer video storyboards acting as a bridge between brainstorming and final production. Their team works closely with clients to translate abstract ideas into visual sequences that are easy to understand.
Each storyboard serves as a blueprint that clarifies timing, flow, and tone. This structured method allows Explainify to produce explainer videos that are short, sharp, and highly effective.
Epipheo is known for combining storytelling with brand identity in their explainer videos. Storyboarding for video production is an essential step in their workflow, helping them visualize how concepts and characters will connect with viewers.
Their boards include details about framing, pacing, and transitions, giving clients confidence in the creative direction. With this structured approach, Epipheo ensures that their videos not only inform but also engage audiences emotionally.
By partnering with companies that prioritize storyboarding, businesses can eliminate confusion, reduce revisions, and guarantee that the final video meets expectations.
Each of these studios approaches storyboarding with creativity and precision, making it easier to transform abstract ideas into impactful visual stories.
While professional studios handle storyboarding for clients, many creators and teams prefer to design their own. Luckily, there are plenty of digital tools that simplify the process.
From drag-and-drop platforms to professional pre-production software, these tools make it easier to map out scenes, visualize transitions, and collaborate effectively. Here are five popular tools that help bring storyboards to life.
Storyboard That is an easy-to-use online tool designed specifically for creating storyboards. It comes with a drag-and-drop library of characters, backgrounds, and objects, making it simple to create visual panels without needing advanced drawing skills. The tool is great for marketers and educators who want to sketch out ideas quickly and share them with collaborators.
Boords is a professional storyboarding platform created by animators and video producers. It allows users to turn scripts into storyboards instantly, rearrange frames, and collect client feedback in real time. With features like animatic previews and shot lists, Boords is ideal for teams working on explainer videos who want to keep the process streamlined and collaborative.
Canva is widely known for design, but it also provides customizable video storyboard templates. Users can upload scripts, add images, and design frames with ease. Since Canva is beginner-friendly, it’s perfect for businesses that don’t have in-house designers but still want polished and professional-looking storyboards.
StudioBinder is an all-in-one pre-production software used by filmmakers and video producers. It helps teams create short lists, organize production schedules, and build detailed storyboards. What makes it powerful is its integration with other pre-production workflows, allowing teams to move smoothly from planning to execution. It’s especially useful for larger video projects that require tight coordination.
Milanote is a flexible digital workspace where creators can combine images, sketches, text, and notes into visually appealing storyboards. Unlike rigid templates, Milanote allows free-form arrangement, which makes it ideal for brainstorming and early visual planning. Teams can collaborate in real time, making it a great tool for both creative agencies and independent creators who need flexibility.
Using the right tools can make a huge difference in the efficiency and clarity of your storyboarding process. Whether you’re a beginner sketching out ideas or a production team working on complex animations, these platforms provide the flexibility and structure needed to create storyboards that truly support your video’s success.
Storyboards are essential tools in animation, acting as the visual blueprint that guides the storytelling process. They break down scripts and ideas into sequential images, making it easier to structure the narrative, refine concepts, and align teams during production. Here are the main use cases of storyboards in animation:
Storyboards allow creators to translate scripts into a visual flow of scenes, clearly showing how the story unfolds. They capture key shots, character actions, emotions, and camera angles, making it easier to define the pacing and rhythm of the narrative before animation begins.
They help in exploring and adjusting different aspects of the story. Artists can experiment with character movements, expressions, and timing to ensure emotional impact and coherence before finalizing the animation.
Storyboards help identify and address potential issues early in production. By doing so, they reduce costly mistakes and rework, while also serving as a communication tool to align directors, animators, and designers with the creative vision.
They guide the overall look and feel of the animation, from character design and background layouts to color tones and artistic direction. Storyboards provide a visual reference that maintains stylistic consistency across the project.
Storyboards allow animators to map out character expressions, gestures, and movements. They help ensure consistent personality traits across scenes and also capture key emotional beats and dramatic shifts within the story.
By acting as a roadmap, storyboards streamline production. They identify the essential elements required for each scene, such as props, character positions, and settings. This minimizes delays and increases productivity throughout the workflow.
Pre-visualizing the narrative with storyboards prevents expensive revisions later. They allow potential issues to be spotted early, cutting down on wasted effort, reducing production delays, and ensuring resources are used efficiently.
Storyboards are not just preliminary sketches but a vital part of the animation pipeline. They clarify narratives, refine character performances, align visual styles, streamline workflows, and save both time and resources, making them indispensable for creating compelling animated experiences.
A strong storyboard ensures your explainer video stays clear, engaging, and on track. Here are some tips to make it effective.
Even the best storyboards can go wrong if common pitfalls are overlooked. Here are mistakes to avoid when storyboarding for video production.
By steering clear of these mistakes, you’ll keep your storyboard clear, practical, and production-ready.
A well-structured storyboard is the foundation of every great explainer video. By investing time in this stage, you save effort during production, keep the team aligned, and ensure your final video resonates with the audience.
Whether you use a simple video storyboard template or create detailed sketches for an animated video storyboard, the process makes the difference between a confusing message and a compelling story.
In the end, storyboarding isn’t just about drawing boxes, it’s about crafting a visual journey that transforms ideas into engaging, impactful videos.
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