Fill out a storyboard template by writing the story beat first, then the visible action, then the camera choice, then the dialogue or audio, then the continuity note. Draw last if you need to. A rough drawing with clear notes beats a pretty panel with no production information.
Start with a printable PDF if you need one:
| Template | Download |
|---|---|
| 4-panel storyboard | |
| 6-panel storyboard | |
| Dialogue storyboard | |
| Vertical video storyboard |
The order matters
Don't start by drawing a cool frame. Start by naming the job of the panel.
Use this order:
- Scene and panel number.
- Story beat.
- Visible action.
- Characters, props, and location continuity.
- Shot size, camera angle, movement, lens, and lighting.
- Dialogue, sound, or music cue.
- Duration, transition, and emotional tone.
- Reference URLs, prompt notes, and revision constraints.
- Sketch or generated frame.
The story beat is the most useful field. It tells everyone why the panel exists.
Example: one panel filled out
Bad version:
| Field | Entry |
|---|---|
| Action | Woman at table |
| Camera | close-up |
| Dialogue | none |
| Notes | dark |
Better version:
| Field | Entry |
|---|---|
| Beat | Maya realizes someone entered the apartment after she left |
| Action | She sees the wet key on the kitchen table |
| Characters / props | Maya; wet key |
| Shot size | Insert |
| Camera | Static, eye-level to table surface, 50mm, low-key practical light |
| Dialogue / audio | Distant elevator bell |
| Duration | 2 seconds |
| Continuity / references | Key stays wet in the next panel; lamp is the only warm light |
The second version gives a director, editor, and image model something to work with.
What to write in each field
| Field | Write this | Avoid this |
|---|---|---|
| Scene / location | exact scene number and place | "same as before" without context |
| Action | the visible change | vague mood words |
| Characters / props | exact recurring asset names | changing names between panels |
| Dialogue | the line that belongs to the shot | the whole scene pasted in |
| Camera | size, angle, movement, lens, lighting | "cinematic" |
| Timing | rough duration, transition, or beat length | blank timing |
| Notes | continuity, reference URLs, prompt handoff | generic "make it good" notes |
If a field doesn't change the shot, leave it short. A template is a planning surface, not a diary.
These fields mirror the Story2Board shot editor. When you later move from paper into an editable board, the same information becomes structured shot data rather than a paragraph that someone has to reinterpret.
Use camera labels only when they help
Labels like WS, MS, CU, OTS, and POV are useful only if the drawing and note agree.
Write:
OTS on Jesse; Celine's shoulder stays in foreground so the question still feels like pressure.
Don't write:
OTS, cinematic.
The second note names a shot but doesn't explain the shot.
Fill dialogue scenes differently
Dialogue panels need extra information:
- speaker;
- listener;
- eyeline;
- shot pattern;
- screen direction;
- relationship distance;
- the line that changes the beat.
Use the dialogue storyboard template PDF when those fields matter. A normal blank grid often hides the very details that make a conversation readable.
Fill vertical video templates differently
For 9:16 boards, the frame is narrow. Write notes for:
- on-screen text;
- face position;
- product placement;
- thumb-stopping first image;
- caption space;
- final CTA.
A vertical video storyboard is not just a cropped film board. It has different attention rules.
Review the page before exporting
Before you share the board, scan each panel and ask:
- Can someone tell what changed in this shot?
- Is the camera note specific enough?
- Does the dialogue or audio field connect to the image?
- Are recurring props and locations tracked?
- Would the next person know what to revise?
If not, fix the note before improving the drawing.
When to move into Story2Board
Use a template for the first pass. Move into Story2Board when the board needs generated frames, consistent characters, scene memory, or repeated client changes. The best workflow is not paper versus AI. It is paper for thinking, Story2Board for building.