Storyboarding is critical to filmmaking, animation, advertising, and even video game production. Storyboard artists play a key role in taking a director’s vision and transforming it into a visual guide that outlines every shot, camera angle, and action sequence in a project. As a storyboard artist, the process is as much about creativity as it is about technical precision. Each day is unique and filled with a balance of solitary work and constant collaboration with the rest of the production team. Let's take a deeper look into the life of a professional storyboard artist.
A storyboard artist's day typically starts early, with some time spent preparing for the creative work ahead. A warm drink and a quiet moment to gather thoughts are essential before diving into the technical work of the day. A storyboard artist’s first task is reviewing the project’s script, scene breakdowns, and any notes from the director or producer. This is important because it sets the tone for the day’s tasks and lets the artist prioritize which scenes must be worked on first.
During this preparation phase, the artist may highlight key moments in the script that need visual emphasis, such as pivotal plot points, dramatic actions, or emotional scenes. Understanding each scene's emotional and thematic tone is essential because it influences how the artist will approach each shot. For example, an action-packed scene will require a completely different visual treatment than a quiet, reflective moment.Some storyboard artists prefer to sketch quick thumbnails to capture initial ideas. These rough sketches don’t have to be detailed but serve to conceptualize the shot composition, character placements, and camera angles. This pre-planning phase ensures the storyboard artist has a clear vision before starting the more detailed drawing work.
After the initial preparation, it’s time to begin creating the first draft of the storyboard. Storyboard artists typically start with rough sketches of keyframes. These fast, gestural drawings focus on capturing the scene's essence. At this point, it’s not about detail but about getting the basic action, pacing, and camera angles down on paper.
Each frame must illustrate critical information about the scene, including camera movements (e.g., pans, tilts), the positioning of characters, and their actions. Storyboard artists need to think carefully about the timing of each shot—whether the scene should feel fast-paced or slow and contemplative. They must consider how each shot will flow into the next and how the overall sequence will build tension or resolve a dramatic conflict.
The challenge during this stage is to visualize the scene in a way that is not only clear but also cinematic. Storyboarding requires understanding cinematic language, including framing, composition, and the relationship between different visual elements in a scene. The goal is to communicate the director’s vision as effectively as possible through limited frames.
Once a few scenes are sketched, the storyboard artist typically meets with the director or other creative team members for a review session. Feedback at this stage is crucial because it ensures that the work aligns with the director’s vision and the project's overall direction. The director may provide suggestions or ask for framing, character poses, or pacing changes. Sometimes, entire sequences might need to be reworked based on new ideas or changes in the script.
The artist's ability to accept feedback and adapt their work is a key part of the job. Storyboard artists must be flexible and quick to adjust their sketches according to the feedback they receive. This process often involves collaboration with directors and producers, animators, and even sound designers who provide input on how the visuals will translate to the final product.
Even though storyboarding is primarily a solo activity, feedback and collaboration ensure that the artist’s work remains true to the project's larger vision. The collaborative nature of storyboarding means that no two days are the same, and the creative team’s collective input continuously refines the work.
By the afternoon, the storyboard artist begins refining the rough sketches, focusing on adding more detail. The storyboard looks more polished in this phase, emphasizing character expressions, backgrounds, props, and other essential visual elements. The artist works on cleaning up the rough lines, defining camera angles more clearly, and ensuring that the action is easily readable and dynamic.
During this phase, the storyboard artist needs to make decisions about the technical aspects of filmmaking. For example, if the scene requires special effects, the artist will include notes on how those effects should be executed. Similarly, if the scene involves complicated camera movements, the artist will add detailed annotations to help the director and cinematographer understand the intended shots.
Some storyboard artists may also create "animatics" during this phase—rough animated versions of the storyboard. Animatics help visualize the timing and pacing of a scene by adding motion to the still frames. This is especially helpful for projects involving animation or complex visual effects, as it allows the director and animators to understand how the scene will unfold in real-time.
As the day winds down, the storyboard artist wraps up the work by making final revisions to the storyboard. This might involve cleaning up any remaining rough sketches, making minor adjustments, and reviewing the storyboard for inconsistencies. Once the storyboard is finalized, it is usually sent to the director and other team members for approval.
At this point, the storyboard artist may also begin preparing for the next day. If still scenes are left to work on, the artist might review the script or notes to ensure they are ready to hit the ground running in the morning. This might also involve sketching preliminary ideas for the upcoming sequences or organizing thoughts on approaching the next set of shots.
As the workday ends, the storyboard artist takes a moment to reflect on the day’s progress. While the job can be mentally and creatively taxing, it’s also gratifying to see how one’s work is the foundation for the entire production. Storyboarding is the first step in visualizing the story, and the artist has played an integral role in shaping how the narrative will ultimately be told on screen.
The day-to-day life of a storyboard artist is a balance between creative thinking, technical skill, and collaboration. It requires an understanding of visual language and the ability to work within the constraints of the script, director’s vision, and project deadlines. Each day brings new challenges, but for a professional storyboard artist, it’s all part of bringing stories to life.