Jordan Eichenblatt
Content Director
Storyboarding is a very important aspect of the creative process in pre-production for video projects. A novice video enthusiast such as yourself may be wondering “what is storyboarding?” – storyboarding is creating a comic-book-like sheet of different elements of key scenes in a video. It helps with the camera setup, direction, and lighting. You take photos of scene locations using a stand-in, send the photos and script to the storyboard artist, who then begins to work.
Why use storyboards? Let's dive deeper into that:
1. CLIENT COMFORT
Making the client comfortable is the most important thing in the advertising world. After creating the script and concept for the video, the next thing to make the client comfortable is to show them the video. But you are able to do that before you even say 'ACTION'. Creating the storyboards will help the client visualize what and how the video is going to look. With an accurate artist, you can give the client a realistic look at the visuals of the scene. If the client has any comments, they can start with the storyboard. If something in the background is missing or they want a new background we can show them how it will look.
Before you even say 'ACTION'
The storyboard is also printed out and placed in the video village where the client hangs out during production. They are with a producer who will show them the actual shot compared to the storyboard when we are setting up the scene. This is a fun experience for the client and puts them at ease since they already saw what is a close representation of that specific scene.
2. VISUAL AID
Before production, having a storyboard is important to the Director. This allows them to engage in production with a visual aid. Understanding the aesthetic, a director can communicate with actors and on-camera talent to better communicate scene direction. Having storyboards will also help actors prepare for on-screen performance as well.
Additionally the director is able to reach out to the Director of Photography and discuss each camera movement, each actor direction, and every light situation beforehand. The Director of Photography will create a tech map that illustrates where each light and filter should go from an above view. This helps to change scenes quickly in a timely and organized manner.
3. REFERENCE FOR THE CREW
Finally, that brings us to using storyboards as a reference for the crew. A streamlined, clear, uninterrupted line of communication with your crew is what makes videos great. Having a storyboard helps the crew in a multitude of ways. When you give the crew access to the storyboard, they are able to see how each scene is meant to be set up from lighting, costuming, makeup, camera positions, and camera movement. The storyboard is used as a reference while setting up the scene and can speed up the process. Storyboards are also helpful to have during post-production, so you can follow along and place the clips in the right area since we rarely shoot in order.
