Why are storyboards important?

A picture tells more than a thousand words. Storyboards have been used to plan productions since Disney started using them in the 1930s (some say even earlier). In this article, we'll go over some of the reasons why using storyboards to plan a production is so important.

For more information on storyboarding, see the following:

• What is a storyboard?
• What camera shots can be found in storyboards?

First look

Every production starts with a concept. Storyboarding is the first visual representation (story-wise) of what will eventually be a finished production, and therefore it's a good place to start to identify whether the concept is going to work. A lot of productions change in the storyboarding stage because of this.

Identifying errors early

Expanding on the previous point, a storyboard can help identify any errors before production starts. This could be anything from continuity and staging errors, to pacing and storytelling errors. These issues can all be minimised during the storyboarding stage.

Proof of concept

The storyboard is something that is shown to potential investors and existing clients, giving them a better idea of where their money is going and also what they can expect from the project. A storyboard can be an exciting first step for those involved.

Direction

The storyboard is crucial to the director's role in the production. Using the storyboard, the director can see the framing, pacing and direction of each shot and can make any important changes before production starts. This ensures that the final intended vision will be what's recognised during production, and that the production crew knows exactly what is expected of them.

Budget

The storyboard can help the producer budget for the production, as the storyboard will show how much animation is needed, as well as the amount of character designs and backgrounds required.