Effective storyboarding is crucial for creating engaging and coherent narratives. At ScreenSpace, we provide both generic customizable storyboards and template-specific storyboards to help you design compelling Stories.
This guide will introduce you to key storyboarding techniques and show you how to make the most of our resources.
Note: Storyboarding is recommended for Stories with 4 or more scenes.
🧐 We recommend checking out our Guide to Narrative Design before diving into storyboarding. Especially if you intend to expand beyond a simple tour.
Benefits of Storyboarding
Visual Planning: Storyboarding helps you visualize the flow and structure of your narrative, ensuring that each element aligns with your overall Story.
Improved Organization: By breaking down your Story into individual scenes or steps, you can better organize your content and maintain a logical progression.
Enhanced Collaboration: Storyboards provide a clear framework that can be easily shared and reviewed by your team, facilitating better collaboration and feedback.
Flexibility: Our customizable storyboards allow you to adapt and refine your narrative as needed, ensuring it meets your specific objectives.
Steps for Effective Storyboarding
Define Your Objective: Start by clarifying the purpose of your Story. What do you want your audience to learn or achieve by the end? This will guide the overall structure and content of your storyboard.
Identify Key Points: Outline the main points or stages of your narrative. These should align with the objectives and provide a clear roadmap for your Story.
Map out Each Scene: For each key point, map out a scene. This can be a rough visual representation or a detailed description of what happens in that part of the Story.
Add Details: Include important details for each scene, such as the hero content, key messages and interactive elements. Ensure each scene logically flows into the next, maintaining a coherent narrative.
Review and Refine: Review your storyboard to ensure it aligns with your objectives and effectively communicates your message. Make adjustments as needed to improve clarity and impact.
Linear Storyboards
Linear storyboards are ideal for narratives that follow a straightforward, step-by-step progression. This format is particularly effective for guiding your audience through a clear and logical sequence of events or information.
Using a simple table structure can help you organize your linear storyboard efficiently, ensuring that each scene transitions smoothly into the next.
Here’s a simple example of a table structure for a linear storyboard:
Scene | Hero Content | Interactive Content |
[Scene Name] | [Graphic or Screenshot] | StoryPoint: [Title] Tooltip 1: [Title] Tooltip 2: [Title] |
Tour • Step 1 | Dashboard_01.jpg | StoryPoint: Introducing AcmeShield Tooltip 1: Streamline Roadmapping |
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Non-Linear Storyboards
Non-linear storyboards are perfect for narratives that allow the audience to explore different paths or pieces of content in a more flexible manner. This format is particularly effective for interactive demos, complex product tours, or Stories where users may choose their journey based on their interests or needs.
Tools like Miro are excellent for designing non-linear storyboards, offering a visual and dynamic approach to organizing your narrative.
Template Storyboards
Many of our ScreenSpace templates include a pre-designed storyboard tailored to a particular type of Story. Use these as a foundation or inspiration to better align with your specific goals and audience.
To view a templates storyboard, click on the template, and select "View Storyboard."
For more inspiration and to explore our available storyboards, check out our templates.
😳 Need help? Schedule a storyboarding workshop with our story artists.