Best Storyboard Artists

What a good storyboard package includes

Check that the offer clearly states:

• Number of frames.
• Style: rough, clean line or color.
• Notes on camera, action and sound.
• Format: PDF, images or a board template.
• Animatic, if included.
• Revisions.
• Delivery time.

Choose the level of detail that matches the purpose. Rough boards for your own team are quicker and cheaper; polished boards are worth it when the storyboard must convince someone else.

Look for an artist whose samples show clear staging. You should be able to understand each shot quickly: who is in it, where they are and what is happening. Clear, simple drawings are often more useful for production than beautiful but confusing illustrations.

How to brief a storyboard artist

1. The final script or shot list.
2. The purpose: planning, pitching or animation.
3. Format: aspect ratio such as vertical or widescreen.
4. Characters and locations, with references.
5. Style examples.
6. Brand elements to include.
7. Deadline.

Tell the artist the screen shape. Vertical videos for social media are framed very differently from widescreen ads or films, and the storyboard should match the final format.

Share references for characters, products and locations. Clear references make the boards accurate and help everyone in production imagine the same video.

Agree on how feedback will be given. Numbered frames and short notes, such as tighter shot on frame twelve, are easier to act on than general comments. Combine notes from different people into one list so the artist receives clear, consistent directions in each revision round.

What drives the price

• number of frames
• level of detail and color
• character and location design
• animatic timing
• revisions
• rush delivery

A rough storyboard for a short social ad costs much less than a detailed colored board for a long animation or a client pitch.

Red flags

• Starts drawing before the script is final.
• No camera or action notes.
• A style far more detailed than you need.
• No revision stage at sketch level.
• Wrong aspect ratio for your video.

Use the storyboard as a shared reference during production. Number each frame and refer to those numbers in feedback, shot lists and edits so everyone stays aligned.

For the script, see our scriptwriting guide. For the next steps, read our animated explainer guide and video ads guide.

Share the storyboard with everyone involved in production early, including the director, editor, animator or client. Collecting feedback on the boards is much cheaper than discovering disagreements after filming or animation has started.

Quick pre-order checklist

• My script is final.
• I chose the right level of detail.
• The aspect ratio matches my video.
• I sent references for characters and places.
• Frames include camera and action notes.