storyboard-creation - SKILL.md Agent Skill

name: storyboard-creation description: Storyboard creation — panel layout, shot composition, camera angles, transitions, timing annotations.

Storyboard Creation Guide

Purpose of a Storyboard

A storyboard translates a script into a visual plan. It prevents costly surprises in production by answering: what does the camera see, for how long, and how do we get from one shot to the next?

Panel Layout Standards

Standard Panel Dimensions

16:9 (landscape): Use for film, YouTube, corporate video, commercials
9:16 (portrait): Use for TikTok, Reels, Shorts
1:1 (square): Use for Instagram feed video
Each panel: approximately 120×68mm on paper or 1920×1080px in digital tools

Panel Elements (every panel must include)

┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
│                                     │  ← Panel number (top-left)
│          PANEL IMAGE / SKETCH       │  ← Visual representation
│                                     │
└─────────────────────────────────────┘
SHOT TYPE:    Medium close-up
CAMERA MOVE:  Static / Pan left / Zoom in
DURATION:     3 sec
AUDIO:        VO: "This is where it breaks down."
ACTION:       Character looks at screen, frustrated
TRANSITION:   Cut to Panel 5

Column Layout for Multi-Panel Sheets

2 panels per row for detailed annotations
3 panels per row for fast-action sequences
Always number panels sequentially — never restart numbering per scene

Shot Composition

The Rule of Thirds

Divide the frame into a 3×3 grid
Place subjects on the vertical thirds lines, not center
Place the horizon on the upper or lower third, not the middle
Eyes of a person should sit on the upper-third horizontal line

Headroom and Lead Room

Headroom: Space between the top of the subject's head and the frame edge — approximately 10–15% of frame height
Lead room: When a subject faces or moves in a direction, leave empty space in that direction
Cutting off the top of the head feels tighter (intentional for drama); excessive headroom feels amateur

Frame Composition Checklist per Panel

Subject placed on third, not dead center (unless intentional for symmetry)
No objects "growing" from the subject's head (poles, lamps)
Foreground element present for depth in wide shots
Horizon line is truly horizontal (not tilted unless intentional)
Key element is clearly the visual focal point

Camera Shot Types

Shot Size Reference

Shot Name	Abbreviation	Framing Description
Extreme Wide Shot	EWS	Subject tiny in environment; establishes location
Wide Shot	WS	Full body + surrounding environment
Medium Wide Shot	MWS	Thighs to above head
Medium Shot	MS	Waist to above head
Medium Close-Up	MCU	Chest to above head (most common for dialogue)
Close-Up	CU	Chin to top of head; face fills frame
Extreme Close-Up	ECU	Single feature: eyes, hand, object detail
Over-the-Shoulder	OTS	Subject A's shoulder in foreground, Subject B in focus
Point of View	POV	Camera sees what the character sees
Insert Shot	INS	Extreme close detail of an object/screen/hands

Camera Angles

Angle Types and Emotional Effect

Angle	Camera Position	Psychological Effect
Eye level	Camera at subject's eye height	Neutral, peer-to-peer
Low angle	Camera below subject, angled up	Subject appears powerful, dominant
High angle	Camera above subject, angled down	Subject appears small, vulnerable
Dutch tilt	Camera rolled 15–45 degrees	Tension, unease, instability
Bird's eye	Directly above, straight down	Detachment, overview, pattern
Worm's eye	Directly below, straight up	Extreme power or disorientation

Annotation in Panels

Draw a simple arrow or arc to indicate camera direction:

Static: No arrow, write "STATIC"
Pan: Horizontal arrow pointing left or right
Tilt: Vertical arrow pointing up or down
Zoom in: Arrow pointing toward center
Zoom out: Arrow pointing away from center
Dolly/push in: Two parallel arrows converging on subject
Truck (lateral move): Arrow parallel to subject movement

Scene Transitions

Common Transitions and When to Use Them

Transition	Symbol in Storyboard	Best Use
Cut	// (double slash)	Action, dialogue, fast-paced sequences
Dissolve	~~ (wavy lines)	Time passing, dream states, memory
Fade to black	→ BLACK	End of act, major time jump, death/end
Fade from black	BLACK →	Opening of act, new beginning
Wipe	→ WIPE	Scene change with energy; parallel actions
Match cut	= (equals, annotate)	Visual rhyme between two shots
Jump cut	JC (annotate)	Deliberate time compression; disorientation
L-cut	Audio leads video	Natural dialogue; audio from next scene starts early
J-cut	Video leads audio	Suspense; audio from current scene plays over new shot

Timing Annotations

Duration Notation Per Panel

Write duration as: [X sec] or [X:XX] for longer shots

Micro shots: 0.5–1 sec (fast cuts, inserts, reaction beats)
Standard shots: 2–5 sec (dialogue, product demo, medium action)
Establishing shots: 5–10 sec (location, environment reveals)
Long takes: 10+ sec (annotate reason — "allows audience to absorb scene")

Total Running Time Tracking

Keep a running total at the bottom of each storyboard sheet:

Panel 01: 3 sec  |  Running total: 0:03
Panel 02: 2 sec  |  Running total: 0:05
Panel 03: 5 sec  |  Running total: 0:10

Rhythm Pacing Notes

Mark beats where music hits with: [MUSIC HIT]
Mark voiceover changes with: [VO IN] / [VO OUT]
Mark silence with: [SFX ONLY] or [SILENCE]

Annotation Conventions

Audio Column

VO:    Voiceover dialogue (in quotes)
MX:    Music cue name or description
SFX:   Sound effect description
NAT:   Natural/ambient sound

Action / On-Screen Direction

Describe only what the camera sees
Write in present tense: "Character opens laptop" not "Character opened laptop"
Note any text overlays: [TEXT ON SCREEN: "Free for 14 days"]
Note any product UI shown: [SCREEN SHOWS: Dashboard with green metrics]

Digital Storyboard Tools

Canva / Google Slides: Quick sketches; sufficient for explainer videos
Storyboarder (Wonderunit): Free, purpose-built, frame-by-frame export
Frame.io / Milanote: Collaborative review and annotation
Adobe Photoshop / Illustrator: High-fidelity boards for client presentations
Rough paper thumbnail sketches: Always valid for early iteration — stick figures work

Storyboard Quality Checklist

Every script line has a corresponding visual panel
Shot types and camera angles annotated on every panel
Duration annotated on every panel
Running total calculated and matches target duration
All transitions specified between panels
Audio/VO/music cues noted where they begin and end
Panel numbers are sequential with no gaps
Safe zones for platform marked on key title/text panels
Key product/UI shots clearly depicted (even as sketch)
Reviewed by director or client before production begins