Storyboard Template
Choose how many frames you need, from 2 to 12, the shape of each frame and how many caption lines sit beneath it, and print a storyboard page at true size. Use it for planning a video, a story, a comic or a science explanation. Free, no sign-up.
Prints at true size on the paper chosen above, with a 0.5 in margin kept clear. In the print dialog choose the same paper, set Scale to 100% (Actual size), and turn off Fit to page and Headers and footers.
How to Use the Storyboard Template
- 1. Set the frames. Choose from 2 to 12 frames and the frame shape: 16:9 widescreen for modern video, or 4:3 for an older television or a comic panel feel.
- 2. Choose the captions. Pick one to three ruled caption lines beneath each frame, for the action, the dialogue or the sound. Add a title, frame numbers, and a name and date line if you want them.
- 3. Pick the paper. Choose US Letter or A4, landscape or portrait. The frames are made as large as the page allows for the count you chose, and the preview shows the page exactly as it will print.
- 4. Print or download. Print sends the page to your printer at true size. The SVG and PNG downloads give you the same page as a file you can open in a drawing app.
What a Storyboard Is
A storyboard is a sequence of drawn frames that plans a story before it is made. Animation studios developed the technique in the early 1930s, with Walt Disney Studios among the first to use it, and film, television, advertising and games have used it ever since. Each frame shows one moment, and the caption beneath it says what happens, what is said and what is heard.
In school a storyboard is a planning tool as much as an art form. It forces students to break a story, an experiment or a process into steps and to decide the order before they start making. Stick figures are fine: the aim is a clear sequence, not a polished drawing.
16:9 or 4:3?
| Shape | Proportions | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| 16:9 | Wide: 1.78 times as wide as it is tall | Video, presentations and anything shown on a modern screen |
| 4:3 | Closer to square: 1.33 times as wide as tall | Older television formats, slide decks in the classic size, comic-style panels |
Match the shape to where the finished work will appear. A video made to be shown on a laptop or projector is almost always 16:9; drawing in a 4:3 frame and then filming in widescreen means the picture planned on paper does not fit the screen.
Planning With the Frames
- Start with six. Six frames are enough to show a beginning, a problem, a turning point and an ending without losing the plot. Use twelve for a longer sequence and two or three for a single before-and-after.
- Vary the view. Plan a wide shot to show where the scene is, a medium shot for the characters and a close-up for an important detail.
- Use the caption lines for three things: the action, any dialogue, and the sound or music. Write one short line for each.
- Number the frames so that the sequence survives being cut up, shuffled and put back in order.
- Draw lightly in pencil first. A storyboard is meant to be changed; the whole point is to find the problems on paper.
The same template works across subjects: retelling a chapter in English, setting out the steps of a science experiment, showing the stages of a historical event, or sketching a short film for a media project.
Printing Tips
The page prints at its true size with a 0.5 inch margin on US Letter and a 12 mm margin on A4. In the print dialog choose the same paper, set the scale to 100 per cent (actual size), and turn off headers and footers. For a class set, print one master and copy it, or print the blank page once for each student.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is a storyboard template?
- A storyboard template is a printed page of empty frames, usually with space beneath each one for a caption. You draw the key moments of a story or a process in the frames, in order, and write what happens below. It is used to plan films, animations, comics, presentations and written stories.
- How many frames should a storyboard have?
- As many as the story needs. Six is a good start for a short story or a one-minute video, because it covers a beginning, middle and end with room for a turning point. A longer sequence can run to twelve on one page, and you can print several pages. Two or three frames suit a simple before-and-after.
- What aspect ratio should I use for a video storyboard?
- Use 16:9 for video made today. Phones, laptops, projectors and most monitors show widescreen video at that shape. Use 4:3 for older formats, classic-size slides, or a more square look. Draw in the shape you will film in so that your plan fits the finished picture.
- What do you write under each storyboard frame?
- Usually three things: the action in the frame, any dialogue or narration, and the sound or music. Camera notes, such as wide shot or close-up, can go in the margin or in the first caption line. With one caption line, keep to the most important of these.
- Can I print a storyboard on A4?
- Yes. Choose A4 and either orientation, and the frames are sized to the A4 printable area with a 12 mm margin. Set the print scale to 100 per cent so the page is not shrunk to fit.
- Can I download the template as an image?
- Yes. The page can be downloaded as an SVG, which stays sharp at any size and opens in a drawing app, or as a 300 dpi PNG. Both show the same page you see in the preview.
- Is anything saved or uploaded?
- No. The page is drawn in your browser from your settings, and nothing is sent anywhere or stored. Reloading the page returns the settings to their defaults.