What is a storyboard?
A storyboard is a sequence of illustrated or described frames that map out a video or multimedia advertisement — showing what happens in each scene, in what order, with what dialogue, action or voiceover. It's the planning document that bridges the creative concept and the finished ad.
In professional advertising, storyboards are used to:
- Present a creative concept to a client or creative director before production
- Align the production team on what needs to be filmed, in what order
- Identify potential problems with pacing, transitions or messaging before they become expensive to fix
- Document the execution as part of a campaign deliverable or coursework submission
You don't need to be an artist to create a useful storyboard. In a student or coursework context, rough sketches, stick figures or descriptive text are perfectly adequate — what matters is that the sequence is clear, the frames are logical, and the script notes give enough detail to understand what each moment communicates.
What goes in each frame
Each frame in a storyboard captures a single moment or scene in the ad. It doesn't need to be a single shot — a frame can represent a brief sequence of related action — but it should represent a distinct beat in the narrative. The frame has two components: the visual and the script.
The script/action note — what to include
The script/action field is the most important part of each frame. A good frame note tells the reader everything happening in that moment — not just the visuals, but the full sensory experience of watching the ad. It typically combines several elements:
What's on screen
The scene, setting, characters and action. Include camera direction if relevant — "wide shot", "close-up", "tracking shot". Don't assume the reader can see a sketch; describe it.
Spoken words
Any dialogue spoken on screen by characters. Use quotation marks and attribute to speaker: "Character: 'You're going to love this.'"
Voiceover
Words spoken by an unseen narrator over the action. Common in TV ads: "VO: Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything."
Music and sound effects
The audio landscape — background music, sound effects, ambient noise. "Music: tense strings build. Sound FX: crowd roar."
On-screen text
Text overlaid on the image — pack shots, brand name, tagline, legal disclaimer, call to action. "Super: Nike — Just Do It."
You don't need to use every element in every frame — use the ones that are relevant to what that frame is doing. A silent visual moment needs no dialogue or VO note. A pack shot frame needs a Super note showing what text appears on screen.
Planning timing and frames
The number of frames in a storyboard depends on the length of the ad and the complexity of the narrative. A 30-second TV spot typically has 4–8 frames. A 60-second ad might have 8–12. Each frame represents a meaningful scene change or narrative beat — not every individual camera cut.
A useful rule: divide the ad's total duration by the number of frames to check that each frame represents a meaningful chunk of time. If a 30-second ad has 12 frames, each frame covers 2.5 seconds — that's a lot of scene changes and may indicate too many frames. If it has 3, each covers 10 seconds and the narrative may need more definition.
Worked example
Notice how each frame does something distinct — establishes the scenario, introduces the product, builds the emotional arc, pays off the joke, signs off the brand. Every frame earns its place.
Tool walkthrough: the Storyboard Tool, field by field
The Storyboard Tool lets you add as many frames as your ad requires, write script and action notes for each one, and optionally upload a sketch or reference image. Here's what to write in each field.
Brand & Campaign Title
The brand and the campaign this storyboard belongs to. These appear in the output header and identify the storyboard when it's saved to a campaign.
e.g. Brand: Irn Bru · Campaign: #GetSomeIrn SummerExecution Name / Number
The specific ad or execution this storyboard covers — important if the campaign has multiple executions. A campaign might have a TV spot, a social video and an OOH execution, each needing its own storyboard.
e.g. TV Spot 1 — Beach Scene · Social Video 2 — Festival Cut · Radio Script 1Ad Length
The duration of the execution. This guides the number of frames and the pacing of each one. A 10-second ad needs far fewer frames than a 60-second one — set this first to calibrate your frame count.
e.g. 30" · 60" · 15" · 2 minsScript / Action (per frame)
The most important field. Describe everything happening in this frame — what the viewer sees on screen, any dialogue or voiceover, music or sound effects, and any on-screen text (supers). Write it so that someone who can't see the sketch can still understand the full scene. Use abbreviations where helpful: VO for voiceover, SFX for sound effects, Super for on-screen text.
e.g. Wide shot — empty stadium at dawn. Fog on the pitch. No crowd yet. Silence except wind. VO: "Believe in something." Camera slowly pushes in on the empty seats.Frame Image (optional)
Upload a rough sketch, illustration or reference image for this frame. It doesn't need to be polished — a quick pencil sketch or a reference photo that captures the visual idea is enough. The image appears in the output grid alongside the script note. If you don't have a sketch, strong script notes are sufficient.
JPG, PNG or WebP — max 5MB per frameCommon mistakes to avoid
A 30-second ad with 15 frames creates confusion — each frame only covers 2 seconds and the storyboard looks like a script, not a plan. Group related moments into a single frame.
Each frame should represent a distinct narrative beat — a scene change, a key moment, a dialogue exchange. 4–6 frames is typically right for a 30-second spot.
- Frames without script notes. The visual sketch means nothing without the script note explaining what's happening. Even a perfectly drawn frame is incomplete if the viewer can't tell what's being said or heard.
- No sign-off frame. Every ad ends with a brand moment — a pack shot, a logo, a tagline, a CTA. This should always be the final frame. Missing it makes the storyboard feel incomplete and the ad feel unbranded.
- Disconnecting from the creative concept. The storyboard is a translation of the creative concept into scenes. Every frame should serve the concept — if a frame could be from any ad, it probably isn't specific enough to your idea.
- Ignoring sound. An ad is audio-visual. A storyboard that only describes what you see ignores half the experience. Always note the soundtrack, voiceover, dialogue and key sound effects — these are often what make an ad memorable.
- Starting with the product rather than the story. Ads that open on the product before establishing a scene or emotion rarely land. Draw in the viewer with a compelling moment first, then introduce the product at the point of maximum attention.
Plan your ad frame by frame
Write script notes for each scene, upload your sketches, and generate a formatted storyboard to save to your campaign.