It’s no secret that video marketing is the key to connecting with consumers and building brand loyalty, but what exactly goes into a successful video production? It involves more than just outlining your script and hitting record. You’ll also want to create an engaging video storyboard that keeps everyone on the same page from start to finish or, in video production terms, from pre-production to post-production.
How do you go about doing that? This article outlines several key steps, including creating a storyboard for your next video project. Here are some tips for creating engaging, entertaining videos and, most importantly, videos that effectively build connections with your target audience.
What Is a Video Storyboard?
A video storyboard is a visual framework that illustrates each shot of your story’s narrative. It is similar to a blueprint for architects. Just as a blueprint guides the design of a building, your storyboard will guide the design of your video project.
Typically, a storyboard is outlined in squares, each representing a single frame of the story. The square usually includes a drawing or rendering of each frame to demonstrate how the story should unfold visually. Each square may also include information about the camera shot and movement (zoom, pan, etc.), action or dialogue, sound effects, and other critical elements of your project.
Do you have to be a talented artist or an expert drawer to create a storyboard? While you can certainly put pen to paper to sketch out your ideas, templates are available to help those who have a rough time sketching things out on their own. Creating a digital storyboard can offer more flexibility than crafting a traditional one. For instance, if you want to move around a frame, it’s easier to do so in a digital format than on paper.
On the other hand, if you prefer sketching out your storyboard, take the traditional approach, but a digital format may work best if you lack artistic talent or are still trying to flesh out your ideas. Plus, there are a variety of free storyboarding online templates for you to try out so you can find the perfect fit for your particular project.
Why Storyboard?
Your goal with storyboarding is to build the story visually so you can see everything at once and where you might be lacking a part of the story before filming. It also involves taking the production team through your story frame by frame. Just as a script outlines the story narrative, a storyboard takes you through its visual elements. In other words, storyboarding is a way of contextualizing your vision. It’s the process of outlining an idea in order to identify any gaps or areas that should be adjusted.
The production process can often be time-consuming, and it can also be costly if shots are missed or other production aspects are overlooked. When everything is outlined and shared with your production team, each team member has the opportunity to ask questions, ensuring they fully understand the project concept. Likewise, they can also offer suggestions that may help improve the project, like where your story might have holes or could use a boost.
Creating a video storyboard eliminates confusion so your team communicates better during the production process, making it much more likely that filming will go smoothly and quickly, saving you both time and money.
Now that you know what a video storyboard is, how exactly do you go about creating an engaging one? Here are some tips for elevating your level of execution when storyboarding your next video project.
Tips for Creating Engaging Storyboards
Refine Your Vision
Sketching out your vision can be difficult if that vision needs to be clarified, so take some time to think about the story you want to tell. Create your script before you begin the storyboarding process. Refining your narrative arc will help you understand how best to showcase your story visually, making the storyboarding process go much more smoothly.
Consider All Elements
There’s a lot that goes into video production. You have to think about crafting an engaging narrative, what you’ll need to bring it to life, such as visual effects, sound effects, and other cinematic elements, and how to form the right team to execute your vision.
By creating a video storyboard, you’ll give yourself the time and space to think intentionally about your project, shot by shot. And this planning process is often where the magic happens. It’s when you’ll create the emotional hook you need to capture your audience from the first few frames of your story.
Solicit Feedback
The best part of the storyboarding process is that you can catch mistakes before they happen. Think of a video storyboard as your outline. You may wind up cutting parts, enhancing others, or making changes as your project progresses.
Storyboarding is the time to experiment, solicit feedback, and refine or enhance certain elements. It gives you freedom because it’s about planning ahead and allowing you to make changes when and where necessary. After all, it’s easier to make adjustments on paper than it is to shift focus on set and adjust things on the fly.
Do you feel like you could use professional expertise and guidance for storyboarding your next video project? Video marketing teams like the one at Pretzel Logic Productions can bring your story to life through their diverse team of innovative visionaries and cutting-edge storytellers who are experts at thinking outside the box and going against the grain.
Video production is all about showing, not telling. So, whatever production team you choose to partner with for your next project, be sure to check out their work and see firsthand what they have to offer.