Why Are Storyboards So Important When Directing A Movie?

A storyboard is the chronology of drawings used in film production to visualise actual shots. The intention is to cover all possible angles and actions in video production. Essentially, a storyboard is an integral part of video production as it helps with the flow of events. The following are some of the reasons why a storyboard is essential in movie production.

Conceptualising the Idea

Most films or videos start with drafting words to verbalise the ideas. However, they cannot bring out the actual concepts unless you see drawings that visualise the concept. Storyboards give visual projections to written words, consolidating the idea, making it relatable and easy to execute.

If the movie’s clarity is still in doubt, the storyboard can help rectify it. The producer and the team can see the storyline and every action point therein in the long run. 

Production Cost

Shooting a movie is expensive as it takes care of seen and unforeseen factors. The concept creator has a perfect picture in mind, which needs replicating in the movie. The best way to do it is by jotting it down on paper for easy execution. It not only saves the trial and error cost but also shortens the time spent on production.

Moreover, some scenes are engineered due to logistics hindrances. As long as the movie creator has it in mind, the production team can create it using alternative means to serve the purpose.

Planning Captions and Movie Shots

Every feature in a movie is planned and re-enacted to drive a particular point home. This should be clear in the movie creation and visualised by the storyboard. Still photographers and cinematographers know precisely which angle to concentrate on and how to do it. The whole planning saves time, cutting costs considerably.

Producing commercial adverts often use this approach. The decision on what to do and when to do it is discussed and agreed upon in the boardroom. Shooting runs on schedule to save time, both during and after production.

Guiding Production

Storyboards contain the non-verbal actions between scenes that develop the storyline. It guides the camera crew on what to focus on when shooting. Everything is one paper, from the shooting angle, focus items and shooting range. It minimises mistakes, help set up equipment where it is needed and act as a guide for everyone one set.

In scenes where the camera focuses on several items in one take or frame, the storyboard shows and spells it out in detail. All the camera crew has to do is measure, set up and focus on getting the perfect picture, clip or caption.

Movie Tone

Before storyboards became mandatory in film production, all eyes were on the director. Reading a movie script cannot give the intended emotion, tone or gesture. Storyboards simplified the message, with pictorials and illustrations to drive the point home. Currently, the movie director’s role is making sure everything is in place and everyone is executing their role as expected.

A storyboard can also tell the casting director the type of actor they require. It illustrates the circumstances surrounding every scene, making it easier for the casting director to develop the actors’ line-up.

Other advantages of storyboards include handling script inadequacies, especially non-verbal cues and problem-solving when the production is underway. It also helps with movie continuity and selecting the appropriate media to use.