Creating an effective storyboard is a crucial part of video marketing. Whether you’re creating an internal training video or a commercial to promote your business, having a clear plan and structure will ensure that your video captures viewers’ attention and delivers the message you intended.
In this blog post, World Wide Webstein discusses what a storyboard is, the benefits of using one, and some steps to consider before beginning to write your script.
Understanding the Storyboard
A storyboard is essentially a visual outline of the key elements in your video. It helps you organize these elements into a logical sequence by visually representing each scene as an individual frame or box. These frames contain information such as text, images, sound effects, transitions, and other audio/visual cues. The purpose of a storyboard is to provide an overview of the flow of your video so that you can make sure it effectively tells its story before committing resources to production.
Why You Need It
Storyboards are incredibly useful for both pre-production planning and post-production review because they give everyone involved in making the video — from producers and directors to actors and crew — a common understanding of how the project should look and feel when it’s finished. Also, it ensures that all parties have the story straight by providing concrete examples that can be referenced throughout production. This saves time and money on set as it helps you avoid unnecessary reshoots.
Breaking Down Your Storyboard
Before writing your script, some steps need to be taken first to create an effective storyboard. Decide on the goal or objective that best fits your marketing plan and the message you want to communicate. Then, determine what kind of content needs to be included for it to reach this goal. Define its target audience, and research similar videos already out there so you won’t duplicate them. Create characters and come up with props and locations. Design graphic elements and select music and sound effects. Finally, choose appropriate channels for distribution.
Structuring Your Storyboard
Once you’ve taken all the necessary steps mentioned above, it’s time to start structuring your storyboard and writing your script. Begin by outlining each scene, starting with a focus on big ideas and then breaking them down into smaller sections until each scene has been broken down into individual frames. After this process has been completed, start filling out each frame with specific dialogue and action instructions. Finally, review everything once more before handing off scripts and storyboards for production.
Stock Footage Can Help
When you’re ready to create your content, consider stock footage, either to flesh out the video or to create the perfect intro. Not only is finding stock videos that are royalty-free cost-effective, but it also ensures that you can use the same video content for multiple campaigns. Additionally, with such a wide variety of stock footage available, you can easily find clips that perfectly align with the message of your marketing campaign. Simply sign up for a subscription and access high-quality, HD video footage that won’t break your marketing budget.
Creating video storyboards is an effective way to plan and execute engaging marketing videos for any business. By using a strong visual approach to storytelling, businesses can create meaningful stories that catch the attention of their target audience. Take your time when going through each step, and utilize various online tools, such as stock footage, to help you complete the project in a timely manner.
Image via Pexels
