🎬 Why Your Short Film Needs a Storyboard (Even If You’re Just Shooting with a Phone)

 

By Brain Planet Studios

I used to think storyboards were just for big-budget productions. You know—Hollywood directors working with huge teams and fancy equipment. But the truth is: if you’re making any kind of video, even just on your smartphone, a storyboard can completely change the game.

Once I started storyboarding my own projects, everything felt smoother—like I finally had a map in the chaos of filmmaking.

🎯 1. Storyboards Help You Stay Focused on the Vision

When you're on set, it’s easy to get distracted. The sun's moving, your actor is asking about lunch, and you're trying to remember which shot comes next.

With a storyboard? You already know. Every frame has a purpose.

It’s like having a to-do list made of pictures—and it keeps your shoot grounded in your story, not just your surroundings.

🎥 2. It Saves Time (and Time = Sanity)

When I didn't use storyboards, I spent hours trying to figure out shots on the fly. We'd shoot things that ended up being useless in the edit. Or worse—we’d miss crucial shots altogether.

Now? My storyboard tells me what camera angles, movements, and compositions I need before the camera rolls. Less guesswork, less stress.

🧑‍🎨 3. You Don’t Need to Be an Artist

Your storyboard doesn’t need to be pretty—it just needs to make sense to you.

Use arrows, shapes, doodles, or even photos of toy figures or friends to block scenes. There are even apps like Storyboarder or Canva to help non-artists like me.

📲 4. It Helps Everyone on Set Understand the Vision

If you’ve ever had to explain a shot to someone and they still didn’t “get it,” a storyboard can fix that instantly. Just show the frame.

Actors understand blocking better. Camera operators know where to move. Everyone’s on the same page—which saves you tons of explaining mid-shoot.

🎬 5. It’s a Director’s Secret Weapon

When you storyboard, you're essentially directing before the shoot. You’re making creative choices ahead of time, which frees you up to focus on performance and improvisation on the day.

And here’s the best part: when things don’t go to plan (because they won’t), you can pivot confidently—because you know the heart of the scene.

✏️ How to Start Storyboarding Today

• Break your script down by scene
• Draw or sketch the key moments
• Include camera notes (wide shot? close-up? pan?)
• Use arrows to show movement
• Add timing or dialogue cues if helpful

Even a few quick frames can save you from chaos.

🎯 Final Thoughts

If you’ve never used a storyboard before, try it for your next shoot—even just a rough version. It may feel like extra work up front, but it will save you hours on set, and elevate your storytelling tenfold.

Trust me, you’ll wonder how you ever shot without one.

Have you used storyboards before? Do you draw them by hand or use digital tools? 

Let me know in the comments—I’d love to hear your approach.🙂

#Storyboarding #ShortFilmTips #FilmmakingBasics #BrainPlanetStudios #LowBudgetFilmmaking