Storyboarding is the magic that makes a commercial actually happen. Before spending real money on a camera crew, actors, props, and locations, you need a solid plan. A storyboard lays out the commercial shot by shot so everyone knows what’s supposed to happen before the first person steps foot on set. When it comes to putting a storyboard together, there are a few main ways to do it: sketching, previs, or searching for similar frames online. Picking the right method can seriously change how smooth your whole project runs.
Sketching is probably the most classic way to storyboard. It’s quick, cheap, and all you need is a pen and paper. Especially early on, sketching is super helpful because you can brainstorm different ideas without overthinking it. You can map out tons of different options for a scene without getting stuck on the details.
But sketching isn’t always the most accurate way to show your ideas, especially if you’re like me and aren’t super confident in your drawing skills. If the sketches are too rough or messy, there’s definitely a risk that other people won’t really get what you’re trying to say. But honestly, that’s kind of fine when you’re just getting started. Sketching keeps everything loose and flexible, which is exactly what you need at the beginning. I still hate it tough
Previs has gotten way easier lately, especially for commercial work. You don’t need expensive software anymore — just grab your phone and shoot rough videos or stills. Shooting previs on your phone lets you block out real scenes with real people and props, which gives you a much better sense of how timing, movement, and camera angles will actually feel. Plus, making quick edits from your phone clips can show you problems with pacing or weird transitions before you even get to the set.
It’s honestly the fastest way to figure out if your idea is going to work once you actually start shooting. The only downside is that most of the time, you do have to leave the house. If you’re still collecting ideas or trying to figure out the rough storyline, it’s probably smarter to stick to sketching at first. Even if you can’t draw well, you know what your own sketches mean — and when it’s time to show someone else your vision, you can shoot a rough previs or, if you’re feeling lazy and don’t want to go outside, just search the web for frames.
Searching for similar frames is another solid option, especially when you’re pitching your idea. You can pull images from movies, ads, or photography and build a quick mood board that shows the vibe, style, and energy you’re going for. Actually the last spec ad we shot was 90% planned just by pulling frames from Pinterest and Frameset. It worked perfectly. Clients especially love this because they can instantly see what you’re aiming for, without you needing to explain it for half an hour.
The only real downside to this method is that if your idea is super original, it might take forever to find the right frames. You can easily spend hours searching and still not find something that matches exactly. Plus, this method doesn’t solve how the shots connect or flow together — it’s more about the look, not the structure — so you’ll still need a real storyboard or previs later if you want a full plan.
On real projects, the best storyboards usually end up being a mix of all three techniques. Sketch first to throw down ideas fast. Gather reference frames to lock in the style and mood. Then shoot quick previs videos to make sure the scenes actually work. Especially in commercial work, where budgets are tight and timelines are even tighter, using all three methods together can save you a ton of stress, money, and last-minute disasters.
At the end of the day, the best storyboard is the one that makes your idea clear — whether you sketch it badly on paper, film it on your phone, or build a vibe board from random internet screenshots. Whatever gets your team (and your client) on the same page is the way to go.
Hulett, S. (2018). The Art of Previs: Planning Before Shooting. Animation World Network Press.
Masaki, Y. (2019). Storyboard Sketching: The First Step of Visual Storytelling. Creative Media Publishers.
Parry, K. (2020). how to storyboard (even if you can’t draw) [YouTube Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaLMz5Y5t9A
Simon, L., & Jozwiak, K. (2021). Reference Images in Modern Production: How to Build Effective Mood Boards. Filmmaker’s Journal, 17(3), 35–42.
