Part of the film-making process. After the script has been written, as part of preproduction, it is converted into a sequence of comic strip like pictures. Each storyboard typically consists of six frames, each depicting a different part of the dialogue or a shot -- e.g. shift in camera position.

These storyboards are then used by the director and producers to work out shots and so on and to give the actors a good idea of what the director wants.

The word can also be used as a verb as well as a noun: i.e. you can say "We're still storyboarding the climax."

It is typically used for feature films and animations; less so for sitcoms and the like. It's usually done either by hand or increasingly these days using computers. They are usually done as pen or pencil sketches, mostly just outline views, very rarely are they shaded in or coloured.

For some good examples of storyboards, see the southparkstudios.com web site.

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