Free Storyboard Templates (Printable PDF): 16:9, Animation, Vertical and Thumbnail
A blank page is the hardest part of storyboarding. These free storyboard templates fix that. Print one, grab a pencil and sketch your scene one frame at a time. The main template is a 16:9 PDF with six panels per page, shot fields under every frame and a cheat sheet for crew shorthand. There are also layouts for animation, vertical video, thumbnails and music videos or commercials. Below, you’ll see a filled-in example and how to make yours.
TL;DR: Print, Sketch, Shoot
Download the free storyboard template below, or scroll down for layouts made for animation, vertical video, thumbnails and music videos. Print at 100% size. Draw one shot per frame, fill in the shot size, angle and camera move, and write the action underneath. Stick figures are fine. The goal is a plan your crew can read, not a work of art.
Download the Free Storyboard Template
Pick your paper size. Both are the same 16:9 template, with the shorthand cheat sheet on page 2.
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What's in the 16:9 Storyboard Template
The download is a two-page PDF, in US Letter or A4.
- Page 1: six 16:9 frames, three across and two down
- Header: project, scene, director, page and date
- Under each frame: shot number, shot size, angle and camera move
- Notes lines: action, dialogue and sound for each shot
- Page 2: a shorthand cheat sheet for shot sizes, angles, moves and arrows
Print as many copies of page 1 as your scene needs. Most short scenes fit on one or two pages.
More Storyboard Templates: Animation, Vertical, Thumbnail and Video
The 16:9 template works for most short films. Some projects need a different frame shape or different notes. Each layout below is a free fillable PDF in US Letter and A4.
| Template | Frames per page | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 16:9 storyboard | 6 | Short films, school projects and most scenes |
| Animation | 4 | Animated shorts, with timing for each panel |
| Vertical 9:16 | 4 | TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts |
| Thumbnail sheet | 16 | Fast first drafts and action scenes with lots of shots |
| Video | 3 | Music videos and commercials timed to a track or voiceover |
Animation Storyboard Template
Animation boards track timing as well as framing, because every second on screen has to be drawn. This template puts four 16:9 panels on a portrait page, with the notes beside each frame instead of under it.
- Panel and time fields: log how long each panel lasts, in seconds or frames. At 24 frames per second, 12 frames is half a second.
- Three sets of lines per panel: action, dialogue, and camera or effects notes
- Sequence and scene in the header: so the pages stay in order when you pin them up on a wall
Vertical 9:16 Storyboard Template
Vertical video needs a vertical frame. Board a TikTok on a 16:9 template and your shots won't fit the screen. This layout puts four tall 9:16 frames across a landscape page.
- Safe-zone guides: a dotted box inside each frame. Apps put buttons, captions and usernames over the edges of the screen, so keep faces and text inside the box.
- On-screen text lines: most short-form videos carry text on screen. Plan it with the shot, not in the edit.
- Time field for every shot: so you can check the total against the length you're aiming for
Thumbnail Storyboard Sheet
Thumbnails are small, quick sketches. You rough out the whole scene in a few minutes, see what works, then redraw the best frames on the full template. Think of this sheet as free, printable storyboard paper.
- 16 numbered 16:9 frames on one landscape page
- One note line under each frame: room for the shot size or a few words of action
- Built for busy scenes: a chase or a fight can need dozens of shots, and this sheet fits them on a page or two
Video Storyboard Template for Music Videos and Commercials
Music videos and commercials are cut to a clock. This layout puts each frame next to four columns: timecode, visual, VO or dialogue, and music, lyrics or sound effects. It works as a storyboard and a two-column AV script on one page.
- Timecode column: lock each shot to a point in the track or the spot
- Lyrics column: write the line each shot plays over, so the edit lands on the beats you planned
- Client or artist and spot or track in the header: handy when you send boards out for approval
How to Fill In a Storyboard Template
Here's a six-shot scene we storyboarded with the template. A woman finds a note pinned to her front door.
- Start with the script or shot list. Number your shots before you draw anything. Our shot list guide covers how.
- Pick the shot size first. Panel 1 is an extreme wide shot of the farmhouse. Panel 6 is a close-up of Maya. The size tells you how much to draw.
- Sketch the frame. Boxes and stick figures are enough. Put the horizon and the main subject where they will sit in the real frame.
- Add arrows for movement. In panel 2, the arrow shows the camera tracking with Maya. In panel 4, the arrows and dotted box show a push in on the note.
- Fill in the fields. Shot 4 reads INS, HA, PUSH IN: an insert shot, from a high angle, pushing in.
- Write the action and sound. "SFX: floorboard creaks inside" tells the sound team what the moment needs.
Here's a habit that saves time on set.
Draw the storyboard, then hand it to someone who hasn't read the script.
Ask them to tell you the story from the frames alone.
If they get lost at panel four, that's where your scene is unclear. Fix it on paper, not on the day.
For the full list of shot sizes and angles to choose from, see our guide to the types of shots in film.
Storyboard Shorthand
Page 2 of the download is a cheat sheet, so everyone on the crew reads your boards the same way.
| Field | Shorthand you'll use most |
|---|---|
| Shot size | EWS, WS, MS, MCU, CU, ECU, OTS, INS |
| Angle | EL (eye level), HA (high angle), LA (low angle), POV |
| Movement | STATIC, PAN, TILT, DOLLY, TRACK, CRANE, HH (handheld) |
| Arrows | Solid for the camera, outline for the actor |
Pick one system and stick to it for the whole project. A DP who sees "PUSH IN" on one page and "DOLLY IN" on the next will ask which you meant.
Printing and Using the Template Digitally
- Print in landscape at 100%. "Fit to page" shrinks the frames and throws off the 16:9 shape.
- Use a pencil first. Ink the lines you keep.
- Draw on a tablet. Import the PDF into a drawing app like Procreate or GoodNotes and sketch on top of it.
- Keep it with the shot list. Staple each storyboard page to the matching page of the shot list. Our free shot list template uses the same shorthand.
One more thing, because I hear it from students all the time.
"I can't draw, so I don't storyboard."
You don't need to draw. You need to decide where the camera goes.
A box, a stick figure and an arrow tell your crew more than a beautiful sketch with no shot size written under it.
For what storyboards are for and how directors use them, see our guide to what a storyboard is. For the angles to sketch, see camera angles and the Dutch angle. For moves, see panning in film. For how many shots a scene needs, see film coverage.
On set, the script supervisor template tracks which frames got shot, and the camera report template logs every take.
FAQs About Storyboard Templates
What's the Difference Between a Storyboard and an Animatic?
A storyboard is a set of still drawings. An animatic cuts those drawings together in order and times them to dialogue, music or sound, so you can watch the scene before you shoot or animate it. Many animation teams build an animatic from their boards before any final animation starts.
How Many Panels Should a Storyboard Page Have?
Six is a good balance for most scenes. It leaves room to draw and space for notes. Fast action scenes often need more panels per page, and dialogue scenes need fewer.
Can I Use This Storyboard Template for My Own Projects?
Yes. It's free to download, print and use for school, personal and paid projects. Share the page with your crew or class. Please don't sell the template itself.
The Final Cut on the Storyboard Template
A storyboard template gives you a frame to fill, so you stop staring at a blank page and start planning shots.
Download the PDF, print a few copies and board one scene this week. Start with the shot size, add arrows for anything that moves and write the sound underneath.
Then show it to someone who hasn't read the script. If they can follow the story, your crew can too.
Jay Neill
Jay Neill is the founder and managing editor of iFILMthings and believes everyone should have access to the film resources they need to plan their filmmaking project, which is why he’s dedicated iFILMthings to helping all filmmakers.