Storyboarding

Term from Book Illustration industry explained for recruiters

Storyboarding is a planning method where artists create a series of sketches that show how a story will flow visually, like a comic strip version of the final product. It's commonly used in book illustration, animation, and film to plan out scenes before creating the final artwork. This process helps creators organize their ideas, show clients what to expect, and save time by getting feedback early. Think of it as creating a visual outline or rough draft that shows how the final illustrations or animations will look and move from scene to scene.

Examples in Resumes

Created detailed Storyboards for a 32-page children's picture book

Developed Storyboard sequences for an educational animation series

Collaborated with authors to translate their stories into Storyboard layouts

Led Storyboarding workshops for junior illustrators

Typical job title: "Storyboard Artists"

Also try searching for:

Storyboard Artist Visual Development Artist Book Illustrator Children's Book Artist Animation Artist Sequential Artist Visual Storyteller

Example Interview Questions

Senior Level Questions

Q: How do you handle creative differences between the client's vision and what you believe works best for the story?

Expected Answer: A senior storyboard artist should discuss their experience in finding middle ground, presenting alternative solutions with clear explanations, and maintaining professional relationships while advocating for effective storytelling.

Q: Can you describe how you would manage a complex storyboarding project with tight deadlines?

Expected Answer: Should demonstrate experience in breaking down large projects, setting milestones, managing team workflow, and maintaining quality while meeting deadlines.

Mid Level Questions

Q: How do you ensure continuity between scenes in your storyboards?

Expected Answer: Should explain their process for maintaining consistent character appearance, scene transitions, and visual flow throughout the story.

Q: What tools and techniques do you use to convey movement and emotion in static storyboard frames?

Expected Answer: Should describe use of motion lines, facial expressions, body language, and composition to show action and feeling in still images.

Junior Level Questions

Q: What's your process for creating a storyboard from a written script?

Expected Answer: Should be able to explain basic steps of reading, breaking down scenes, sketching thumbnails, and creating clear sequential panels.

Q: How do you organize your storyboard panels to clearly show the story's progression?

Expected Answer: Should demonstrate understanding of basic panel layout, numbering systems, and how to arrange scenes to show clear story flow.

Experience Level Indicators

Junior (0-2 years)

  • Basic drawing and sketching abilities
  • Understanding of story flow and sequencing
  • Knowledge of basic composition
  • Ability to follow direction and implement feedback

Mid (2-5 years)

  • Strong visual storytelling abilities
  • Efficient workflow management
  • Digital storyboarding tools proficiency
  • Effective communication with clients

Senior (5+ years)

  • Advanced storytelling and composition mastery
  • Project and team leadership
  • Complex narrative problem-solving
  • Client relationship management

Red Flags to Watch For

  • Unable to show sequential storytelling examples
  • Poor understanding of basic story structure
  • Lack of ability to accept and implement feedback
  • No experience with digital tools or traditional sketching
  • Poor time management skills

Related Terms