Storyboard Artist Job Description, Salary, Skills & Software

What does a storyboard artist do?

A storyboard artist is a visual storyteller who converts written scripts into a series of 2D images, commonly known as a storyboard. Images are created by hand or computer to map out the action, framing, and key scenes in a script, acting as a visual guide for how live-action is shot and how the animation will play out.

Storyboards are used in film, television, advertising, video gaming, and all forms of moving media as a guide for production. This is a vital role as it must convey the spirit of the story through gesture, emotion, movement, and logical progression of action.

Storyboard artist job description

A storyboard artist helps set out the look, timings, camera angles, and points of view of the sequences. This is a crucial part of the pre-production process as it is the first time that the script is visualized. They must be able to interpret and accurately translate the vision of the director because their storyboards will be used by the rest of the crew and production as a guide for the production process.

Role & responsibilities of a storyboard artist in film and games:

Liaising with writers, animators, and directors regarding the look, style, and level of detail required for the storyboard of each production
Reading and interpreting scripts
Breaking down the script with the director to identify key scenes and plan them visually
Sequencing the scenes from a script into storyboard format using panels of images
Including special effects in the storyboard frames
Identifying lighting requirements and articulating circles of tension within each scene
Including key dialogue or scene directions within each frame
Briefing animators on key scenes within the storyboard
Amending storyboard scenes during the course of production

How much does a storyboard artist make?

Storyboard artists fall under the category of animator pay scales, earning an average salary ranging from USD $42,000 for entry-level jobs to USD $103,000 for senior animation positions. (Source: Payscale)

$42k Jnr. Storyboard Artist

$103k Snr. Storyboard Artist

Skills required to become a storyboard artist

Storyboard artists need to be able to draw (people, objects, actions, and environments) legibly and efficiently and require strong visual storytelling skills to bring a script to life prior to production. Taking a 2D animation course is highly beneficial to honing your skills as a storyboard artist.

Film and game studios may look for the following skills in storyboard artists:

Ability to collaborate effectively with concept artists, writers, directors, clients, etc to visualize the story
Knowledge of various styles and genres
Understanding of the principles of animation
Knowledge of the principles of storytelling, ie: the hero’s Journey
Ability to interpret the ideas of others into detailed drawings
Strong layout and design skills
Adaptability in working with different directors who will demand varying degrees of complexity from storyboards
Skills in both hand drawing and computer drawing
Solid knowledge of camera angles and cinematography techniques

TOUCH

Adobe Photoshop is a raster graphics editor developed and published by Adobe for Windows and macOS. It was created in 1987 by Thomas and John Knoll

TOUCH

Adobe Illustrator is a vector graphics editor and design software developed and marketed by Adobe

TOUCH

The largest animation and gaming studios from around the world choose Harmony to produce the highest quality animation, setting the standard for creative storytelling.

How to become a storyboard artist

Practice makes perfect. When you are first learning, it takes some time to get your storyboards as perfect as you would like. Repetition will eventually make the tedious aspects quick and natural, which will then let you focus on the bigger picture and story telling.

Film and game companies may look for the following skills in storyboard artists:

Training in 2D animation
Ability to visualize abstract concepts
Experience with clean ups & layout design
Drawing ability, artistic mindset
Visual storytelling
Ability to draw in a variety of styles & genres
Familiarity with a range of animation software & techniques

Tips to break into the animation industry

Participate in competitions

Animation competitions are a great way to gain experience, and you’ll often get access to a rigged and modeled asset to practice. Use the final product in your portfolio. CG Spectrum runs regular challenges for students to practice working to a brief and a deadline.

Engage with communities

Building connections online is vital to getting your name and skills recognized and is a chance to interact with industry professionals who can offer advice or jobs.

Collaborate with peers

Do you know a modeler looking for someone to bring their latest asset to life? Or a lighting artist who’d love an animation scene to render? Collaborating with peers can be fun, and help you both create polished work for your portfolios.

Intern with a studio

Getting an internship with an animation company you want to work for is a way to get your foot in the door. This option is not viable for everyone, but can be an excellent way of gaining hands-on experience while networking at the same time.

Industry Pathways

In this episode, you'll hear from Sykosan, mentor of 2D Animation at CG Spectrum. Sykosan started out in Architecture before moving into 3D Animation, and finally deciding to focus fully on 2D Animation, where he's had great success and worked on some career-affirming projects with his dream collaborators.

Storyboard Artist

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What does a storyboard artist do?