A Storyboarding Template for the Changing Social Media Landscape
One of the most important parts of the video production process is storyboarding. Having drawings that showcase the overall flow and direction of the final video in a convenient, panel by panel breakdown, allows for a smooth production process and a great end product. With the advent of social media, however, the variety of video formats and styles producers are expected to create have changed immensely, and therefore we must reimagine the storyboarding process from the ground up.
That’s why I’ve created an easy-to-use storyboard template combining all of the different formats in one.
The main issue when creating video content nowadays is formatting. With portrait mode becoming a new standard on platforms such as Facebook and Google, shooting a video in traditional 16:9 may not convert well or work at all when cropped to fit the size. Also, If you’re making a video for Instagram, you will have to edit the video in a 1:1 or square format, which means the video has to be cropped from the top and bottom if shot in 9:16 or on the left and right if shot in 16:9. What if we could shoot one video that can be easily edited for each version without making these sorts of compromises?
With the help of a little preplanning and the right equipment, you can do just that.
Take a look at the above storyboards using this custom template.
Each social media format is represented by dotted lines appropriately measured out from the center. In the middle we have 9:16 format (portrait mode), then 2:3 (google’s preferred mobile ad size), 1:1 (Instagram or square format), then finally 16:9 (traditional HD or landscape format).
With these formats considered during the storyboarding process, the producer can easily visualize where portions of the video will be cropped away after they are converted for their respective platforms. In order to properly shoot these videos and maintain a high quality, however, these videos will need to be shot at a very high resolution, preferably 4K, which is currently taking over as a new standard in video creation.
Shooting the video in 4K will allow the video to be at a high quality when cropped both in 9:16 and in 16:9, since it will have enough resolution in both directions to maintain a 1080p (HD format) after cropping. Of course, this requires a camera that supports 4K, but this too is becoming a standard and affordable option with industry progress.
Here are some examples of a video when shot originally in 4K, then cropped to the appropriate formats. As you will see, the subject is clearly visible without undesirable cropping when converted to each format.
Using this template to previsualize your shots allows for the greatest level of efficiency and impact when sharing your videos online. Instead of having to produce a different video for each platform which is not only time-consuming but expensive, you only have to create one video that can be easily shared in a shotgun approach across the internet. This gives you a greater chance for success when promoting your brand or message requires a greater amount of viewers, who may only be active on one or two platforms.
When competing for attention from viewers everywhere, having flexibility and efficiency in your video creation process is paramount. As time continues on, who knows what new forms video will take, but being prepared and having the proper tools is the first step in dealing with such uncertainties. I hope this template proves useful to those looking to expand the impact and reach of their videos and helps solve at least one of the many problems the new frontier of video creation has to offer.
Thank you!
Written by Jacob Lovett
Video Editor at Air Apps
