Create a storyboard
Exercise 6: Create a storyboard describing the four main scenes
A storyboard is series of rough sketches outlining the sequence of events and major changes of action in your story. It is a valuable tool to help you develop your story. In this exercise, you will create a storyboard and we will provide an example to help you.
Download our tool Create a storyboard and make the jumpDescribe the sequence of events in each phase of the story:
- Beginning: most stories start with the introduction of the setting and the main characters: what, where, who, when? The author describes the place where the events unfold and the people (characters) who play a central part. The tension of the conflict is already present.
- Middle: the conflict develops and escalates. The hero struggles to jump over obstacles to solve the conflict.
- Climax: The tension rises and rises until the hero finally resolves the conflict. The bad guys are beaten. The hero wins. That’s the climax.
- End: After the climax, the story fades out. Tension disappears. It is difficult to keep a listeners attention after the climax, so the story finishes fast after it.
To help you, we developed a storyboard below of Rezvin’ story for the Rotary Club.
Storyboard of Rezvin’ story
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Beginning Villages live in balance with the Sundarban forest. As population explodes, illegal logging and poaching increase, shrinking the habitat of the tiger. Adam is working for TigerTeam and is working hard to develop solutions. |
Middle A hungry tiger enters a village. An angry, panicking mob kills it. Rashid is the leader of the mob. He is the hero for the villagers. Adam, working for WildTeam, visits the village the day after and returns several times. He listens to the horror. He convinces Rashid that it is possible and vital to save both human and tiger. |
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Climax A group of volunteers is trained how to scare the tiger, how to control and calm panicking villagers and how to reach the Forest Department and the emergency team. A tiger enters the village and is scared back into the forest. The crowd cheers and the TigerTeam volunteers are heroes. |
End There are many, many villages in the Sundarbans. WildTeam gets requests to train new Tiger Response teams. This requires capacity and funds. Donors will really make a difference and become part of the team saving the Sundarbans with all animals and people living in it, including the magnificent tiger. |
Exercise 7: Create a storyboard drawing pictures of the main scenes
Now clarify your stories’ structure by drawing pictures that you will describe when you tell your story. This helps you focus your story. Below you find as example the storyboard of Rezvins’ story.
Use our tool Create a storyboard to jump-start your storytelling skills
Frogleaps’ Storyboard tool is of use if you want to develop your conservation story.
Download our tool Create a storyboard and make the jump