Story Moments
Break the story into the essential moments the audience needs to see. Each Story Moment becomes one storyboard panel.
Go to this step →Pre-Production
Plan the story. Build the characters.
See
the film before you shoot it.
A practical production handbook for turning story ideas into clear, consistent storyboards—then using them on set or as the foundation for AI video.
Scene 01 — Lunch Confrontation
8 panels · shot list, dialogue, sound & emotional focus for
every frame
The Production Map
Build in the order the film needs.
AI supports pre-production. The goal is not simply to generate an attractive image—it is to create a visual plan that can guide directing, cinematography, continuity, and editing.
Characters
Define each character’s identity, appearance, wardrobe, and visual style before generating storyboard images.
Go to this step →Prompt
Combine the cast, location, action, camera, lighting, mood, and rendering style into one structured prompt.
Go to this step →Generate
Create the storyboard, review every panel for continuity, and revise the prompt until the visual plan works.
Go to this step →
Story Idea
→
Story Moments
→
Character Sheets
→
Storyboard Prompt
→
Storyboard
→
Shoot + Edit
01
Story Moments
One important moment. One storyboard panel.
What is a Story Moment?
Sometimes called a Story Beat, a Story Moment is one meaningful event the audience needs to see. It may show an action, discovery, decision, reaction, or emotional change. In this workflow, each Story Moment becomes a different panel in the storyboard.
Write the moment as a clear visual event. Concentrate on what happens. Camera instructions can be added after the story is working.
Example Story Moment 03
Emily notices a black notebook left on the campus bench. She stops, turns back, and looks at it.
Storyboard resultPanel 03
Include
- The character who is present
- The important action or reaction
- Dialogue or narration, when needed
- The location and time, when important
Avoid
- Combining several events in one panel
- Adding actions the audience cannot see
- Changing character or location details
- Using vague phrases such as “things happen”
Production Tool
Story Moments
Write what happens, moment by moment. Each moment becomes one beat of your story prompt.
02
Character Sheets
Lock the character before building the storyboard.
A character sheet is a visual reference that helps an image model repeat the same face, body, wardrobe, colors, and accessories in every panel.
Identity
- Name and age
- Occupation or role
- Personality and story function
Appearance
- Height, build, and posture
- Face, skin, eyes, and hair
- Movement and distinctive features
Wardrobe
- Top, bottoms, and outerwear
- Shoes, bag, props, and accessories
- Colors, condition, and continuity
Style
- Visual style and realism
- Lighting and background
- Image format and style notes
Production Tool
Character Builder
Build reusable characters, generate a four-view reference-sheet prompt, and save characters for use in later productions.
Generate the character sheet
- 01Complete Identity, Appearance, Wardrobe, and Style.
- 02Generate and review the Character Prompt.
- 03Attach a reference photo when a specific person must be matched.
- 04Generate a four-view sheet on a neutral gray background.
- 05Save the approved image with the project files.
03
Storyboard Prompt
Build the prompt in clear layers.
A prompt is easier to review and revise when it's built in sections instead of one long paragraph. Each numbered layer below shows what to consider for that section. Keep the approved Story Moments in their exact order at the bottom of the prompt, with one panel for every moment.
01
Characters
Who is visible? Use the locked descriptions and reference sheets.
02
Location
Where does the moment happen? Include time, weather, and important details.
03
Action
What happens in this exact Story Moment? Describe one clear visual event.
04
Camera
Choose shot size, camera angle, position, lens, and movement.
05
Light + Mood
Define the light direction, color, atmosphere, and emotional tone.
06
Style
State the visual medium, realism level, aspect ratio, and continuity rules.
Storyboard-Builder Output
You are an expert Hollywood storyboard artist, film director, animation designer, and AI prompt engineer. Your job is to create a single, detailed storyboard image prompt for GPT Image 2 from the uploaded character reference sheet(s) and the approved Story Moments below. CHARACTER ANALYSIS - Study the uploaded character sheet(s): facial features, hairstyle, body type, age, clothing, accessories, colors, unique details. - Keep every character visually identical to their sheet across all panels. - Cast in this story: 1. Martin (Martin) — 20 2. AI Agent (AGENT) — 20 3. Pirate-Nabeel (Pirate-Nabeel) — 45 , Medium build. , Brown hair. , Brown , A white pirate shirt. , Black and white striped pirate pants , A blue pirate vest. STORY RULES - Create exactly one storyboard panel for each numbered Story Moment. - Preserve the order, characters, action, dialogue, narration, mood, sound, and timing supplied for every moment. - Do not add, remove, combine, or rewrite major story events. - You may choose the camera framing, angle, composition, expressions, and visual staging that best communicate each approved moment. STORYBOARD STRUCTURE - 1 panels, 15 seconds, 3x3, 16:9. - Each panel: panel number, time position, camera angle, main action, character expression, key environment detail, emotional focus. - Vary shot types (wide, medium, close-up, low angle, high angle, over-the-shoulder, dynamic action) — no two consecutive panels with the same composition. - Carry dialogue, narration, and sound into small panel notes where useful. VISUAL STYLE - Photoreal — identical across every panel. - Additional style notes: Include the dialog and shot instructions in each panel SHEET DESIGN - Present as one professional storyboard sheet: numbered frames, timeline indicators, small production notes, neutral background, production-ready layout. OUTPUT RULES - Output ONE continuous image-generation prompt combining every panel into a single storyboard sheet — not separate prompts per panel. - Do not explain your reasoning or summarize the story separately. - Note any assumptions you made about style or missing details at the end, briefly. --- STORY IDEA: A student orders an AI agent online and discovers it's more powerful than they thought. STORY STATUS: Story ready APPROVED STORY MOMENTS: PANEL 1 (15 seconds) Action: Moment 1 = What happens Dialogue: Martin: "Dialog for character Martin" | AI Agent: "Dialog for character AI Agent" Voice-over/narration: optional voice-over narration Mood: A mood selector field Sound: Ambience, sound, music
04
Generate + Review
The first generation is a draft.
Review the storyboard as a production document. Fix the prompt and regenerate when a panel changes the action, loses continuity, or cannot be reproduced with a real camera.
First Draft — Revision Notes
Continuity Note
The characters have switched seats. Change one of these panels.
Revision Loop
- 1Generate
- 2Compare
- 3Identify the problem
- 4Revise the prompt
- 5Generate again
After the Storyboard
Use the images to make the film.
For most classes, the storyboard becomes a guide for real cameras, lighting, sound, directing, and editing. Advanced projects may use the approved panels as references for AI-generated video clips.
Live Production
Convert panels into a shot list, plan coverage, shoot the scenes, and edit the finished film.
AI Video
Use approved panels as visual references, add motion and sound instructions, then generate short clips.