Understanding the Storyboard

Once you approve your script, the AI generates a storyboard -- a visual breakdown of your video into individual scenes.

Written By Rishikesh from ngram

Last updated About 1 month ago

This guide explains how the storyboard is structured, what each element means, and how to make changes before moving to video generation.

What Is the Storyboard?

The storyboard takes your script and splits it into a sequence of scenes. Each scene represents a distinct segment of your video with its own narration text and AI-generated images. Think of it as a visual outline: you can see exactly what each part of your video will look like before any animation happens.

The storyboard appears in the Storyboard tab on the right panel. The tab label changes to "Ready" once all scene images have been generated.

How Scenes Are Generated

When you approve the script, the AI:

  1. Divides the narration into logical scene segments

  2. Assigns each scene a type and duration

  3. Generates start and end keyframe images for every scene

This process typically takes 1-2 minutes. You can watch the progress as scenes appear one by one.

Storyboard scenes generating

Once all scenes finish, the full storyboard is ready for review.

Storyboard complete with generated images

Anatomy of a Scene Card

Each scene in the storyboard is displayed as a card. Here is what you will find on each card:

Scene Header

The header shows three pieces of information:

  • Scene number and total -- for example, "Scene 1 of 5"

  • Scene type -- a label describing the purpose of that scene, such as Hook, Feature, Solution, Demo, or CTA

  • Approximate duration -- how long the scene will last in the final video, shown as ~5s, ~7s, etc.

The scene counter at the top of the storyboard (for example, "5 scenes") gives you a quick overview of the total number of scenes.

Keyframe Images

Each scene has two AI-generated images:

  • Start keyframe (1/2) -- the first frame of the scene

  • End keyframe (2/2) -- the last frame of the scene

Use the left and right arrows on the image to navigate between them. The indicator shows which keyframe you are viewing (1/2 or 2/2).

These images are not just static illustrations. They serve as the input for video animation. The AI will animate from the start keyframe to the end keyframe, creating smooth motion between the two. This is what the label means when it says:

"This base image will be animated using AI based on your selected video generation style."

The quality and composition of these keyframe images directly affects the quality of the final video animation.

Scene Script Text

Below the image, the narration text for that scene is displayed. This is the portion of the script that will be read by the AI voiceover during this scene.

Edit Button

Each scene has a pencil icon (edit button) that lets you modify the narration text for that specific scene. This is useful for making small adjustments without regenerating the entire script.

Adding and Removing Scenes

At the bottom of the storyboard, you will find an "Add scene" button. Clicking it appends a new scene to the end of the storyboard. You can then provide text and generate images for the new scene.

If you want to remove or reorder scenes, describe what you want in the chat. For example:

  • "Remove the third scene"

  • "Swap scenes 2 and 3"

  • "Split the demo scene into two shorter scenes"

The AI will adjust the storyboard accordingly.

Reviewing the Storyboard

Before generating the video, take time to review the storyboard thoroughly. For each scene, check:

Check

What to Look For

Images match the narration

The visuals should align with what the voiceover is saying

Scene order makes sense

The flow should feel logical -- hook first, CTA last

Durations feel right

Longer narration needs more time; short punchy scenes need less

Visual consistency

The style and color palette should be cohesive across scenes

Text accuracy

Product names, features, and claims are correct in each scene

Action Buttons After Storyboard

Once the storyboard is ready, the AI presents a new set of action buttons in the chat:

Button

What It Does

"Perfect! Generate voiceover & animate"

Approves the storyboard and begins video creation

"Regenerate a specific scene"

Re-creates the images for one scene you are not happy with

"Adjust visual style or mood"

Changes the look and feel across all scenes

"Change the storyboard flow"

Rearranges or restructures the scene order

As with the script stage, these buttons are suggestions. You can type any request in the chat instead. For example, "Regenerate scene 3 with a darker background" or "Make the hook scene image more dynamic."

Tips for a Strong Storyboard

Check the Keyframe Transitions

Navigate between the start and end keyframes of each scene using the arrows. The animation will move from one to the other, so check that the transition makes visual sense. A start keyframe showing a wide shot and an end keyframe showing a close-up will produce a zoom-in effect.

Keep Scene Count Reasonable

Most effective short videos use 4-7 scenes. Fewer scenes mean each one gets more screen time. More scenes mean faster pacing. Choose based on your content and audience.

Use Scene Types as a Guide

The type labels (Hook, Feature, Solution, Demo, CTA) are not just labels -- they reflect the purpose of each scene. The Hook should grab attention. The CTA should drive action. If a scene's type does not match its content, ask the AI to adjust.

What Happens to Credits

Storyboard generation uses credits for each AI-generated image. If you regenerate a scene's images, that uses additional credits. The credit counter in the top bar of the chat shows your running total for the session.

Tip: If you need to make script changes that affect most scenes, it is more efficient to go back and edit the script first, then regenerate the entire storyboard, rather than regenerating scenes one by one.

Next Steps