Free storyboard templates
Blank storyboard templates in PDF and Word. Free, no sign-up, free for commercial use.
This page is the templates only. To learn how to actually build a storyboard, read the storyboard guide.
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Download a storyboard template
Free to download and use, including commercially. No sign-up, no email.
Six 16:9 frames with action, voiceover and timing lines. Short pieces, first-time boarding, printing and sketching by hand.
The same six-panel layout sized for A4.
Twelve empty frames, no labels. Most 60 to 120 second explainers, and the fastest way to sketch before the script settles.
The same twelve-panel blank layout sized for A4.
AV two-column layout: frame on the left, on-screen note, voiceover and duration on the right.
The same AV two-column layout sized for A4.
Adds a timing ruler under every frame and a notes-for-animator line.
Shot, size, angle and camera move across the top of each frame, for live-action shoots.
Four vertical frames for Reels, Shorts and TikTok.
The six-panel layout as an editable Word file. Type straight into it, or upload to Drive to use in Google Docs.
The AV two-column layout as an editable Word file.
Got the template. Now what goes in it?
The templates are blank on purpose. Our storyboard guide covers the five types of board, how to create one step by step, and real examples from finished animation projects.
Which storyboard template should you use?
The 6-panel storyboard template suits short pieces with few visual changes, and it is the standard printable layout, which is why most people boarding a first video start here.
The 12-panel blank storyboard template covers most 60 to 120 second explainers. No field labels, so it is also the fastest thing to sketch on while the script is still moving.
The video storyboard template uses the AV two-column layout, frame on the left and on-screen note, voiceover and duration on the right. Use it when you are directing an illustrator rather than drawing yourself.
The animation storyboard template adds a timing ruler under each frame and a notes-for-animator line, because animation has no camera and every frame has to be built.
The film storyboard template carries shot size, angle and camera move, which is what a crew needs and an animator does not.
Panel count should come out of the script rather than being decided in advance. Our guide covers how many panels a storyboard needs, along with the five storyboard types in full.
- 6-panel for short pieces
- 12-panel blank for typical explainers
- AV two-column when directing an illustrator
- Animation and film variants for specialist work
PDF or Word?
PDF is for printing and sketching by hand. Every template here comes as a PDF, and the three most-used layouts come in both Letter and A4. It cannot be edited digitally, which is usually the point at the sketch stage.
Word is for typing rather than drawing. The frames are table cells, so you can paste screenshots or reference images straight into them. Two of the layouts come as .docx files.
Google Docs works by uploading the .docx to Drive and opening it there. We do not host a separate Docs copy, so the Word file is the way in.
- PDF in Letter and A4
- Word .docx for typing
- Opens in Google Docs via Drive upload
- Free for commercial use
Filling in the template
Four things go in a panel, and nothing else: what the viewer sees at this moment, what the voiceover says underneath it, how the frame transitions into the next one, and any on-screen text or data being shown.
Two mechanics matter more than the rest. Number every panel, so reviewers can point at one and say which they mean. And keep it to one moment per panel. If a scene has three beats it needs three panels, and arrows are not a substitute for that.
Leave the timing column blank until you build an animatic. Durations guessed on paper are almost always wrong.
Everything else is covered properly in our guide to what a storyboard is.
- Number every panel
- One moment per panel
- Always write the action note
- Timing comes last
Where to see real storyboards
A blank template only takes you so far. The scene here started as a detailed panel on a board for an industrial engineering film, and the composition barely moved between the two, because it was settled at the board stage where changing it is free.
Boards from five finished client productions, from text-based through frame-by-frame, are collected in our guide to what a storyboard is, each shown next to the scene it became.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Every template is free to download and use, including for commercial work, and none of them require an email address or sign-up.
The six-panel, twelve-panel blank and video templates come in both US Letter and A4. The animation, film and vertical layouts are Letter.
As many as the script has distinct visual moments. Six per page suits a short simple piece, twelve covers most 60 to 120 second explainers, and frame-by-frame motion work needs considerably more.
No. The PDFs are made for printing and sketching by hand. If you want to type into a template, use the Word .docx versions instead.
No. Stick figures and boxes are enough, and the AV two-column template exists so you can describe each frame in words instead of drawing it.
A storyboard is static panels. An animatic is those panels cut to timing with audio, so you can judge pacing rather than just sequence.
Yes. Use them on client work, internal projects or anything else, with no attribution required.
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Ready to get started?
If you would rather have the storyboard made for you, Motifmotion can help. Contact us in a few different ways:
We'll work with you to understand your objectives, how we can provide assistance and we'll outline the next steps.