Try one shot first
Read the script below, then fill in shot 5 on the five-column sheet: action, sound, planned seconds and what to check. Compare it with the example. You are ready to move on when another reader can explain what the audience should discover in that shot.
This is a written storyboard plan for an original fictional scene. No storyboard panels or video have been generated. Every time range is a planned edit interval, not a source-video timestamp.
The script: The No. 17 Key
Interior. Locksmith's shop. Dusk. The door is behind the counter area. Ning stands on the customer side; the locksmith stands behind the counter.
B01 · The key
Ning places a brass key on the counter with her right hand. Its tag reads “17.”
NING: What does this key open?
The locksmith looks at the key without picking it up.
LOCKSMITH: Seventeen? It should still be there.
B02 · The drawer
The locksmith pulls open drawer 17 behind the counter. The item is gone. Only a folded collection slip remains.
B03 · The signature
The locksmith takes the slip with his right hand, unfolds it and sets it beside the key without covering it. The slip reads “Collected.” The signature is “Ning.”
Ning leaves the slip untouched and looks up at him.
NING: This is my first time here.
B04 · Outside
A key enters the front-door lock and begins to turn. Both characters look toward the door.
The door is still closed. Cut to black.
Map the story beats to shots
B01 needs the key number and the request, so the plan uses an insert followed by a two-shot. B02 shows the drawer opening and its contents. B03 separates the signature reveal from Ning's reaction. B04 uses sound to interrupt the exchange before cutting to the door.
| Shot | Planned interval | Main image | Beat | Check |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S01 | 00:00–00:05 | Close-up: right hand sets down key 17 | B01 | Number readable; key stays on counter |
| S02 | 00:05–00:12 | Medium two-shot: question and reply | B01 | Ning screen-left; locksmith screen-right |
| S03 | 00:12–00:20 | Medium close-up: drawer opens | B02 | Drawer location matches the room |
| S04 | 00:20–00:28 | Close-up: folded slip in empty drawer | B02 | Signature not yet visible |
| S05 | 00:28–00:36 | Insert: slip unfolds beside the key | B03 | “Collected / Ning” readable |
| S06 | 00:36–00:44 | Close-up: Ning looks up and replies | B03 | She has not picked up either prop |
| S07 | 00:44–00:52 | Two-shot: both turn toward the sound | B04 | Door stays shut; props stay put |
| S08 | 00:52–01:00 | Close-up: door lock turns; cut to black | B04 | Person outside remains unseen |
You can change the number or length of shots. Keep the information needed to understand the scene. Dialogue and movement have not been timed in a performed version.
Add the details that help someone make the shot
Story information. What does the viewer learn? S05 needs a readable signature. An attractive image of paper would not do the same job.
Space. Where are the people, drawer, counter and door? Check screen direction when changing the camera position.
State. Who holds each object, in which hand, and where does it end up? A key left on the counter should not appear in Ning's hand in S06 without an intervening action.
Production records. Which references will you use? What actual file and version have you selected? Write “undecided” when needed. A written description is not an approved reference image.
The detailed shot sheet separates proposed filenames from actual files, selected versions, problems and review results. Keep earlier versions. Do not mark a shot accepted before watching it. Until production begins, the simple sheet may be enough.
Change one shot, then check its neighbours
Suppose you revise S05 so that Ning takes the slip and holds it up. The main sheet in this pack still uses the original plan. The change log records this alternative as an unapplied proposal.
| Area | Original plan | What the proposal changes |
|---|---|---|
| S04 → S05 | Slip folded in drawer | Show how the locksmith takes, opens and passes it |
| S05 | Slip placed on counter | Ning now holds it; choose a view that keeps the signature readable |
| S06 | Ning holds neither prop | Update her reaction and decide which hand holds the slip |
| S07 | Both look toward the door | Keep the slip in her hand, or show her putting it down |
| S01–S03, S08 | Story information unchanged | Watch in sequence before deciding they can be retained |
Changing one shot does not guarantee that only one file needs to be remade. Check action, props, eyelines, sound and edit continuity. This example has not been generated, so it provides no measured cost or retry savings.
Which kind of document do you need?
| Document | When you use it | Question it answers |
|---|---|---|
| This written shot plan | Before production | What should we make, and what must we check? |
| Storyboard panels | Before production, alongside the plan | What might the framing and transitions look like? |
| A shot list from existing video | After footage exists | What is visible, and where can I find it? |
Use the existing storyboard template if you need blank drawing panels. If you already have authorized footage to study, inspect the video-to-shot-list example.
Questions about the worksheet
Does StoryTeardown generate this plan from an uploaded script?
Not currently. This is a downloadable teaching resource you fill in yourself. The product analyzes uploaded, authorized video.
Can I import it into every AI video tool?
No. The CSV records general production decisions. Check the chosen tool's current input format, reference requirements and length limits separately.
When is the plan complete?
Each shot should have an understandable action, required references and a review point. Add actual files and review outcomes during production. Completing the plan and accepting the film are separate steps.
Why is there no universal prompt?
Prompt wording depends on the tool and source assets. Record the intended image and constraints first, then adapt them to your chosen tool.
For the full preparation sequence, return to the AI short drama pre-production guide.