Storyboard to short film
Write a shot list, generate each frame with the same character, then animate and sequence the frames into a short scene.
5 steps · Brief → Images → Film
Real workflow example
What this workflow produces
A short cinematic scene that follows the storyboard, with one character and one look carried across every shot.
Workflow steps
- 01
Write the focused prompt or script
Generate or refine concise copy for the scene. Keep the message and motion instructions specific enough to reuse across variants.
- 02
Generate the key visual
Use an image generation or editing node to establish the composition, subject, and visual direction before spending credits on motion.
- 03
Branch useful variants
Duplicate the promising branch to test alternate styling, framing, or motion without rebuilding the whole workflow.
- 04
Create motion
Connect the approved still and text to a compatible video model, then generate a short clip with deliberate camera and subject movement.
- 05
Review, stitch, and export
Compare the outputs, trim or sequence the strongest clips, then export the finished asset in the format your channel needs.
How do you turn a storyboard into a short AI film?
Write a short shot list, generate one frame per shot with the same character and look, then animate each frame and put the clips in order. Approving the frames first keeps the story and the character consistent before you spend credits on video.
Write the shot list first
Describe three to five shots in one line each: framing, action and what changes from the previous shot. Define the character once (face, hair, clothing) and reuse that description in every prompt. Keep the location, time of day and color palette the same across shots.
Example prompt for a storyboard frame
Cinematic wide shot of a young woman in a yellow raincoat on a narrow city street at night, rain falling, neon signs reflected on the wet pavement. She looks up at a glowing blue butterfly. Teal and amber palette, 16:9.
Example image-to-video prompt
The blue butterfly flutters past her face and she follows it with her eyes while the rain keeps falling. Slow push-in. Keep her face, the raincoat and the street unchanged. One continuous shot, no cuts.
These prompts are starting points, not the exact recipe for the example video above.
Check continuity from shot to shot
Put the frames in order and check the character, clothing, location and light from one shot to the next. Fix a frame before animating it; regenerating a still costs less than regenerating a clip. After animation, trim each clip to its best moment and cut on movement so the sequence flows.
What does this workflow cost?
There is no fixed price for a short film. Each frame and clip uses credits based on the model, duration and settings, and retries add to the total. Check the estimate before each run. Labs is available on every plan, including Free; sequencing clips in Canvas requires Pro or Max.
Check current plans and creditsChoose models for the job
Model availability, supported inputs, speed, and credit cost vary. Use the live model directory to compare current options before you build.
This guide shows a reusable workflow pattern. Exact results vary by source media, prompt, selected model, and settings.
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