An animatic turns static storyboard frames into a timed sequence, so you can feel the pacing of a scene before you shoot, animate or render it. Storyboard Studio's animatic maker builds one from your board in the browser.
What is an animatic?
An animatic is a moving storyboard: each frame is held on screen for a set duration and played back in order, so a still board becomes a rough cut of the scene. It is the cheapest way to test whether an edit works before committing real time and money to it.
Build an animatic from your storyboard
- Storyboard your shots. Sketch or drop in a frame for each shot.
- Set a duration per frame. Give each frame the time it needs on screen.
- Sequence the timeline. Arrange the frames in order and reorder them freely.
- Play it back. Watch the sequence in the browser and feel the pacing.
- Refine the timing. Adjust durations until the edit feels right.
Export and share
Export your animatic as a self-contained HTML player you can send to anyone - no special software needed to watch it. You can also export the frames as images or a PDF, so the same sequence feeds straight into your edit or your production pipeline.
For film, animation and games
Editors and directors use animatics to test the cut of a scene. Animators lock timing before the expensive keyframing starts. Game teams pace out cutscenes and trailers. Wherever timing matters, an animatic answers "does this work?" early.
Frequently asked questions
What is an animatic?
An animatic is a storyboard played back in time: each frame is held for a set duration so the still board becomes a rough cut you can watch.
Can I adjust the timing?
Yes. Set and change the duration of each frame, reorder frames on the timeline, and play back until the pacing feels right.
How do I share my animatic?
Export a self-contained HTML player that anyone can open in a browser, or export the frames as images or a PDF.