Storyboards are illustrations displayed in sequence for the purpose of previsualizing an animated or live-action film.

In creating a motion picture with any degree of fidelity to a script, a storyboard provides a visual layout of events as they are to be seen through the camera lens. In the storyboarding process, most technical details involved in crafting a film can be efficiently described either in picture, or in corollary notation.

A storyboard in live-action film is essentially a large comic of the film or some section of the film produced beforehand to help the directors and cinematographers visualize the scenes and find potential problems before they occur. Often story boards include arrows or instructions that indicate camera movement.

Some directors, such as Joel and Ethan Coen, storyboard extensively before taking the pitch to their funders, stating that it helps them get the figure they are looking for since they can show exactly where the money will be used. Other directors storyboard only certain scenes, or not at all.

In animation and special effects work, the storyboarding stage may be followed by simplified mock-ups called animatics to give a better idea of how the scene will look with motion.

Often storyboards are animated with simple zooms and pans to simulate camera movement (using software such as Final Cut Pro). These animations can be combined with available animatics, sound effects and dialog to create a presentation of how a film could be shot and cut together. Excellent examples of this exist on the DVD special features for 28 Days Later and The Lord of the Rings box sets.