Jeff BullasHook: Want a usable storyboard and shot list in under 30 minutes? AI gets you there — fast — if you feed it the right brief and follow a simple checklist.
Why this works: AI excels at turning clear inputs into structured outputs. It won’t replace your director or DP, but it will give you reliable drafts to iterate from — fewer meetings, fewer surprises on set.
What you’ll need
- One-paragraph script or treatment
- 2-sentence creative objective (message + mood)
- Scene beats with rough durations (seconds)
- 3 mood keywords or 3 reference images
- Any constraints: budget band, camera, lenses, locations
Step-by-step (do this)
- Write the 2-sentence objective — force clarity.
- Break the script into 3–8 beats and assign seconds to each.
- Run a director-focused AI prompt to get 2 visual options per beat.
- Pick your preferred visuals and run a production pass to convert into shot specs (INT/EXT, framing, camera move, lens suggestion, estimated minutes).
- Create simple storyboard image prompts for your top shots and generate or hand the prompts to an artist.
- Export the final shot list to a spreadsheet, mark priorities and time estimates, then review with DP/PM 48–72 hours before shoot.
Copy-paste AI prompt (quick 5-shot win)
Project title: “[TITLE]”. Creative objective: “[one-line message and mood]”. Script (one paragraph): “[paste script]”. Scene beats with durations: “[beat 1 – 5s; beat 2 – 8s; …]”. Mood keywords: “warm, contrasty, energetic”. Constraints: “budget: [low|medium|high], camera: [model], max crew: [number], locations: [list]”. Output: 1) A 5-shot sequence covering opener and closer: number, INT/EXT, action, suggested framing, camera move, approximate duration, and one visual reference keyword. Keep language simple. 2) For each shot give a short production note: lens choice, tripod/handheld, minimal gear, and estimated minutes to shoot.
Worked example — one-paragraph script + 5-shot mini shot list
Script: “A young woman opens a bakery door at dawn. She breathes in, smiles at the empty shop, turns on the oven, and places fresh croissants on a cooling rack for a customer who will arrive later.”
- Shot 1 — INT, 5s: Wide doorway shot as she pushes the door; framing: 3/4 wide; camera move: slight push-in; visual: warm morning light. Prod note: 24mm, tripod, 8 minutes.
- Shot 2 — INT, 4s: CU of her face inhaling; framing: close-up; camera move: static; visual: soft highlights. Prod note: 50mm, handheld or small rig, 6 minutes.
- Shot 3 — INT, 6s: Mid-shot of her switching on the oven; framing: waist-up; camera move: pan to follow action; visual: tungsten glow. Prod note: 35mm, tripod, 10 minutes.
- Shot 4 — INT, 6s: Insert of croissants being placed on rack; framing: close macro; camera move: rack focus; visual: buttery texture. Prod note: 85mm macro, tripod, 8 minutes.
- Shot 5 — INT, 5s: Wide of empty shop with warm light, croissants in foreground (closer); framing: wide with foreground interest; camera move: slow dolly out; visual: inviting. Prod note: 35mm, dolly/slider, 12 minutes.
Common mistakes & fixes
- Too-vague brief — Fix: force a 2-sentence objective before you prompt.
- Skipping durations — Fix: require seconds per beat to get realistic timing.
- Trusting AI visuals without DP input — Fix: run a production pass and review with DP.
1-week action plan (fast)
- Day 1: Write objective + gather 3 mood images.
- Day 2: Run director pass; pick top visuals.
- Day 3: Run production pass; build spreadsheet shot list.
- Day 4: Create storyboard prompts and generate frames.
- Day 5: Review with DP/PM; lock the list.
Closing reminder: Use AI for drafts and options — make humans the final call. Start small, iterate, and lock the shot list 48–72 hours before the shoot for calm, confident production days.