All right, we just finished explaining what a storyboard should include, so let’s take a look at some examples and how they compare to the finished films3!
First up, a storyboard created by Robert Castillo for a Spike TV Star Wars marathon commercial:
Next up, the 1981 Best Picture nominee Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark!
Truth be told, some storyboards don’t always include every detail that they should–we’re looking at you, Steven Spielberg! But that doesn’t mean you should follow suit.
As you can see, Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark is big on visual details, but it doesn’t necessarily have all the camera particulars you would expect. It also happens to be 40 years old at this point and filmmaking has only become more sophisticated since then, making how to storyboard properly even more crucial to successful film production.
When it comes to visual details, it’s ultimately at the discretion of the Director, Cinematographer, or whoever else might be the top person responsible for how the film will be shot to decide just how detailed they want the storyboards to be. Some Directors or DPs keep the visuals fairly sparse to keep the focus on the essentials that need to be captured.
Other creatives love detail because it can help other central figures on a film like the Production Designer or Costume Designer get a feel for how their respective contributions to the film should look.

Storyboard panel for The Watchmen, courtesy of William David Hogan.

Storyboard panel for Skyscraper, courtesy of William David Hogan.

Storyboard for The Angriest Man in Brooklyn, courtesy of Robert Castillo.

Concept storyboard for Captain Marvel, courtesy of Robert Castillo.