STORYBOARDS

My clients are all over the world, but mainly in Germany, Switzerland and Sweden (Malmö, Gothenburg and Stockholm). Examples of companies I’ve worked with: Nivea, Mattel, Volvo, Mercedes, Unilever, Coca Cola, BMW, Nestlé and H&M.

I work with the largest advertising agencies and clients in northern Europe. But don’t let that deter you – I have several smaller clients as well. Agencies I’m working with just now are King, Forsman & Bodenfors, TBWA, DDB, Ogilvy and BBDO.

You can get just about any style or solution you like with my storyboards

My storyboards and idea sketches can be simple or rough, detailed or clean. They can be fast and sketchy or detailed and realistic. Coloring can be bubbly as with watercolors or elaborate and true to life. They can be humorous or serious.

I have extensive experience of collaborating with different clients. I listen, interpret, ask questions, provide the opportunity to make adjustments and am always open to suggestions for improvements. I want your video to be a success, both for you and me.

A storyboard visualizes your concept in the same way as a cartoon

A storyboard relates a film concept in almost exactly the same way as a comic book tells a story. The only difference is that the text in a comic book’s speech bubbles, inside the frames, is instead presented as stand-alone text on a storyboard, outside the frames. A storyboard can show everything you want in the final film but without motion. I enhance them instead with lines and sound.

My approach to creating a storyboard or an idea sketch

When I create storyboards, I emphasize many things. These can be camera angles, facial expressions, light or moods. I bring the characters to life, with appropriate anatomy and emotions, in a way that suits your target group. The characters have to be recognizable from different angles; the product or service must be in focus. With a degree in film direction, I find it easy to visualize plots and flesh out your ideas.

Storyboard collaboration

The collaboration between me and my clients is an exciting process. I see myself as an interpreter who visualizes their ideas.

First of all, we meet or have a phone call for a briefing. I ask questions about the plot or about the appearance of characters and the environments. You might have prepared sketches with stick figures to illustrate moods. I may come with suggestions for improvement. Once I’ve delivered the first drawings, we talk them over to ensure that we’re moving in the right direction. In the next step, I colorize the drawings and we review them once again. It’s only when you are fully satisfied that I consider a project as finished.

Do you really need a storyboard?

Isn’t it unnecessarily expensive with a storyboard? Quite the opposite. It’s expensive to NOT have a storyboard for your film project.

A storyboard is a powerful tool for selling and describing the appearance of the finished product. I dare say that there is a much greater chance of selling ideas for films when you have a storyboard as support.

There are also benefits to using storyboards during the production phase. Everyone in the team can see their role and what they need to do, which makes production smoother, faster but above all less costly. For example, the set designer can see the kind of wardrobe that’s needed, the makeup artist the necessary cosmetics and the director the camera angles. The storyboard simplifies communication, from creation and sales to production. A storyboard is an investment that yields high returns.

Storyboards for sales pitches

Agencies often pitch to large clients. The one with the best concept wins the job. Investments in storyboards are often made to gain an advantage over the competition. The alternative would be to present an idea for a film as text only or with stick figures. It is certainly economical, but the risk is that your competitors will invest in a flashier presentation with storyboards.

Storyboards as tools for market research

Storyboards can also be used to test films with target groups. In this way, you can see if your idea works with the intended audience and you gain more knowledge about how they think.

An example is a storyboard I created for Nivea: The video was about a fifty-year-old woman who was spending a day in the park with a male companion. The storyboard was shown to the target group and there was something that bothered them – having a partner at that age felt unrealistic. The storyboard was modified to eliminate the partner. After that, the video went into production.

A storyboard provides three benefits: It’s a sales tool, communication tool and a tool for market research. Much like a multi-tool. Would you go camping without one?

Let me help your idea grow into a concrete, clear and interesting storyboard. You’ll be glad you did.