# Animatic

Canonical URL: https://www.cineoboard.com/glossary/animatic

An animatic is the storyboard played in time, usually with scratch audio. It proves whether a sequence fits the slot before you shoot. Not the fine cut.

Last updated: 2026-09-13

An **animatic** is the storyboard played back with durations — and usually scratch dialogue, VO or a music bed. It is a timing instrument. It is not the fine cut, and it is not a replacement for coverage.

On commercials, the animatic is how you find out a :30 is actually 44 seconds while changing it still costs minutes. On film, it is how you feel geography and pause. See [storyboard vs animatic](/blog/storyboard-vs-animatic) and [how to make an animatic](/blog/how-to-make-an-animatic).

## What belongs in an animatic

- Every frame already on the board, in story order
- A duration on each frame that you are willing to defend
- Scratch audio against the pictures, not a separate playlist
- Optional temp supers, so legal copy is timed

## What does not belong

- Editorial transitions you cannot afford on the day
- New shots that are not on the board (put them on the board first)
- Finished colour and VFX — that hides pacing problems

## Common mistake

Exporting a slideshow with one default duration per panel. An animatic with every frame at 2.0s is a flipbook. The whole point is uneven time: a 0.8s insert next to a 4s master.

Related: [duration](/glossary/duration), [storyboard](/glossary/storyboard), [animatic software](/animatic-software).

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