Pretty picture galleries are not examples a crew can shoot from. These three boards show the fields that make an example useful: shot size, duration, audio, and why the frame exists.
A finished 16-shot commercial board is in the live demo and as a PDF. Copy the footer even if you still draw on paper. Blank grids: storyboard template.
Example 1 — 30-second coffee commercial (16 frames)
Built for a :30 TVC. Sum of durations is 30 seconds. Coverage is included, not just story beats.
The mistake in “example boards” online is drawing 16 pretty panels with zero durations. A :30 that sums to 44 seconds is not a board, it is a wish. See how to storyboard a commercial.
| Shot | Size | Duration | Why it is there |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1A | WS | 2.0s | Kitchen establish, product on counter |
| 1B | MS | 2.5s | Hands + bag; pack shot readable |
| 1C | CU | 1.5s | Logo / legal super starts |
| 2A | MS | 2.0s | Pour; steam direction locked |
| 2B | CU | 2.0s | Cup fill; no jump on eyeline |
| 3A | OTS | 3.0s | First sip; hero look off camera right |
| 3B | CU | 2.0s | Reverse; matching eyeline |
| 4A–4H | mix | 15s | Endline, pack, super, music sting |
Example 2 — Dialogue scene (coverage, not one picture per line)
INT. HALLWAY – NIGHT. Two people, one reveal. You need a master plus overs, not a comic of every sentence.
Numbering is identity, not playback order. Shot codes. Continuity: eyelines.
- 12-A WS master, 4s — both bodies, door in frame
- 12-B MS over A, 3s — eyeline camera left
- 12-C MS over B, 3s — eyeline camera right, 180 line held
- 12-D CU insert, 2s — the object that changes the scene
- 12-E CU A, 2s — reaction; duration is where the cut will land
Example 3 — YouTube skippable ad (6s hook + 15s body)
YouTube kills you in the first five seconds. Example structure:
Longer walkthrough: YouTube ad storyboard.
- Hook CU (1.5s) — the problem, no logo yet
- Proof MS (2s) — the product doing the job
- Face CU (2s) — a person, not a pack
- Offer super (3s) — price / URL, timed on the frame
- Repeat pack (2s) — same element as frame 2, not a new drawing
- End card (4.5s) — legal, URL, logo
What every example frame must carry
If an example you found online is missing those, it is a moodboard. Use storyboard software so the shot list cannot drift from the pictures.
- Shot size (WS / MS / CU) and why
- Duration in seconds
- Audio (dialogue, VO, FX, music)
- A one-line intention (“prove the pour”, not “nice kitchen”)
FAQ
Where can I see a full example board?
Open the live demo (Nightfall commercial) or download the sample PDF.
Can I use these structures on a student film?
Yes. Change panel count, keep the footers. Film-specific notes: film storyboard.