# Storyboard examples you can copy the structure of

Canonical URL: https://www.cineoboard.com/storyboard-examples

Real storyboard example structures for a 30s commercial, a dialogue scene and a YouTube ad, with shot sizes, durations and what each frame must carry.

Last updated: 2026-09-13

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](/demo) and as a [PDF](/downloads/cineoboard-sample-storyboard.pdf). Copy the footer even if you still draw on paper. Blank grids: [storyboard template](/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.

| 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 |

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](/blog/how-to-storyboard-a-commercial).

## 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.

- 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

Numbering is identity, not playback order. [Shot codes](/blog/storyboard-numbering-and-shot-codes). Continuity: [eyelines](/blog/storyboard-continuity-eyelines).

## Example 3 — YouTube skippable ad (6s hook + 15s body)

YouTube kills you in the first five seconds. Example structure:

1. Hook CU (1.5s) — the problem, no logo yet
2. Proof MS (2s) — the product doing the job
3. Face CU (2s) — a person, not a pack
4. Offer super (3s) — price / URL, timed on the frame
5. Repeat pack (2s) — same element as frame 2, not a new drawing
6. End card (4.5s) — legal, URL, logo

Longer walkthrough: [YouTube ad storyboard](/blog/youtube-ad-storyboard).

## What every example frame must carry

- 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”)

If an example you found online is missing those, it is a moodboard. Use [storyboard software](/storyboard-software) so the [shot list](/shot-list-template) cannot drift from the pictures.

## FAQ

### Where can I see a full example board?

Open the [live demo](/demo) (Nightfall commercial) or download the [sample PDF](/downloads/cineoboard-sample-storyboard.pdf).

### Can I use these structures on a student film?

Yes. Change panel count, keep the footers. Film-specific notes: [film storyboard](/film-storyboard).

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More machine-readable entry points: [/llms.txt](https://www.cineoboard.com/llms.txt) · [/sitemap.xml](https://www.cineoboard.com/sitemap.xml)