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Your First Storyboard

Learn how to create AI-powered video content using DUTO's Storyboard feature.

What is Storyboard?​

Storyboard is DUTO's intelligent video planning system. It uses an 11-worker AI pipeline to:

  • Develop your concept into a complete story
  • Create consistent characters
  • Plan cinematography and lighting
  • Generate hero frames for each shot
  • Produce final video content

Step 1: Create a New Storyboard​

  1. From your dashboard, click New Storyboard
  2. Give your project a name
  3. Click Create

Step 2: Define Your Concept​

In the Concept section, describe your video idea:

A 30-second commercial for a new coffee brand.
Morning scene in a cozy kitchen. A person wakes up,
makes coffee, and enjoys the first sip with a smile.
Warm, inviting atmosphere.
Be Specific

The more detail you provide, the better the AI can plan your video:

  • Setting and environment
  • Characters and their actions
  • Mood and atmosphere
  • Duration and pacing

Step 3: Configure Project Settings​

Basic Settings​

  • Goal - The type of content you're creating: brand ad, short film, TikTok reel, explainer, product demo, or music video
  • Duration - Target length of your video in seconds
  • Format - 16:9 (landscape), 9:16 (vertical), or 1:1 (square)

Subject Consistency​

If your video includes characters or subjects:

  • Upload reference images for consistency
  • Describe character traits and appearance
  • The AI will maintain subject consistency across all shots using 1:1 reference analysis

Step 4: Generate Your Storyboard​

  1. Click Generate Storyboard
  2. The AI pipeline begins processing:
    • Research - Gathers relevant visual references
    • Story Bible - Creates detailed scene descriptions
    • Shot Planning - Breaks story into individual shots
    • Cinematography - Plans camera angles and movements
    • Lighting - Designs lighting for each scene

This process typically takes 1-3 minutes.

Step 5: Review Your Shots​

Once generation completes, you'll see a list of planned shots:

For Each Shot​

  • Hero Frame - AI-generated preview image
  • Description - What happens in this shot
  • Camera - Angle, movement, and framing
  • Lighting - Lighting setup and mood
  • Duration - Estimated length

Actions​

  • Regenerate - Create a new hero frame
  • Edit - Modify the shot description
  • Delete - Remove the shot
  • Reorder - Drag to change sequence

Step 6: Refine Hero Frames​

Hero frames are preview images for each shot. To refine them:

  1. Click on a shot to select it
  2. Click Regenerate to create a new version
  3. Use Edit to adjust the prompt
  4. Repeat until you're satisfied
Human-in-the-Loop

The storyboard system is designed for collaboration between AI and you. Take time to review and refine each shot before generating video.

Step 7: Generate Videos​

Once you're happy with your hero frames:

  1. Select the shots you want to generate
  2. Click Generate Videos
  3. Choose your video model:
    • Kling - High quality, various durations
    • Veo 3 - Google's latest model (with audio)
    • Hailuo MiniMax - Fast generation

Video generation takes longer than images (typically 30 seconds to 2 minutes per shot).

Understanding the Pipeline​

The 11-worker pipeline ensures comprehensive planning:

StageWorkerPurpose
Pre-ProductionCharacter ReferenceEstablish character consistency
ResearchGather visual references
Reference DigestSynthesize research findings
Core PlanningStory BibleCreate detailed narrative
Storyboard PlanBreak into individual shots
Consistency ValidatorEnsure continuity
EnhancementCinematographerPlan camera work
LightingDesign lighting setups
SoundPlan audio elements
MusicDesign soundtrack
OutputOutput StoryboardGenerate final plan

Tips for Success​

1. Start Simple​

Begin with a short, simple concept (15-30 seconds) to learn the system.

2. Use Reference Images​

Upload reference images for:

  • Character appearance
  • Environment style
  • Color palette
  • Mood boards

3. Iterate on Hero Frames​

Don't rush to video generation. Spend time perfecting your hero frames—they guide the final video quality.

4. Consider Budget Mode​

For testing and exploration, enable Budget Mode to reduce costs by ~90%.

What's Next?​

Dive deeper into Storyboard: