Before a proper storyboard can be drawn up, the storyboard artist needs to have a clear vision of the shots which comprise the film. This may involve taking notes of ideas and images, or making preliminary sketches of key scenes and characters. This may also involve speaking with the scriptwriter and/or the director of the film before storyboarding begins. The more indelible the images are in the mind of the storyboard artist, the easier creating the final storyboard will be.
Storyboarding also involves making illustrations of the film's key sequences or shots. In some cases, the entire film may be storyboarded. The storyboard artist usually makes quick sketches of the sequence: the sketches can be done in pen and crayon or both. Some directors may want digitized illustrations for their storyboards and sometimes storyboards are comprised of actual photos. Fine details are not so important for such illustrations.
Often storyboards also include the type of shot that's being done: this is written at the bottom of the storyboard card. The time between shots may also be included. Another important aspect of storyboarding is the sequence of events: this provides the narrative structure of the film. The storyboard artist may draw the shots on index cards so that the sequence can be easily rearranged before shooting begins.
The final step of the storyboarding process is showing the images to those involved in the production. The director, art director, and cinematographer may want to meet together and discuss the sequence and composition of the shots. Because of the collaborative nature of this process, the images in the storyboard should be clearly illustrated. Another collaborative aspect of storyboarding is the storyboard artist's relationship with the scriptwriter who sometimes describes the shots in a script.