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How To Use The New Image-To-Video & Animatic Feature

Learn How To Use The Image-To-Video & Animatic Feature

Dustin (Founder) avatar
Written by Dustin (Founder)
Updated over 4 months ago

Introducing the New Animatic and Image to Video Feature! 🎥✨

We're going to show you the new animatic and image to video feature. Let's dive in! 🌊



🧠 Storyboarder.ai Tutorial: Creating Animatics with Image-to-Video

In this guide, I’ll walk you through our powerful new Image-to-Video feature, which lets you turn storyboard stills into dynamic animatic videos — using one of the highest quality AI video models available.

Whether you're developing a pitch, visualizing scenes, or creating production-ready animatics, this tool gives you an incredibly fast, flexible way to bring ideas to life.



🟩 Step 1: Start in Storyboard View

Once you're logged in and working on a project:

  1. Navigate to the Storyboard View.

  2. Hover over any storyboard image — you'll see a small camera icon in the top left corner.

  3. Click this icon to begin generating a video from that still.



🛠 Step 2: Set Video Options

When the video generation panel opens, you’ll have two choices:

  • Quick Generation: Simply click the “Generate Video” button to let the AI animate the frame automatically.

  • Custom Generation:

    • Type a short description of what you want the animation to depict.

    • Choose from a range of camera movements like tracking shots, crane moves, zooms, or orbiting.

    • Small previews are provided so you can see what each movement will look like.


Then click Generate Video — your animation will begin processing.

⏱ Note: Since we’re using a high-end AI model, rendering typically takes a few minutes.



🧩 Step 3: Generate Multiple Videos in Parallel

While one video is generating, you can continue working:

  • Click on other stills to start generating new videos.

  • Add custom prompts or just use camera movement presets.

  • All videos will render in parallel — you don’t need to wait for one to finish before starting the next.


You’ll see a loading spinner on each storyboard frame that’s currently rendering.

Even if you leave the page, the system continues generating in the background.



▶️ Step 4: Preview Your Videos

Once a video is ready, a play icon appears on the image in your storyboard.

You can:

  • Click the play icon to preview the video loop.

  • Pause playback or switch back to the original still anytime.

  • Regenerate videos if needed by clicking the camera icon again.



🎞 Step 5: Use Animatic View for Timeline Control

Switch to the Animatic View (top menu) for a full timeline-based layout.

Here, you can:

  • Preview all your assets (videos and stills) in larger format.

  • See a timeline at the bottom for precise control of shot durations.

  • Click on a shot to adjust its ERT (Estimated Running Time).

  • Rearrange scenes by dragging and dropping them in the timeline.

  • Select whether each asset displays as a still or video.


This view helps you preview pacing, rhythm, and continuity before export.

⚠️ Important: The maximum video length is 6 seconds. If your timeline duration exceeds that, the video will automatically pause on a still frame at the end.



📤 Step 6: Export Your Animatic

Once you're satisfied with your animatic:

  • Click Export at the top right.

  • Choose to export as an MP4 video, with or without embedded shot descriptions.

  • Or export as an XML file for editing in software like Premiere Pro or DaVinci Resolve.



✅ Final Notes

This feature empowers you to:

  • Create cinematic storyboards that move

  • Previsualize ideas without filming anything

  • Pitch projects or scenes with clarity and style


Storyboarder.ai continues to evolve with tools designed by filmmakers, for filmmakers — giving you everything you need to go from idea to impact.

So jump in, explore, and most of all — have fun bringing your vision to life.


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