By Pindi Sahota · Last updated: 2026-06-07
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How to Write Video Storyboards with Claude (2026 Guide)
Last updated: 2026-06-07
A Claude video storyboard turns a written script into a shot-by-shot visual plan in minutes. Claude produces detailed scene descriptions, camera direction, subject notes, and audio cues — exactly the information a videographer, editor, or AI video tool needs to produce the footage. This guide covers the storyboard template to use with Claude, how to format shot descriptions for Kling AI and Runway ML, and an example storyboard output you can adapt for your own project.
What is a Video Storyboard and How Does Claude Help?
A video storyboard is a pre-production document that describes each shot in a video before filming begins. It replaces the need to improvise on set or in post-production and ensures the final video matches the original vision.
Traditional storyboards are hand-drawn panels. Claude produces text-based storyboards — a structured shot list with visual descriptions, camera notes, and action details. Text storyboards are sufficient for:
- Briefing a videographer or production team
- Guiding a video editor assembling stock footage
- Generating prompts for AI video tools (Kling AI, Runway ML)
- Pre-visualising a script before committing to a shoot
- Creating animatics or motion graphics direction documents
Claude's advantage is speed. A 3-minute video requires roughly 15–25 individual shots. Writing those descriptions manually takes 1–2 hours. Claude produces the same output in under 2 minutes from a script.
How to Write a Video Storyboard with Claude — Step by Step
Step 1: Prepare Your Script or Brief
Claude produces better storyboards from a complete script than from a rough topic. If you have a script, paste it in full. If you are starting from a brief, write a paragraph describing the video's purpose, audience, tone, and key moments.
Step 2: Use the Storyboard Generation Prompt
You are a video pre-production specialist. Convert the following script into a shot-by-shot storyboard. For each shot, provide: Shot number, Scene description (location, time of day, environment), Camera angle and movement (wide shot, close-up, tracking shot, etc.), Subject action (what the person or subject is doing), On-screen text or graphics (if any), Audio notes (voiceover, music, SFX), and Estimated duration. Format the output as a numbered table. Script: [PASTE SCRIPT]
Step 3: Review Shot Flow
Check that the storyboard has logical visual variety — a well-structured 3-minute video should not have 20 consecutive talking-head close-ups. Ask Claude to audit and improve:
Review this storyboard for visual monotony. Flag any sequences of more than 3 consecutive shots with the same camera type. Suggest alternative shots (cut-aways, B-roll, graphics) to add visual variety while maintaining the script's meaning.
Step 4: Add Scene Transitions
Ask Claude to add transition notes between each shot:
Add a transition note between each shot in this storyboard. Options include: cut, dissolve, fade to black, match cut, J-cut, L-cut, wipe. Choose the transition that best suits the emotional beat and pace at each junction.
Step 5: Convert Storyboard Shots to AI Video Prompts
This step is optional but unlocks AI video production. Ask Claude to convert each storyboard shot into a prompt for Kling AI or Runway ML:
Convert each shot in this storyboard into an AI video generation prompt for Kling AI. Each prompt should: describe the visual scene in concrete detail, specify camera movement, describe lighting and mood, specify subject appearance and action, and be under 200 words. Number each prompt to match the storyboard shot number.
Step 6: Organise the Final Document
Ask Claude to assemble the storyboard into a shareable document format:
Compile the storyboard and AI prompts into a single production document. Include a project header (title, date, total duration), a numbered shot list table, and the AI prompt for each shot beneath its entry. Format it so it can be shared with a production team or pasted directly into Kling AI.
Claude Storyboard Template
The following template works for most video types. Copy it and ask Claude to fill it out:
` PROJECT: [Title] DATE: [Date] TOTAL DURATION: [Estimated minutes] DIRECTOR NOTES: [Tone, style, key visual references]
SHOT LIST
| Shot | Scene | Camera | Subject Action | On-Screen Text | Audio | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | ||||||
| 02 |
`
Example Claude Storyboard Output
Here is an example output for a 90-second product explainer video about a project management app:
| Shot | Scene | Camera | Subject Action | On-Screen Text | Audio | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Modern open-plan office, daytime, warm light | Wide establishing shot, slow push in | Team of 4 people looking at laptops, mild frustration visible | None | Ambient office noise, fades to VO | 4s |
| 02 | Close-up of laptop screen showing a cluttered to-do list | Extreme close-up, static | Cursor scrolling through a long task list | "Sound familiar?" lower third | VO: "Most teams spend more time tracking work than doing it." | 5s |
| 03 | Split screen | 2-panel, static | Left: person searching through email. Right: person asking colleague about status. | None | VO: "Chasing updates. Duplicating effort." | 4s |
| 04 | Screen recording of app dashboard | Medium close-up of screen, slow zoom in | App interface showing clean project board | Product logo appears top right | VO: "There's a simpler way." | 3s |
| 05 | Same office, same team, now relaxed | Medium wide shot, gentle rack focus | Team smiling, one person presenting to group | "Teamflow — work simplified." | Upbeat music intro, VO ends | 5s |
Shot Description Format for Kling AI and Runway ML
When converting storyboard shots into AI video prompts, Claude uses slightly different language for each tool.
Kling AI prompts respond well to: concrete scene descriptions, explicit camera movement terms ("slow push in", "orbital tracking shot"), lighting style references ("golden hour", "soft diffused indoor light"), and subject physicality detail.
Runway ML Gen-3 prompts respond well to: shorter, punchier descriptions, strong visual metaphors, mood and atmosphere language, and directional composition notes ("subject left of frame", "negative space right").
Ask Claude to generate both versions:
For each storyboard shot, write two AI video prompts: one optimised for Kling AI (detailed, cinematic, specific camera direction) and one optimised for Runway ML Gen-3 (concise, atmosphere-forward, compositional). Label each clearly.
Storyboard Types — When to Use Each Format
| Storyboard Type | Best For | Claude Output Format |
|---|---|---|
| Shot list table | Briefing videographers and editors | Markdown table |
| Panel descriptions | Animation and motion graphics | Numbered paragraphs |
| AI video prompts | Kling AI, Runway ML generation | Numbered prompt blocks |
| Director's notes | Complex narrative or brand films | Prose with annotations |
| Animatic script | Social media video, ads | Script + visual direction per line |