This is the creative starting point of the entire system. It is not about retelling the script, but rather, like explaining a scene to a team, fully describing the imagery in your mind.
Examples of Core Tasks
The script says, "He stands on the platform as the train slowly pulls away." The text storyboard must turn it into: A train station at dusk, the announcement of the train's imminent departure coming over the loudspeaker. He stands outside the yellow safety line, clutching a crumpled ticket in his hand. The train sounds its whistle once, and the wheels begin to slowly turn. The wind on the platform lifts the hem of his jacket. The camera slowly tilts up from his hand to his face. His gaze follows the direction the train is receding, his lips move slightly but he says nothing. The warm yellow sunset slants in from behind him, casting a long shadow across the tracks.
Text Storyboard Rules
1. Use concrete physical actions, not abstract concepts
- ❌ Wrong: "She is very sad"
- ✅ Correct: "Her shoulders tremble slightly, her fingers unconsciously picking at the fabric of the sofa armrest"
2. Use continuous chains of action to make the scene "move"
- A character's actions must have a sequential order, forming a coherent flow of movement
- Do not describe a single action in isolation
3. Camera movement must have a clear direction
- Push/pull/pan/track/follow, must have a starting point and an endpoint
- Describe clearly where the camera moves from and to
4. Lighting descriptions must be specific about direction, color temperature, and intensity
- Direction: coming from the left/falling from overhead/filtering in through the window
- Color temperature: 3200K warm light/5600K daylight/cold white streetlight
- Intensity: soft/strong/faint/harsh
5. All dimensions are narrated in an integrated manner
Visual content, character actions, dialogue and sound, camera movement, lighting and atmosphere — do not list them separately, but blend them together in a natural, flowing narrative.
6. Strictly control the 15-second duration
- Each text storyboard segment ultimately corresponds to one 15-second video clip
- The described actions, camera movement, and plot development must be precisely controlled so they can be completed within 15 seconds
- Avoid content that is too complex and requires a longer time to present
The Meaning of the Translation Layer
Downstream storyboard artists do not need to understand the script's narrative intent; they only need to faithfully transcribe the visuals described in the text storyboard into a prompt format that Seedance 2.0 can understand. Creative judgment is concentrated in the text storyboard stage, while the storyboard artist focuses on technical execution.
Text Storyboard Output Format
Each 15-second text storyboard corresponds to one 15-second video clip; an episode may have multiple clips
# 文字分镜 - [作品名称]
## Clip 1
### 基础信息
- 人物：[人物描述]
- 场景：[场景描述]
- 时长：15秒
- 内容概述：[这段Clip的核心内容概括]
### 分镜列表
- [时间区间1]: [画面描述，融合动作、镜头、光影、声音]
- [时间区间2]: [画面描述，融合动作、镜头、光影、声音]
- [时间区间3]: [画面描述，融合动作、镜头、光影、声音]
- ...（根据剧情需要灵活划分时间区间）
## Clip 2
### 基础信息
- 人物：[人物描述]
- 场景：[场景描述]
- 时长：15秒
- 内容概述：[这段Clip的核心内容概括]
### 分镜列表
- [时间区间1]: [画面描述，融合动作、镜头、光影、声音]
- [时间区间2]: [画面描述，融合动作、镜头、光影、声音]
- [时间区间3]: [画面描述，融合动作、镜头、光影、声音]
- ...（根据剧情需要灵活划分时间区间）
...
Note: The time intervals are flexibly determined by the pacing of the plot. There is no fixed number or duration division, as long as the total duration is controlled within 15 seconds.
Reference Guide for Single-Shot Duration
- Short dramas: 1-3 seconds; hit addictive dramas ≈1 second, conflict reversals 0.3-0.8 seconds
- Chinese long-form dramas: 4-8 seconds; urban life 5-8 seconds, period/crime 3-6 seconds
- Chinese animation: 2-5 seconds; 3D action 2-4 seconds, 2D Chinese style 3-6 seconds, fight climaxes can be as short as under 1 second
By default, refer to the shot duration design of short dramas, because fast pacing is popular now
Pacing Selection：
- Fast pacing: action scenes, chase scenes, climax segments, short shots switching rapidly
- Slow pace: emotional scenes, flashbacks, atmosphere building, long takes slowly pushing forward
Text storyboard example
Example: Bamboo Forest Sword Fight (fast pace)
Input (script/novel)
The female sword immortal and the villain fight in a bamboo forest.
Output (text storyboard)
Text storyboard - Bamboo Forest Sword FightClip 1
Basic information
- Characters: female sword immortal (white clothes, holding a long sword), villain (black robe, gripping a ghost-head saber)
- Scene: bamboo forest at noon
- Duration: 15 seconds
- Content overview: the female sword immortal and the villain clash fiercely in the bamboo forest
Storyboard list
- 0-1s: extreme close-up of the eyes, the female sword immortal's pupils suddenly contract, her gaze locks ahead like a blade, 5600K daylight reflects the cold gleam of the sword in her eyes, her breathing is slightly rapid
- 1-2s: the camera quickly pushes in, medium shot, the female sword immortal's white clothes flutter, her right hand grips the scabbard, her left hand draws the sword from its sheath, the sword's clear ring enters the ear, sunlight strikes the blade and reflects a dazzling glare
- 2-3s: reverse shot, close-up of the villain, his black robe billows in the wind, the ghost-head saber slashes down diagonally from the right, the blade wind stirs up fallen leaves on the ground, a low-angle upward shot shows his imposing presence
- 3-4s: tracking shot, the female sword immortal's figure flickers, and she leaps up like a white crane soaring into the air, the camera follows from below upward, her white clothes unfurl like clouds in the sunlight
- 4-5s: slow motion, the sword light cuts across like lightning, side light strikes the blade, several bamboo stalks are cut clean through at the base, bamboo leaves scatter and fly through the air
- 5-6s: close-up, the female sword immortal lightly touches the tip of her toe to a falling bamboo leaf, landing lightly, the camera slowly tilts up from her feet to her face
- 6-7s: medium shot, the villain's strike cuts through empty air, the ghost-head saber heavily chops into a bamboo stalk, the bamboo breaks on impact, splinters fly everywhere, the camera shakes slightly to enhance the impact
- 7-8s: side tracking shot, the female sword immortal lunges toward the villain, her long sword points straight at his heart, the camera pans quickly, sunlight strikes from the side, gilding her with a layer of gold
- 8-9s: close-up collision, the villain raises his saber to block, a loud clang rings out, sparks fly, the camera captures the instant the blade and sword collide, slowed to 0.5x speed
- 9-10s: 360-degree orbiting shot, the female sword immortal spins in the air, her sword flourish rises, her white clothes rotate with her into a circle, the camera rapidly orbits around her
- 10-11s: medium tracking shot, the villain is forced back three steps, his footing staggers, a trace of blood spills from the corner of his mouth, the camera follows closely behind, creating a sense of pressure
- 11-12s: rapid-cut shot, the female sword immortal presses the advantage, her sword moves flow like clouds and water, every move strikes a vital point, the camera rapidly cuts between different angles
- 12-13s: close-up, several wounds are added to the villain's body, his black robe is stained red with blood, the camera moves quickly from the wounds to his terrified face
- 13-14s: low-angle upward shot, the female sword immortal unleashes her finishing move, the sword light pours down like the Milky Way, shot against the light, she looks like a deity descending to the mortal world
- 14-15s: freeze-frame close-up, the sword tip stops one inch before the villain's throat, wind sweeps bamboo leaves falling between the two, the camera holds still for 3 seconds, creating tension
Key requirements
- Avoid abstract words: sad, happy, nervous, afraid, eyes shining, face ashen—do not write these directly; express them through action, expression, and lighting
- The image must have a beginning and an end: each storyboard segment must have a clear start and finish
- Keep the narration fluid: like describing a scene that is happening, not listing items
- Camera and content in sync: Camera movement should serve the content, serving emotion and narrative
- Precise control of 15-second duration: The content of each Clip must be strictly completed within 15 seconds, and the rhythm of actions and camera movement must match the 15-second time span
- Flexible division of shot time: Time intervals are flexibly determined by the plot rhythm, with no fixed number or duration divisions, as long as the total duration is controlled within 15 seconds
- Complete basic information: Each Clip must include the four pieces of basic information: characters, scene, duration, and content overview
Use cases
- When adapting a novel into a film and television project, carry out visual transformation
- Text-based storyboard creation at the script stage, providing clear visual guidance for subsequent production
- Communicate creative intent with the team to ensure everyone has a unified understanding of the visuals
- Provide high-quality input for storyboard-prompt-generator