Use one explicit convention in the timing sheet. For example, start frames can be inclusive and end frames exclusive: S010 occupies frames 0 through 71, with an end boundary of 72.

Do not mix that convention with an editor's inclusive In/Out interpretation without converting the numbers first. Adobe's timecode documentation is a useful reference when aligning frame counts and display choices with the receiving editor.

The card widths illustrate pacing. Use the timing sheet, not visual card width, as the numeric source of truth.

Step 3: Describe what moves and what stays fixed

Separate subject motion from camera motion. Phrases like "make it cinematic" leave too many decisions unresolved.

For each shot, write:

Shot: ST01-S030
Start: Mira crouches; compass rests on the wet floor.
Action: her right hand lifts the compass toward her face.
Camera: low medium shot, restrained push-in.
End: compass is held still at chest height.
Preserve: face, copper bob, teal coat, compass shape, station lighting.
Avoid: added people, extra hands, changing train direction.

A clear start and end state helps the next shot connect. If your selected video tool cannot deliver the requested camera behavior, simplify the shot or replace it with an editorial move instead of repeatedly regenerating without a clear diagnosis.

Step 4: Include references and audio decisions

Provide the approved character reference, recurring prop reference, and location reference alongside the frames. Include only the versions the recipient should use.

For audio, distinguish final dialogue, temporary voice, sound effects, ambience, and music. Record cue positions and whether an audio file is approved for publication. Do not let a temporary track become the final soundtrack just because it was attached to the animatic.

The package should explain the scene even if the recipient has not watched earlier iterations.

Step 5: Check continuity at the cuts

Review the last useful frame of each shot beside the first useful frame of the next. Watch for changes in hand position, prop scale, screen direction, eyeline, lighting, and background geography.

In the local timing-sheet exercise, an intentionally missing S040 entry creates a 120-frame gap. The corrected sheet restores the six-shot sequence to 576 continuous frames. That validates the schedule structure; it does not validate motion quality or editorial pacing.

For visual continuity, run a separate review. A repaired timing row cannot fix a character suddenly holding the compass in the other hand.

Step 6: Send a package another person can open

A simple handoff structure is easier to inspect than a folder full of filenames containing "final."

station-sequence/
  brief-and-delivery-spec.txt
  shot-list.csv
  frames/
    ST01-S010-v03.png
    ST01-S020-v02.png
  references/
    mira-approved-v02.png
    compass-approved-v01.png
  audio/
  animatic-review-v04.mp4
  revision-log.csv

List every expected file in a manifest, including version and approval state. Use relative paths inside the package when practical. Open it from a clean folder or a second machine to catch missing references.

When exporting XML or another interchange format, test it in the receiving application before promising a seamless transfer. For a small production, a frame sequence plus CSV may be a more predictable fallback.

Step 7: Approve a short motion test before scaling

Choose one difficult representative shot: a face, a hand interacting with the compass, or a camera move across overlapping layers. Review that test before converting every frame into video.

Track preparation time, generation wait, review, revision, and assembly separately. Record the actual credits or cost reported by the selected tool. Static storyboard generation time does not predict a finished video's production budget.

Use a specific rejection reason: hand changed, compass melted, direction reversed, timing too short, or dialogue obscured. Repair the affected shot and recheck its cuts while keeping the other approved material available.

Final handoff checklist

• Shot IDs and intended order are unambiguous.
• Every shot points to an approved frame and reference version.
• Duration, frame rate, aspect ratio, and frame-count convention agree.
• Subject motion, camera motion, and start/end states are separate.
• Screen direction, eyelines, hands, and props match across cuts.
• Dialogue and audio cues are versioned and cleared for their intended use.
• The animatic and manifest match the same revision.
• Another person can open the package without missing assets.
• Outstanding decisions have an owner and approval deadline.

Prepare your next sequence in Storyboard, then use this checklist before motion production. If the sequence still changes substantially during review, return to the storyboard-first workflow before committing more shots.

FAQ

Is an animatic the final video?

No. An animatic mainly tests sequence and timing. The final video may still require motion generation, editing, sound work, and additional quality review.

Should every storyboard frame become one video clip?

No. Match clips to the intended shots and your tool's capabilities. Several storyboard drawings can describe one shot, and one drawing may still need added start and end planning.

What should I do if a generated shot changes the character?

Compare it with the approved references, simplify conflicting motion instructions, and retest that shot. Then recheck its neighboring cuts before accepting the replacement.

Product workflow reviewed November 2, 2026. The timing exercise is a local planning check; this article does not claim that the illustrative sequence was generated as a finished video.

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