Storyboarding a christmas tale

The Third Day of Christmas

By Nick Dunkerley

🎄 Storyboarding might be best known from the world of movies.
Picture this: a series of sketches showing a scene step by step; “A character standing outside a door. Snow falling softly. A finger pressing the doorbell.”
You get the idea.

But storyboarding isn’t just for filmmakers.
It’s an invaluable tool for audio storytellers, too.
By laying out your story visually, like a comic strip or even just a list, you can see how it flows before you even start recording.

Here’s what I love about storyboarding: it forces you to visualize your story. From a glance, I can check if it works:

• Does it have a beginning, middle, and end?

• Are all participants fairly represented?

• Does it feel balanced, interesting, and engaging?

• Will the listener be able to follow along?

It’s also great for spotting the little details you’ll need to bring your story to life. For example, when planning The Sound of Christmas, my storyboard might include:

• The crunch of footsteps in the snow.

• A doorbell ringing, followed by greetings at the door.

• Laughter and chatter over a holiday meal.

These moments help me focus on the sounds and scenes I’ll need to capture.

Storyboarding Made Simple

Now, if “storyboarding” sounds complicated or time-consuming, don’t worry - it’s not.

You don’t need fancy tools or artistic skills.

Use whatever works for you:

• Sketch a few stick figures in a notebook.

• Write key moments on sticky notes and move them around.

• Jot down a list of scenes on your phone.
  
  

The goal isn’t perfection. It’s planning.
It’s about seeing the story as you’d like it to unfold, so you don’t miss the sounds, moments, and emotions that will make it come alive.

And remember: even though you’re interviewing others, this is your story.
You get to decide how it’s told and what parts to include.
So take the time to imagine it, write it down, and map it out.

Once you’ve got your storyboard ready, it’s time to head out into the world and start recording.

And tomorrow, we’ll look at how to find the perfect location for capturing those sounds. 🎙️

🎁 Today’s challenge: Create a rough storyboard for your story.
What scenes or sounds will you need to capture to make it shine?