In the age of cost-effective digital tools to help filmmakers create their own storyboards, it can often be surprising how many still want to work with a real, in-person storyboard artist to bring their project to life.
Quick background check so you know I’m legit — I’ve been working as a board artist since 2008 and I storyboard for clients all over the world for film, TV and commercials.
One of the most common questions I get as a storyboard artist is how much it costs, and my decade-plus experience has taught me to keep it simple and transparent.
The Cost Per Frame
This is a very popular one for higher budget feature films due to the intensity and speed at which storyboards are usually needed.
Charging per frame can sometimes bring you more income but you’re charging for one frame whether it takes 2 minutes to draw, or 30 minutes.
It’s beneficial for the client because they can give the artist a shot list and know exactly what to budget for the storyboards, with little ambiguity.
If the filmmaker adds more shots, multiply the number by your per frame rate — bingo! Easy.
The Flat Day Rate
How many panels can you draw in a day? This approach sees the artist charge a flat rate per day and in order to quote the client the artist needs to work out roughly how many drawings they can draw in a day.