Storyboard Prompting Skill

Purpose

Create detailed, production-ready image generation prompts for storyboard frames. These prompts should produce consistent, cinematic images that communicate composition, lighting, mood, and action for pre-visualization.

Prompt Architecture

Core Structure

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[SUBJECT] + [COMPOSITION] + [LIGHTING] + [MOOD/ATMOSPHERE] + [STYLE] + [TECHNICAL]

Component Breakdown

Component	Description	Examples
Subject	Who/what is in frame	"detective in trench coat"
Composition	Framing and arrangement	"medium close-up, rule of thirds"
Lighting	Light sources and quality	"rim lighting, high contrast"
Mood	Emotional atmosphere	"tense, ominous"
Style	Visual reference	"noir, cinematic"
Technical	Camera/image specs	"35mm, shallow DOF"

Platform-Specific Optimization

Midjourney

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Midjourney v6 parameters:
--ar [aspect ratio] (16:9, 2.39:1, 4:3)
--s [stylize] (0-1000, default 100)
--c [chaos] (0-100, for variation)
--q [quality] (0.25, 0.5, 1, 2)
--style raw (less Midjourney aesthetic)

Structure:
[Subject and action], [composition], [lighting], [mood], [style reference],
cinematic still, film photography --ar 16:9 --s 150

DALL-E

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DALL-E 3 optimization:
- Natural language descriptions work well
- Be specific about what you want
- Include negative instructions when needed
- Reference artistic styles by description, not artist name

Structure:
A cinematic film still of [subject], [composition description].
The scene has [lighting description] creating a [mood] atmosphere.
Shot on [camera/lens], [style description].

Stable Diffusion

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Positive prompt:
(cinematic:1.3), (film still:1.2), [subject], [composition], [lighting],
[mood], [style], detailed, high quality, 8k

Negative prompt:
cartoon, anime, illustration, drawing, painting, blurry, low quality,
watermark, text, deformed, ugly, bad anatomy

Settings:
- CFG Scale: 7-12
- Steps: 30-50
- Sampler: DPM++ 2M Karras or Euler a

Shot Type Prompts

Extreme Wide Shot (EWS)

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vast landscape with tiny silhouetted figure, establishing shot,
epic scale, environmental storytelling, cinematic composition,
golden hour lighting, anamorphic lens flare --ar 2.39:1

Wide Shot (WS)

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full body shot of [character] standing in [environment],
environmental context visible, subject in lower third,
motivated practical lighting, cinematic atmosphere --ar 16:9

Medium Shot (MS)

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medium shot of [character] from waist up, [action/pose],
[background environment], shallow depth of field,
three-point lighting setup, film grain --ar 16:9

Close-Up (CU)

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close-up portrait of [character], [expression],
face fills frame, soft key light, dramatic shadows,
intimate composition, emotional intensity, 85mm lens --ar 16:9

Extreme Close-Up (ECU)

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extreme close-up of [detail/feature], macro detail,
selective focus, dramatic lighting, texture emphasis,
cinematic tension, tight framing --ar 16:9

Lighting Prompts

Natural Light

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golden hour sunlight, warm tones, long shadows,
natural window light, overcast diffusion,
magic hour, practical sun

Studio/Artificial

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three-point lighting, rim light, motivated light,
practical lamps, neon glow, fluorescent overhead,
spotlight, volumetric light

Mood Lighting

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chiaroscuro, high contrast, low key, high key,
silhouette, backlit, lens flare, god rays,
atmospheric haze, dusty light beams

Composition Prompts

Framing

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rule of thirds, centered composition, symmetrical frame,
off-center subject, negative space, frame within frame,
leading lines, diagonal composition, Dutch angle

Depth

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foreground elements, layered composition, deep focus,
shallow depth of field, background blur bokeh,
environmental depth, atmospheric perspective

Storyboard Frame Template

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## Frame [ID]: [Beat Description]

### Scene Context
- **Scene:** [Number and title]
- **Shot:** [Size and angle]
- **Action:** [What's happening]

### Visual Specifications
- **Composition:** [Framing details]
- **Lighting:** [Light sources and mood]
- **Characters:** [Who's in frame, expressions]
- **Environment:** [Setting details]

### Image Prompts

**Midjourney:**

[Full prompt with parameters]

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**DALL-E:**

[Natural language prompt]

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**Stable Diffusion:**

Positive: [prompt] Negative: [negative prompt]

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### Frame Notes
- **Dialogue:** "[Any dialogue]"
- **Duration:** [Estimated seconds]
- **Movement:** [Camera or subject movement]

Style Reference Library

Film Noir

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high contrast black and white, dramatic shadows,
venetian blind shadows, rain-slicked streets,
cigarette smoke, fedoras, low-key lighting

Sci-Fi

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neon lights, holographic displays, lens flares,
futuristic architecture, chrome surfaces,
volumetric lighting, blue and orange color grade

Horror

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underexposed, deep shadows, obscured faces,
practical effects, desaturated colors, fog,
dutch angles, motivated darkness

Romance

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soft focus, warm lighting, golden hour,
lens flare, shallow depth of field,
intimate framing, natural expressions

Quality Checklist

• Shot size and angle specified
• Lighting direction and quality described
• Mood/atmosphere conveyed
• Character positioning clear
• Environment context included
• Style reference appropriate
• Technical specs match project
• Aspect ratio specified
• Platform optimized