How to Craft Midjourney Storyboard Prompts (with Examples)

Storyboarding has long been a crucial step in visual storytelling, whether for films, animations, comics, or even marketing campaigns. It's the process of creating a sequence of illustrations or images to previsualise a motion picture, animation, or interactive media sequence.

But what will happen when we combine one the AI-powered text-to-image generators, i.e. Midjourney, with the time-honored practice of storyboarding? The result is nothing short of revolutionary.

By leveraging Midjourney for storyboarding, creators can now rapidly generate visual concepts for their stories. This AI-assisted approach offers several advantages:

• Speed: Generate multiple scene concepts in minutes rather than hours
• Variety: Easily explore different visual styles and compositions
• Inspiration: AI-generated images can spark new creative ideas
• Cost-effectiveness: Reduce the need for extensive pre-production artwork

However, it's important to note that Midjourney is a tool to enhance, not replace, human creativity. The key lies in learning how to craft effective prompts that translate your vision into compelling storyboard panels.

In the following sections, we'll dive deep into the art of creating Midjourney prompts for storyboarding, offering tips, techniques, and examples to help you harness the full potential of this powerful AI tool in your visual storytelling process.

More than Midjourney Storayboard Prompts

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1. Submit your Midjourney prompt for creative outputs
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Part 1. Basic Midjourney Prompt Structure for Storyboarding

When using Midjourney for storyboarding, crafting effective prompts is crucial. A well-structured prompt can make the difference between a vague image and a precise visualization of your scene. Let's break down the essential elements of a good storyboard prompt.

A typical Midjourney prompt for storyboarding should include the following elements:

• Scene Description
• Camera Angle/Shot Type
• Lighting and Atmosphere
• Style Specification
• Additional Details

Here's a basic structure you can follow:

[Scene Description], [Camera Angle/Shot Type], [Lighting and Atmosphere], [Style Specification], [Additional Details]

1. Scene Description: This is the core of your prompt. Describe the key elements of your scene, including characters, actions, and setting. Be specific but concise.

Example: A detective examining clues in a dimly lit office

2. Camera Angle/Shot Type: Specify the perspective you want for your storyboard panel. This helps set the mood and focus of the scene.

Example: close-up shot or wide angle view

3. Lighting and Atmosphere: Describe the lighting conditions and overall mood of the scene. This helps create the right ambiance.

Example: moody low-key lighting or bright sunlit scene

4. Style Specification: Indicate the visual style you want for your storyboard. This could be realistic, sketchy, or stylized.

Example: rough pencil sketch style or noir comic book style

5. Additional Details: Include any other important elements that will enhance your storyboard panel.

Example: 1940s era, black and white

Here's an example of a complete storyboard prompt using this structure:

A detective examining clues in a dimly lit office, close-up shot, moody low-key lighting, noir comic book style, 1940s era, black and white

Part 2. Tips for Effective Midjourney Storyboard Prompts

Creating compelling storyboard panels with Midjourney relies heavily on crafting effective prompts. Here are some key tips to enhance your prompt-writing skills and achieve better results for your storyboards.

1. Use Specific Descriptors

The more specific you are in your prompts, the better Midjourney can interpret your vision. Instead of general terms, use precise descriptors:

• Instead of: A man walking
• Try: A tall, slender man in a pinstriped suit striding purposefully

This level of detail helps Midjourney generate images that closely match your intended scene.

2. Focus on Key Moments and Transitions

When storyboarding, it's crucial to highlight pivotal moments in your narrative. Make sure your prompts emphasize these key scenes:

• A shocked detective discovering a hidden clue, extreme close-up on wide eyes
• Two cars colliding in slow-motion, debris flying, wide-angle shot

3. Incorporate Shot Types and Camera Angles

Specifying shot types and camera angles in your prompts can dramatically affect the composition and impact of your storyboard panels:

• Close-up: Close-up of trembling hands holding a mysterious letter
• Wide shot: Wide shot of a bustling 1920s speakeasy, filled with patrons
• Over-the-shoulder: Over-the-shoulder shot of a hacker viewing multiple computer screens

4. Describe Lighting and Atmosphere

Lighting and atmosphere set the mood for your scene. Be explicit about these elements in your prompts:

• A dimly lit alley, fog rolling in, film noir style
• Sun-drenched beach, lens flare, vibrant colors

5. Specify Art Style

Midjourney can mimic various art styles. Specifying a style can help maintain consistency across your storyboard:

• Watercolor style storyboard panel of...
• Gritty comic book art style depicting...

6. Use Visual References

While Midjourney can't directly use image inputs, you can reference well-known visual styles or artists:

• In the style of Edward Hopper's Nighthawks
• Reminiscent of Studio Ghibli's background art

7. Emphasize Action and Movement

For dynamic scenes, focus on describing the action and suggesting movement:

• A gymnast mid-flip, motion blur, dynamic composition
• A flock of birds taking flight, captured mid-movement

8. Include Time Period and Setting Details

If your story is set in a specific era or location, include these details:

• 1950s diner interior, checkered floor, jukebox in the corner
• Futuristic cityscape, flying cars, holographic billboards

9. Experiment with Aspect Ratios

You can specify aspect ratios in your prompts to match your intended output format:

• 16:9 aspect ratio, widescreen cinematic shot of...
• 1:1 square format, Instagram-style frame of...

Part 3. Incorporating Storytelling Elements

Effective storyboarding goes beyond creating visually appealing images; it's about telling a compelling story. Here's how to incorporate key storytelling elements into your Midjourney prompts for storyboarding:

1. Establishing Shots

Establishing shots set the scene and provide context for your story. Use these prompts to create impactful opening panels:

• Wide angle view of a bustling New York City street, skyscrapers towering overhead, morning rush hour, establishing shot
• Aerial view of a remote lighthouse on a rocky coast, stormy sea, dark clouds gathering, establishing shot

2. Character-Focused Panels

Character panels help introduce key players and convey emotions:

• Close-up of a determined female astronaut, helmet reflection showing a distant planet, focus on eyes
• Medium shot of a weary detective at his desk, surrounded by case files, dim office lighting, emphasis on body language

3. Action and Movement

Capture dynamic scenes and convey a sense of motion:

• Freeze frame of a martial artist mid-kick, motion blur on limbs, dynamic composition
• Slow-motion capture of two cars colliding, debris flying, focus on point of impact

4. Emotional Beats

Highlight crucial emotional moments in your story:

• Extreme close-up of tears welling up in a child's eyes, soft focus background, warm lighting
• Two silhouettes embracing against a sunset, long shadows, romantic atmosphere

5. Plot Twists and Reveals

Create suspense and surprise with carefully crafted reveal shots:

• POV shot looking down at an opened secret compartment, mysterious glowing object inside, dramatic lighting
• Reflection in a mirror revealing a hidden figure in the background, focus on the surprised expression of the foreground character

6. Transitions

Smooth transitions between scenes help maintain narrative flow:

• Split-screen effect: left side showing a character entering a door, right side showing them exiting into a new environment
• Zoom out from a character's eye to reveal their full face, then to their full body, ending with a wide shot of their surroundings

7. Symbolism and Metaphors

Use visual metaphors to add depth to your storytelling:

• A withering rose in the foreground, blurred argument between couple in the background, desaturated colors
• Clock face with hands spinning rapidly, surrounded by a swirl of calendar pages and season changes

8. Parallel Action

Show simultaneous events occurring in different locations:

9. Flashbacks or Flash-forwards

Indicate shifts in time within your story:

• Sepia-toned panel of a 1940s dance hall, dream-like soft focus, transition into character's memory
• Futuristic version of current scene, holographic displays, character aged 30 years, flash-forward effect

10. Climax and Resolution

Build up to and illustrate key story moments:

• Hero and villain face-off on a precarious ledge, stormy background, dramatic lighting, climactic moment
• Warm, bright scene of main characters embracing, problems resolved, sunset in background, resolution shot

Let's create a short sequence incorporating multiple storytelling elements:

1. Establishing shot: Wide angle view of a quaint small town, early morning mist, focus on a mysterious old mansion on a hill

2. Character introduction: Medium shot of a curious teenager peering out her bedroom window at the mansion, reflection showing determination in her eyes

3. Action: Low angle shot of the teenager sneaking through overgrown gardens towards the mansion, dynamic pose suggesting stealth

4. Tension building: Close-up of a weathered door handle turning slowly, character's hand in frame, dramatic shadows

5. Reveal: Wide interior shot of the mansion's grand hall, teenager's silhouette in the doorway, mysterious glowing object in the center of the room

Part 4. Midjourney Storyboards Prompt Examples

Midjourney's capabilities extend far beyond basic storyboarding. This section provides examples of successful Midjourney storyboards to inspire your own projects.

1. Short Film Pre-visualization

• Project: "The Last Light"
• A sci-fi short film used Midjourney to create a complete storyboard
• Key Success: Consistent futuristic style across 50+ panels
• Prompt Example: Wide shot of a lone astronaut on a desolate Mars-like planet, two suns setting, warm color palette, derelict spaceship in background

2. Video Game Cutscene Planning

• Project: "Echoes of Eternity"
• An RPG used Midjourney for planning intricate cutscenes
• Key Success: Detailed character interactions and dynamic action sequences
• Prompt Example: Close-up shot of two medieval fantasy characters engaged in intense sword fight, sparks flying, motion blur, dramatic lighting

3. Music Video Concept

• Project: "Neon Dreams"
• A pop music video used Midjourney to plan surreal, dream-like sequences
• Key Success: Unique, visually striking imagery that matched the song's mood
• Prompt Example: Surreal image of singer floating in a sea of glowing jellyfish, neon colors, dreamlike soft focus, underwater scene

4. Animated Series Episode

• Project: "Galactic Explorers"
• A children's animated series used Midjourney for rapid episode concepting
• Key Success: Consistent character designs across various alien environments
• Prompt Example: Cartoon style, three kid explorers discovering a crystal cave on an alien planet, bioluminescent plants, wonder on characters' faces

5. Commercial Storyboard

• Project: "EcoTech Revolution"
• A tech company used Midjourney to storyboard a commercial about sustainable technology
• Key Success: Blending futuristic tech with natural environments
• Prompt Example: Split-screen showing polluted city transforming into green eco-city, futuristic clean energy technology, timelapse effect

Tip: What to Do After You Get Your Midjourney AI Arts for Storyboard?

Now you have gotten your storyboard with Midjourney, but the output image can be blurry when zoomed in, or not huge enough for print and share.

We know that Midjourney allows users to upscale their creations, but there are some limits, such as:

1. - User @Chromarubic: Seems like the upscales sometimes soften the image too much? Things like lace necklines end up a bit muddy.
2. - User @JoakimK: The 4x upscale makes the image look softer and loses its sharpness.
3. - User @Ullaviva: The x4 upscaler destroyed details and was very smooth.

The quick solution loved by seasoned AI artists is: upscale images with a dedicated AI Image Enhancer. And here we recommend you dedicated AI Image Upscaler - Aiarty Image Enhancer to upscale Midjourney image and other AI art. It supports up to 16K/32K upsizing, with realistic details kept!

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Conclusion

As we've explored throughout this comprehensive guide, Midjourney has revolutionized the storyboarding process, offering creators a powerful tool to bring their visual narratives to life with unprecedented speed and flexibility. From crafting effective prompts to maintaining visual consistency, and from troubleshooting to workflow integration, we've covered the essential aspects of using Midjourney for storyboarding.

However, it's crucial to remember that Midjourney is a tool, and like any tool, its effectiveness depends on the skill and vision of the user. The art of storytelling, the nuance of character development, and the craft of visual composition still rely heavily on human creativity and expertise.

As you embark on your journey with Midjourney storyboarding, we encourage you to experiment, push boundaries, and find your unique way of integrating this powerful tool into your creative process. The future of visual storytelling is here, and it's a collaborative effort between human imagination and AI capabilities.

Whether you're a seasoned professional or a budding creator, we hope this guide serves as a valuable resource in your storyboarding endeavors. As the technology continues to advance, stay curious, keep learning, and most importantly, keep telling your stories. The world is waiting to see what you'll create next.