I have been storyboarding practically full time now for over 10 years. One of the most common questions posed to me when being hired is “how much does it cost?”. Well, I charge by the hour, and it all comes down to how many panels or frames can I draw in an hour? That depends on what the filmmaker wishes to accomplish with storyboards. I have been known to draw six or more panels per hour, but they are not very developed. They are simple and plain. They accomplish some things but not everything. If the client is satisfied with that, then it works out fine, and they wind up paying a very economical price. If they want to accomplish much more, then I can do two to four per hour. They are much better looking and say a lot more, but I can’t get as many done as quickly. Not only does it take more time to draw, but also to think about how they should best be composed. Make sense?
So, I have prepared this paper that breaks down some of the different things that can be accomplished in a storyboard drawing. I hope it will help potential clients decide how far they want me to go.
