An animatic is a short, rough version of your final video or commercial. It uses storyboard images, temporary voiceovers, sound effects, and simple timing adjustments to create a moving draft of your ad. Think of it as a bridge between static storyboards and the polished final cut: an animatic storyboard helps you visualise pacing, camera movements, and flow before you commit to full production. By using animatics early in the pre-production process, marketers can save time, avoid costly mistakes, and ensure everyone is aligned on the creative direction.
What Is an Animatic?
In simple terms, an animatic is:
- A sequence of storyboard frames arranged in order
- Combined with temporary audio (voiceovers, music, or sound effects)
- Timed to show how the video will play in motion
Where a storyboard is static, an animatic brings the idea to life. It’s essentially an animated storyboard, not polished, but accurate enough to preview how the story unfolds.
This makes animatics invaluable for advertising, where timing, brand messaging, and audience impact are everything.
What Is an Animatic Storyboard?
A storyboard is a series of still images outlining each shot of your ad. When those storyboard images are edited together with audio and timing, you get an animatic storyboard.
Here’s the difference:
- Storyboard – static drawings only
- Animatic storyboard – storyboard images in sequence, with sound and pacing to simulate the real ad
This shift from still to motion is critical. Instead of imagining how long a shot will last or when dialogue will land, an animatic lets you see and hear it unfold.
Why Use an Animatic in Advertising?
Creating an animatic before filming is a smart business move. Here’s why:
1. Preview the Visual Flow
See how shots transition from one to the next. Animatics reveal whether your ad flows smoothly or needs restructuring.
2. Perfect Timing & Pacing
Is your tagline too rushed? Is a product shot dragging? Animatics highlight pacing problems before cameras roll.
3. Test Audio Early
By adding scratch voiceovers, placeholder music, or sound effects, you can experiment with tone, style, and length. This ensures the audio complements the visuals.
4. Spot Issues with Camera Movements
Animatics allow you to test whether a pan, zoom, or cut feels natural, long before you film. This is especially valuable for complex sequences.
5. Gather Stakeholder Feedback
Executives and clients don’t have to imagine the ad. They can watch the animatic storyboard, making it easier to give useful feedback.
6. Streamline Approvals & Compliance
For TV or online ads, regulatory bodies like ClearAds often need to review creative. Animatics provide a clear preview, helping flag compliance issues before final submission.
7. Reduce Costs
Making small adjustments at the animatic stage is cheap. Making them after filming, or worse, after editing, is expensive.
Animatic vs Storyboard: What’s the Difference?
Marketers often ask: what is the difference between a storyboard and an animatic? Here’s a simple breakdown:
Storyboard:
- Static frames only
- Usually includes written frame notes or descriptions
- No sound, music, or timing
- Helps plan out the overall visuals
Animatic (Animatic Storyboard):
- Uses the same storyboard images, but arranged in sequence
- Played back as a video file
- Includes temporary sound effects, voiceovers, or music
- Shows pacing, timing, and flow of the ad in motion
In short: a storyboard helps you plan, while an animatic helps you test. Storyboards are essential for sketching out the idea, but animatics take it one step further by previewing how the ad will actually play.
Animatics in the Pre-Production Process
The pre-production process is all about preparation. For advertising, it typically looks like this:
- Concept & Script – Define your idea and key message.
- Storyboarding – Create storyboard images to visualise each shot.
- Animatic Storyboard – Edit those images together with sound and pacing to create an animatic.
- Feedback Round – Stakeholders review the animatic and request changes.
- Production – Film or animate with confidence in the approved concept.
- Post-Production – Edit and polish the final product, guided by the animatic.
This workflow ensures your final animation or live action ad stays true to the original vision.
Real-World Example: Nimble’s “Finance Faster” Campaign
A clear example of animatics at work is Nimble’s Finance Faster campaign.
- Animatic version: Rough storyboard images combined with a temporary voiceover.
- Final commercial: Shot-for-shot alignment with the animatic, but polished into a professional ad.
The animatic shaped timing, shot composition, and even the voiceover delivery, proof of how crucial this step is.
Final Commercial
Compare the animatic to the final commercial.
Notice how the animatic directly influenced the final cut: timing, shot composition, even voiceover intonation were refined before production began.
Animatics for Animation and Live Action
Animatics are often associated with animation, but they’re just as valuable for live action ads, especially when planning complex sequences or visual effects.
For example:
- Animation: Every second of movement is expensive to render, so testing with animatics prevents wasted effort.
- Live action: For commercials with heavy editing, stunts, or CGI, animatics help directors plan camera movements and scene transitions.
In both cases, animatic storyboards act as the safety net before production ramps up.
The Business Case for Animatic Storyboards
For marketers, animatic storyboards aren’t just a creative tool, they’re a business safeguard.
- Risk reduction: Identify problems early.
- Faster approvals: Executives, agencies, and media buyers all sign off with confidence.
- Budget efficiency: Avoid reshoots and late-stage overhauls.
- Better storytelling: Fine-tune emotional beats before production.
In short: animatics protect your marketing investment while strengthening your creative.
Tools & Storyboard Software for Animatics
Modern software makes creating animatics faster than ever:
- Photoshop – Build storyboard frames and animate them using the timeline tool.
- After Effects – Add sound, effects, and motion for polished animatics.
- Storyboard software – Platforms like Boords allow teams to create animatics directly from storyboard images, with built-in collaboration tools.
For advertisers, these tools mean animatics can be produced quickly, even on tighter budgets.
Pro Tip: Using AI in Animatic Production
AI is making animatics more accessible:
- AI voiceovers can generate realistic narration for scratch audio.
- AI storyboard tools can convert scripts into storyboard images in minutes.
This means even smaller brands can use animatics as part of their production process without overspending.
FAQs About Animatic Storyboards
1. What is an animatic storyboard?
An animatic storyboard is a sequence of storyboard images edited with sound and pacing to preview how a video will play out.
2. What is the difference between an animatic and a storyboard?
A storyboard is static; an animatic is dynamic. Animatics show timing, pacing, and sound, making them more accurate previews of the final product.
3. Why are animatics important in advertising?
They reduce risk, speed up approvals, and save money by solving problems before filming or animation begins.
4. Are animatics only for animation?
No. Animatics are equally useful in live action advertising, particularly for planning camera movements and visual effects.
Key Takeaways
- What is an animatic? A moving draft of your ad, using storyboard images, sound, and timing.
- What is an animatic storyboard? A storyboard in motion, showing how the final product will look and feel.
- Why it matters: Animatics save time, cut costs, and ensure smoother approvals.
- When to use: After storyboards, before production.
Ready to Improve Your Next Campaign with Animatics?
Don’t settle for static storyboards when you can preview your ad in motion. Whether you’re producing an animation or a live action spot, an animatic storyboard is a game-changer for cost-effective, high-impact advertising.
At Story Machine, we specialise in creating animatics and transforming them into powerful, engaging commercials.
Contact us today to learn how animatics can elevate your next campaign.
