StoryBoard Quick Manual

PowerProduction Software
StoryBoard Quick 6 User's Guide
Introduction
to
StoryBoard Quick 6
tm
Welcome
Thank you for purchasing StoryBoard Quick 6. Whether you are a new user or upgrading, StoryBoard
Quick 6 will feel and look brand new. It has been rewritten for use on updated operating systems
and takes advantage of new processing options. StoryBoard Quick 6 will assist you in creating the
shooting storyboards for your project in record time. We know storyboards are a means to an end, and
StoryBoard Quick was designed to help you get there faster by visually communicating your idea to
your cast, crew, associates and clients.
Installing StoryBoard Quick 6

Please read and agree to the PowerProduction Software User License Agreement provided in the
StoryBoard Quick installer. The User License Agreement must be agreed to in order to proceed with
installation and use of the software. If you do not agree to the User License Agreement, please return
your entire package to the place of purchase.
PowerProduction Software is unable to accept returns on downloaded or installed products.
System Requirements for StoryBoard Quick 6

Macintosh OS X 10.4 or later; or Windows Vista / Windows XP
128 MG of system RAM
800 MEGs of hard disk space
24-bit color display, 1024 x 768 resolution
CD ROM Drive
Installing Macintosh:
1. Insert StoryBoard Quick Installer CD. The CD icon will appear on your desktop;
2. Double click to open CD icon. A window will appear;
3. Double click the StoryBoard Quick package file icon. This will start the installer application. Follow
instructions on screen. When the disk is finished, eject CD;
Installing Windows:
Insert CD and the installer will automatically start. Follow instructions on screen.
Launching StoryBoard Quick

After running the install program, a StoryBoard Quick 6 folder will appear in the location you chose
during the installation. If you selected to have a shortcut icon generated, one will be placed on your
desktop. You may also access the program as follow:
On Macintosh: Open the StoryBoard Quick 6 folder in Applications double click on the StoryBoard
Quick 6 application icon.
On Windows: Go to Start Menu > Programs > StoryBoard Quick > StoryBoard Quick 6.
Welcome Screen
When StoryBoard Quick is launched, you will be
greeted with a Welcome Screen. From this window you are able to choose whether you would
like to start a New Project, Open (an existing)
Project or Open Documentation. The manual
is in PDF format and can be opened through the
Help menu at anytime.
If you choose New Project you can select your
Project Format before you start.

You can bypass these screens by clicking the Close
Box in the upper right-hand corner You may also
turn the Welcome Screen off by going into the menu
File > Preferences... and unchecking the box next
to Show Welcome Screen.
Authorization and Registration

The first time StoryBoard Quick is launched on a newly-installed computer, the software will need
authorization in order to run.
When the StoryBoard Quick Registration dialog box appears, type your StoryBoard Quick Serial
Number into Step One. While connected to the internet, click the Register Online button for 24-hour
access to authorization. You will be taken to the PowerProduction Online Registration website where
you will be given the opportunity to register and receive an authorization code. Once the online form is
filled out and submitted, you will receive your authorization code. Copy and paste, or type, this code
into Step Two of the StoryBoard Quick Registration dialog box. Once you have your authorization code
in Step Two, click the Save button. Now StoryBoard Quick is authorized on your computer.
If you do not have access to an internet connection on the computer on which you wish to install your
version of StoryBoard Quick, phone authorization is available during regular office hours. Please visit
www.powerproduction.com for phone number and office hours.
Documentation
The StoryBoard Quick 6 Reference Manual is included, in electronic PDF format, on the StoryBoard
Quick CD or in the downloaded compressed file. It can be viewed on your computer without launching
StoryBoard Quick or while using the program (select StoryBoard Quick Help from the Help Menu).
Whats new in StoryBoard Quick 6

New cast of Characters that can be colorized for added character customization and identification.
New Props in new categories that can be colorized.
New Import Script Formats
Expanded Script Import Control
New Import Scheduling Data
New Script-Dominant Print Layout
New Export formats, including Export to Flash
New Print Borders
Custom Aspect Ratios
Additional Director Tools
Expanded Color Palette
Batch Import Image Folder
In-Frame Comic/Caption Balloons
Questions?
For questions when using StoryBoard Quick 6, please email: support@powerproduction.com.
Paid phone technical support is available for those times when you need instant access to our tech
team. Access to phone support is also available via our maintenance contract.
Site Licenses are available for multiple-copy-use at one site. Please call SALES: 800 457 0383 and
speak with our sales staff.
Touring the
Work Area
The Work Area
StoryBoard Quick 6 includes a number of windows/workspaces, palettes and toolbars to help you
create, organize, monitor and modify your work. You can display and/or hide these elements when
arranging your work area.
StoryBoard Quicks interface elements include:

Menu Bar with pull-down menus located at the top of the screen

Toolbars (Main Toolbar and Draw Toolbar) which display tool icons that perform functions

Floating Palettes

- Library Palettes: Character, Locations, Props, My Characters

- Color Palette: Fill colors, Pen colors, Character and Prop colors

Frame Window

Caption Window

Overview Window

Layout/Preview Window
Menu Bar
Main Toolbar
Content Palettes
Frame Window
Color Palette
Draw Toolbar
Caption Window
Menu Bar
The Menu Bar consists of a series of seven pull-down menus used for accessing StoryBoard Quick's
functions. Some menu and/or submenu commands and options are also accessible via toolbar icons.
Menu items are grayed when not available for use in the active window. Clicking in a window makes the
window active which then makes the appropriate functions available. For a complete list of commands
available from the Menu Bar please see the Menu Reference Guide located in the tail end of this
manual.
Macintosh users: The Macintosh operating system displays application-related commands
beneath an additional menu StoryBoard Quick > About; Preferences; Hide;
Show; Quit.
Windows users: Access Preferences and Exit from the File Menu.
Main Toolbar
The Main Toolbar commands are used for selecting, navigating and opening modes or windows while
creating your storyboard project. To activate a tool, click on the icon. An individual tool is active when
highlighted in yellow.
The tools from left to right are: Select Arrow, Open Caption Window, Open Overview Window, Open
Print Layout, Go to previous frame, Go to next frame, Zoom In, Zoom Out, Rotate Character (and
rotational props) right or left, Change Character Angle high or low, Bring to Front, Send to Back.
Frame Window
StoryBoard Quick's Frame Window is where the storyboard panel is drawn or composed. After
launching StoryBoard Quick, the blank document is titled 1 of 1 Untitled1.sbq6 @100%. StoryBoard
Quick opens as an untitled document by default.
Most projects will consist of multiple frames being created in order to simulate sequences of shots.
Once you have developed a shot in the Frame Window and are ready to start on the next shot you will
need to create a new frame. From the Menu Bar, use Frame > New Frame (Shortcut: Mac: CommandM; Win: Ctrl-M) to create the next New Frame.
Aspect Ratio Dialog Box

The default Aspect Ratio of the starting frame is HDTV (16:9). The Aspect Ratio can be changed to
accommodate your project's format [e.g. Standard Television (4:3), Corporate Presentation and more].
To select a different Aspect Ratio (either at the start or at any point during the creation of a project), you
can access the Aspect Ratio Dialog Box (Frame > Aspect Ratio...). For more information on Aspect
Ratio and Frame Size see the Frames & Objects Chapter.
To change the Aspect Ratio (width to height) for the current

project, use Frame > Aspect Ratio to choose from presets.
If you would like to change the default Aspect Ratio for
the Frame Window, go to your Preferences and under the
Application Tab select the default Aspect Ratio for your copy of
StoryBoard Quick.
To enlarge the relative size of the Frame Window, you can
either zoom the Window view or change the resolution of the
frame.
Content Palettes
StoryBoard Quick Palettes are floating palettes that can be toggled open or closed using Window >
Palettes > palette type name or Window > Show All Palettes. StoryBoard Quick Palettes include
Character Library, Location Palettes (Interior and Exteriors), Prop Palettes (categorized) and Color
Palette.
Library Palettes
The StoryBoard Quick Library Palettes offer quick and easy access to ready-made content:
Characters (Male, Female): available in various actions (poses), rotations and angles;
Locations (Interiors, Exteriors, Set Pieces);
Props (rotating and colorizable);
The Library Palettes give quick access to the various elements that can be used in composing and
communicating shot ideas, scenes and/or layout ideas. The palettes are named to indicate their
contents and they can be positioned anywhere on the screen by dragging the title bar. Click on a
Library icon to open the content window. Use Window Menu > Palettes to open any or all available
libraries and to toggle between their open and close status.
Color Palette
To open the Color Palette, use Window > Palettes > Color Palette.
The Color Palette has four tabs across the top to give you access to pick colors for elements that you
draw in the frame using the Draw Tools as well as selecting colors for colorizing your Characters and a
majority of props. The Color Palette will choose the correct tab based on the selected object.
The first is the Fill Tab which fills in the background of any drawn shape (using the Pen tool, Circle,
Square, Polygon, Bezier), it also dictates the color of your Director"s Arrows, Comic/Caption
Balloons and the background color for your Text-In-Frame Tool. You can change the Fill Colors
opacity using the up/down arrows next to the displayed opacity percentage.
Quick Tip: Double click in the Opacity Preview box (located right underneath the Opacity
Percentage) to go from 100% to 0% or vice versa.
The second is the Line Color Tab which dictates the Stroke color for all Draw Tool items,
including the Arrows and the Line Tool. In this tab you are also able to select the opacity of the
outline as well as the thickness, by pixels, of the outlines. When using the Text-In-Frame Tool,
the Line Color Tab will determine the color and opacity of the font but not the font size.
Quick Tip: Double click in the Pen Size Preview box (located right underneath the Pen Size) to
go from any thickness to 1 pixel. If already on 1, double click to toggle between 1 and 0.
The third and fourth tabs gives access to the new colorizable Characters and Props feature.
Select these tabs when you would like to change the color properties of Characters or
colorizable Props. (See Frame & Objects Chapter for more details.)
Draw Toolbar
The Draw Toolbar can be toggled open or closed by using Frame > Draw Tools. The Draw Toolbar
contains: Five Director's Arrows (In, Out, Across Screen, Zoom Into and Zoom Out frame indicators),
In-Frame Caption Bubble, Scribble Pen, Text Tool, Line, Rectangle, Circle, Polygon, Bezier Curves
and Crop Tool. (Use Object > Edit Point command to edit points on Bezier Curves, Polygons, Pen
and Line objects). Other image-manipulation commands (Rotate, Flip, Align, Zoom, Group and Layer
rearrangement commands) are also available in the Object Menu.
Caption Window
Another element of a storyboard project is script text / annotations or other pertinent project data that
may need to accompany your boards. Each StoryBoard Quick frame has a Caption Window where
camera notes, dialog, scene description can be typed or imported. Importing script text into StoryBoard
Quick Caption Windows is easy using File > Import Scripts.
Script Import Dialog Box

To import a script into the Caption Window from an external document you can access the Script Import
Dialog Box using File > Import Script > select format of script). For more information on importing
your script, see the Text & Script Handling Chapter.
Overview Window
Use the Overview Window (Window > Overview Thumbnails)
to shuffle/rearrange the order of the boards in the project. The
Overview Window can display captions (Use Preferences... >
Overview tab to access the Show Caption option).
Print Preview Window

When Print Preview Window is active you can format
the print style for your storyboard project.
The Print Preview Window opens when you use File > Print
Options... or File > Print Preview.
Use tools on the Print Toolbar or shortcuts on the toolbar at bottom of page to change the number of frames per page and other
options (vertical printing or script-dominant printing).
Print & Layout Toolbars
The Print Toolbar contains commands to: Print; open Page

Setup; open Print Options dialog; Page Navigation (move back
< or > forward) when there are multiple pages to be printed; and
Zoom in or out on Preview Window to facilitate viewing final
project layout.
The Layout Toolbar at the bottom of the Print Preview Window offers various "frames per page" printing
choices and the option to print in a GridFormat (as shown), in a Vertical Format (frames on left; text on
right) or in Script-Dominant Format (script-dominant page layout with storyboards in the sidebar). The
Print Toolbar is available for use when the Print Preview Window is active.
Print Options
The Print Options dialog can be accessed from the File
Menu (File > Print Options...) or from the Print Toolbar. The
Print Options dialog box offers tab sections for format choices:
Elements: Frames per Page; Print Elements (Frames,
Captions, Frame Numbers); Format Style (Grid, Vertical,
Script); Headers/Footers: Header text, Footer text, Font
size for Headers/Footers, Page numbering, Special Text
Commands; Margins: Page Boundaries. Use Preferences
dialog box to choose between inches and centimeters for
Page Boundaries/margin control.
For more details on Printing, please refer to the Printing
Chapter.
Other Interface Conventions

Undo and Redo
If you make a mistake or change your mind, you can undo recent changes or revert to a previouslysaved version.
You can undo or redo most recent actions within one frame; however, the precise number of undo's
and redo's may be limited by the amount of RAM available in your computer and the kinds of actions
you have performed. Each window has its own undo chain; the series of actions is discarded when you
choose the Save As command, navigate to a new frame, close thedocument or when you exit or quit
the program.
To correct mistakes, do one of the following:
To undo the most recent change, choose Edit > Undo action. (You will be unable to undo certain
actions; and Undo is window-specific, as well as frame-specific.)
To redo an action, choose Edit > Redo.
To undo all changes made since the last time you saved the project, choose File > Revert.
Zooming
There are several ways to enlarge, magnify and zoom in StoryBoard Quick 6.
Zoom to modify a single element/image (enlarge object relative to the frame size) using Main
Toolbar's "+" and "-", use Object > Zoom or Ctrl + Mouse Scroll Wheel commands.
Zoom (magnify) the view of a Frame Window; use Window > Zoom commands.
Zoom (magnify) the view of the Print Preview Window (use Print Toolbar "+" and "-" icons).
Make the Frame Window larger by using Frame > Aspect Ratio > Frame Memory settings.
Context Menus
Context menus are abbreviated menus providing quick access to useful commands "in context" with the
windows you are working in (Frame Window and Overview Window). These menus are available as
"secondary click" in an area by using Mac: Control-click or right click; Win: right click.
StoryBoard Quick 6 supports advanced mouse controls. If using a two button or wheel mouse,
secondary click features are available using the right click button or the wheel can be set to activate the
secondary click.
Quick Tip: The wheel mouse can also be used to rotate characters into new positions or by
adding a modifying key, can be used to rotate (tilt) or resize (zoom in or out) images.
Saving a Document
Protect your work by saving often. The Save and Save As commands store documents in the
StoryBoard Quick file format only. The Quick format is a collection of files and file folders. Macintosh
users will see a single file. Windows users will see a project folder with the selectable project file inside.
To save a document under a new name, choose File > Save As, specify a location and file name,
and click Save. The newly-named file becomes the active document.
StoryBoard Quick 6 User's Guide 10
Preferences and Defaults

Program preferences and default settings are stored in the StoryBoard Quick preferences file.
This default file is saved each time you exit or quit StoryBoard Quick. To access and/or change the
Preference commands: Mac: StoryBoard Quick menu > Preferences...; Win: File > Preferences...
Changing preference settings specifies how StoryBoard Quick documents and objects behave. Default
settings are used for every new document created. A damaged preference file may cause unexpected
behavior. By removing the preferences, you can restore preferences to their default settings.
These preferences and default settings are stored in the quick6preferences.xml. (Located on Win XP:
C:\Documents and Settings\[user name]\Application Data\; Win Vista: C:\Users\[user name]\AppData\
Roaming\; Mac: [home] Folder > Library Folder > Preferences Folder.)
Frames & Objects
The Frame Window

StoryBoard Quick's Frame Window is the work area where you create boards. Each frame you
compose will represent a shot or a sequence. Whether you use StoryBoard Quick's ready-made
integrated art (characters, locations and props), use the draw tools or import digital photos, the Frame
Window is where you create the spatial relationships between the key elements of your shots. Selecting
images from StoryBoard Quick libraries makes "sketching" out a frame easy, even if you can't draw.
When using a digital camera to location scout, you can substitute actual location photos as you lock
down locations for your shoot. After finishing one shot, use Frame > New Frame to begin composing
the next frame (Mac: Command-M; Win: Ctrl-M).
Frame Aspect Ratio

The Frame Window is a fixed size to give you the boundaries for composing shots. This is called
the Aspect Ratio of the frame. Arranging the elements in the frame is called composing your shot.
The default Aspect Ratio of the frame is HDTV. Other preset media frame sizes are also available:
Television, IMAX, Super 16, European Feature, Widescreen, Corporate Presentation, US Feature Film
and Website Planning.
To change the aspect ratio use Frame > Aspect Ratio. The drop-down list under the Aspect Ratio label
offers choices of preset Aspect Ratios of often-used media formats. The chosen Aspect Ratio will set
the size for all frames in the current project.
Quick Tip: To change the default Aspect Ratio setting for future projects, use the
Preferences... > Application tab (Mac: StoryBoard Quick > Preferences... > Application; Win: File >
Preferences... > Application).
Enlarging Frame Size
Frames can be made larger by two ways:

1) Physically enlarge frame size, to accommodate your monitor,
your work preference, your computer's speed, memory capacity
and higher print resolution:
Use the drop down list under Frame Size (Memory) to make
your choice (Frame > Aspect Ratio). The default setting is
Large; or
2) Magnify frame view: use Window > Zoom commands (or
Mac: Command-Scroll wheel; Win: Ctrl-Scroll wheel) to zoom
the frame's magnification. The frame's title bar displays the
frame's zoom percentage.
If after you have altered the frame's magnification you would like to return to the default frame size,
select Frame > Window 100%.
Quick Tip: The difference between zooming the view and enlarging the frame size: Physically
enlarging the frame size effects the project's file size, the print resolution and increases the
storage space.
Surrounding Matte Area

The matte area surrounding the frame hides unused portions of images and indicates that the entire
frame is visible. Only objects within Frame edges will print. The matte area can be enlarged to cover
the desktop by dragging the corner or edge larger. To reset the surrounding area, use Window > Reset
Matte Size command; or drag an outer corner of the matte to make the area smaller.
Quick Tip: Right clicking on the matte area will deselect all objects in the frame.
Creating New Frames

Storyboard projects are usually created with multiple frames. You may find that you work in a sequential
manner using: Frame > New Frame to create a blank new frame. But you may also find you need to
breakdown a sequence into several shots/frames. You can save time using some of the other Frame
Menu commands:
Frame > Insert command places a new blank frame in front of the current frame. It's equivalent to
making a new frame except that the new frame is created and placed before the current frame.
Frame > Duplicate clones the current frame and places it at the end of the entire project.
Frame > Insert Duplicate also clones the current frame but positions it in front of the current frame.
Navigating Between Frames
After making a series of frames, you can use the Navigation commands to view the other
frames in your project. The commands are accessible from the Frame Menu.

Go First (to head end of project);

Go Previous;
Go To... (opens dialog box to pick frame by number and preview);
Go Next;
Go Last (to tail end of project).
Quick Tip: For another way to jump to a specific frame, as well as shuffling frames within a
project, keep the Overview Window open.
Deleting A Frame
For the times when you simply want to delete a frame from your project you can remove the frame from
the Frame Menu > Delete ((Mac: Command-D; Win: Ctrl-D). When you decide to delete a frame you
will be given a prompt to verify that you wish to proceed with this action. You cannot Undo a Deleted
Frame.
Elements in the Frame

The Frame Window is where you can begin showing your creativity by pulling together the visual plan
for your project. Think of the Frame Window as the viewfinder of your camera and position your actors
and props and background in such a way as to tell your story visually. Right from the start, directors
take control of the their film by being specific about which elements (locations, actors, props and
movement arrows) are included in each shot, their position within the frame and the movement of the
elements within the scene.
You can build your storyboard panels using StoryBoard Quick's ready-made art from Library Palettes
(Locations, Props and Characters); Director's Arrows from Draw Toolbar, Text from the Text Tool, or add
imported images and digital photos; or create objects using StoryBoard Quick 6's Draw Tools. As you
choose which objects to place into the frame, you will also decide how important each element is by
where you place them in the frame and how large or small they appear.
Content Libraries
One of the easiest ways to get started creating your shots is by using
StoryBoard Quick's vast array of scalable graphics in each of the content
palettes. All of the content palettes are open by default and available upon
launching the program. If you would like to hide/show any of the libraries, go
into Windows > Palettes to toggle them off and on. Close any open palette
in the interface by clicking on the Close Box in the upper right hand corner of
the palette. Windows > Show All Palettes command toggles between showing and hiding all floating palettes.
Locations:
StoryBoard Quick comes with two palettes full of locations. These are divided into Interior (INT)
Locations and Exterior (EXT) Locations and then grouped in subcategories within each palette. To bring
a location into the Frame Window, single click on the icon for the category you wish to view and then
click again on the location you want to appear in the frame. Locations can be zoomed and sized just
like any other graphic, but in StoryBoard Quick the selected location appears in the backmost layer of
the frame by default. For more on layers, see Object Layers later in this chapter.
Characters:
StoryBoard Quick comes equipped with six

standard characters in a variety of positions.
Each pose has 8 views as well as a 3
elevations (high angle, eye level, low angle).
To select a character and place them in the
frame, single click on the icon of the character you wish to use. The
position grid will appear. In this grid, you can select both the desired
pose as well as the elevation and view. Clicking again on the position
grid will bring your character to the frontmost layer in the frame.
Once a character is in the frame, you can turn them as well as change
the elevation using the Turn Arrows located in the Main Toolbar.
Characters can be zoomed and sized, just like any other graphic, by
using the Zoom Tools located in the Main Toolbar or by clicking and
dragging the object handles located around the graphic.
Props:
The Props Palette contains a variety of

everyday objects (vehicles, furniture,
animals, etc.) that you may want to integrate into your shots. The palette
is categorized and color-coded for easy identification of any given object.
In addition to being divided by category, props also come in two different
varieties: rotatable and single-view. Props that have the ability to rotate
are identified by a turn arrow located above its thumbnail. These items
are located in the top portion of the prop grid. Turning an enabled prop
is similar to turning a characters. Click on the desired prop to bring it into the frame.
Once in the frame, use the Turn Arrow icons on the Main Toolbar to see different
views. Single-view props are selected the same way, by clicking on their thumbnail in
the prop menu.
Quick Tip: When a Character or Prop is selected in the frame, you can
use your mouse Scroll wheel to turn the object. Or Shift-Scroll Wheel to
rotate to refine positions.
Colorizing Characters:
Characters can be color-customized and then saved for

future use using the Color Palette and the My Characters
feature. Bring in a Character of your choice and select
them in the frame window. Bring up the Color Palette and
click on the Character Tab (identified by the Face Icon).
In the Color Palette, you are given the option of changing
the color of a number of the characters' attributes (from
left to right: Hair, Skin, Lips, Shirt, Pants, Shoes). Click
on the color box underneath the icon of the attribute you
wish to change. Once selected, identified by a yellow
highlight around the color box, you can then select a new
color from any of the color spectrums presented below.
Saving a Colorized Character:
If you have a colorized character that you would like

to use in multiple frame or over the course of multiple
projects, you can save this character into the My
Characters Palette. With the character selected in the
frame window, go to File > Save Character.
The Save Character dialog box will appear asking you to name your new character. Name your character and click the Save button. Your character, with the color attributes, will then be available for you
in all of that character's poses and rotations.
Now you can bring that character directly into the Frame Window from the My Characters Palette
and you can still colorize that character further and continue to save them as you go. Example: you
customize Man 1 to have Yellow Hair and name him "Blondie." You then use "Blondie" in your project
in a number of different scenes. Later on you decide that "Blondie" really should have red hair instead
and now want to change the hair color. Change the hair color in one of the frames on your custom
character and go back to File > Save Character.
StoryBoard Quick will recognize this character as "Blondie" and you will be given the choice of the
range to which the change should apply. By choosing Change All Objects in Project, "Blondie" will be
changed in every frame in the current open project and the character will be resaved for future use. By
choosing New Projects Only, "Blondie" will be changed in the current frame and for all future uses.
Quick Tip: To delete a character from the My Characters Toolbar, go to My Documents
folder> StoryBoard Quick > My Characters and remove or delete the name of the character
you wish to remove. Then relaunch the application.
Colorizing Props
In StoryBoard Quick 6, you can change the overall color of any given prop. Bring a prop to the frame
from the Props Palette and keep it selected. Open the Color Palette and, if not already selected, click
the Colorize Props Tab, as identified by the Car Icon. Once open, select a color from any of the color
spectrums to change the overall color of the desired prop.
Working With Content

Object Layers
Each image, when imported or placed in the frame from a library, is put in the frame on its own layer.
Think of layers as transparent sheets stacked on top of each other. As you create, or import a new
object into a frame, the object is stacked on the topmost layer.
NOTE: StoryBoard Quick Location Library images are the exception to the rule.
Location images are automatically placed on the back (background) layer.
To change or rearrange the object's stacking order, the following commands are available:
Bring to front
- Use Objects > Bring to Front (or the Bring to Front icon on the Main Toolbar) to move a
selected object in front of, or on top of, all the other objects. (Mac: Command-F; Win: Ctrl-F). If the
image is the background (a full frame image), it will cover all the other elements in the frame.
Move forward one layer
- Use Move Forward from the Object Menu to move the selected object forward one layer.
(Shortcut: Shift-click the Bring to Front icon on the Main Toolbar.)
Move back one layer
- Use Object > Move Backward to move a selected object back one layer. (Shortcut: Shift-click
on Send to Back icon.)
Send to back
- Use Object > Send to Back (or use Send to Back icon on Main Toolbar) to move a selected
object behind all the other objects in the frame (Mac: Command-B; Win: Ctrl-B).
When moving an object within the frame, the item remains on its current layer.
When grouping objects, the stacking order changes. The newly "grouped" object moves to the top.
Align Objects
Use the Object > Align commands to line up edges of selected objects. Select at least two objects to
align and make the choice of alignment. The bottommost object (of items selected) determines alignment position.
Fit to
Use these commands to resize images into the Aspect Ratio you have chosen for your project. Use the
Menu commands Fit to > Frame; Aspect Height; or Aspect Width to resize your image. These commands are useful for location (full frame) images.
Zoom Objects
Resize any image in the frame by using Zoom ["+" or "-"] Tools. Or use the Select Arrow (on Main
Toolbar) scale the image by clicking and dragging an image handle to make it larger or smaller.
Flip or Rotate Objects
Use the Menu item Flip > Horizontal; or Vertical to reflect an image. You can spin an object at an
angle other than horizontal or vertical by rotating the object first (use Object > Rotate to open dialog
box).
Quick Tip: Hold the shift key down while scrolling the wheel on your mouse to rotate (tilt) any
object clockwise/counter-clockwise.
Group
Objects can be grouped together and can then be repositioned as a single object. When objects are
grouped together, they are moved into the topmost layer.
Ungroup
This command separates images that have been previously grouped in StoryBoard Quick. When ungrouped, the previously-grouped images revert to their size at the time they were grouped.
Draw Toolbar
StoryBoard Quick 6's Draw Toolbar provides vector-based drawing tools for creating basic geometric
shapes and additional tools for drawing freeform shapes. The Draw Toolbar also provides tools to draw
Director's arrows (to indicate character or camera motion within the shot). The toolbar can be toggled
open or closed using Frame > Draw Tools. Freeform and geometric shapes can be drawn, then can be
colorized and outline size can be adjusted.
Director's Arrows
The first five tools on the Draw Toolbar are directional arrow tools indicating movement "into," "out of,"
"across," "zoom in" and "zoom out" of the frame. When one of these tools is selected, it draws in "wire frame" mode.
To use: Select one of the Arrow Tools. The cursor turns into
a plus (+). Place the cursor in the frame and while holding
down the mouse button, drag the cursor. The arrow draws, scales and rotates
as you drag it. After positioning the arrow, release the mouse. When the arrow
is drawn, use the Color Palette's Fill and Pen Tab choices to change color and outline attributes (color,
opacity, line thickness). The arrow can be resized using the "+" or "-" icons (Zoom Tools) on the Main
Toolbar or by using the Select Arrow to drag an image handle into the desired size. The arrow image
can also be rotated using the Object > Rotate... > Rotate dialog box. Shift Scroll Wheel rotates the
rendered arrow.
Arrow 1:
Arrow 2:
Arrow 3:
Arrow 4:
Arrow 5:
movement into frame; away from camera

movement out of frame; toward camera
movement across the camera plane (flat movement); Control+Arrow 3 = Turn arrow
zooming into selected section of the shot
pulling back from or zooming out of selected section of the shot
Quick Tip: Designate one color to indicate camera motion, and another color to indicate character
movement. Include the color code in the footnotes (footers) of the printed pages.
Speech Bubble Tool
Use this tool to draw a dialog bubble in frame. The tool operates the
same as the Director's Arrows. The fill, line and color opacity are controlled by the Color Palette. Use the Caption Bubble in conjunction with
the Text-In-Frame tool to show someone speaking a line of dialog.
Win: Ctrl-Speech Bubble draws a square dialog bubble.
Mac: Command-Speech Bubble draws a square dialog bubble.
Pen Scribble Tool
Use this tool to draw a shape as you would with a Sharpie (marking pen). Once completed, the line is a
succession of single points. The points can be deleted, added (one at a time) or moved. (Select object
and use Object > Edit Points command to see the points.)
Win: Ctrl-click on a point removes the point. Ctrl-click on the line adds a point.
Mac: Command-click on a point removes the point. Command-click on the line, adds a point.
Text-In-Frame Tool
Use the Text-In-Frame tool on the Draw Toolbar to type in the frame.
Select the Text Tool and click in the frame to position the text cursor. A temporary box appears
indicating the approximate position for your text. Begin typing or paste your text into the box. Use
commands on the Text Menu to change text size, color, font and style. Text color can also be changed
using the Color Palette. Text can also be zoomed larger using the Zoom Tools.
To resize the box (i.e. if the text wraps to multiple lines and you want it on one line), use the Text
Tool, click on a box handles and pull to stretch or contract.
Line Tool
Use the Line Tool to create individual straight lines. Shift-Line Tool constrains drawing the line to 45
increments. The thickness of the line is controlled by the Pen Size control in the Color Palette, under
the Pen Tab.
Square and Circle Tools
StoryBoard Quick provides a Square/Rectangle Tool and an Ellipse/Circle Tool

that allows you quickly create these common graphic objects.
Draw a geometric shape by selecting the tool and placing the cursor in the
frame. For example: click and drag from one edge of the circle to the opposite
edge. Use Shift + Tool to constrain drawing to draw a perfect square or circle.
Polygon Tool
Use the Polygon Tool to draw straight-edged objects. Double click to end the polygon draw process. To
add or delete Anchor Points: Select Edit Points Tool, then Command-click (Mac) or Ctrl-click (Win) on
the line (to add) or on the point (to delete).
Bezier Freeform Tool
Use the Bezier Tool to draw shapes in the frame. Images drawn with this tool contain Bezier anchors
and control points. Bezier shapes can be filled and outlined like circles and squares. Double click to
end (cease) the Bezier draw process. The lines of the shape initially appear straight. Use Object > Edit
Points to activate the Edit Mode to reshape a Bezier object. Using the control points radiating from
each anchor, shape your image.
To Add or Delete Anchor Points: Select Edit Points, then Command-click (Mac) or Ctrl-click (Win) to
add or delete anchor points. Use Preferences > Application > Frame Objects to adjust the size and/
or color of the anchor points/handles.
Edit Points
Use Object > Edit Points command to edit (i.e. add,

delete or reposition) anchor points made with Pen Tool,
Line Tool, Polygon Tool and Bezier Curve Tool.
A) Item selected

B) Item selected and use

Edit Points Command;
move point/s
To Edit Points: Select a vector drawn image and use the Object > Edit Points command. Anchor
points will appear on the image. Click on a point and drag to new position;
To Add or Delete Points:
Mac: Command-click on a line to add a point or Command-click on a point to delete the point.
Win: Ctrl-click on a line to add a point or Ctrl-click on a point to delete it.
Context Menu: Select a vector drawn image and right click to open Context Menu; select Edit Points.
Crop Object
Use the Crop Tool to hide an unwanted portion of an object. After clicking the Crop Tool, drag
a handle on the object's bounding box and move it toward the center of the object. To restore
a cropped object to its original size, use Object > Remove Crop.
Quick Tip: When using the Crop tool, double click on the cropped object to undo crop and
return the item to its original size.
Color Palette
The StoryBoard Quick Color Palette is based on the display color
choice in your system preferences (monitor display). This means
that StoryBoard Quick can display and choose millions of colors.
To view the color picker section, use the toggle triangle in the
lower left corner. Choose any of the four palettes by clicking on
the appropriate tab.
Select the Fill Tab (Paint Bucket icon) to access the Fill options.
Select the Pen Tab (Pen icon) to access the Pen options.
Select the Character Tab (Face icon) to access the Character
Color choices.
Select the Props Tab (Car icon) to access the Prop's color
choices.
Fill and Pen Tabs
When drawing an object, use the Color Palette to choose or

change the Fill or Pen color as well as choose the opacity of the
fill and/or pen and the thickness of the Pen line.
Use the "+" icon to access your

computer's System color palette.
Use Shift Key when clicking up/down on Opacity or Pen Size controls to adjust small increments (.01%).
Double click in the Opacity color sample swatch to toggle between 0% and 100% opacity.
Double click on Pen size sample swatch to reset Pen Size to 1.0 pixels.
To remove any line, cycle down to "0.0" pixel under Pen Size or to "0%" Opacity.
To achieve "No Fill" in an object, set the Opacity of Fill Color to 0%.
Note: Opacity refers to the amount of transparency a fill or pen color has. If an object's color opacity is
set to 100% that color will appear completely opaque. If an object's opacity is 1%, it will appear almost
transparent.
Matching Colors
When drawing in the frame, you may want to match a color of an element already placed in the frame.
To select and match a color in the frame:
Match Fill color: use the Pen Tool from the Draw Toolbar and Mac: Shift-Command-click; Win: ShiftCtrl-click on the desired color in frame; the Fill color takes on the selected color.
Match Pen color: Use the Pen Tool from the Draw Toolbar and Mac: Option-Shift-click; Win: Shift -click
on the desired color on an object in the frame to change the Pen color.
Character Tab
To change a character, use the Character Tab to access the various
items that can be changed (indicated by the Face icon).
StoryBoard Quick 6 characters have six categories that can be colorized to help you create different looks for the character:

Hair color
Skin color
Lip color
Shirt color
Pants color
Shoes color
Props Tab
To change the color of a selected prop, click the Props Tab (designated by the Car Icon) and then select
the desired color for the prop.
For more on Colorizing Characters and Props see previous section on Content Libraries (p.15).
Borders
Adding a border around your printed storyboard frames
can give your presentation a unique and stylish look
that will make them appear even more professional.
To select from a number of pre-formatted borders use
Frame > Borders... A dialog box opens for you to pick
and preview the right border for your project. Once
selected, the border will appear on all the frames in
your Print Preview Window and on your print out.
Quick Tip: Right click on the matte
surrounding the Print Preview Window to
quickly select a preview your frames with borders.
Image Imports
The previous chapter covered StoryBoard Quick's Library images. These type of images are easily placed into the frame because of their integration in the application. However, StoryBoard Quick
can also easily import graphics which can be layered into your storyboards frames and combined with
StoryBoard Quick graphics. This makes it possible to quickly substitute digital photos of your actual
locations after you've completed your location scouting.
Importable Formats
Images can be imported using the File > Import Image... command. Use Preferences > Application
and check Higher Resolution if you want your imported images to retain the image's original DPI. This
may effect the speed of moving objects within the frame.
The importable file formats are as follows:
Mac: .bmp, .gif, .jpeg, .png, .pict, .pdf, .tif, .psd (with layers)
Win: .bmp, vector file (.emf/.wmf), .gif, .jpeg, .pict, .png, .psd (with layers), .tif, .sgi, .tga, .qtif.
You can place a graphic into a frame from your desktop, or from any removable media, by using dragand-drop or copy-paste.
You can also use copy-and-paste from any browser (such as Internet Explorer, Safari or Firefox) or
graphic program (such as Adobe Photoshop) that supports the clipboard. Select an image, use Edit >
Copy in the application containing the image and return to StoryBoard Quick. Click in the Frame Window and use Edit > Paste.
Sizing Graphics
As an image is imported or pasted into the StoryBoard Quick Frame Window, it is placed on the
topmost layer. The image can be moved, rotated, flipped or sized (zoomed in or out) using the
commands on the Object Menu. Images can also be resized by using the Object > Fit to commands.
These commands are useful when importing backgrounds, digital location images or other panoramic
images.
You can also resize an image by using the Selection Arrow and click and drag on any of the
surrounding image handles.
Key Color
Key color is similar to creating an alpha channel. Alpha channels set the transparency levels. Some clip
art images have built in alpha channels to provide transparency for layering images.
Key color can be used on all imported bitmap images: .bmp .gif, .jpg, .png, .pict, .tif.
Key color, however, is not available on vector images.
For images with alpha channels, the alpha channel is read automatically when imported into
StoryBoard Quick. Since every application handles alpha channels in their own proprietary manner,
StoryBoard Quick provides a choice. Choose to invert the alpha channel using Object > Alpha
Channel > Invert Alpha. Or choose to ignore the alpha channel (removing its transparency) by
selecting the image and using Object > Alpha Channel > Ignore Alpha. StoryBoard Quick handles up
to 256 levels of transparency ranging from completely transparent, to semi transparent, to opaque.
Using Key Color Feature:

Select an imported image after it is in the frame;
Use Object > Key Color to open the Key Color dialog box;
Check the Use Key Color box if not already selected;
Next, click the Eyedropper button which changes the
cursor to an eyedropper;
Move the eyedropper cursor into the Preview Frame (within the Key Color dialog box) and
choose the color you want to make transparent by clicking on the image;
Next, use the Tolerance slider to adjust the range of color to be "keyed" out. Selecting a color
chooses one color only. Most bitmap images are composed of graduated/gradient color, so
using the slider broadens the range of color being keyed. If you are not satisfied with the result,
re-select the color in a different area of the picture. The results may vary with the choice.
Quick Tip: Select a bitmap image in the frame, and right click (Mac: Control-click) on a color.
The Context Menu opens from which you can select Key This Color. This command, however, does not offer the Tolerance slider. To access the Tolerance slider, open the Key Color
dialog box.
Key Color is great for removing a background color surrounding individual elements,and is also helpful for making location shots more versatile. See the tutorial video on PowerProduction's website for
actual examples of combining backgrounds: www.powerproduction.com.
Keying out a sky makes combining locations easy. You can also use the crop tool to let you combine,
but keying gives you the ability to keep an irregular edge when compositing two images.
Use Key Color and Color Palette Fills and Opacity to adjust background image.
Sky was keyed out and rainbow background added.
Sky was keyed out and big city was added.
Sky was keyed out, then:

Dark blue rectangle drawn and placed into background to
look like night sky.
Full moon (white circle) placed in dark sky
White triangle drawn (no line) and opacity set @ 37% to
indicate the "moonlight".
Rectangle drawn over the location image, filled with dark
blue and opacity set to 49% to darken bottom half of image.
Using the key color and Color Palette to change weather elements of a shot:
The location is perfect but it was a bright sunny day and the shot calls for bad weather.
Use Key Color to take out sky
1. Location Background as shot.
2. Sky keyed out and Tornado image dropped in (send
to back):
a. Use Object > Key Color;
b. Click on Eyedropper button;
c. Select the sky color in Key Color dialog box
frame;
d. Adjust the tolerance level.
e. Select the Tornado background from the Ext.
Nature Library.
Add Tornado Background
3. Sunshine highlights toned down giving overcast look:

a. Use polygon tool to outline area/s;
b. Fill polygon/s with grey;
c. Set opacity of fill color to 30% or 40% making it
partially transparent. Set pen width to 0 or pen opacity to 0%.
The same set of tools can assist you in colorizing a set or shot when needed (i.e. similar to
day-to-night; shooting a shot during day with
filters to make it appear to be a night scene).
Outline areas to dull
Import Image Folder

This command allows you to choose a file folder full of importable images (also available
by drag-and-drop into Frame Window).
Go to File > Import and select Image Folder from the submenu.
A dialog box will ask you navigate and select the folder of images you would like to import.
Any formats not compatible with StoryBoard Quick will be skipped. Each image file will import as a new
frame into the current project by default.
To change the default: Go to File > Preferences...
>Application: Folder Import section which will also
give default choices of how the imported graphics are
sized (Leave Original Size, Fit to Aspect Width, Fit to
Aspect Height & Fit to Frame).
Overview Window
The Overview Window enables you
to see your StoryBoard Quick project
in a thumbnail environment; jump to
specific frames for editing, rearrange
the order of frames and view the overall
flow of your project.
Overview Window
To open the Overview Window, click

on the Overview icon on the Main
Toolbar or go to Window > Overview
Thumbnails (Win: Ctrl-E; Mac:
Command-E)
You can control the size of the
Overview Window by clicking and
dragging the lower righthand corner
of the dialog box. You can control the size of the frame thumbnails by using the zoom controls in the
Windows Menu. To return to the default thumbnail size, select Zoom 100%.
Quick Tip: Hold the Command Key (Mac), Control Key (Win) down and use your mouse's
Scroll Wheel to zoom in and out in the Overview Window.
Overview Preferences
The Overview Preference tab found in File >
Preferences... allows you to set up how you would
like the Overview Window to display the thumbnails
of your frames.
First you can select whether you would like to view
caption text along with each frame by checking or
unchecking the Show Caption option in the Caption
Text option in the Preferences.
Next, you can set up how your thumbnails will
be displayed in the window. Set the distance in
between each thumbnail by entering in the number
of pixels in the Column Gap option in the Overview Grid Spacing.
The default spacing is 11 pixels. The Frame Wrap option will automatically align your thumbnails based
on the width of the window. If you would prefer to have a set number of frames per row on the screen,
uncheck the Frame Wrap option and designate the number of frames per row in the corresponding
option box.
Quick Tip: You can access the Overview Preference by right clicking anywhere in the
Overview Window. The Context Menu will open.
Reordering Frames
In the Overview Window, you can rearrange the order of your
project's frames. To move a frame from one position in your
project to another, click the frame so it becomes highlighted.
You will know that a frame is selected when a yellow light is
illuminated next to the name of the frame. Once selected, click,
hold and drag to the new desired position. As you drag a yellow
placement bar will indicate where the frame will be placed
upon release of the mouse. When you place the frame in the
new position, all frames will shift to accommodate the new
placement.
Quick Tip: To move groups of frames, use Shift-Click to select multiple frames and then drag
them to the new desired position.
Navigating With Overview

The Overview Window also allows for easy navigation of your
project. From the Overview Window you can jump to the Frame
Window of any frame by double clicking on the thumbnail. The
Overview Window updates all thumbnails in real time as you edit any
given frame.
You can also navigate the main Frame Window from the Overview
Window by using the commands in the right click (Mac: control-click)
menu. The same navigation commands that are available in the
Frame Menu are available from the context menu in the Overview
Window.
Adding/Removing Frames in Overview

To add a new blank frame at the end of your existing project from the Overview Window, right-click
anywhere in Overview Mode and select the topmost selection New Frame. If you would like to delete
a previously-existing frame, first select the frame by clicking on it. Once highlighted, using the context
menu, select Delete Selected Frames. You can delete multiple frames at once by using Shift-Click to
select the frames you would like to delete and using the context menu.
Quick Tip: When deleting frames, a dialog box will ask you if you are sure you would like to
perform this action as this cannot be undone. If you may want to use the frame, or elements
of the frame at a later time in the project, move it to the end of your project instead.
Using Overview along with Frame Window

When working on a sequence you may
want to work on a shot in the Frame
Window while viewing what the shot will
look like in the greater scheme of your
project. The Overview Window updates all
thumbnails in real time so you are able to
get an up-to-the-moment preview of how
your project looks. The Overview Window
can be kept open while you working
in the Frame Window and positioned
independently. Depending on the size of
your monitor, scale the Overview Window
to fit on one side of your screen or beneath
the Frame Window. Then you can use
the Overview Window to quickly navigate
through the project by double clicking to go
directly to shots you want to edit next.
Text & Script

Handling
Text Types
The different types of text in StoryBoard Quick are as follows:
Text typed into Caption Window;
Script text imported from screenwriting applications or word-processing software into Caption
Windows;
Text used as a design element in the Frame Window.
Caption Window
StoryBoard Quick 6's Caption Window is connected to the individual frame and can handle various
types of information besides dialog (e.g. script breakdown information).
Typing in Caption Window

Open the Caption Window by using the Text icon command located on the Main Toolbar (or Text >
Show Caption; Win: Ctrl-T, Mac: Command-T). Place the cursor in the window and begin typing. The
window can be enlarged using the resize box in the lower righthand corner. When text exceeds the size
of the window, a scroll bar becomes active.
Formatting Text
Text typed in Caption Window can be edited, deleted and formatted. Highlight the text to be formatted
and use the Text Menu. Choose Size, Style, Font from choices available in the submenu.
Each Caption Window can be formatted individually using the Text Menu options when working in
the Caption Window. Use menu Text > Change All Caption Font to change text format of all current
and future captions. Setting the default text style for future projects is done in the Preferences >
Application dialog box.
Import Script Text

Integrating your formatted script text into your storyboard application will take you to the next level of
digital production workflow integration. Importing text using the Import Script command will instruct
StoryBoard Quick to make frames and place the chosen script elements into Caption Window below
the blank frame. New frames (ready for you to compose your shots) are created based on the options
you choose from the import Dialog Box (pictured next page). Or you can copy and paste text (from
other applications) into a single caption window.
Quick Tip: Importing an entire feature-length script could create hundreds of boards.
Depending on the speed of your computer and how detailed you choose to parse your script,
when importing formatted script text, you might want to import ranges of scenes rather than
the entire script. See the Import Script Tutorial Video on PowerProduction website!
Using the import commands you can import part, or all, of your formatted script text into StoryBoard
Quick. The Import Script commands are accessed through the File > Import Script menu.
StoryBoard Quick allows for the import of a number of different file types that covers everything from
basic Text Files to some of the more popular screenwriting programs currently available.
The text file being imported must already be in the chosen format. To do so, first save or export the
text from the scriptwriting program or word processing application in the appropriate format.
Scripts, Screenplays, Simple/Rich Text files
Use File > Import Script... to import .txt, .fcf, .tag, .story or .rtf formatted files into the Caption Window.
Text Format
File > Import Script > Text (.txt)... opens a dialog box:
1. Select a .txt file (i.e. a script that has been saved in .txt
format) and click Choose.
2. The Import Text dialog box opens and offers choices:
Into Caption: This instructs StoryBoard Quick to place the
text information into the Caption Window.
New Frame Every: Check the box in front of the
appropriate items. The choices made in this area will
instruct StoryBoard Quick where to break the imported text
and when to create a new frame.
Start Frame #: instructs StoryBoard Quick to begin
importing the text at the frame number you select. Type
your choice in the box next to Start Frame #.
FCF, TAG & RTF format
File > Import > Script FCF... (File Converter Format)

Many popular screenwriting and scripting programs offer the option of saving a file to FCF or TAG
formats. These special Save As features preserves the categorization of the script elements in more
detail than the TXT format.
Check Script
Formatting option
when you want
imported text to be
kept in script format.
To adjust formatting
use Preferences... >
Import Script.
1. Save script to FCF format when working in the applicable writing application.
2. From within StoryBoard Quick, use File > Import Script... (choose format) to open a dialog box
and select your formatted script file; click the Choose button.
3. The Import FCF, TAG, RTF or Story File... dialog box opens (FCF: top picture).
The dialog box offers choices of "what" to import:
What elements to import or not import (standard script elements defined by the FCF format):
General Text, Action, Parenthetical, Transition, Act Scene Break, Sluglines, Character Name, Dialogue
Lines and Scene Character Elements. (Don't Import option keeps element from being placed into the
Caption window).
Checking New Frame option, next to a particular element, will create a blank frame or go to the next
existing frame each time the Import Script function detects the checked element.
Start @ Frame#: Type in a number to indicate the beginning caption; the text will be broken up
according to your choices. (i.e. if you've created 10 frames as an opening title sequence and you need
the script text to be imported into the next frame, type 11 in the text box next to Start @ Frame#. The
chosen text will be imported and blank frames will be made starting with frame# 11).
When you have made all your selections, click the OK button to import.
Quick Tip: Select the Script Formatting option before importing when you want your final
printed storyboards to be in a script-dominant format. Select Delete Before Import if you
want your current captions to be overwritten by the imported script.
Adjusting Script Format
After importing your script formatted text, StoryBoard Quick 6 offers

a Script-Dominant printing which can be viewed in the Print Preview
Window.
This format aligns your boards to the left margin and places the script
elements (formatted text) on the right side of page. Your script format
is preserved, however you can make adjustments if needed by using
File > Preferences...Import Script. (The numbers to adjust refer to
character spaces.) The script should then be re-imported to reflect
changes. The default text is Courier New 10 which is recommended
for optimal Script-Dominant printing and viewing.
Import Scheduling Data
File > Import Scheduling allows you to bring in additional text information from a variety of scheduling
applications. StoryBoard Quick imports the .sex file type into the Caption Window and creates new
blank frames according to your selections in the Import Dialog Box.
Placing Text in the Frame

Text can be typed directly into the Frame Window and used
as a design element, as dialog or as sound effects emphasis.
1. Choose the Text Tool from the Draw Toolbar. Position the cursor into the Frame Window, click and
begin typing. Text wraps to the next line automatically. Delete, Return, Tab and Backspace are also
available in the text box.
2. When done typing, click outside the text box. The text then becomes an object.
3. To change the font, font size, style, or color, use Text Menu commands. Select the text, then use the
Text Menu commands. The background color of a text box can be modified using the Fill Color Palette.
Quick Tip: Double click in the Fill Opacity preview box to remove all background color.
To edit typed text in a frame:
Use the Text Tool and click on the text box. The text edit box will appear over the text element.
Highlight the text to delete or type new text; or use the Text Menu options to change attributes. Only
one style, at a time, can be active in a Frame Window text box.
To resize the text box:
Use the Text Tool to click and drag on the text box's handles to resize the text box (without resizing the
text elements).
Use the Select Arrow to reposition, stretch or expand the text box as a whole element. Text boxes can
be grouped with other elements or other text. The text box can also be zoomed, flipped or rotated.
Set Default Caption Font Preference

Setting the default font and text style for future projects is done in the Preferences... > Application
dialog box. Text appearing in Captions which have already have been created can be changed using
the Text Menu commands.
To set the Default font for all new Captions, use Preferences > Application > Default Font button.
Click the Default Font button to open the Choose Font dialog box. Make your choice of Font Name,
Font Size and Font Style and click OK. Then click OK in the Preferences Dialog Box. Subsequent
captions will use the new default font.
Macintosh Interface
Windows interface
Printing
Printing Your StoryBoards

StoryBoard Quick 6 supports printing to both PostScript and non-PostScript language printers, using
most modern or current printer drivers. You can also use other supported drivers but if you encounter
problems with an older driver, upgrade to the current printer driver for your computer.
After creating a storyboard project, you can print your boards quickly in a variety of preset layouts.
Storyboards, when presented in print, are traditionally setup in a pattern of sequential images
accompanied by other pertinent data relative to the frame image.
StoryBoard Quick's Print and Page commands are located on the File Menu.
File Menu's Print commands:

Page Setup...
Print Options...
Print Preview
Print...
Page Setup... Allows you to choose the orientation (Portrait or Landscape) of the printed pages, to
change paper size and to scale the content of the pages. Page Setup is also available
from the Print Toolbar in the Print Preview Window. The Page Setup choices are a
function of your system's printer driver for your chosen printer.
Page Options...Opens a dialog box from which you can choose layouts and select which elements
(e.g. frame image, caption, frame numbers) to include on the page printout.
Storyboards can be printed in the customary Grid format (i.e. frames with boards
beneath), in the Vertical format (boards on left; captions on right) or in the ScriptDominant Format (caption text leads the layout).
Print Preview Opens the Print Preview Window. The Print Preview icon on the Main Toolbar, as
well as Window > Print Preview, will also opens the Print Preview Window. Use the
Print Preview Window to inspect the look of your boards after you have chosen the
elements.
Print...
Sends document to your chosen printer in the chosen layout. Available on File Menu
and on the Print Toolbar in Print Preview Window. This is also where you can chose
to Print to PDF (see page 40 & 41).
Page Setup...
Use the Page Setup command from the File menu (or from the Print Toolbar in the Print Preview
Window) to open your printer driver's Page Setup dialog box. Page Setup choices include selecting
page orientation (portrait or landscape) and page size (letter or legal).
Note: A printer driver is required to properly display the print preview. Refer to your operating system's
manual for details on adding a printer.
Print Options...
Use File > Print Options... to open the Print Options dialog box (or when in Print Preview
Window use the Print Option tool on the Print Toolbar). When you have several frames
created for your project, the Print Preview Window will show you what your layout will look like
when printing using the options you've chosen.
There are three tabs across the top
of the dialog box.
Elements Tab
This tab offers various choices for

your print layout.
Frames per Page
Choose the number of frames you
want to print on each page. The
Frames per Page choice can also
be made using the Layout Toolbar
at the bottom of the Print Preview
Window.
The more frames per page, the
smaller the frame and caption area.
The maximum text/caption space is available when using the Script-Dominant Format.
Print Elements include Frame Image, Captions and Frame Numbers. They are all selected by default.
Uncheck a box to turn off an element.
Frame Number font styles can be chosen by using the Font button next to Frame Numbers.
Format Style option area gives you the choice of printing in Grid Format, Vertical Format or ScriptDominant Format. The default selection is Grid. This choice can also be made using icons on the
Layout Toolbar.
Header/Footer Tab
In this section you can check boxes to activate a Header, Footer or both. Headers and Footers can be
multi-line with styled text and can be left, right or center justified. Type the information into the edit box
to the right of Header and/or Footer label.
Fonts can be chosen for Headers or Footers independently. Clicking on the Font button opens your
system's Font dialog box.
To place page numbers, time of day and current date into the Headers and/or Footers, use the Special
Text Commands. The information can be inserted anywhere in the Header/Footer text. The Special Text
Commands will be replaced by the current information at time of printing. The commands are case
sensitive (i.e. &t is an ampersand and a lower case "t").
Special Text Commands (&)

&#
&t
&d
Page Number
Time Printed
Date Printed
&f
File Name
&l
&c
&r
Left Align
Center Align
Right Align
&&
&n
Ampersand Character
New Line (acts as a carriage return)
Example of Header:
Page: &#
Date: &d
Time: &t
Page Numbering
Starting Page #: Enter a number for the first page. Each sequential page will be numbered accordingly
from the previous number.
Click Apply to implement your choices and continue to make changes as well as see your choices in
Print Preview, or click OK to implement changes and close the dialog box.
Margins Tab
Page Boundaries:
Enter your margin size choice in the appropriate margin boxes
by typing a number into the edit field. The default setting is
"inches"; however, this can be changed to centimeters in the
Preferences... > Measurements section. Changing the Page
Boundaries will effect the size of the frames and caption area on
the pages. After setting the margins, check your layout. When
using the Script-Dominant Format the imported text embeds
margin information. To change the default margins for your next
script import use Preferences...Import Script tab to add or
subtract spaces.
Print Resolution
StoryBoard Quick does not alter the resolution of imported images when you have the Higher
Resolution checked in Preferences. This allows for maximum resolution when zooming (bitmap
images) and positioning objects in the Frame.
Frames are also stored according to the chosen Aspect Ratio and Frame Memory size (Frame >
Aspect Ratio... dialog box). The default High Definition setting is 768 pixels wide at the Large Frame
Size (Memory). The same High Definition Aspect at the Standard setting will be 640 pixels wide.
The difference between the view size (zoom window) and changing the actual frame size will effect
the file size of your project. Enlarging the frame size increases the frame's storage size on disk. But a
larger frame size also gives you more resolution when printing and a bigger view of the frame on your
monitor. Once you make a choice of the Frame Size, the approximate storage size of each frame will
be indicated at the bottom of the dialog box.
Print Layouts
In addition to Grid (frames with captions below) and Vertical (frame on left and caption on right)
Layouts, you can also select to print in a Script-Dominant format. In the Script-Dominant format, your
previously-imported script maintains its layout while the corresponding storyboards are placed on the
left in thumbnail size. For more on importing your script, please see Text & Script Handling Chapter
in this User's Guide.
4 Frames per Page - Grid Page Setup: Landscape
4 Frames per Page -Vertical Page Setup: Portrait

Script-Dominant Format
Page Setup: Portrait
Print Toolbar
Print Icon

Page Setup Icon

Print Options Icon
Go Next Page Icon
Go Previous Page Icon
Zoom Page Smaller Icon
Zoom Page Larger Icon
Header
Pictured: Grid Layout
6 Frame per Page
Frame Number
Layout Toolbar

Frames per page

12 Frames per Page - Grid Page Setup: Portrait
Grid Layout
Vertical Layout
Script Dominant Layout
12 Frames per Page -Vertical Page Setup: Portrait
Script-Dominant Print Format

This format places the boards on the left margin and the formatted script flows down the right side of
the page. The layout is therefore dependant upon how much text is associated with each frame.
Integrating your script and storyboards into your workflow:

File > Import Script
Choose which Script Elements to Import
Choose which Script Elements will make a new frame
Check the Script Formatting option
View the blank boards in the Print Preview Window
Compose your Shots
View finished boards in Print Preview
Use Preference > Script Format to make any adjustments in tab alignment and reimport script.
Use Print Options in Print Preview to adjust page margins.
Print to PDF
Printing to PDF lets your viewer see your document by using
free Adobe Reader software. Macintosh users have PDF
writers within the operating system. Windows users may have
to install a PDF writer before being able to export to PDF.
Exporting
Export Boards
StoryBoard Quick can export frames, frames series or export the entire project for Web Page viewing
or website, as well as a Flash Movie.
File > Export to Flash Movie... opens a dialog box which you can choose the size and frame duration
of the Flash Movie.
File > Export Boards also opens a submenu from which you can choose what you want to export and
the format in which you want it exported.
Export to Flash Movie

Publishing your boards to a Flash Movie is easy in StoryBoard Quick 6. Once you have completed
your project go to the File Menu and select File > Export to Flash Movie.
A dialog box will ask you to choose the duration of the
frames for the project (the chosen rate is applied to all the
frames) and the option to have the program generate the
HTML code necessary for posting your video on a web page.
After the choices have been made, you can save your movie
to a directory on your computer. Select the desired directory,
name your movie, choose a format and click Save.
The export will create a folder with
the flash movie and other files
necessary to play it in your Internet browser.
To email your project, attach the folder, with all its contents, to the email (you may want to compress
the file for easier emailing). When posting the movie on a web page, upload entire folder. Make sure to
check with the site for specific instructions for uploading your project to that site.
Preview Flash Movie

To preview your Flash movie, double click on the HTML
file inside the exported folder.
The folder will be given the name you chose for your
movie with "- Flash" added.
After the file opens in a browser, click on the "Play"
button on the lower left hand corner control bar. If you
export the movie without the play bar, you can use the
browser's refresh button to replay.
Quick Tip: Email your Flash movie by compressing the entire Flash folder that contains the index
page and the images and sending it as an attachment (i.e. using Zipit or Stuffit). The recipient
simply needs to decompress/expand the folder and double click on the html file inside the folder.
That will launch their browser and they will be able to view the movie.
Export Frame to Files

Choose to export one, some or all of your boards to
image files. Select the button in front of your choice in the
Export Frame File Series dialog box. When choosing
to export a Frame Series, type in the frame start and end
numbers.
Name: Name the frame or series by typing in the edit box.
The frame number will be added to the name.
File Format: Choose the file format from the options
listed in the drop down list. Choices include: BMP, JPEG,
TIFF, PSD & PNG.
Click OK when finished or click Cancel.
Another dialog box will open and prompt you to choose
a location (Browse For Folder: Select a folder to save exported pictures) for the export. Select the
destination or make a new folder and name it using the text field, and click OK. One last dialog box
will ask you to choose other options for the chosen file format, then click OK. (You can use the default
choices unless you have special size or other requirements for your images.)
Export Boards for Web Browser Viewing

Present and/or distribute your boards to associates near and far via the Internet or Intranet. StoryBoard
Quick 6 exports frames and captions to web-ready formats (HTML text and JPEGs). Upload all the files
to your website for viewing.
The frame image export size is half of the
Frame Size chosen under Frame > Aspect
Ratio... > Frame Size (Memory).
Both exports for web viewing commands
supersede any chosen print format.
Choose Export Boards > Website...
When choosing to Export Boards for Website,
StoryBoard Quick creates one web page and
adds navigational links (First/Previous/Next/Last)
to enable viewer to click through your project.
All the frames and text are converted into webready formats.
You will be prompted to choose (or create) a file folder for StoryBoard Quick to place the images and
web page text.
After the export is complete, your project can be viewed using a web browser (Safari, Firefox, IE, etc.)
by opening the index.html file from within the folder.
To distribute your web-ready project via email, compress the files together into one file using an
archiving application that creates files such as .zip or .rar.
Export Boards > Web Page
Choosing to export your boards to a web page instructs
StoryBoard Quick to create files that will result in a single
scrolling web (HTML) page.
When viewing in a browser, this export layout will show
all the frames on the left and captions on the right and the
project can be viewed by scrolling down the page.
The frame image export size is half of the frame size
chosen under Frame > Aspect Ratio > Frame Size
(Memory).
When choosing to Export Boards for Web Page,
StoryBoard Quick prompts you to choose a file folder to contain the exported files. You can also choose
to create a new folder for the export as well. After the export is completed, your project can be viewed
using a web browser by opening the index.html file from within the folder
Quick Tip: Email your storyboards by compressing the folder containing the index page and
the images and send it as an attachment (i.e. using WinZip, ZipIt or Stuffit). The recipient can
decompress/expand the file and drag the index.html page to their local browser to view the
storyboards offline (or you can print to PDF and attach to email, see the Printing Chapter for more).
Menu Reference Guide

File Menu
New Project creates a new blank project file. New
projects are left Untitled until they are saved.
Open Project... opens a previously created and saved
StoryBoard Quick project file. When selected, a dialog
box will prompt you to locate your SBQ File.
Open Recent displays a list of recently opened
StoryBoard Quick project files. To clear this list, select
Clear Recent Project at the bottom of the submenu.
Close shuts down the current project file. You will be
asked if you would like to save the project file before it
closes.
Revert to Saved... changes the project file back to the
point where it was last saved and erases all current
changes made to your storyboards.
Save command saves all changes made to the project
file. It is recommended to save frequently in case of
computer or power failure.
Save As... allows you to name or rename your file
while saving your boards. A dialog box will appear
allowing you to select the location in which you would
like to save your project file. Use when initially naming
your project or making a duplicate copy of a project
file.
Save Character... allows you to save and name
characters of which you have altered the color
information. Saved Characters will appear for future
use in the My Characters content palette.
Import Image lets you select and import a variety of
images and file types. The submenu is for choosing
single images, layered Photoshop images or entire folders full of supported image file types. Additional
settings for importing images folders can be found in the Preferences.
Import Script offers the ability to import text from a variety of screenwriting and text applications.
Imported script elements will be placed in the frame's caption box according to choices made when
using this command. See Text Handling Chapter for more information on Importing Scripts.
Import Scheduling brings up a submenu to allow information to be imported from several scheduling
applications. Choose the application you saved your exported information from the list of file types
offered. You will see a File Open dialog
box allowing you to choose your file.
Choose the appropriate ".sex" file.
A dialog box will appear allowing for
specific choices for importing your
scheduling information into the caption
windows.
Export to Flash Movie allows you to create a Flash Movie of your projects. A dialog box allows you to
set the time duration of the frames and relative frame size.
Export Frames gives you a number of choices on how to present your project as well as take finished
frames out of StoryBoard Quick. You can export your frames as a variety of file types to print or to
publish on the internet.
Page Setup pulls up your Print Preview Window along with your system's print options dialog box. You
can choose paper orientation (Portrait or Landscape) from this dialog box.
Print Options pulls up the Print Options dialog box which allows you to select a variety of page layout
options including Frames per Page, Header & Footers and Margins. Here you can also select Vertical
or Grid format style layout.
Print Preview allows you to see a preview of the document and its current print options.
Print... prints the current StoryBoard Quick project with its current print options.
Preferences... opens the Preferences dialog box and allows you to set default options on a variety of
StoryBoard Quick features for new projects. [Application preferences, Overview (show/hide caption)
preferences, Import Script Margin preferences.]
Exit/Quit closes the program. You will be asked if you would like to save the current project.
Edit Menu
Undo reverses the last edit action. You can undo most recent
actions (the exact number may be limited by the amount of
RAM available and the kinds of actions you have performed).
The series of actions is discarded when you choose to creat a
new frame, close a project, or when you exit the program.
Redo reverses the previously undone action.
Cut cuts the selected object while placing it on your clipboard.
Copy duplicates the selected object and places it on your
clipboard.
Paste inserts the contents of the clipboard.
Clear deletes the current selected object.
Select All selects all current objects in the frame window.
Select None deselects any currently selected objects.
Frame Menu
New Frame creates a new blank frame and places it as the
last frame of the current project.
Insert places an empty new frame immediately in front of the
current frame in the Frame Window.
Insert Duplicate places a duplicate of the current frame
immediately in front of the current frame.
Duplicate places a duplicate of the current frame as the last
frame of the current project.
Delete clears the current frame and all of its contents. This
action will prompt a warning dialog box and cannot be undone.
Go First moves you to the first frame of the open project.
Go Previous moves you back one frame in the current
sequence of frames.
Go To... allows you to jump directly to any frame in the project.
A dialog box allows you to see a preview of the frame to which
you wish to move.
Go Next takes you forward one frame in the current sequence
of frames.
Go Last takes you to the last frame of the open project.

Draw Tools hides/shows the Draw Toolbar at the bottom of the Frame Window.
TV Safe Overlay places/removes the TV Safe overlay on the Frame Window.
Border Overlays shows a dialog box and allows you to select a number of graphic border styles to add
to the printout of your boards. The overlay is shown both on the Frame Window as well as the Print
Preview.
Aspect Ratio... allows you to change the Aspect Ratio of the Frame Window as well as the size of the
frame in which you wish to work.
Object Menu
Key Color... opens a dialog box which allows you
to remove a particular color from a bitmap image.
Use the eyedropper to select the color you wish
removed and the tolerance slider to increase/
decrease the key color.
Align offers submenu that lets you align two
objects in relation to one another when both are
selected. The objects are aligned to each other
with the object in the backmost layer being the
primary object.
Fit to offers a submenu that lets you size a
selected object in relation to the size of the frame.
Flip offers a submenu lets you flip a selected
object either Horizontally or Vertically.
Zoom offers a submenu that allows you to select
from multiple zoom options as well as size multiple
selected graphics in relation to one another.
Bring to Front brings a selected object to the
frontmost layer in the frame window.
Move Forward brings a selected object forward
one layer in the frame window.
Move Backward sends a selected object back
one layer in the frame window.
Send to Back places a selected object in the
backmost layer of the frame window.
Group allows for two selected objects to merge into one object.
Ungroup removes the grouping of an object previously grouped in StoryBoard Quick and allows them
to be edited independently once again.
Turn Left rotates applicable characters and rotatable props to the left.
Turn Right rotates applicable characters and rotatable props to the right.
Higher Angle rotates applicable characters to the next available high angle view.
Lower Angle rotates applicable characters to the next available low angle view.
Previous Character Pose cycles through the character poses from bottom to top according to the
character pose grid.
Next Character Pose cycles through the character poses from top to bottom according to the character
pose grid.
Alpha Channel opens a submenu that enables you to either invert or ignore the Alpha Channel on an
imported graphic containing an Alpha Channel.
Remove Crop restores an object cropped in StoryBoard Quick to its previously-uncropped view.
Edit Points allows you to edit the points on shapes created with the Polygon or Bezier Draw Tool.
Text Menu
Show Caption opens the Caption Window in the workspace.
Size allows you to change the size of selected text in the
Caption Window and In-Frame Text.
Style allows you to select the font style (Regular, Bold,
Underline or Italic) you want to use for the Caption Window as well as In-Frame Text.
Font opens the Font Selection dialog box allowing you to
choose the font / font size / font style and color for use in
the Caption Window and In-Frame Text.
Recent Fonts displays a list of the most recent fonts you have selected. Clear this list by selecting
Clear Recent Fonts at the bottom of the submenu.
Change All Caption Font... command will open the Font Selection dialog box allowing you to change
the font of all the captions at one time.
Window Menu
Tile aligns all open workspace windows side
by side.
Cascade overlaps all open workspaces.
Zoom In makes the current selected
workspace larger.
Zoom 100% resets the current selected workspace back to its normal size.
Zoom Out makes the current selected
workspace smaller.
Zoom View... allows you to select a specific
percentage that you wish to zoom the current
workspace.
Reset Matte Size brings the matte surrounding
the Frame Window back to its default sizing.
Palettes offers a submenu to allow access to
content palettes as well as to the color palette.
Palettes can be toggled on and off from this
menu.
Show All Palettes toggles opens all availalbe palettes and marks the toggle with a checkmark. To
close all palettes, click the menu item again which will remove the checkmark and close all palettes.
Frame brings the Frame Window to the foreground in the workspace.
Caption brings the Caption Window to the foreground in the workspace. It will also open the Caption
Window if it is not already open.
Overview Thumbnails brings the Overview Window to the foreground in the workspace. It will also
open the Overview Window if it is not already open.
Print Preview brings the Print Preview to the foreground in the workspace. It will also open the Print
Preview if it is not already open.
Help Menu
StoryBoard Quick Help... opens the StoryBoard Quick
documentation.
Welcome Screen brings up the initial welcome screen.
The option to have this open upon launch of StoryBoard
Quick can be controlled in the Preferences.
Get More Libraries Now! takes you directly to the
PowerProduction Software Website where more libraries
are available for purchase.
More Artwork Online connects you to PowerProduction
Software's Website Database "more artwork" ....if your
computer has internet access.
Internet Support Form allows you to connect with
PowerProduction Software Technical Support if your
computer has internet access.
Quick Movie Demo launches the StoryBoard Quick
Demo movie.
StoryBoard Quick Video Tutorials will connect you to
the Video Tutorial area
License Manager... opens the registration screen.
Check for Updates connects to PowerProduction
website. After you log in your copy of StoryBoard Quick
will be checked to insure you are using the most current
version of the program. Before updating, please save
your work. We recommend that you keep your email
address current so we can contact you with update,
upgrade and new art information.
StoryBoard Quick Website links to PowerProduction
website.
About StoryBoard Quick displays the splash screen.

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PowerProduction Software

StoryBoard Quick 6 User's Guide 

Installing StoryBoard Quick 6

System Requirements for StoryBoard Quick 6

Launching StoryBoard Quick

Project Format before you start.

Authorization and Registration

Whats new in StoryBoard Quick 6

StoryBoard Quick 6 User's Guide 

Aspect Ratio Dialog Box

To change the Aspect Ratio (width to height) for the current

StoryBoard Quick 6 User's Guide 

Script Import Dialog Box

StoryBoard Quick 6 User's Guide 

Print Preview Window

Print & Layout Toolbars

The Print Toolbar contains commands to: Print; open Page

StoryBoard Quick 6 User's Guide 

Other Interface Conventions

StoryBoard Quick 6 User's Guide 10

Preferences and Defaults

StoryBoard Quick 6 User's Guide 11

Frames & Objects

The Frame Window

Frame Aspect Ratio

StoryBoard Quick 6 User's Guide 12

Enlarging Frame Size

Frames can be made larger by two ways:

Surrounding Matte Area

Creating New Frames

StoryBoard Quick 6 User's Guide 13

Navigating Between Frames

Go First (to head end of project);

Elements in the Frame

StoryBoard Quick 6 User's Guide 14

StoryBoard Quick comes equipped with six

The Props Palette contains a variety of

Characters can be color-customized and then saved for

Saving a Colorized Character:

If you have a colorized character that you would like

StoryBoard Quick 6 User's Guide 16

Working With Content

Flip or Rotate Objects

movement into frame; away from camera

Speech Bubble Tool

Pen Scribble Tool

Square and Circle Tools

StoryBoard Quick provides a Square/Rectangle Tool and an Ellipse/Circle Tool

Bezier Freeform Tool

Use Object > Edit Points command to edit (i.e. add,

B) Item selected and use

StoryBoard Quick 6 User's Guide 19

To Add or Delete Points:

Fill and Pen Tabs

When drawing an object, use the Color Palette to choose or

Use the "+" icon to access your

StoryBoard Quick 6 User's Guide 20

StoryBoard Quick 6 User's Guide 21

Using Key Color Feature:

StoryBoard Quick 6 User's Guide 23

StoryBoard Quick 6 User's Guide

StoryBoard Quick 6 User's Guide

StoryBoard Quick 6 User's Guide

StoryBoard Quick 6 User's Guide

StoryBoard Quick 6 User's Guide