From thumbnail to storyboard: what I learned after 10 years in animation
After 10 years working in animation—from TV shows at L’Atelier Animation to feature films like Nimona at DNEG—I’ve learned that strong storytelling is everything. Whether you’re working on a fast-paced TV episode or a complex feature film scene, the way you visualize a moment before it’s animated can define the whole sequence.
And the two tools that help me bring any idea to life? Thumbnails and storyboards.
A lot of people confuse them or treat them as the same thing. But in my experience, understanding the difference between them has made me faster, more creative, and more effective—not just as an artist, but as a storyteller.
Mastering the fundamentals of visual storytelling
When I get a script or a scene brief, the first thing I do is thumbnail. It’s fast, loose, and personal. Thumbnails help me sketch out the rhythm of a scene, test compositions, and explore storytelling beats without worrying about details. It’s like brainstorming with drawings. I can try five versions of a scene in minutes. That’s where the true storytelling begins—in those tiny frames where nothing is fixed, but everything is possible. Later, when I start storyboarding, that’s when the raw energy of those thumbnails gets translated into something readable, structured, and usable by the rest of the team. Storyboards are where clarity meets creativity.
Working in a studio production environment
In studios like DNEG, where multiple departments rely on what you deliver, storyboards become a production tool. Your thumbnail is your sketchbook—your personal sandbox. But once you hand something over to layout, animation, or editorial, there’s no room for guesswork. Every panel in a storyboard needs to communicate clearly. Direction, emotion, pacing, camera angles—all of it has to be readable and intentional. The clearer your storyboard, the smoother the production. I’ve had scenes that looked great in thumbnail form fall apart in production because I didn’t take the time to clarify them in the boards. That’s a lesson you only need once.
Emotional connection and storytelling mastery
There’s something deeply personal about the process. Thumbnails are where I let my instincts lead. Sometimes, in the middle of thumbnailing, I’ll feel the emotional beat hit me—and I know I’m onto something. When I translate that feeling into storyboards and see the whole sequence come to life, it’s overwhelming in the best way. One moment I’m drawing scribbles in a sketchbook, the next I’m watching those frames get animated and voiced and lit… and they work. That’s what keeps me coming back. You feel the story move through you, frame by frame, and you realize: this is why I do it.
Lessons I’ve learned (and keep learning)
Here’s what experience has taught me:
Don’t skip thumbnails. No matter how tight the deadline is, taking 30 minutes to explore your scene freely will always save time later.
Storyboards are more than pretty drawings. They’re communication tools. They need to work, not just look good.
Always storyboard with empathy. You’re building something that others will use, interpret, and add to. Make their lives easier with clarity.
Trust your instincts during thumbnailing. That rough little sketch that feels weird but exciting? Follow it.
Let the story lead. Don’t get caught up in flashy angles. What matters most is how the viewer feels.
Technical and artistic growth through thumbnailing and storyboarding
If I’ve learned anything over the years, it’s that speed and clarity don’t come from talent—they come from practice.
I thumbnail almost every day, even outside of projects. It trains my eye to see the shot before I draw it. I’ve experimented with analog vs digital tools, different storyboard templates, camera techniques, emotional timing—you name it. Over time, I built a process that allows me to move fast without losing depth. Good thumbnailing isn’t about perfection—it’s about direction. And a great storyboard isn’t about pretty drawings—it’s about telling a story so well that the viewer forgets it’s still just drawings.
Final thoughts
For me, thumbnails and storyboards aren’t just tools—they’re a way of thinking. A way of discovering, shaping, and ultimately giving form to something intangible. They are the blueprint of emotion, movement, and vision.
When I look back at the projects I’ve worked on, I don’t remember just the final shots—I remember the thumbnail pages full of raw energy, the nights spent refining boards until the rhythm felt right, and the moment the team saw the scene come to life.
That’s why I do this. That’s why I keep showing up to the blank page. Because every great animation starts not with a perfect drawing, but with a feeling—and the courage to sketch it out.