Pre-production has always eaten up more time than most creators would like. Sketching characters, mapping out scenes, and picking camera angles by hand can turn a simple idea into a days-long task. Google Flow changes that. Its Storyboard Studio feature takes a written story and turns it into a structured, cinematic AI storyboard in minutes, not days.
This guide walks through every step of the process, from opening a new project to exporting your finished storyboard, so you can see exactly how the workflow comes together.
What is Google Flow Storyboard Studio?
Google Flow Storyboard Studio is a feature within Google Flow that automates the journey from a written story to a fully structured storyboard. Rather than building each scene, character, and shot by hand, the tool reads your story and generates these elements for you. It handles
- Story titles and scene breakdowns.
- Dialogues wherever the story calls for them.
- Character, location, and prop assets.
- Storyboard panels with suggested camera shots.
Everything it generates can still be edited manually, so you get speed without giving up creative control. Much of this automation is powered by AI agents that analyse inputs and complete multi-step creative tasks with minimal manual effort.
Setting up a New Project in Google Flow :
Everything starts with a fresh project, and Google Flow keeps this step simple. Open your browser, search for Google Flow, and head to the official website.
- Click Get Started to begin.
- Create a new project from your dashboard.
- Once it opens, you will notice options like Media, Characters, and Scenes on the left-hand side.
This is your home base for the rest of the process, so it helps to get familiar with the layout before moving ahead.
Using Storyboard Studio :
Once your project is open, it is time to bring Storyboard Studio into the picture. From the left-hand panel, click Tools, then select Storyboard Studio and hit Get Started.
- You will first be asked to pick a storyboard style, such as 3D Animated.
- The style you choose sets the visual tone for every panel generated later.
- You can switch styles depending on the type of project you are working on.
Think of this step as choosing the lens through which your entire story will be told visually.
AI Story Analysis :
Before the tool can build anything, it needs a story to work with. You can write one yourself or generate one using AI within Google Flow. Once your story is ready, paste it into the editor and make any edits you like before continuing.
From here, Storyboard Studio analyses the story on its own and separates it into usable parts:
- Generates a suitable title for the project
- Breaks the story down into individual scenes
- Creates dialogues wherever the story calls for them
This analysis step is what turns a plain block of text into a workable storyboard foundation.
Creating Characters, Locations, and Props Automatically :
With the story in place, Storyboard Studio moves to the Assets section, and this is where a lot of manual work simply disappears.
- The tool scans your story and identifies characters, locations, and props automatically.
- Separate lists are created for each asset type.
- Nothing needs to be added manually at this stage unless you choose to.
It is a genuinely handy way to see, at a glance, everything your story will need visually.
Using Autofill Details for Assets :
Writing detailed descriptions for every character and location can be tedious, so Autofill Details takes care of it for you.
- Click Autofill Details to generate descriptions for characters, locations, and props in one go.
- Each description is created automatically based on the story context.
- Prefer a personal touch? You can manually edit any asset to match your own vision.
This feature strikes a nice balance between saving time and keeping creative control in your hands.
Building Storyboard Scenes and Camera Shots :
Once your assets are ready, the Storyboard section takes over and turns your story into something visual.
- Every scene from your story is automatically converted into a storyboard panel.
- Suitable camera shots are intelligently selected for each scene.
- The result feels far more cinematic than a plain text-based outline.
This is often the most satisfying step, since it is where your story finally starts to look like a real storyboard.
Customizing Storyboard Panels :
Automation is helpful, but every project has its own creative needs, and Storyboard Studio accounts for that too.
- Change camera angles for any panel that does not match your vision
- Adjust the number of shots within a particular scene
- Fine-tune panels individually without affecting the rest of the storyboard
Once you have reviewed all your scenes, characters, and camera shots, your project is essentially ready to go.
Exporting and Saving Projects as JSON Files :
When your storyboard is complete, saving it takes just a couple of clicks.
- Click the three-dot menu in the top-right corner of the screen
- Select Save to export your entire project
- The export is saved as a JSON file containing your story, assets, scenes, and all related project data
This makes it easy to keep a complete backup of your work in a single file.
Importing Projects to Continue Editing Later :
Not every storyboard gets finished in one sitting, and that is perfectly fine with Google Flow.
- Open Storyboard Studio and choose to import a project.
- Select the saved JSON file from your device.
- Your story, assets, scenes, and camera shots are all restored exactly as you left them.
There is no need to rebuild anything from scratch, which makes picking up long-term projects far less stressful.
Conclusion
Google Flow Storyboard Studio brings story generation, asset creation, and scene planning together into one smooth workflow. From setting up a new project to importing a saved JSON file weeks later, each step is designed to save time without taking away creative freedom. Whether you are working on a short film, an animated series, or a marketing video, this tool offers a practical way to turn a simple story into a fully realised AI-powered storyboard, and creators moving into production can pair it with a video generator to take those scenes from panels to final cuts.
Frequently Asked Questions :
Q. Do I need to write my own story to use Google Flow Storyboard Studio?
No, writing your own story is optional. You can either write one from scratch or use the built-in AI option to generate a story for you, then edit it as needed before continuing.
Q. Does Storyboard Studio create characters and locations automatically?
Yes. Once your story is added, the tool scans it and automatically creates separate lists for characters, locations, props, and other important objects.
Q. What does the Autofill Details feature do?
Autofill Details generates detailed descriptions for your characters, locations, and props with a single click, so you do not have to write these descriptions manually. You can still edit any asset by hand afterward.
Q. Can I change the camera shots that Storyboard Studio selects?
Yes. While the tool intelligently selects camera shots for each scene, you can manually adjust the camera angles or change the number of shots in any scene.
Q. How is my storyboard project saved, and can I continue it later?
Your project is saved by clicking the three-dot menu and selecting Save, which exports it as a JSON file containing the story, assets, scenes, and project data. You can import this file back into Storyboard Studio at any time to continue exactly where you left off.
